Announcement - Oct 2 (Part Two)

This is a continuation of the original thread, located here: http://davesgarden.com/showthread/109812.html

Dave

A nice clean slate...may it inspire us to be kind to one another! John

I had thought of asking you if this was feasible, but you are just right on top of things. One thread has over 300 responses, so does this one come in second? Our own Speaker's Corner is alive and well at DG!

Hi Aimee,

You got me curious, so I checked. The number 1 thread of all time was the announcement thread, indeed, with 244 replies and 3,279 views.

The second biggest thread was the "Secret trades" thread, which received 138 replies and 2,196 views.

Ooofta!

Dave

Wow! You remind me of my grandmother, who had me convinced she had eyes in the back of her head that never slept and could see every move I made. What is the source of your energy, other than youth??? I want to patent it and market it to all the poor tired chemo patients, after I set aside a gigantic supply for myself. Anyway, I thought I saw a larger thread, but must have mis-remembered. Thanks for the neat trivia and the speed of your reply.

:)

well,
i'm sorry to say i don't yet know if i'll be able to subscribe. i'm a teenager on a tight budget, as is my family. thanks for the two week grace period, i'll see if i can sort out something by the end of it :-)

A lot of people are on tight budgets, is someone gonna pay for everypone that's in a strain? Just wondering..LOL
Larkie
A lot of people will get their $15.00 paid for..

Killerdaisy-

If you're serious about sticking around here, you should email Trish to see if she can find you a 'garden angel' to sponsor you. I'm sure there's someone who would be more than happy to help you out. We were all teenagers once :•)

To the Garden Angel, I would like to THANK YOU VERY MUCH for paid subscribe. I just found out today. YOu made my day bright and smile cuz I am still sick!

Thanks again,
Tricia
(MiniSchnuz)

ah I am one of the newer members of your group,,I did come here because of the 15 dollar charge at Garden web,,I have now lurked for a while posting occasionally,,While I truely understand the reason you will be charging ..I do begin to wonder though,,and this is the same thoughts I shared with Spike at garden web,,When forums such as these run on people contributing information what happens when the more knowledgeable contributers who have always thought they were pulling there weight on forums by answering the questions that come up several times the beginning gardener questions,,the specialty questions,,what happens to forums when those talented people decide that paying to answer questions is not something they wish to do....
Personally I have not gotten into many discussions on this sight yet,,, first I wanted to familiarize myself with the members,,however from garden web I sometimes spend well into an hour or two offering advice not only on site but also in my personal e-mail account because people save it specifically to ask questions,,I never minded this and still do not,,however I do mind paying for the right to post,,as I said over at GP,,I run a tight budget,15 bucks pays for almost a month of my childrens hot lunches which is far more important to me then posting on sites,,So alas I guess this is my good bye,,I am sorry I did not get the chance to meet more people here but will head on out to the other sites that I know appriciate my input with out a fee,,
Thank you for the time I was allowed here ,,Serenity

Serenity, I don't look at DG as charging me to post advice I may have. I look at as being able to keep a web site up and running, that is very user friendly with no adds and is a great place to come and talk with friends. I love the people here and the fact that there is no adds. I can't expect dave to pay for me to have this pleasure. And I don't think I would want to stick around if it was all adds.

I think if you stick around you would come to love it just the same as I have and if you need any help with the fee you can e-mail Trish. Hope to see ya around.

Howie

Hi Dave, I am still learning how to use it and I got from my cousin Tricia and I am glad she gave to me and I really very much enjoy it about Dave's Garden and give me time and I am just start to use it , I think use this about almost 2 weeks but already start last septemeber not know what to do now, I learn some now just almost 2 weeks so, I really thanks so much to my cousin to MiniSchnuz and both of us deaf and she know more about the plants and flowers etc... and very much enjoy to know about you and you are so well and very good Green Thumb...
RedRose

Well I did read Dave's message about will cost $15.00 for subscribe but, I will have to wait later and, I am sure will miss very much of this DG is so good to learn many things and very much enjoy this, I hate to leave this Dave'Garden and I am sure you see my name on list that I am new here and learning still how to use this so oh well, I understand about this will cost be $15.00 so hopefully will join it again not know how long it will be :*(,. I really hate to see my list remove soon. I understand and love to hear all of your's messages and photo's also Dave and your wife too also. Sincerly your's
RedRose

