What Ever Happened to the Earlier Tomatovillians?

Salsacharley · May 14, 2015

I was reading the post from Craig L on preserving basil that was started many years ago and it has posts from all kinds of folks who don't post now. I have seen this on many threads here. This raises my question of why these people don't post anymore? These people have huge amounts of good info. I just wonder what causes them to discontinue participating.

**carolyn137** · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I was reading the post from Craig L on preserving basil that was started many years ago and it has posts from all kinds of folks who don't post now. I have seen this on many threads here. This raises my question of why these people don't post anymore? These people have huge amounts of good info. I just wonder what causes them to discontinue participating.

I can't answer without knowing their user names and that b'c some have died, some have moved, some just stopped posting for reasons unknown. And some have been banned, not all that many compared to the total membership, but yes, banned for darn good reasons,

Carolyn

feldon30 · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I was reading the post from Craig L on preserving basil that was started many years ago and it has posts from all kinds of folks who don't post now. I have seen this on many threads here. This raises my question of why these people don't post anymore? These people have huge amounts of good info. I just wonder what causes them to discontinue participating.

It's something I have noticed as well. A lot of high quality posters have chosen to move on.

**carolyn137** · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by feldon30

It's something I have noticed as well. A lot of high quality posters have chosen to move on.

And I should have said moved on to other message sites instead of just moved.

There are lots of competing message sites now, some dead in the water, some that are thriving, and there are many here right now at Tville who read/post at several message sites.

And not to forget those who are now retired and no longer simply have the interest at reading/posting almost anywhere. And that came up just last night when I was talking to a long time friend who used to post at several sites and now in retirement has cut way back on all of that activity to explore new hobbies and the like, and yes, he still grows tomatoes.

Fact is that if anyone looks at the long list of new members posted almost every day, this site continues to grow , and how many of them will actively partipate is not known. One just said yesterday that he joined only so he could see pictures and nothing wrong with that at all.

Carolyn

Worth1 · May 14, 2015

I have seen people come and people go.
Many I miss many I dont.
Some leave because they aren't allowed to pontificate their opinions and beliefs here as they can at other sites.

Worth

Darren Abbey · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

One just said yesterday that he joined only so he could see pictures and nothing wrong with that at all.

That was precisely the reason I joined here. ;-)

Dewayne mater · May 14, 2015

It is sad when we lose what I consider to be luminaries like an early founder Suze from Bastrop, Tx. Her advice, methods, garden pictures and seed sharing were absolutely critical in getting me from a clueless city boy who liked tomatoes to being a full fledged tomatoholic and reasonably successful heirloom grower. I miss her and others. Still, it is reassuring and amazing to me when folks like Carolyn137 shares her vast knowledge/education/experience and that goes for many other regular contributors who in spite of not being a world wide recognized authority like Dr. Male, still have so much to offer and regularly do. Love that! That is why I regularly chime in any time I think I may have learned something along the way that might help others not have the learn the hard way.

Dewayne Mater

Blueaussi · May 14, 2015

I'm not an old olbie, but I posted a lot for awhile; then life got busy, and I didn't post for several years. This spring I was talking to a co-worker foolish enough to ask me a tomato question, and I noticed that glazed look with eyes jerking involuntarily towards the clock.

I thought maaaaybeeee I should go talk to people who _ like_ talking about tomatoes...

Bipetual · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

I'm not an old olbie, but I posted a lot for awhile; then life got busy, and I didn't post for several years. This spring I was talking to a co-worker foolish enough to ask me a tomato question, and I noticed that glazed look with eyes jerking involuntarily towards the clock.

I thought maaaaybeeee I should go talk to people who _ like_ talking about tomatoes...

That's exactly why I joined! My family loves the end result and will help me whenever I need it. But the process just does not excite them. I don't get it. How come not everybody finds this stuff endlessly fascinating?

shelleybean · May 14, 2015

Yep, I start talking garden in November and December when the seed catalogs start arriving and everybody is looking at me like I'm a nut. Why would I be thinking about my garden over the holidays? My hairdresser told me I'm a vegetable geek.

