Friday, February 26, 2010
2010 Rules and Regulations
Here are the finalized rules and regulations for this market season. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Last Grower's Workshop in the Series
Don't miss the final workshop in our series. Dean Wilson from University of Missouri Extension will be our speaker, and we will get to talk all about soil test results, how you use the results, and how to keep pests out of your garden. Vendors and non-vendors are welcome to attend. No registration is necessary.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
6:30 PM
St. Andrew's UMC
1004 Rock Rd
De Soto, MO
If you missed the other workshops, this is your last chance for a while. Please feel free to come as you are!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
6:30 PM
St. Andrew's UMC
1004 Rock Rd
De Soto, MO
If you missed the other workshops, this is your last chance for a while. Please feel free to come as you are!
Friday, February 19, 2010
What do keyboards have to do with farming?
At the recent Agritourism, Small Fruit & Vegetable Conference at Lake Ozark, an interesting story was relayed. The standard keyboard that we all use is referred to as the Qwerty keyboard (QWERTY are the top letters on the left-hand side, with the Y in the middle).
The Qwerty keyboard was designed in such a way as to slow typers down. Why, you ask? Because on old typewriters, the keys hammered the paper, and if you typed too fast, they got stuck. The Qwerty keyboard has letters that you typically would use together on opposite sides of the keyboard and letters that you use most frequently on the left (makes sense, since so many of us are right-handed). It did the job of slowing typists down and reduces key jam on typewriters...of course, no one cares about that anymore because our keyboards no longer hammer paper.
But did you know that the Qwerty keyboard isn't the only kind of keyboard? August Dvorak patented the Dvorak keyboard in 1936. It has commonly used keys on the right side, and the layout, as you can see in the picture, is vastly different than the Qwerty keyboard. In fact, it's not just different, it's also faster. Because we no longer use typerwriters very often, the Dvorak keyboard allows typists' fingers to blaze across the keyboard.
...So, if it's so great, why doesn't everyone use the Dvorak keyboard? Why aren't Qwerty keyboards being found by the ton in landfills and being retrofited by the second? Just like with any other product, it can be the best in the world, but if no one thinks they need it, what's the point? Dvorak never managed to make his keyboard a huge success because no one in the marketplace wanted to make the switch.
The same is true in farming and gardening. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one wants it, sees the value of having it, or knows how to cook it, why would they buy it? When you're ordering your seeds, remember that tomatoes and peppers are the biggest sellers at farmers' markets. Although you might love lemon cucumbers (as do I), people tend to be a little suspicious of them at first, and like Dvorak's keyboard, they might not catch on. Order wisely!
The Qwerty keyboard was designed in such a way as to slow typers down. Why, you ask? Because on old typewriters, the keys hammered the paper, and if you typed too fast, they got stuck. The Qwerty keyboard has letters that you typically would use together on opposite sides of the keyboard and letters that you use most frequently on the left (makes sense, since so many of us are right-handed). It did the job of slowing typists down and reduces key jam on typewriters...of course, no one cares about that anymore because our keyboards no longer hammer paper.But did you know that the Qwerty keyboard isn't the only kind of keyboard? August Dvorak patented the Dvorak keyboard in 1936. It has commonly used keys on the right side, and the layout, as you can see in the picture, is vastly different than the Qwerty keyboard. In fact, it's not just different, it's also faster. Because we no longer use typerwriters very often, the Dvorak keyboard allows typists' fingers to blaze across the keyboard.
...So, if it's so great, why doesn't everyone use the Dvorak keyboard? Why aren't Qwerty keyboards being found by the ton in landfills and being retrofited by the second? Just like with any other product, it can be the best in the world, but if no one thinks they need it, what's the point? Dvorak never managed to make his keyboard a huge success because no one in the marketplace wanted to make the switch.
The same is true in farming and gardening. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one wants it, sees the value of having it, or knows how to cook it, why would they buy it? When you're ordering your seeds, remember that tomatoes and peppers are the biggest sellers at farmers' markets. Although you might love lemon cucumbers (as do I), people tend to be a little suspicious of them at first, and like Dvorak's keyboard, they might not catch on. Order wisely!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Soil Test and Plant Disease-Bring your soil!
The March 2nd Growers' Workshop will be held from 6:30-8:30 PM at St. Andrews UMC, 1004 Rock Road in De Soto. Dean Wilson will be presenting about effectively using your soil test results and will also cover some common plant diseases. Be sure to attend and bring a soil sample for testing!
February 22nd Movie Viewing
On February 22nd at 6:30 PM, the Creative Activities Club is hosting a movie viewing of the documentary: FRESH!
FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.
Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; Missourian Russ Kremer, a pork producer in the Ozarks; and Kansas City supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.
The movie runs just over an hour, and was produced and directed by Ana Joanes, a forward-thinking documentary film maker. After the movie, we will have the opportunity to share our thoughts over a cup of coffee. We hope you will join us. To register, please contact Christie Jonas by emailing cjonas78@att.net.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)