Thanks Howie,
unfortantly over at garden web I hated the feeling that I got when spike basically told me he greatly appreciated the fact that I was willing to share my knowledge and and my referals to the sight were greatly welcome but that was not enough for me to post on the one off topic forum unless I popped up the cash,,,I also had several very kind friends offer to pay for me there because they know my budget,,I said thank you very much but cannot take your offer because regardless of how much I enjoy the sight I am not comfortable paying for it directly or having anyone else pay for me,,Although I have to say it is an extremely nice thought and says alot about the generous people who post at the garden sights,,
I understand about the fees to cut the ads and know it is not fair for Dave and his wife to absorb them,,in my other groups that do not have ads everyone who can donates to the pot to pay to keep the ads away,,Reality for me though is I send alot of people to the garden ads when they are looking for particular items that I know can be found at good businesses on line,,ads have never bothered me enough to worry about them,,LOL,,

Hi all - I'm relatively new to DG and I certainly haven't read everything that everyone responded to in these threads. I think the biggest thing with adding subscriptions to a site is the way it curbs newbie's from getting started. Once you are really in and active you may decide it's worth the money but for those of us including me at this point who just wander in and out for some time it's harder to decide if you want to join or surf elsewhere. This is a fine site and I wish everyone the very best - it certainly costs money to operate and I can appreciate the need for funding.

I am sorry to have to leave after being here so shortly,but I just can't afford the fee.I live on my better half's ss and we are raising three teenager and two are seniors.I love all the good christian gardeners here and this site has so much information and has been so helpful.May God bless Dave and all you on this site.Sorry to have to leave.

I just want to say it's been a pleasure trading with all of you in the last several months. I personally can't afford to stay as a member so feel free to email me when you like. I've met so many wonderful and generous people here. Bless you all!

: )

Violet

Same here, just cannot afford to pay anymore for internet use, has been great, will keep in touch with many via e-mail traades..
Larkie

hey now.

who paid for me? huh? come on, out with it!

well whoever it is, i must thank you a thousand and one times over. i'm going to keep working towards a spare $15 to help out someone else. till then, it's back to the garden :-)

Thank you so much for subscribe paid for me and I am not sad anymore and want to say again THANK YOU !!! :D, I was so suprised..... RedRose

Dave, I'm in. I e-mailed you about how to pay my fee. I've met so many new friends here and simply couldn't do without DG's. Pam

Thanks Dave!! Check went out this morning. You and Trish are the greatest!

Have been out of touch with the DG world for a while. Dave, from my comments to you I think you understand that I knew you would eventually have to do this. The product is far and away the best available. Besides,it gives me the ability to pick on that there goofy Horshoe character. Sorry 'Shoe I just couldn't resist.
I am truly amazed at the generosity of the people who are members of DG. It confirms my suspicion that this is a good site.
Dave - could you set up a listing of those who would like to join but for monetary reasons must go the free route. I would like eventually to pick up several of these. I just can't right now. I will go the free route for a month or two for now. But as a famous general once said "I shall Return" and harass old 'Shoe. HAH!

Grazdpa_Jack

Dave I hope the best for you and your site.
My concern is that your master garderners and market growers will leave, leaving little to no knowledgeable growers to answer questions.
The $15 is nothing compared to some others I subscribe to: growing for market is $30 and ASCFG is much more. But they are filled with great articles and meet the mark of growers. If your true intention for this site was gardening there have been times when it missed its mark especially as of late.
When I first became a DG fan Market Growers was at the top of the list of postings. This and master gardeners seems to always be at the bottom now. General discussion about the times, BBQs and parties seems to be the top all the time (this is not all bad). One can get into discussions about such topics anywhere on the net.
I came to your site for information on gardening/growing and such. It now seems at least your master/market growers with information are leaving. I will check back at times, if you site has moved back towards that goal, I will subscribe.
Thanks for your hard work in the past.
P.S. The one way you could pay for some costs would be to open the daves farm/for sale you have talked about for sometime. Thanks again. Bryan

Craftfarm

This Master Gardener is staying.
I'm paid in full!!

