market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Market Farming
List archive
- From: "wiediger" <wiediger AT email.msn.com>
- To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
- Subject: Re: Peddlers at Markets
- Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 12:55:46 -0600
There sure is a lot of great discussion going on in this market farming
listserv. You are making it very difficult for me to get my harvesting
done. I figure I can either eat lunch or put my cents worth in. Just can't
resist!!
To Bill Shoemaker - we apologize for the bashing being given ag extension.
However, from my experience, "ag extension" deserves it. Obviously, not all
agents, although many fit this category. I think the problem comes from who
drives ag extension and the land grant universities. It's BIG
agri-business. We (market growers and especially organic growers) are a
fringe element. The money we spend will never drive the agri-business
industry. So be it. But we do contribute to our local and state economies.
The problem is that ag extension doesn't promote themselves for what they
really are. Which again, is a mouth piece for the agri-business industry.
Now I had better apologize to my ag agent Matt John, Edmonson County, Ky.
He is one of the few and far in-between agents who really cares about his
farmers. He tries to help them do what is right for them. And I'm not just
saying this because I know Matt is reading this. Alison and I had the
opportunity to participate in the SSAWG conference last month and there
were a number of ag extension agents there. Many of them feel isolated and
understand why so many of us have negative feelings about ag extension. But
the conference really opened my eyes to the fact that there really are some
excellent agents out there as well as land grant university professors, such
as Victoria Bhavsar and KSU farm manager Mac Stone, Bill Shoemaker,Alex
McGregor and Fred Magdoff (and I apologize for misspelling all your names)
and the list can go on and on. But the problem is - this is only a handful
of what should be.
So for those of you in a position with ag extension, etc. we appreciate
what you do for us. Work on your fellow colleagues to help them see that we
are legitimate "farmers" and would appreciate having them work with us.
Well, if I ever learn to type with more than 2 fingers I'll be able to eat
lunch and participate. I need to go harvest mesclun for an order for a Ky
state agriculture meeting with dinner being held tomorrow. I like the fact
that they ordered it from an organic market grower who is growing all
winter long in unheated frames that my states ag extension says CAN'T be
done.
Paul
Paul and Alison Wiediger
Au Naturel Farm
http://aunaturelfarm.homestead.com
>
> As someone who represents Extension I resent the broad brush you use
to
> paint us. There certainly are some in Extension who I might think are
idiots
> but there are many, many more I respect, who believe in the mission of
> outreach to the public with research-based information. There are some who
> enthusiastically represent sustainable ag, organic ag, eco-ag. There are
> others who truly believe in conventional ag. As educated professionals
they
> all have a right to represent their professional views, just as I do when
I
> write to this forum. But I think it's unfair to call them all idiots. In
> fact, I think you close the door on some very good opportunities if you
> don't engage with them in a dialogue. You might find that some of them are
> much more helpful than your bias leads you to believe.
>
> Bill Shoemaker
> Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
> Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center
t: http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/documents/market-farming.faq
-
Re: Peddlers at Markets
, (continued)
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Joan Vibert, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, mckemie, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Jill Taylor Bussiere, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, mckemie, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Chapman-Dale, 02/07/2001
- RE: Peddlers at Markets, Wiediger, Alison, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Bill Shoemaker, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Kevin Ancell, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Jill Taylor Bussiere, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, BBGREGSON, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, wiediger, 02/07/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Del Williams, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Bill Shoemaker, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Jeffery Blake, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, SCook21809, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Del Williams, 02/09/2001
- RE: Peddlers at Markets, Wiediger, Alison, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Jill Taylor Bussiere, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Sudoa Farm, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, mckemie, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Gary & Sarah Rowland, 02/09/2001
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