A simple question…..
Last week I asked a question of our Facebook Fans. What does conservation mean to you? My thoughts were that conservation had become a general term whose meaning depended a lot on the person who used it (and their political viewpoint). It is with this mindset as a backdrop that I spent three days attending the Mother Earth News Fair in central PA last week.
Conservation vacation?
I’m not really sure what I expected, but the Mother Earth News folks had asked me to come speak about landowner responsibility, stewardship, and blending conservation into a land ownership strategy (all things I believe in), so I happily went. For the record, central PA is BEAUTIFUL this time of year with rolling hills, farmland, and small comfortable towns. Fall was in the air, and since I left 98 degree temps in GA, a welcome change. I had a great time. My session was well attended, as was the entire event. People came from all over – speakers, vendors, and attendees. Well over 10,000 people were there over two days.
Here’s what I found out about the Mother Earth News crowd:
- They are ordinary folks just like you and me.
- They have a love of all things outdoors.
- They are passionate.
- They have some great ideas (and great products).
- They are mostly apolitical.
- They just want to make a difference.
- They are nearly all landowners and aspiring landowners.
- They believe simple is better than complicated.
Here’s what I found out about conservation:
- It is alive and well.
- It is being carried out every day by ordinary folks doing extraordinary things.
- It is much more about passion than it is about politics.
- It is a surefire way to create a rewarding and PROFITABLE land ownership experience.
Here’s what I found out about me:
- I like central PA.
- I like the folks at Mother Earth News.
- I want to learn (and share) more about the people and products that make up the grassroots conservation movement.
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