On The Tube

Joe Marone,  producer of Vermont Public Television's program, This Week in Vermont, was kind enough -- or, perhaps, desperate enough -- to invite me to appear on this week's program with host Stuart Ledbetter and guests Candace Page of the Freeps and Shay Totten, editor and publisher of Chelsea Green Press.  A novice at this sort of thing, I tried to keep my head down and speak only when called upon.   I did have a really fine quip all rehearsed and ready to deploy when the discussion turned to the bill which passed the house recently on marijuana decriminalization.  But when we got to that topic, there was no time left for repartee.  For a small donation, I will be happy to send you the joke by mail.  Be sure to include a self-addressed-stamped-envelope.  (Just kidding ... the joke isn't worth the price of a stamp, especially at today's outrageous rates.)

The show airs Sunday morning at 11:30 A.M.  My thanks to Marone, Ledbetter, Totten, and Page for their hospitality and for making me feel welcomed.

(Note: Both Totten and Page have been writing about the regulatory difficulties recently experienced by Burlington's Intervale.  It is interesting, to one who hasn't followed the story closely, how the whole matter has been politicized with people who might be thought of as generally in favor of a robust regulatory environment willing to believe that enforcement of these regulations can be less than disinterested and that the regulators (who are just people, after all) might have an agenda.  It seems -- on reading what  Totten, Page, and others have written -- that the regulators are being heavy-handed, literal, and inflexible.  It would not be the first time.)

(ed. note #2:  Shay Totten is the editorial director, not the publisher, of Chelsea Green.  That post is held by one of the company's founders, Margo Baldwin.

Comments

[Lani Duke]

It's a common fallacy of many in the organic movement that anything that is "natural" is, by its nature, good. Putting any type of compost operation in a flood plain is foolhardy. A major flood could carry tons of "natural" pollutants into Lake Champlain and negate years of clean-up efforts.

[Jon Harrison]

And have you heard that the price of a stamp is going up on May 12th? Of course, you can buy a lifetime supply of the "forever" stamps (or whatever they're called) to avoid the increase.

Our editor's appearance on VPT led to my discovery of The Tiger and, soon thereafter, my debut as a blogger. No doubt some will see this as a reason to keep Geoff OFF the air. Be that as it may, though, the publicity is worth its weight in gold (well, maybe silver).

[Bruce P. Shields]

While I never wish harm to anyone, it is probably helpful for people engaged in "alternative" or "sustainable" agriculture to recognize that permit problems are not suffered exclusively by Factory Farms. The sustainability movement is gradually maturing, needing to hire help, move product in trucks on Vermont highways, place advertising and directional signs, expand buildings, operate machinery, and so on. As they do these things and cultivate a tiny bit of humility regarding the process, they may also develop some toleration of other strands of agriculture. Ultimately we all need each other, so I hope they become less truculent toward traditional agriculture sooner rather than later.

[Marion]

I read the article about the couple that wanted to put up another greenhouse ~ What are these people thinking about? They mentioned their one greenhouse had been flooded out once and came up to the tops of the lettuce. My first thought was what about all the "waste" that covered the lettuce. I hope they didn't sell it to people. I am all for buying locally grown products but I am still concerned about the sanitary element. I will not buy produce from foreign countries that don't come under our health standards why would I want to buy produce that came from soils in the flood zone? (That is of course if the land had gone through a flood.)

[Karen Kerin]

Mr. Norman, I saw the program and thought you did very well in the company of the extreme left media. Do not regret not having an opportunity to get your joke out as your sober contributions were refreshing.

[Jon Harrison]

You see, Geoff, you did indeed do well.