Comments on: Predicting the perfect food storm

By: bigblukiwi

bigblukiwi — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:38:41 +0000

Transition Towns and The Re-localization Network are both excellent examples of Community/locally bases movements that offer hope for a brighter, sustainable future. Check them out.

By: Kevyn

Kevyn — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:42:00 +0000

Eredwen, Does your partner have experience with hot beds? I was half through making one when it started raining just like in Auckland or Reefton. Now I have a trench full of green water from the pony manure in the completed half of the hotbed. Is it safe to bucket this onto my other gardens?

I should have known Murphy would intervene

By: greenfly

greenfly — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:21:10 +0000

All the way back to Strings - the call isn’t for NZ to be self sufficient, just as an individual would be unwise to cut himself completely free of the society he is part of (please read he/she) Our country is not an island (it’s several :-)) in the sense that we need to pass stuff back a foward and take part in the international exchange, but we should guard against throwing the baby out with the bath water and exporting our ability to sustain ourselves in most things. Many things have to be imported, most things don’t. The strongest individual (or country) is one that has sound relationships and connections to its/his neighbours, especially in times of need/stress. Interdependence is a good thing, if done well.

By: StephenR

StephenR — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:54:12 +0000

Turns out i’m missing something eh. Yech. Apparently getting into farm ownership is a bit hard these days though…cos they gettin’ big!

By: Mr Dennis

Mr Dennis — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:51:28 +0000

You don’t have a formal apprenticeship if you leave school and milk cows. You will be learning on the job. I don’t believe this would be counted as “in training” by the government. But the prospect for advancement is much greater than in many other professions - you can move into sharemilking, then into farm ownership, with no formal training at all.

It is counterproductive to force teens to stay in government-approved training. It stops them working.

By: StephenR

StephenR — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:35:33 +0000

well saying ’sure’ twice isn’t going to help things. I’m a bit hazy on the scheme, but i think that it allows for what you talked about.

By: StephenR

StephenR — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:34:38 +0000

Yes, i’m fairly sure that fits the govt’s description of ‘in training’, but couldn’t be sure.

By: turnip28

turnip28 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:17:23 +0000

Yeah but even the formal apprenticeship program needs to be offered by the company and the trade should be learn’t on the job from a trades person just like it was done for 100’s of years.

By: StephenR

StephenR — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:11:22 +0000

“Not really StephenR since the training that Mr Dennis is talking about can probably be learn’t on the job.”

I suppose i was thinking more of formal apprenticeship programs. Basically we tend to think the only options are ‘uni or the trades’ which both involve study or training. Am I missing something else?

I should add that this is all part of the govt’s grand plan for a higher value economy - not going to happen (or will happen slower) if people just give up at an early age and don’t go into training or study…

By: turnip28

turnip28 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:06:05 +0000

Not really StephenR since the training that Mr Dennis is talking about can probably be learn’t on the job.

Lets not turn into the US where so many jobs require a college education but you can do the job without it. What happens in the US then is you get lots of college’s passing out retard college degree’s to retarded kids who didn’t need them but who have just handed over large amounts of money to the school for their crap worthless education. Move them into the workforce at 15/16 instead.