Comments on: Reseeding The Economy http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/ Heronswood Voice - A web log written by George Ball Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:23:01 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Barbara http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-12090 Barbara Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:01:19 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-12090 George- I thought your column was terrific, and the analogy is very appropriate. If the plant is dying, would we prop it up on a stake in the garden? If petals are falling off would we glue them back on? We seem to be going in the direction of giving assistance to our financial problems, rather than going to the ROOT of it all. Too much government, too few gardeners! George-
I thought your column was terrific, and the analogy is very appropriate. If the plant is dying, would we prop it up on a stake in the garden? If petals are falling off would we glue them back on? We seem to be going in the direction of giving assistance to our financial problems, rather than going to the ROOT of it all. Too much government, too few gardeners!

]]> By: Fred http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-12047 Fred Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:07:39 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-12047 Why is it that farmers can come up with such thoughtful philosophical ramblings. Maybe we spend to mush time working with our hands in the soil, and at the same time use use our mind to ponder solutions to worldly problems. Be it resolved that all of our leaders, be it political or corporate spend more time in a garden. Possibly they may come up with solutions that will allow all the residents of this planet to flourish Happy gardening Why is it that farmers can come up with such thoughtful philosophical ramblings.
Maybe we spend to mush time working with our hands in the soil, and at the same time use use our mind to ponder solutions to worldly problems.
Be it resolved that all of our leaders, be it political or corporate spend more time in a garden.
Possibly they may come up with solutions that will allow all the residents of this planet to flourish
Happy gardening

]]> By: Era Bradley http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11931 Era Bradley Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:40:39 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11931 Thank you for the information sent in your emails I am impressed. Wisdom is wonderful thanks. Your are an awesome writer. I look forward to hearing from Heronswood. Thank you for the information sent in your emails I am impressed. Wisdom is wonderful thanks. Your are an awesome writer. I look forward to hearing from Heronswood.

]]> By: Marianne Jackson http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11916 Marianne Jackson Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:10:12 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11916 Stimulate? Reseed? > What difference does the name make given the INTENT? Our new President has asked us politely to unite, to volunteer, and to help each other out - to be generous and to show gratitude. That time in November when most of us came together to elect him seems to mark the high point of our unified effort so far. Instead, we've marched - Left, Center, and especially Right (egad) into being a righteous Nation of Contrarians. Everyone's 15 Minutes of Fame purports some unique approach to divide our thinking. How about instead let's move to outsource all wars to The United Nations? This will leave our hearts, minds, and energy free to cultivate Seeds of Peace grown for families in Iraq, Afganistan, Pakistan, Gaza, Darfur, and, dear god, The Congo. We can also donate garden supplies to local community garden groups, offer our services in Auctions, volunteer in classrooms (hauling in garden supplies so students can take a plant home & grow seeds in the classrooom and on school grounds) ... and more. Above all, we can now plan to plant MORE vegetables to drop off at local community or senior centers with a simple FREE ORGANIC PRODUCE sign. Yes, We Can, contrary or not. Good Luck! And ps. In fact, "stimulate" can indeed stir up a wondrous world of images - remember your youth, folks?!? Stimulate? Reseed? > What difference does the name make given the INTENT?

Our new President has asked us politely to unite, to volunteer, and to help each other out – to be generous and to show gratitude.

That time in November when most of us came together to elect him seems to mark the high point of our unified effort so far. Instead, we’ve marched – Left, Center, and especially Right (egad) into being a righteous Nation of Contrarians. Everyone’s 15 Minutes of Fame purports some unique approach to divide our thinking.

How about instead let’s move to outsource all wars to The United Nations? This will leave our hearts, minds, and energy free to cultivate Seeds of Peace grown for families in Iraq, Afganistan, Pakistan, Gaza, Darfur, and, dear god, The Congo.

We can also donate garden supplies to local community garden groups, offer our services in Auctions, volunteer in classrooms (hauling in garden supplies so students can take a plant home & grow seeds in the classrooom and on school grounds) … and more. Above all, we can now plan to plant MORE vegetables to drop off at local community or senior centers with a simple FREE ORGANIC PRODUCE sign.

