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Post by PatrickW on Dec 20, 2009 8:17:09 GMT -5
I know not many of you care very much about the SSE, but since it was the topic of hot debate here not too long ago, I thought I would mention this. Executive director DeVault, who was Kent Whealy's replacement, has just resigned and is being replaced with Aaron Whaley (Kent Whealy's son): www.seedsavers.org/pdf/devault_resignation.pdf |
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Post by paquebot on Dec 20, 2009 11:45:17 GMT -5
Interestingly enough, I reported the promotion of Aaron Whaley several days ago on SSE's forum. As of last night, not a single reply on that thread.
Martin
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Post by bunkie on Dec 20, 2009 11:55:34 GMT -5
that is really interesting. i wonder why Aaron wasn't thought of before? too young, maybe?
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Post by PatrickW on Dec 20, 2009 14:32:34 GMT -5
If you ask me, the SSE could use all the youthful influence it can get! I'm sure they were thinking about this when considering the appointment.
I hope things work out for Aaron, and the SSE.
For me, I just let my membership lapse...
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Post by sandbar on Dec 26, 2009 2:34:30 GMT -5
Why is Aaron's last name spelled differently from his parents?
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Post by plantsnobin on Dec 26, 2009 8:52:44 GMT -5
I don't know the answer, I just assumed that maybe Diane had been married before and Kent adopted him.
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Post by PatrickW on Dec 26, 2009 12:14:40 GMT -5
Why is Aaron's last name spelled differently from his parents? Here's the Idig discussion: idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26180According to Carolyn Male, Aaron changed his name a few years ago, because that was the original spelling of the family name as it was in the past. Everyone on Idig seems to like Aaron. |
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Post by sandbar on Dec 26, 2009 13:49:59 GMT -5
Thanks. Just curious ...
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Post by plantsnobin on Dec 26, 2009 14:41:46 GMT -5
You know, I find the lack of discussion in general about SSE kind of curious. I wonder if it is just a matter of maybe an organization whose time is passed. Good idea, went through the pretty predictable changes and is now not recognizable as what it once was. Good lessons in it for all of us though, especially as it pertains to business. The getting too big for your britches aspect anyway. The internet has just made it so easy to connect with so many like-minded people from all over the globe that it may make the SSE obsolete. Totally off the point here, but am I the only one who reads Seed Saver Sex Change when I type it into the address bar?  ? Probably just me. |
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Post by jonnyyuma on Dec 26, 2009 15:05:03 GMT -5
....... I am the only one who reads Seed Saver Sex Change when I type it into the address bar? ? Probably just me. That was pretty funny. |
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Post by PatrickW on Dec 26, 2009 15:42:34 GMT -5
You know, I find the lack of discussion in general about SSE kind of curious. I wonder if it is just a matter of maybe an organization whose time is passed. Good idea, went through the pretty predictable changes and is now not recognizable as what it once was. Good lessons in it for all of us though, especially as it pertains to business. The getting too big for your britches aspect anyway. The internet has just made it so easy to connect with so many like-minded people from all over the globe that it may make the SSE obsolete. I think it's not just the getting too big for your britches. It's having a benefactor who's a billionaire and has devoted her whole life to the cause. It's the New York Times society pages. It's the 890 acre Heritage Farm, one of the largest tracts of land in Iowa. It's all of the buildings on the farm, fitted with handmade hardwood furnishings, made by Amish craftsmen. It's being one of the largest depositors in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It's all the thousands of members, most of whom think they are doing more by giving the SSE money and being a member, then they are by growing and sharing seeds. The SSE was something special when Kent and Dianne were in their own home, making seed lists by hand together with growing some of their offerings in their own garden. When they stopped doing this, the SSE stopped being special. If Aaron can strip the organization down to this level, it will be special again. Either that, or turn it into a proper seed company. Otherwise it just won't be interesting. It's why this discussion forum is special, because it's full of people growing their own seeds, making lists by hand and offering them. The same thing goes for people on the Internet who do the same thing with their blogs. It's also why no one's talking about the SSE. What's to talk about? At the moment, there's no reason why anyone should be paying any attention to them, except to use them for what they are there for, trading seeds via their Yearbook. Just think of all the nonsense that has to go on behind the scenes so we're all able to do this! |
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Post by pugs on Dec 26, 2009 16:27:18 GMT -5
I'm not talking about SSE for one big reason. Kent was the face of SSE. He isn't there anymore. With Kent I had a pretty good idea of what SSE was about. Now I don't.
While I haven't let my membership lapse, I'm also not giving them extra, like I have done in the past. I just got a letter last week asking for more money. It wasn't even signed. I didn't read it carefully, mainly because from a quick reading, it didn't make any sense. If they can't write a clear, simply letter telling me what they want, why they want it and sign it, then they are not getting a dime from me.
Pugs
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Post by sandbar on Dec 27, 2009 22:11:38 GMT -5
... but I am the only one who reads Seed Saver Sex Change when I type it into the address bar? ? Probably just me. Karen, you owe me a new keyboard ...  |
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Post by sandbar on Dec 27, 2009 22:24:15 GMT -5
The SSE was something special when Kent and Dianne were in their own home, making seed lists by hand together with growing some of their offerings in their own garden. When they stopped doing this, the SSE stopped being special. Patrick, I think you "hit the nail on the head." SSE has grown (morphed) into just another "big seed business" and has lost the charm and fervor of it's early days. I begin to wonder if it has lost it's focus. The original intent was to try and save plant gene pools, right? Now, they've got rare cattle and a fancy schmantzy gift center. What's next? Heritage chickens, pigs, goats, yada-yada-yada ... Personally, I would prefer to see them remain focused on just seed preservation and dispense with the rest of the dog and pony show. I've not decided whether to renew my membership this year. Money is exceedingly tight and I don't know if it's the smartest thing to do right now. Probably be smarter for me to send the $40 to Dan and Val to help subsidize their postage expenses.  The more I hang out here, the more concerned I get about preserving our seed diversity. SSE has been a huge help to seed preservationists world-wide. I wish it would return to a grass-roots operation that more closely resembles it's average member. Send the new "high-society" antics off to someone who wants them. My two cents. |
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Post by plantsnobin on Dec 28, 2009 8:48:11 GMT -5
I respect what Kent started, and actually have the old issue of Mother Earth News when he wrote in asking if there were other folks out there who wanted to help save old varieties. But I think the truth is that Kent himself got a little big for his britches. He is the one who trademarked or copywrited the term Seed Savers so others couldn't legally use it. And he started with the cattle and so forth. And seed selling, which takes a non-profit where I don't think it should be allowed, but that is just my opinion. Now, I think that the farm and saving rare breeds of various things is all well and good, but it did stray from begin more of a way for individual gardeners to connect with each other to trade seeds. No way should you need a board of directors just to act as a 'meeting place' of sorts. If you really think about it, Kent & Diane had a pretty sweet thing going there. Non-profit status let them live a nice little life and a nice little(?) farm, hire family members, buy cattle that none of us could afford to do on our own, etc. I am not taking away the importance of what they did initially in any way, please don't misunderstand that. My gripe really is more with non profit status in general. I think that all non profits should be done away with. Yes, I really do. Churches, YMCA's, all of them. They take in money, they should be paying taxes like the rest of us. Of course, I know that is not going to happen, too many people making a fortune with it. So, maybe Homegrown Goodnes should go non profit-a nice property, mansion, rare breeds of everything, experimental crops of every description, lots of perks for the board members.....
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? Probably just me.