I kinda like that.

NarnianGarden · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bipetual

That's exactly why I joined! My family loves the end result and will help me whenever I need it. But the process just does not excite them. I don't get it. How come not everybody finds this stuff endlessly fascinating?

LOL. My mom loves the results too, but she is not so keen on hearing endless repetitions on the various stages of development. Somehow she considers the growing part to be tedious work

I keep on telling her how priviiledged she is; she doesn't have to join some retired folks' gardening club to have the experience, she can have it in the (dis)comfort of her own home yard...

(for the recod: my mom is strong and healthy, and even without tomatoes, would spend lots of time doing yardwork...)

shelleybean · May 14, 2015

I can think of a few people here whom I enjoyed talking to and they've passed away. Not sure what happened to others but I miss them.

JLJ_ · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dewayne mater

. . . I regularly chime in any time I think I may have learned something along the way that might help others not have the learn the hard way.

Dewayne Mater

I think that's great, and that people should remember that it's not only successful endeavors that are helpful. At one time, I spent a lot of time helping people with some types of technical issues. When they'd ask how I was able to tell them just how to solve an apparently mysterious difficulty, I told them the the only reason anyone can give you a quick right answer is that they've spent hours, weeks, years finding out by experience 5,697,593 things that will *not* solve that particular problem.

Same thing with gardening, except that gardening may be more difficult as so many components of the garden system are alive and have their own objectives, which may not be in accord with the purposes of the gardener.

Bipetual · May 14, 2015

Maybe some of those who left found someone, live and in person, to talk tomatoes with?

Worth1 · May 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bipetual

Maybe some of those who left found someone, live and in person, to talk tomatoes with?

I wish.

Worth

May 14, 2015	#1
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	What Ever Happened to the Earlier Tomatovillians? I was reading the post from Craig L on preserving basil that was started many years ago and it has posts from all kinds of folks who don't post now. I have seen this on many threads here. This raises my question of why these people don't post anymore? These people have huge amounts of good info. I just wonder what causes them to discontinue participating.

May 14, 2015	#10
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Yep, I start talking garden in November and December when the seed catalogs start arriving and everybody is looking at me like I'm a nut. Why would I be thinking about my garden over the holidays? My hairdresser told me I'm a vegetable geek. I kinda like that. __________________ Michele

May 14, 2015	#12
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I can think of a few people here whom I enjoyed talking to and they've passed away. Not sure what happened to others but I miss them. __________________ Michele

May 14, 2015	#5
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I have seen people come and people go. Many I miss many I dont. Some leave because they aren't allowed to pontificate their opinions and beliefs here as they can at other sites. Worth

May 14, 2015	#7
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	It is sad when we lose what I consider to be luminaries like an early founder Suze from Bastrop, Tx. Her advice, methods, garden pictures and seed sharing were absolutely critical in getting me from a clueless city boy who liked tomatoes to being a full fledged tomatoholic and reasonably successful heirloom grower. I miss her and others. Still, it is reassuring and amazing to me when folks like Carolyn137 shares her vast knowledge/education/experience and that goes for many other regular contributors who in spite of not being a world wide recognized authority like Dr. Male, still have so much to offer and regularly do. Love that! That is why I regularly chime in any time I think I may have learned something along the way that might help others not have the learn the hard way. Dewayne Mater

May 14, 2015	#8
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	I'm not an old olbie, but I posted a lot for awhile; then life got busy, and I didn't post for several years. This spring I was talking to a co-worker foolish enough to ask me a tomato question, and I noticed that glazed look with eyes jerking involuntarily towards the clock. I thought maaaaybeeee I should go talk to people who _ like_ talking about tomatoes...

May 14, 2015	#14
Bipetual Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Illinois, zone 5a Posts: 579	Maybe some of those who left found someone, live and in person, to talk tomatoes with?