North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@tds.net>]

   I don't know why people just assume that local nurseries have answers to 
everything.  I have dealt with alot of  them and quickly learned that the 
owners had no more qualification for their tasks than their love of working 
with plants (I hope there are exceptions to the rule but I have yet to 
encounter one).  For employees who are willing to work for minimum wage, it 
is a real opportunity for the public to ask you questions as though you have 
all of the answers.  Qualified people will usually want a higher wage than 
what many nurseries are willing to pay.
   An anecdote that I often repeat happened in one nursery I was in when 
the owner was giving a pitch for his favorite brand of insecticide for 
killing aphids.  In his sales pitch, he said, 
"................................................and it'll even get the 
eggs."  After the customer left, I drew the owner aside saying, "Lester, 
aphids don't lay eggs at this time of year; they give birth to live young." 
He didn't know and I don't think if he even believed me.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies & syrups:
www.bberryfarm.com
(218)568-8483 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]


Since I'm in Nebraska, I called the Backyard Farmer public TV program,
but the person answering phones told me to just take a sample of the
problem to a local nursery.

Bill