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Post by lavandulagirl on Dec 16, 2009 22:17:28 GMT -5
Alan - just let me know what you need, once you get your volunteers together. I'm not very technically oriented, but if you point me at the info, I'm sure I can pick it up.
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Post by Darth Slater on Dec 16, 2009 23:46:11 GMT -5
I do think we have too many "sticky" threads. We can eliminate some of those. I know some of the topics are a little intimidating to new gardeners. Some of them scare me. lol If people want to talk about politics, there are plenty of places to do that. I really don't want a politics section here. This is the only gardening forum I post on now. Other ones are either too basic for my needs, or are so full of drama, I don't want to deal with it. And if we start a political section, I won't post here at HG either. I for one will not be here if it goes political, thats why I shut the TV off, after the weather. That is why I am thinking of quiting another site, when there are more political posts than garden threads, time to go. If it was realevant to the enviroment fine lets here it, but if it is politics politics, see ya. There is no podium in my garden. I still dont know how to get into the chat room. Those work well for breaking the ice and getting to know the other people LIVe chat is great. I log onto chat here and it doesnt seem to work. Some pics of the research would be very cool!! Results of your stuff Alan, melons,corn etc your tomatoes. Also really old posts are decieving because no one knows if those people still want anything or are offering an item. I hope I did not offend anyone. Dean Slater {Darth}
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Post by grunt on Dec 17, 2009 0:44:05 GMT -5
I don't post much, and tend to babble when I do, but I do check in to see what's going on on a daily basis, even now. I hopefully should have a couple of things to contribute before too long (aside from the eventual seed lists). I like Jo's idea of an archive of "Sum of All Knowledge" information and FAQ's that can't be lost. Maybe a Google account, and use the Google Docs section to hold a backup copy of everything in the archive, with the access address available to all? Sprout: Don't let your self perceived lack of experience stop you from posting. You may have read something that the rest of us missed, and new eyes sometimes see what jaded ones don't. Chip in and help stir the pot. Just went back and reread the first part of this thread, and found I had missed Alan's suggestion of a central blog to gather everything to. Sort of nullifies my Google Docs suggestion.
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Post by grunt on Dec 17, 2009 1:23:26 GMT -5
Dean: We all have our own particular political views, but here we mostly keep them to ourselves. The few references to politics usually end up being in the "Soapbox" thread, which is where, in my opinion, they should be. I go you one farther on TV viewing - I don't. I can keep up on the news and weather online, and don't miss the mostly inane drivel that passes for entertainment now. And I find I have a lot more time (usually) to do things in in the evenings. As Jo (I think) said, politics and/or religion don't do much more than polarize people on forums, and that is almost always a minus for the forum when it happens. I'm in a babbly mood right now, but unfortunately have other things that have to be addressed first now. Check out our blog, and the albums at the addresses posted there. I'll be writing about the interplanting trial illustrated in the danvaltrial album before too long.
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Post by stevil on Dec 17, 2009 4:47:30 GMT -5
Hold a "Weeding in your Bikini" contest. Not to brag or anything but I look hot in a thong. If you feel the urge you could take part in the World Naked Gardening Day (Google WNGD) - it's May 10th it seems....
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Post by ottawagardener on Dec 17, 2009 5:32:07 GMT -5
Um, that's a bit on the chilly side here generally. Darn, guess I can't participate in WNGD. Which I'm sure is okay with a good portion of the world.
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Post by ottawagardener on Dec 17, 2009 5:35:18 GMT -5
No TV here either for the last 6 years and I can't say I miss it.
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Post by PatrickW on Dec 17, 2009 5:42:30 GMT -5
You know there's such a huge discrepancy between the idea of being in full control of the genetics of the plants we grow, as we all know is so important, and hosting of this discussion forum and associated blog.
Rather than growing commercial F1s every year, and being dependent on others for seeds, we save our own seeds and manipulate the genetics to suit ourselves. Even those of us who don't know how to manipulate the genetics still usually choose OP seeds, because we recognize them as better and we are in a position to ask others for advise and help in growing them. We all know this routine. I'm just preaching to the choir here.
At the same time, we host this discussion forum on Proboards. They own the domain name 'proboards.com'. They decide what kind of software to run on their website. For example, many of us have complained that we are only able to look at the 10 most recent posts, but would really like to look at the last 100 or so. There are other technical problems we've run into, and don't have any way of fixing them and making it work the way we want it to, because we don't own or control the software this site is running on. This all applies to blogspot, and many other 'free' Internet sites as well.
We are totally locked into proprietary websites, and everything we do or write is controlled and in many cases owned by someone else. At the point we decide to switch to something non-proprietary, it's going to be a huge technical and logistical problem to untangle.
If you're thinking of expanding or changing this site in any way, at the very least, I think it would be a good idea by starting with the purchase ($15/yr) of our own domain name, and then trying to establish anything new you create on non-proprietary software. I think it would be a good idea to gradually move completely to non-proprietary hosting eventually.
There's no doubt this will be more work, and I'm not sure I have a lot of time to help, but I think it'll be worth it in the end. In any case, I always have a few minutes to give advise and help to anyone who wants to work on this, even if I don't have enough time to do much of the technical work myself.