Paul

Bryan,

We do strive to be as comfortable for serious gardeners as we can. We have had some market growers leave (following the announcement of the subscription requirement), but many did not specify why they left.

I know for a fact there are still many MGs (Master Gardeners and Market Growers) staying, and encouraging them to continue to post is an ongoing effort.

I have noticed, incidentally, that both MG groups have slowed significantly as of late, but I chalked that up to it being the end of the season and everyone is wrapping up their efforts of the season. I fully expect them back here once that killing frost comes in and things slow down.

Additionally, I'm working with one of our master gardeners here to setup a "Problems and Solutions" database about plants and such. Once the database is setup, we'll be calling our other master gardeners (as well as non-titled gardeners) :) to participate in this effort.

Regards,
Dave

Bryan, I have lurked on both the MG and Market forums because I'm not an MG or market grower - yet. (I'm on the wait list for the next MG class here, and plan to try my hand at our local FM next year.) I've been disappointed at the declining interest level in those forums, but attributed it to folks being busy making a living during the growing season. I don't know if you caught it, but I was heartened to read this part of Dave's letter:

".....Make Dave's Garden into a more serious gardening and farming website. Without sacrificing our non-gardening related discussions, DG will be focusing more on our "roots", which is gardening, and less emphasis will be placed on the non-gardening discussion forums...."

I, for one, hope that you and other growers and MG'ers will help Dave achieve this goal by subscribing and renewing these forums with invigorating, thought-provoking posts. I'll be there reading (and eventually posting when I have something to add) - and I bet I won't be the only one.

Paulgrow I just checked the master garderners is dead last. I hope there are more like you who do stay. New garderners need to ask questions and learn as they start.

go_vols I have seen the decline of interest too. I do not believe there is a lack of interest on the part of the growers just that this site has changed. If a grower does not keep up on prices, new product to grow, stlyes and trends, and new growing pratices they are dead. They just have so many sites to get information from.

Dave I have enjoyed my stay here at DG. If things do change (more postings on the MGs and a stronger move toward gardening) I will return. Thanks again for the great site.

Craftfarm:
i concur with Dave as far as the Master Gardener forum
Its the end of the season here in the North; most of us are putting the gardens to bed for the winter.

I think the forum will take off again shortly.

I just received an email from Dave today telling of the big change. I haven't been here much since early summer what with the gardening, farming and now frantically trying to get things done before winter but was looking forward to the winter months when I could spend a lot of time here catching up on everyone. This past spring my DH knew not to even use the phone to call me from work but to get online and there I'd be on the DG forums. I'm not sure I'll be able to subscribe right now, I can't this week but maybe next week after paying bills, will have to wait and see. I've been unemployed for over a year living on just DH's pay and trying to get this farm up and running. Dave and Trish I completely understand your decision and have many times wished DG would load faster so I could get to more forums :~) Now you will be able to make it faster and better for all. Well, if I'm not able to return I want to thank everyone for the great plant trades and the invaluable advice I received on Farm life forum. Don't know what my goats would have done without you, LOL! Bye for now, hope to talk at you soon. Lana

Dave

Regretfully I too must part company..

The last 30 days has been rough here.

Shortly after 9/11 I made a contribution to the relief effort.

3 days later I was cutting some brush, caught a small branch in the eye, a small piece of the branch logged under the eyelid.

Trip to ER

HMO did not pay for $227 to ER, 2 trips to eye Dr at $147 each, $80 worth on meds. Eye Dr says take a week off from
work to allow the scratch to heal, No income for a week.

Brake shoes on front of truck let loose, Shoes and rotors $250, Unexpected property tax increase of $200.

What $15? at the moment it's a 1/4 tank of gas in my truck so that I won't have to carry a 1,000 lbs worth of tools on my back, to my job for 3 days.

My Yankee Pride will not accept anyone else picking up my tab.


Dave, Lots of Luck to you, I hope it works.

For you and the rest of the list have a great life.


Goodbye
Byron