Re: [gardeners] A matter of taste

Catharine Vinson (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 25 Jun 1998 12:15:49 +0000

Ma Pat wrote:

> 	b) Yankee bean counters have infiltrated the sacred institutions of 
> the Great State of Texas, or

If this be true, it is time for your neighbor Lee to fling open his armory 
and The Boys From The Alamo to get themselves back home from their revels 
in Gayle's Elysian Fields. Bean counters in Texas....perish the thought. 
That's as bad a 'maters and beans in the chili pot.

> 	c) That branch of TAMU that trains (note I did not say "educates") 
> County Agenets has lost its appreciation of the fine distinction 
> between Gardeners and Growers.

Where did this unfortunate habit of making a distinction between Gardeners 
and Growers come about? Is it a natural progression of things? The notion 
that taste goes out the window once production and consumption are 
physically separated appears to simplistic to me.  Chinese export 
porcelein of the 18th century, to use a bizarre example, were produced in 
China for the European market. The quality was exceedingly high....there 
was no slippage, so to speak, once consumer and producer were two 
different individuals.  Did the market used to demand better? If so, why 
don't we demand it (good taste) today? It seems a real cop out to say that 
people have no taste today.....if people have no taste, why? 

As Sadie would say, "Please tell me...."

Catharine, with greetings and salutations to Guido and Bubbles.