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Post by mnjrutherford on Dec 17, 2009 8:41:25 GMT -5
We do PBS exclusively, with the exception of news. We watch SOME ABC news in morning as well as the Time Warner Cable news. We are looking for weather info. I look out the window, he becomes mesmerized by the weatherman... go figure.
ANYway, I REALLY REALLY (2 really) like the format of this forum. As an Old Fart who refuses to admit I am ignorant about anything, I found the learning curve (EXCEPT the search function) to be shallow. The idea of picking up the whole kit and caboodle and moving to a whole different "thing" sounds a bit... ummm... well, not frightening exactly... not exactly intimidating... Yucky perhaps? BOTHERSOME! Yes, that's it, bothersome. I'd follow along, but I wouldn't be happy about it.
"10 Most Recent Posts" should be all things posted since midnight, in my opinion. I would really like that much better. Anyway of suggesting something like this to Proboards?
Politics - We all seem to be political once in a while. What I 4 really like about the people here is that we woosh it all out on "Soapbox" then we move on. So, it meets a need without sucking us up and keeping us in a mental holding pattern.
Alan, I trust you realize that you've opened a compost heap of wiggly worms with this thread! ;o) Good job there young feller. You'll go far in this life.
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Post by mnjrutherford on Dec 17, 2009 8:48:01 GMT -5
Oh, nearly forgot... No naked gardening day for me! What if the honey bees decide to defend their precious flowers and hives from a naked me? What if the stink bugs decided I was more interesting than my tomatoes? What if the mosquitoes decided to have a tequila day and wanted me as the cocktail waitress? What if the Colorado potato beetles decided I looked better in stripes? What if the flies decided I smelled better and a horse poo patty? The mere thought just makes me buggy!
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Post by Tom Akers on Dec 17, 2009 8:57:57 GMT -5
One thing I would like is a list of the last ten or however many active topics, vs. last ten postings. Many times the last ten posts are all on the same topic, i.e. "Happy Birthday". I'm not sure how tough this is to accomplish, but I think it would more useful. Happy gardening, and holidays, Tom
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Post by nuts on Dec 17, 2009 9:29:54 GMT -5
No tv for me neither. tv is stuffed with publicity,a form of brainwashing in my opinion. I would like this site without the google ads even if they don't seem very harrassing at first sight.I'd rather accept financial contribution than potential mental manipulation,but I think I'm in minority.
About politics,I think our activity(seed exchange) is threatened by existing and future laws and because laws are made by politics,politics need our attention.
A minor detail:I'd like to see new post on top in the threads in stead of at the bottom.
great site,keep it going!
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Post by mjc on Dec 17, 2009 9:34:21 GMT -5
The Google ads are part of Proboards and not anything that can be changed short of moving to paid hosting...(for about $10/year domain registration can be had...and about $30/month for decent hosting).
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Post by nuts on Dec 17, 2009 10:05:40 GMT -5
The Google ads are part of Proboards and not anything that can be changed short of moving to paid hosting...(for about $10/year domain registration can be had...and about $30/month for decent hosting). Yeah,that's how they get you...
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Post by plantsnobin on Dec 17, 2009 11:20:23 GMT -5
Ok, this is going to be long winded, and not completely on topic. This is 'pie in the sky' dreaming on my part...but here goes. The Great HomeGrown Goodness Experiment'. Someone, probably best be a couple, without kids would be easier, makea a commitment to carry out a multi-year experiment. The goal would be reasonable self sufficiency. Everything would be documented daily. I mean litterally everything. Temperature, rainfall, humidity. Thoughtful consideration would be given to what crops should do well in their area, but crops that are listed as a zone out of their reach would also be grown as part of the experiment. Everything about each crop would be recorded down to the last detail. Trials of rotation and no-rotation, bio-intensive, everything possible would be done. Every kind of livestock forage would be planted and the animals preferences would be noted. Free range chickens and caged chickens would be followed from hatching to butchering/laying to see which is really the most economical. How much time does it take for every chore done, everyday, and would it be cheaper for you to just buy whatever it is you are producing? How long did it take for that apple or nut tree to start bearing from seed? Yield? How many trees out of 100 were duds? How many cords of wood then did the duds produce? There would be experiments for everything that is being touted by the so-called permaculturists. Rocket stoves, alternative building, on farm bio-diesel, all done without an agenda. Not trying to prove it will work, just objective data. Just solid facts on how much land it takes to grow enough food to feed two people for a year, how much wood is needed to heat an average home, how much it costs to raise your own meat, etc. There is so much over-romanticizing a rural way of life, it would be nice to see facts. Because when the economy stinks like it does now, folks want to move to the country and be hippies. They need to know that there is more to it than letting a couple hens free range. So anyway, there is my fantasy. Do the experiment, document every little detail, post it to the website where others can add their two cents from their area of the world. A live web cam would be a nice touch. At the end of ten years write a book, wrapping all the info into one neat little package. Now you are probably thinking I need to be on medication.
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