BTW, if you like the “I (HEART) Dirt” tee shirt I am wearing, you can sign up to win your own from This Garden is Illegal and Troy-Bilt.

It appears that this article has touched off a bit of a discussion on Cold Climate Gardening about blogging, gardening and generational clashes. Kathy Purdy asked:

I’d especially like to know what would make blogging more appealing to older gardeners. (Older meaning old enough to be my parent, and I’m almost fifty.) They have a wealth of experience to share, but are the least likely to share it online.

Then, in response, Katie at Garden Punks

Why aren’t people in younger generations interested in gardening?!

I mention both of these comments because I think they are related, mostly in that I think there is a lot of misconception about them.

In response to Kathy’s question, many people replied that old people simply are not online. Having managed a site for a company that is targeted to senior citizens, I know for a fact that this is not the case. Senior citizens are the rapidly growing group online. So they are on the computer, they just choose not to blog. That doesn’t actually answer Kathy’s question, but it at least eliminates the most common answer.

In response to Katie’s question. I think younger generations do garden. I do see it. I know plenty of young people (25 – 35)who keep a vegetable garden or at least a few plants for pleasure. No, they are not as deeply involved in it as I am, they can’t go on and on for hours about it like I can, but they do enjoy plants and the act of growing something. They garden, as far as I am concerned.

There are many young (under 35) people who grow things and demure from calling themselves gardeners because they either feel they don’t have the right to or don’t want to be associated with the title.  Which worries me, because that means they consider gardening on the same level as stamp collecting or… air sickness bags collecting. That is a problem.

I have an article in Cleveland Magazine this month in the “Rating the Suburbs”. I would like to thank Jim Vickers and company for thinking of me.

If you get the chance and you live in Cleveland (and all parts surrounding), pick up a copy. Lots of fun info about the local area.

I promise next week, I will start posting more than I have. School’s out this week and my time frees up quite a bit after that.

Summer vacation isn’t just for children.

I was contacted a few months ago by Willi Evans Galloway who is an editor over at Organic Gardening. She wanted to run a short interview about me and my tomatoes. I agreed and it was a blast. (She confirmed during that interview that stringing up tomatoes is a great way to go)

A little while later, they had Ben Chodroff, a local Renaissance man of many talents, take my picture for the magazine. Ben is a great guy, and if you have the need for some photography work based here in Cleveland, I would highly recommend him.

So, this constitutes my very first official media mention. It has been a fun experience and thank to everyone who thought that my wayward ramblings were worth the mention.

BTW, Organic Gardening magazine is packed with lots of helpful tips that go beyond just being organic. Even if you are not the organic type, there is plenty to learn inside this magazine.