Fruit Talk FAQs:
How can I change email delivery options?
Members can choose to receive posts by individual emails, daily digest, or no emails at all. You can change preferences online here, or contact David Ulmer, our listserve manager, at David Ulmer DavidU9999 at gmail.com
How do I report inappropriate content/posts?
If you have concerns, please contact Kalia at “kalia at sbcglobal.net” or David Ulmer, our listserve manager, at David Ulmer DavidU9999 at gmail.com
What kind of content is appropriate for posting?
Posting announcements about workshops, events, opportunities, etc. -including aspects of agriculture & gardening not just limited to fruit- are allowed as long as it is of benefit to our members and reasonably related to CRFG interests. An acceptable posting could even be about a big sale at a gardening supply store, for example. If multiple members complain about a certain posting being inappropriate to the listserve, the poster will be asked not to post that item again in the future, or be blocked if repeated non-compliance. Members can post events for non-members, but non-members are not allowed to directly use the listserve for any reason. It is desirable if the Subject line states the topic of the post, for example: “seminar on beekeeping next Saturday in Sebastopol”. It is general listserve etiquette that the poster disclose if they have a financial interest in the post, such as “This is my daughter’s fruit stand having the sale” or “I have no financial interest in this event”. Please keep commercial postings short, with a link to more info.
Note that the off-topic messages that will generally cause complaint are those of multi-level-marketing, political, GMO debate, religious, non-ag, spam, etc nature.
Click here for a Q&A about listserve security and spam.
List Etiquette
• MOST IMPORTANTLY: Only send a message to the entire list when it contains information from which many may benefit. Send messages such as “thanks for the information”, “I want a copy too”, “atta-boys”, or “me too” to individuals–not to the entire list. Do this by “forwarding” the message, then typing or pasting in the e-mail address of the individual to whom you want to respond.
• Include a signature tag on all messages. Include your name, affiliation, location, and e-mail address.
• State clearly the specific topic of the comments in the subject line. Second subjects within a message are often overlooked. Consider writing a message on a new topic rather than including it in the first message. This allows members to respond more appropriately and allows for automatic message archiving.
• Warn other list subscribers of lengthy messages either in the subject line or at the beginning of the message body with a line that says “Long Message.”
• Occasional off-topic posts, used sparingly, and clearly identified with “off topic” in the subject field are permitted.
• When posting humor, the word “humor” should appear in the subject line. When using humor or sarcasm, be sure it’s evident. The absence of expressions common in face-to-face communication can lead to potential misunderstandings. Use smiley faces, i.e., :-), to help indicate your message is meant as humor or sarcasm.
• Do not send administrative messages such as “remove me from the list,” to the list. Instead, use the Web interface to change your settings or notify the list administrators.
• Restrict discussions to topics best suited to the medium.
• Include only the relevant portions of the original message in your reply, delete any header or footer information, and put your response before the original posting. Do not include entire digests in your response.
• Avoid using all UPPERCASE characters in your message. They are less readable and considered the e-mail equivalent of shouting.
• Keep as tight a control on the list-serve address as you do your wallet. It only takes one spammer/hacker/vendor to ruin a list-serve address.