Yes, We Can, contrary or not.

Good Luck!

And ps. In fact, “stimulate” can indeed stir up a wondrous world of images – remember your youth, folks?!?

]]> By: Linda http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11901 Linda Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:20:56 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11901 You write beautifully, and your essays are such a pleasure to read. However, I agree with John -- Nature and human-created institutions and problems are not perfectly analagous. We tried the "survival of the fittest approach" to economic and social policy in the past (see histories of the last half of the 19th and first part of the 20th centuries) and found that the human costs were too high, so we began to change our approach. I think using the analogy also paints with too broad a philosophical brush an issue that is far more complex than any of us can imagine. If you want to use a metaphor, how about this: Does not a good gardener spend a lot of time planning, planting, weeding, watering, fertilzing and basically controlling and nurturing his garden rather than just leaving the fate of his garden to the wiles of nature (and, the survival of the fittest)? I liken Obama to a good gardener Your words are provocative and stimulating. Got me thinking! Keep it up. You write beautifully, and your essays are such a pleasure to read. However, I agree with John — Nature and human-created institutions and problems are not perfectly analagous. We tried the “survival of the fittest approach” to economic and social policy in the past (see histories of the last half of the 19th and first part of the 20th centuries) and found that the human costs were too high, so we began to change our approach. I think using the analogy also paints with too broad a philosophical brush an issue that is far more complex than any of us can imagine. If you want to use a metaphor, how about this: Does not a good gardener spend a lot of time planning, planting, weeding, watering, fertilzing and basically controlling and nurturing his garden rather than just leaving the fate of his garden to the wiles of nature (and, the survival of the fittest)? I liken Obama to a good gardener Your words are provocative and stimulating. Got me thinking! Keep it up.

]]> By: Sarah Pabst http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11898 Sarah Pabst Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:17:35 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11898 Beautifully written ~ Couldn't agree with you more ~ Thank you! Beautifully written ~ Couldn’t agree with you more ~ Thank you!

]]> By: victoria http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11893 victoria Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:08:25 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11893 What a great comment about reseeding vs. stimulate. It reminds me that "stimulating" a plant with a "quick growth" fertilizer is not nearly as affective as planting in good soil to start with, thus eliminating the need for constant "stimualtion" What a great comment about reseeding vs. stimulate. It reminds me that “stimulating” a plant with a “quick growth” fertilizer is not nearly as affective as planting in good soil to start with, thus eliminating the need for constant “stimualtion”

]]> By: Lainie http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11891 Lainie Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:38:18 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11891 Hi George - Just read your sustained victory garden metaphor. Kept wondering where you were going with it (what does seeding translate into?), til I got to the final oft-repeated slogan, "Fertilize Main Street, not Wall Street.: Got it! Agree. Happy gardening. Lainie Hi George – Just read your sustained victory garden metaphor. Kept wondering where you were going with it (what does seeding translate into?), til I got to the final oft-repeated slogan, “Fertilize Main Street, not Wall Street.: Got it! Agree. Happy gardening.
Lainie

]]> By: Karen http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11890 Karen Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:05:43 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11890 Finally some sanity in this crazy mixed up world. I liked what Art said. Uproot the plant that doesn't want to grow to make room for the others to florish. Finally some sanity in this crazy mixed up world. I liked what Art said. Uproot the plant that doesn’t want to grow to make room for the others to florish.

]]> By: Paula http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/02/reseeding-the-economy/#comment-11888 Paula Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:47:13 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=534#comment-11888 Great writing on using the seed and garden as a metaphor for our new (hopefully) growth economy and paradigm shift. I hope you post this at www.whitehouse.gov I think our new president would like to read this. Especially as it comes from one of the local farmers! Take care and keep up the great work! Great writing on using the seed and garden as a metaphor for our new (hopefully) growth economy and paradigm shift.

I hope you post this at
http://www.whitehouse.gov

I think our new president would like to read this. Especially as it comes from one of the local farmers!

Take care and keep up the great work!

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