North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Thomas Olenio" <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hi,

Hi,

Well...  I bet people are just getting further away from the land, farming
and gardening all the time, due to changes in society and demands of time
and work.

There is little time being made for things they can buy for pennies, nor
little knowledge that better varieties exist outside the supermarket, that
do not meet the demands of market farming.

Let's face it...  The most delicious fruit/nut in the world will never be
tasted by the masses unless; it can be picked green, ships well, stores
well, has perfect eye appeal, and can be grown with little cost/maintenance.


Your average "Joe consumer" has no knowledge of these considerations, or
that they can produce better fruits/nuts themselves.

This shift does not diminish the importance of NAFEX and similar groups; it
simply makes them more important.  Much like the crop gene banks; the masses
never think about them, but they are critical to biodiversity and improving
crops. 

Later,
Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Michael Nave
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 11:19 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] NNGA membership declines

I've been an NNGA member for about 16 years. My
impression is that the older folks are dying off, and
more importantly, not being replaced by younger folks.
Interest in nut trees definitely seems to be in a
decline in the US right now. Membership in the
American Chestnut Foundation has increased but I think
many of the ACF members are not active nut growers
anyway. They like the romance of the story of the
American chestnut and the attempts to bring it back.

It's not that there are other ways to meet kindred
souls. There simply aren't that many kindred souls to
meet. Oddly, there are probably more chestnut and
pecan growers now than there have been in many years,
but many of them really aren't interested in nut trees
as a discussion topic. They are simply interested in
growing nut trees as a way to make money. Many newer
chestnut growers in the west for example just plant
orchards of Colossal chestnuts as a way to make an
easy buck. They actually know nothing about chestnuts
and have no interest in discussing chestnuts unless
the discussion involves a way to make more money. They
have no love of nut trees at all.

Mike



--- Donna &/or Kieran <holycow@cookeville.com> wrote:

> I guess you can tell business is slow for me today. 
> I finally joined NNGA 
> last year and finally got our address problem
> corrected so got my long 
> awaited and long anticipated first NUTSHELL.  What a
> disappointment, very 
> thin reading.  Then I read that their membership has
> declined to only 600, 
> only about 1/4 of what it has been in the past. 
> Anyone know why?  I assume 
> it's the old guys dying off.  Could it be that the
> internet and things like 
> Gardenweb as another way to meet kindred souls have
> added to the decline? 
> I do find that the antique rose group contains
> knowlegeable people, but 
> other forums tend to involve a lot of very naive
> beginners.
>     I am concerned because I had assumed that I'd be
> able to track down some 
> old friend of Cecil Farris who would have his hazels
> in their backyard.  ( I 
> do hear that Corvallis has his stuff)  Also I want
> to find the info on Fox 
> and Davis shagbarks, which was compatible with
> mockernut, which with pignut, 
> so I'd know which one I have and try the other one
> again.( I do try to keep 
> decent notes on what I do and decent labels, but
> failed on these)   Lucky 
> says I didn't get them from him and they're not on
> his list of what Ted 
> Danieki has, so I have no idea who I ordered them
> from some 9-10 years ago. 
> I know there is a big overlap of membership between
> the 2 organizations, so 
> maybe you all know something about what has been
> happening with them. 
> Donna 
> 
>


       
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