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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Getting the word out WAS Re: NNGA membership declines

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  • From: road's end farm <organic101@linkny.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Getting the word out WAS Re: NNGA membership declines
  • Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 10:43:03 -0400


On Jul 3, 2007, at 6:56 AM, loneroc wrote:

If we at NAFEX want to arrest a declining membership and combat a lack of
general societal interest in fruit growing, we must seek out people who have
nothing to contribute (other than their ears/eyes) initially. We must hook
people who have marginal initial interest in fruit and help to create the
new experts who will take up the torch of the dead and dying
old-timers!!!!!!!!!!!!

A very good point.

And how is anyone to know that they're interested in something that they've never been exposed to? None of us were born knowing any of this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wound up a fruit (and, actually primarily right now, vegetable) grower due to almost accidental exposure.

As others have posted, there's a huge amount of information available in the heads of older people; as well as in the genes of their plantings. Also as others have posted, there's a difficulty in getting this information transmitted, and the future care of the plants ensured. The difficulty is compounded by the fact that (with many exceptions) some of the people who have the information, and some of the people who could benefit from it and who are essential to prevent it from being lost, are currently using different means of communication.

What is needed here is translators; and I note that several volunteers for this have posted on this also. What is not useful is for people, in either group. to put down and/or try to ignore the existence of those who prefer different communication methods than they themselves like to use. Why shouldn't we try to make it easy for everybody to join, and as easy as possible for everybody to communicate?

Claude, thanks for apology. I'm sure we've all hit "send" without thinking of the possible impact of a particular line (and I was pretty groggy when I answered you, and hope I didn't come off as snarly.) And I do think subscription, as well as other communications, should be possible through as many means as is practical.

--Rivka
Finger Lakes NY; zone 5 mostly



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