North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jwlehman@aol.com]

>   Now that NAFEX has been fragmented, how does a potential new member
> >join?  If a potential member attempts to join, will he be directed to the
> >new listserv or to this one?
> >
> >Jim Fruth   

I forwarded Jim's question to NAFEX President Dr. Ethan Natelson and here 
was his response:

I would not agree that Nafex has been fragmented, but simply put into a 
fiscally responsible position.   Nobody is forced to join or participate in 

any particular social network and whether one joins the original list 
serve, 
which is not under the control of Nafex, or the newly-created one, which 
is, or neither, is their choice.                                      End 
quote 

Many organizations such as NAFEX, NNGA (Northern Nut Growers Assoc.), state 
nut grower organizations are experiencing great membership decline. These 
organizations were established by growers for growers with common interest to 
share information. NNGA celebrated their 100th anniversary two years ago. 
Membership has declined by about 75%, NAFEX isn't far behind. The main reason 
is massive amounts of free expert information made available by the 
Internet, FREE. The motivating force for paying any membership free has 
changed 
from obtaining information to social comradery. 

Maybe 10 years ago at a NAFEX board meeting someone (prior to Dr. Parmar) 
said any organization that doesn't have a web site will fall by the wayside. 
NAFEX has had a web site for years. It has often been suggested POMONA be 
published entirely on the web site. Most people will not voluntarily pay for 
information by joining when it is available free. The free Internet is the 
downfall of many special grower interest organizations. Not many will pay for 
the cow when they can get the milk for free

Smaller associations such as MIDFEX (Mid America Fruit Explorers) in the 
Chicago area and INGA (Indiana Nut Growers Assoc.) have done better due to 
the 
physical nearness of their membership. Scion swap meetings and grafting 
demonstration meetings for example promotes purchased memberships. 

INGA membership has been fairly steady at 300 due to membership interest 
meetings and the very low cost of membership, $7.00 annually or $100 for 
lifetime membership. Half of INGA members have purchased Life Time 
Memberships.  

Every subscriber of this free LISTSERV who elects not to pay for membership 
contributes to NAFEX decline. And every time we paying members answer 
questions on this net we also contribute to the end of NAFEX. This situation 
is 
the by product of the free information age similar to the US postal service 
demise.  

Jerry Lehman  
Diehard paying NAFEX member since the mid 1980s.  


>From alandhaigh@gmail.com  Sat Dec 17 13:40:07 2011
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I am also a 2 decade NAFEX member and still a fan.  Lately I haven't made
the annual meetings just because my wife is not interested in a midwest
vacation- we can't afford a lot of vacation time so it has to please both
of us.   Has to be either west or east coast for us to make it.  I wish
they'd stop having most of them in the same general region of the country
just because I miss attending.

Because my involvement is now limited to this site, I'm not even sure that
I'm currently a member.  I'm so out of it, the split being discussed here
is new information for me.

I can't complain about the current direction of NAFEX, even if I had
complaints, because I'm too busy running my business to contribute enough
input into the organization to give me the right.  Viva la NAFEX!