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Post by johno on Nov 20, 2008 2:00:16 GMT -5
:PUggh! At least it's over... Today I gave another talk to a local gardening club (Seeders and Cedars, celebrating their 50th year). I always ask myself afterwards, "Why oh why did I agree to do that?!" But the answer is always the same: educating the public about heirlooms and vegetable gardening outranks my fear of public speaking. Every time, the first ten minutes all I can do is think about running out the door, then I warm up and do okay. I actually enjoy and do well at the question and answer part at the end - I could do that for hours. But I'm so drained afterwards each time that I swear I'll never do it again. I basically covered three things in my talk (before the Q&A...): promoting the Heirloom Seed Shop, defining and describing heirlooms and several points about them, and indoor seed-starting. A representative from the seed shop brought all their seeds for sale to the meeting (I think sales were good), along with brochures and planting guides. I brought a stand that holds four flats and three shop lights, and some samples of floating row cover - everyone should know about the multiple virtues of that stuff. My wife wasn't fooled; she knew I built the new stand more for myself than for the meeting ;D.
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Post by stratcat on Nov 20, 2008 2:41:19 GMT -5
Good for you, johno. Glad to see you're out there spreading the word. In 2006 I spoke for an hour on Heirloom Gardening to my MG Association. I took some books, pepper plants and colorful tomatoes for props. I agree-the questions were the best. Really put me at ease. Nowadays I can talk to townsfolk whilst I'm out working in my cottage garden without gazing at my feet. ;D Maybe even give a guided tour of my gardens. Keep up the good work!
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Post by grungy on Nov 20, 2008 4:49:13 GMT -5
Both of you, please keep up the good work. The message that lasts the longest is the one that is given by word of mouth, with good demonstrations where ever possible.
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Post by lavandulagirl on Nov 20, 2008 9:27:41 GMT -5
Glad it went well, Johno! You ought to collect some of those questions and answers to put in your book.
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Post by Alan on Dec 2, 2008 14:49:17 GMT -5
Good to hear Johno. I enjoy giving talks and tours as well, it really can be a lot of fun. The only problem is when I have a small crowd of only four or five, for some reason that is when I tend to start freezing up for whatever reason, if it's a hundred people I'm good to go, but five or six and I'm in trouble. At the last talk I gave over at the co-op if it weren't for Kim and Karen (plantsnoobin) I'd have probably froze up and not have known what to say in all honesty. But I do really enjoy it in the end and look forward to doing many more in the future.
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Post by johno on Dec 2, 2008 16:10:10 GMT -5
4 or 5 people would be no sweat for me - that's about the size of the work crews I'm used to leading. Much more than that and I get tongue-tied. Although, the last audience was about 30 people, and it was really worse than the one before, which was about 90 people; so I see what you mean about large groups being easier.
I like to have someone in the crowd give me time signals, too. Otherwise I get too long-winded at the wrong places. I never remember to look at the clock after the first ten minutes.
Hopefully someday I'll get a tractor running, then I can work a much larger area and have something to give a tour of besides my personal little garden. I really enjoy giving tours of that, but they are too short - lol. I'd much prefer that to giving indoor talks.
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