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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] how many computer people on this list??

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  • From: Barking Cat Farm <barkingcatfarm AT mindspring.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] how many computer people on this list??
  • Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:53:24 -0500

>> How many computer people are on this list?? Meaning that's your other job??

Both my business partner/farm co-owner and I come from tech backgrounds.

She was in digital hardware design and eventually management w/same for close
to 20 years. Worked for a defense contractor on hardware design, then went
to a startup that designed and manufactured DSL interfaces when that
technology was brand new.

I was in digital hardware design, then went into IT for a defense contractor,
then into computer networking/information security for a startup consultancy.
Did that combined for over 20 years.

So between us we have over 40 years in tech roles, 3 engineering degrees, a
computer science degree, and several technical certifications. She gardened
as a hobby for many years while working her day job; I didn't garden but I
enjoyed working outside. We each retired in '02 from engineering, started
farming full-time in '04, and never looked back. While I really enjoyed my
engineering career and for the most part really liked the people I worked
with, a bad day of farming always beats a good day in a cubicle/office
sitting behind a computer screen in my humble opinion. It was my experience
that the longer you stay in tech, the less actual hands-on fun stuff you get
to do and the more you get pushed more into management if you are good at
what you do or at the very least I kept seeing the same thing time after
time. It's just a natural progression, I think. I find that I use my
troubleshooting skills a lot more now than I did as an professional engineer.
The science is just a lot less exact than digital engineering of course.
It's a lot less about ones and zeros than degrees of failure and success.

I find it fascinating to hear others' backgrounds. When I first started in
IT it was in its infancy and I was always surprised where my co-workers came
from (physics, music, psychology, teaching, etc.). It is sort of like that
now with farming, as unlike 50 years ago, most of us don't come from
generations of farmers. And when I find the rare bird who has a lot of
farming background, I try to become their friend as quickly as possible as
they are invaluable founts of knowledge! :-)

Laurie
Zones 7&8



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