North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Claude Sweet <hortventures@cox.net>]

I was the original CRFG president when Paul Tompson, one of the founding members, stepped down from running the organization. It social aspects of the aspects was incorporated into the development of local chapters to offset the fear of being involved with the California State University at Fullerton.

The publication was gradually transformed from publication printed on an old ditto machine to being composed on an IBM Selectronic typewriter.  Personal computer were just becoming available to the general public. I wrote my copy for the Ortho All About Citrus and Subtropical Fruit Book on a Radio Shack model 80.

I have found that some people have the ability to envision the possibilities and others seem to live to see misfortune and disasters around every corner.

The people at NAFEX seem as nice a set of people as the CRFG, but were unwilling to set the membership fees to cover the expenses to provide a more professional type publication. Too bad since the major reason people join these types of horticultural organizations is access to plant material, networking, and exchanging information. People who are lucky enough to live close to a university or major city with an existing horticultural society or club benefit from the personal communications and friendships associated with attending meetings.

The younger generation of gardeners/horticulturists feel as comfortable using the Internet as communicating with people face to face.  Many of us who feel comfortable using the computer feel we establish friendships using e-mails and prefer this method because it is relatively inexpensive and far quicker than using the mail. I hardly use the phone as I prefer to have a written record of my communications, rather than having to take notes of a phone conversation.

When I suggested the idea of establishing a CRFG Internet Forum, I met the same resistance as when I suggested archiving the Fruit Gardener as pdf files on their web site and distributing each year's publications on a CD.  Glad to hear they finally decided to establish a tiered membership.  I am a life member and stay out of the way. I am much too busy in the skating community to offer advice - someone might consider it an offer to volunteer.

Claude Sweet
San Diego, CA

PS: I worked with a new editor to revise the Citrus and Subtropical Fruits book.  We did it all over the Internet, except for two phone calls. It was much easier doing the research and fact checking. It made the entire process a pleasurable experience.  Of course it helps to have a great editor to colloberate with to make the process enjoyable.



Spidra Webster wrote:

On Feb 12, 2008, at 4:47 PM, Claude Sweet wrote:

The problems you are discussing have been discussed for years in the California Rare Fruit Growers with no progress because the majority of the membership consisted of older people who were not computer savvy and lacked a high speed Internet connection. Eventually their numbers have declined, but still no action to explore a second tier membership with a reduced rate electronic distribution.

I'm still catching up on email (car broke down in Redding, CA on Saturday so I was stuck there a while) so I'm coming in on the middle of this thread, but I wanted to say that CRFG has a couple tiers of membership right now, including lower rates for a membership that includes PDFs of The Fruit Gardener rather than a hard copy mailed to you.

http://crfg.org/join.html

I know what you're talking about, though, Claude. I've struggled with this issue on the chapter level.  I truly believe the email and internet-phobia of some of our membership keeps us from reaching many people, including younger people who were weaned on the internet.  I am cognizant of the socio-economic issues around internet-accessibility. However, in our particular chapter, I don't know of anyone who lives in an area that doesn't have a public library with public computers and high speed internet access.  Gosh knows I wish our local chapter, or even CRFG at large, had a list as active as this NAFEX list.  But for reasons I can't figure out, people are resistant.  On the other hand, there are individual chapters that are very with-it.  Santa Clara has a busy Yahoo Group list for its members, for instance.

Megan Lynch

Berkeley, CA

NAFEX: I'm in USDA Zone 9b

Treadle On: My current wishlist is a Bronze Embossed White, Kenmore De Luxe 551Matching Cabinet Chair, Singer 500 carrying case, Necchi treadle cabinet, National Art Deco treadle cab, Kenmore Art Deco treadle cab

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