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Norm's question and Nancy's reply



Norm wrote:

> I am interested in hearing, particularly from organic producers,
> as to what techniques a student could benefit from....

Nancy replied:

> Any practical ways of getting farmers on-line with us?

Howdy, all--

A few quick thoughts on Nancy's question.  CIAS here at UW-Madison
has had a pilot project to get sustainable animal farmers (management
intensive rotational graziers and seasonal dairy operators) on the
Internet, and while I haven't yet had a chance to write anything up,
we have some tips and observations for people trying to diversify the
Net community, arising out of what we've learned from that pilot
project.   Coupla quicks:

An easy way is to get some accounts thru your institution for key
farmers to use and then support them in using e-mail and other tools
in return for using and contributing to the listserv.  

Another easy thing to do is start asking around through your various
human networks and through farmer-to-farmer networks about who the
computer wizards are, then let them know about the listserv.  But be
ready to tell them why they should spend time using it.  In other
words, those of us in academic institutions, nonprofits, and
Extension have our own ideas about why this information is
important, yet we may have a very different information economy than
farmers do. So subscribing to a listserv has to have very concrete
benefits for the farmers.

What we've watched as co-founders of the listserv GRAZE-L is how
farmers will have plenty to say when the conversation is clearly
about issues of interest to them.  Sometimes if we want farmer input,
the best thing we can do is serve them in technical facilitation of
things they want to talk about...and perhaps piggyback onto that
with our own questions and needs, but without dominating their
conversation.  

I agree with Nancy's observation about newsletters.  After twenty
years in educational communications I've concluded that if the goal
is to change the world (as is the goal of sustag), we can often get
much more punch by facilitating farmer-to-farmer communication (that
is, rather than by producing one-way media like newsletters) and
then standing ready to serve them as they need us to. Newsletters
have their place...but are just one tool to record and impart
information.  Of course, in an academic context--where print is the
currency by which power is negotiated--it can be a challenge to focus
scarce resources on these other kinds of communication, like
face-to-face, informal, and embodied communications.  

This is all quite oversimplified in the interest of length.  We have
ideas on how to facilitate and enourage such involvement as Nancy
discusses...but maybe she'd like to e-mail me directly.

Peace, all--

Michele



<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Michele Gale-Sinex
Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
Agricultural Technology and Family Farm Institute
UW-Madison--Voice: (608) 262-8018   FAX: (608) 265-3020

The Hall of Fame is for baseball people.  Heaven
is for good people.  --Jim Dwyer (Twins DH, late 80s)