This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: [GWL]: Organic-Style/OG-Why?

I experienced the glory days of Jeff Cox in the early 70s as an OG subscriber, avidly learning how-to. I began writing articles for OG in the early '80s--a relationship that lasted to Bob Rodale's death. I also bought their mailing list for my seed company catalog distribution starting in 1979, and experienced its decline in numbers during the 80s. Later I had contacts with them that proved abortive. Abortive, because, as I perceived at the time, they were suffering, as Lon indicated so correctly, from the "bottom line" disease. Their senior staff was playing the same musical chairs that one finds in typical book publishing companies. Office politics seemed to have become senior to business goals and purposes. No wonder they now pander to whatever they perceive as profit-potential-publishing. I wouldn't be surprised to see a big sign on their wall "THINK P3!" 

Steve Solomon


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
To: <Gardenwriters@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 7:54 AM
Subject: Re: [GWL]: Organic-Style/OG-Why?


> I go back a LONG way with Organic Gardening, and unless my memory is a lot
> worse than I think, I remember the very early issues as dealing with
> improvement of the soil as the means to improving the health of the people
> who eat the food grown in that soil.  The idea of improving health somehow
> got split from the gardening side and Rodale started Prevention magazine,
> which was leading edge in alternative medicine for a long time.  Not to
> mention controversial.  Organic Gardening then went more to the
> anti-chemical stance, which has been discussed already.  Prevention
> eventually  became more of an exercise mag, not to mention much less
> alternative in the medical approach, gearing it more to the masses.  I'm not
> certain that it wasn't even taken over by someone outside the Rodale sphere.
>  
> Mostly it seems that Organic Gardening has been stricken with "bottom line"
> disease.  J.I. started it with the aim of reaching a fairly small, but
> dedicated audience with hope of making a change in the thinking of America
> about how their food was grown, and the reason for improving the quality of
> the food.  As the organization has grown, the aim gradually shifted to
> increasing the size of the audience, so that they have lost the small group
> the magazine was aimed at, and the larger group isn't dedicated enough to
> form a solid base.  I had hoped that the "new" OG was going to be aimed at
> the small, dedicated group again, but apparently it either is not, or the
> staff no longer thinks in the lines of the days of J.I. Rodale when the aim
> was to nourish the soil, and in turn, nourish the grower.  Or the resources
> are stretched too thin to support it until the "core" group can be
> re-established.
> -Lon
> ----------
> >From: Tom Ogren <tloallergyfree@earthlink.net>
> >To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
> >Subject: Re: [GWL]: Organic-Style/OG-Why?
> >Date: Fri, Sep 7, 2001, 12:25 PM
> >
> 
> >Carol,
> >
> >   I have a theory about Organic Gardening. They used to be a respectable 
> >organization, actually interested in promoting the practice of organic 
> >gardening. But over the years I, who used to love and respect their 
> >materials, have watched them become more and more commercial, and less and 
> >less accurate.
> 
> ============================================================
> Feeling blue about the state of your email inbox? Then
> you'll be tickled pink to hear about our free email
> organization solution. Learn more at
> http://click.topica.com/caaabBybUrGSSbVS9rNf/register
> ============================================================
> 
> Pass the word to garden writers, editors publishers, horticultural businesses about our list.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

============================================================
Crack of the Bat, Click of the Mouse
Taking someone out to the ball game is great, but when you
can't make it to the park, Baseball Weekly is the next best
thing to being there! Sign up here!
http://click.topica.com/caaac1EbUrGSSbVSZwBf/TopOffers
============================================================

Pass the word to garden writers, editors publishers, horticultural businesses about our list.

==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email To: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index