Do you think software may help fix this problem?

[LagoVistaFarm]

We have a diverse group of people who participate in a group garden on private land, at a farm 2 miles from us. Everyone in the group puts in their fair share. No one joins the group without a reasonable understanding of what is expected of him or her. We may decide to let someone mooch off the group for a while, but they are expected to take it with the grace with which it is given.

The deal is so good right now, everyone wants to make it work. We reside in one of the most dysfunctional rural residential communities on the planet, and would like to set a better example for the area. Maybe some will stick.

We have a nice family-owned grocery store on the road in-between the farm and us. In the store are apricots for $3.19/pound (on sale). The owner of the store drives by the farm, where 600 pounds of fresh apricots just went to spoil, 2-4 times a day. Their families have been friends for three generations.

The store paid a fruit distributor about $2/pound for them, and no one knows where they come from or who grew them. The spoiled ones were better tasting, organic, tree ripened, bigger, and obviously, local. They would have been really pleased to sell them for $1.50/pound, and would have been willing to take even less and still be happy.

Obviously there is a severe communication problem here. And my example is just the tip of the communication problem iceberg. Since we have our own server that is underutilized, and we have run a website for a homeowners’ association that works pretty well, we thought we would do something on the lines of a mini-HT; but private and with more “bad” words allowed. If they want to discuss spiritual issues we will happily steer the neophytes in a good direction after sharing some hints with them.

Some of the younger members have requested a technical challenge to conquer rather than taking a private section of a service like Tribe.

Some of the kids are going to college away from home and a forum/blog/online community would give them an opportunity to share in their family’s and friends’ lives back here at home.

We can have this private and buried deep enough to keep out a big chunk of malicious spam, but we still want it to be up-to-date. If HT were to be re-invented what applications would you change, for example? If you had a 40 person family in the same town, how would you handle the “family web presence”? I’m intrigued by Barnraiser, but feel it may by too complicated for people who have never been online. We have run a forum with phpBB for several years, but I’m not sure that’s where we want to be in five years. They are chomping at the bit for a Internet class for non-users. They’ve figured out that this Internet fad might be around for a while.

We are a group of people who fully embrace collective knowledge.

We would like to put in an order entry/processing application. If one of our cult members wants to have sage to burn at his big kool-aide party next month it can be planned for. It works real well for custom-grown lettuce. Let’s say the Church down the road is having an event on August 20 for 200 people and want a custom salad. By giving us 60 days notice we can have the perfect crop ready. If we have a failure they still have the regular market.

Thanks!

[snv1492]

Sounds more like you need a type of inventory control system rather than a bulletin board.

A forum where you can shoot the breeze might be a nice addition, but what you really need is a way for people to enter what excess they have, and search for what other people have. A forum is to unstructured for that sort of specific use.

Any competent web developer could something together fairly cheaply, especially if everyone in the group chips in.

[LagoVistaFarm]

In reality it's an integrated business system. This group wants some of the youth to participate in the process. These are home schoolers and they want their kids learning while staring at a tube. The kids are asking for my help in excel lessons. It's going to take a big effort either way so this way they can learn by the journey.

Actually, it is fairly difficult to find an affordable web developer around here and when found has the time to follow through.

[snv1492]

Originally Posted by LagoVistaFarm

In reality it's an integrated business system. This group wants some of the youth to participate in the process. These are home schoolers and they want their kids learning while staring at a tube. The kids are asking for my help in excel lessons. It's going to take a big effort either way so this way they can learn by the journey.

Actually, it is fairly difficult to find an affordable web developer around here and when found has the time to follow through.

You wouldn't use Excel for what you're describing because it is not a server application. You need a database like MySQL. Access would work, but it wouldn't be a very good choice for a website.

[14yearpcmaker]

Originally Posted by snv1492

You wouldn't use Excel for what you're describing because it is not a server application. You need a database like MySQL. Access would work, but it wouldn't be a very good choice for a website.

very well said~!

[LagoVistaFarm]

I'm sorry. I did not make myself clear. My point is: If the kids want to learn Excel then I can move them into other applications. I have to start them somewhere. We have very extensive data in excel format and we will need to move into a more appropriate system.

I'm giving some thought to even using something like OSCommerce. I just want to think through the problems before we turn these little bundles of hormones loose.

Our off the farm income needs 2-3 separate OSCommerce sites so we want to train someone we can trust. We are very strong in the idea of supporting local businesses but use the internet and heavy travel in our other business. In a perfect world one of these kids is going to take this knowledge and make something else better.

The idea was for me take on a consistent task that allow me to do my real work. When this hard working group gets large enough communication is really going to become important.

I have time mid-day to visit the primary farm garden. The other edible area is at our place. I can make a list of what is perfect for today. I can post it to a chef's forum and get some great dinner ideas. I could post them on a cooking section of the "family" forum and they would be available before the off the farm workers leave their office. They can then stop by a store pick-up necessary stuff that may go well with something. I give the chef's forum honest feedback so they can test on a group with discerning tastes.