Regional Forums, a road too far

[digitS']

I belong to another gardening forum but don't get around much there any more. Been a member since 2002. Yeah. Measuring gigabytes for computers on the internet - I think we used the term "candlepower" back then.

They have regional forums and I have enjoyed one of those and visit that one daily. Of course, I live in a region, or subregion, where not many people live. We've tried to keep it that way on these forums. Yes, we will soon have Kathiesgarden trained to comment on the environment just as Thistle', Heather and I do - with stories about snow, 1500 pound herbivores and vicious predators being driven into the places people live by even more vicious predators. Garden(overrun)withrabbits is doing her part but Collector isn't always around too much since he has to keep the roads clear, in case there's another volcanic eruption. If there is, we will all be moving in with Nittygrittydirtdigger, briefly.

Anyway, most of the people in the regional gardening forum live in the largest city (of course). It is over 800 miles away and isn't even on my side of the continental divide! So, if anything specific is being discussed by those folks, and they put something about their town in the topic title, I tend to stay out of that thread.

Well, the other day, I was curious about one topic that seemed to be going on quite awhile. Fairly active posting! So, I ventured to open and read it. They were talking about the same thing I was on another forum thread!

Yep, I have been recounting my experiences with the new hoop house on the other side of the fence on that forum, too. They were talking about building hoop houses and what they might expect where they are!

Only people responding to my posts ~ same boring sort of stuff that I put on here ~ was one of their town neighbors who has no intention of building a hoop house, and a Montana gardener who has had several for years.

The city folks were not referencing my experiences unless they were doing it individually. None who were expressing an interest in having a hoop house ("hopefully next year") were saying, "Oh that's what Steve is doing." I decided that since about a month had passed, I'd continue with my policy of not commenting on the thread.

Instead, I drifted over to the forum specifically for the very rural state of Idaho. Yeah, they got one of those, too . No one had responded to the most recent post there. It was from April 10th - of last year!!!

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Well you know us Idahoans, kind of private about our gardening experiences.

Obviously I'm not typical, I'll burble and babble on about practically anything and somehow try to connect it to gardening...

I know what you mean tho'. I visit other forums too, but less and less it seems. TEG was my first forum experience and it's where I'm most at home. Plus, you know some of those other gardeners are weird!

 

[so lucky]

Steve, your comments about not opening up threads that you think you have no interest in brings to my mind one of the reasons I like this forum. I don't initially open threads that don't seem to have any interest at all to me. But later, if I'm bored, I go back and open that thread and find it has veered off onto subjects that I am very much interested in. This feature does not lend itself very well to the ability to find out how to ---for instance, prune raspberries---because there are a dozen other topics in there with it. But it makes for more interesting reading.

But someone mentioned that we could have a strict "how to" section, where we just stick to the basic instructions, and not all the back fence gossip. I think that is a good idea. But we would have to police ourselves.

 

[digitS']

Well, I am a "Recent Posts" clicker, yet.

It can't last forever for me. I will get the "Fruits and Vegetables" and maybe one or 2 other subforums and that will be it.

I'm "chained" to the greenhouses right now but I was gone for nearly 5 hours yesterday. After 5 days with sub-50 degree highs, we finally had a little nicer afternoon and steady sunshine. That sun makes a big difference and those low temps this week have been a real problem for opening things up to the outside air.

We are making progress and I will steadily spend more & more time away from home. No smart phone - I'd probably just be in trouble there . . .

Do you think we learn from each others activities in such diverse environments?

Steve

 

[lesa]

Steve, there is no doubt we all learn from each others diverse environments. Whenever we are looking at farm land, Dh will say, "that is way too rocky..." and I will of course, say, "that is nothing, you should see the beautiful garden my friend Steve grows- and what his soil looks like!" Being part of such a diverse group has actually made me appreciate NY State a little more. I always dreamed of the south and gardening all year, etc. What have I learned? Drought, fire ants, difficulty of cool weather crops-all make my garden seem rather pleasant!

 

[baymule]

I love the diversity we have here. I enjoy learning how people in other parts of the country deal with weather, wildlife, (can anybody say MOOSE?) insects and what grows and doesn't grow. I love my year around climate and I'll put up with the fire ants and drought. It is fascinating to me when ya'll post about dealing with snow, freezes, cold frames, basements and cold storage. When it is 106F degrees here, I question my sanity, but a few minutes under the AC and all is well again.

 

[digitS']

Well, I'm going to make a run for it. Things have water.

It is only 45F and a bit breezy & hazy. The forecast is for "mostly cloudy" with a high of 57. Right now, I don't believe either of those.

It looks like I'd better be Busy Backson if I'm wrong about the mostly cloudy and the WS is wrong about the 57. Betwixt & between, I've got an appointment with my spading fork.

Steve