Re: [compost_tea] Re: Language

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Thu, 6 May 2004 09:42:23 -0700

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 7:52 AM
  Subject: [compost_tea] Re: Language


  Hi Ted -

  It would have been fine for you to list the important things you are thin=
king about, but do not take me to task about what I should have been doing,=
 when in fact I have done it. You need to be looking at what I have alread=
y written.

You know Elaine, I respect the work you have done. However, you are mighty=
 defensive. In all the post I have read from you about this -- and you hav=
e responded to this thread -- you have never mentioned chlorine/chloramine.=
  As far as I know, my posts way back when I first got on this list mention=
ed preaerating to get rid of chlorine/chloramine. I have read the Compost =
Tea Brewing Manual and I have a link to it on my web site. I also promote =
testing and have links to the SFI site on my site.

You simply must get over every post that disagrees with you or mentions you=
r name without total adoration. Nobody is attacking you. You are the pers=
on who establshied the testing and sells testing and establishes the labs a=
nd sells education. You have developed most of the procedures. Nobody is =
disputing that. When I write that I think you should have included somethi=
ng and don't see a post from you with that included a reference to somethin=
g you have already done, I imagnie that you might have thought of it but in=
 the context of what you are doing disgarded specific reference.

Now, we have had this chlorine/chloramine conversation going here and you n=
ever ONCE wrote: "Guys, I have all this covered in teh Compost Tea Brewing =
Manual. Also, don't forget to check the best practices list that Chris Rei=
d put together for us. It's all covered there." Then go on to give an ou=
tline of what you present. So lighten up and start figuring out who your s=
upporters are and stop being so defensive. You have no need to be.

You know I think the SFW is a reality and my use of tea has shown that what=
 you promote is mostly accurate. I still have a problem with the salts iss=
ue because I haven't seen the same results for salt control you claim. How=
ever, the plants don't seem to mind the increased salt. So I have to figur=
e that your claims are correct in some ways but not totally correct. I fee=
l the same way about pathogens: partly right parthly wrong. Gee, doesn't t=
his happen a lot in emerging fields? No one with a brain gives it much tho=
ught if one element is off when the whole is working just fine. We move fo=
rward and use the data we have to make predictions and define practices.

Let me give you a story:

I used to be a good golfer. I played with a group of guys and we played cl=
ub tournaments. Whne you do that, you get to know a lot of pros and such. =
 One day we were offered the chance to work for the LA open. Some were mar=
shals and others did parking and such. I was a marshall on one green and o=
ne tee. In the prelims (not in the tournament), golfers are allowed to tal=
k and ask questions of the marshals (usually their caddies do it for them) =
about how the green plays. I had played the club and shot pretty well on t=
hose holes. However, when it came time to describe how they played, I made=
 a lot of statements that I thought were factual but were almost the opposi=
te of how things really were. You know, the pros played that green very we=
ll. All of them did well, even the ones who talked with me. I asked one o=
f them afterward and apologized for giving him the wrong data. His reply wa=
s something like: "All information is useful. I talked with my caddy and w=
e realized when we got on that green that you had some of it right and some=
 of it wrong so we adjusted. Your information helped us look at the green =
more closely and that helped me play it better."

So the whole can work even if part is wrong. Relating to the salts, I have=
n't seen results you cliam. As a matter of fact, I have seen salts rise wh=
en they should go down. But I don't cavil on that because the overall plan=
t health is better and that was my original intention. The salt issue will =
have to wait for another day. No harm, no foul.

So again, LIGHTEN UP. You are among friends.

Ted Peterson
EW/SOE



Received on Thu May 06 2004 - 13:51:35 EDT

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