Hi Ted,
Anyone who manufactures a unique product faces what you are facing. My
brother has a business that made a popular unique gas appliance for many
years. Overseas manufacturers have now ripped it off royally. He still sells
them because they are the best quality not because they are cheap or he has
sued anybody (a waste of time and money). He also has developed other
product lines that make more money now. Two options: you can get a patent
(not always a wonderful route) or you could have your buyers sign a type of
non-disclosure agreement. If your brewer is so easily duplicated you may
have to sell it cheaper than they can make it. If your brewer is still
better than the rip-offs then you should make your advantages known. I'm
sorry I don't see brewers as being rocket science and worthy of a high
price. The propriety aspect is more about the compost and ingredients,
timing and handling, IMO.
Do your tissue test interpretations correspond with plant growth or fruit
quality? Do you use any infield tests?
Sincerely,
John Cowan
-----Original Message-----
From: Ted Peterson [mailto:ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net]
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 12:23 PM
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Re: confused and alarmed
Group:
I have said this before and I will say it again. Tea testing is important
but tea can be "manufactured" to get test results. I find better
information in plant leaf assay and soil tests. I can get good tea but that
doesn't guarantee that I will apply it correctly or that I have food for the
critters I put in the soil. The only real evidence I have that it is
working is good analyses of the environment where I am using the tea.
Plans for brewers. I have had my designs ripped off by growers who bought
one machine and then built several based on my design. I am not interested
in giving my designs away. I did two years of experimentation and research
to come up with my designs and I will not give them away. I will sell
plans. So If anyone is interested in buying plans for my brewers, they can
contact me. The aerators I design are custom and I will not distribute
plans for those.
An unscrupulous person could buy one and rip it apart and then try to
remanufacture and resell based on my work. That type of behavior hurts
everyone. An early brewer design of mine has been "cloned" and I have been
forced to file injunctions against the growers who "bought" from the grower
who ripped me off. I am in business to help restore soil health not file
law suits so I hope you understand my reluctance to "share" data with
possible competitors.
Anyway, brewers and tea are only part of the solution. We are promoting
healthy soil through the use of compost tea but just as important or more
important than the brewing is is compost and nutrients put into the brewer.
Brewing will not put anything into the tea that is not already in the
compost as far as biology is concerned.
Ted Peterson
Earth-Wise/Spirit of the Earth
----- Original Message -----
From: chriscreid
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 8:11 AM
Subject: [compost_tea] Re: confused and alarmed
It's time for a straight up dialogue without the Ad Hominem attacks.
> Who will step up and take the risks of sharing real usable
> information rather than veiled sales pitches?
>
How do you spell AMEN?
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Received on Thu Dec 18 2003 - 15:34:34 EST