Frustration.

OK -- I'm kind of pissed.  Yea ....I am.  And I am not sure how to express it.

I'm pretty certain I am going to sound like a word rhyming with "witch."

I want to know when it happened.

When did I suddenly had to do your job?

OK -- let me give you some background.

A little over a week ago, I taught a bread-baking class.  It is based on ABin5


What I try to teach when teaching the ABin5 method, is creativity.  You make this fabulous dough and look at everything you can do with it!!!


So I start the class by passing out a 9 page illustrated (on both sides) handout on how to make the basic dough recipe.  It has websites.  It has blogs.  It has book titles and authors.  It is a complete handout on making the basic dough.


The evening before the class .... I mix up two batches of bread dough.  The morning of the class (around 7 am) I start baking.


Last week, I baked Crusty Sandwich loaf, Olive loaf, two batches of Cinnamon Rolls, Ciabatta and Fougasse stuffed with roasted red pepper.  Then I made another batch of bread dough.  I finish prepping for the class around 4 pm.


We start the class by make a fourth batch of dough. And I shape and bake the classic boule and several pita breads.  


And then .... I get my evaluations.


The evaluations were good.  99% of all people loved the class.  But this one... really has stuck in my craw.


Please give a handout with all the recipes, cooking times and temperatures.  I have worked all day and don't want to have to take notes during class.

Yea.  I'd hate to bother you.


So -- I got over that one. Sort of.  (Can you tell .... maybe....... not so much?)


Then I got a letter from Canada.  

A couple of months ago, Farm Show Magazine did a quick article on Miss Eff's. Since then, I have been contacted by several people about starting their own u-pick flower farm.  


I am glad to help.  I really am.  I have always had the philosophy that sharing information just builds better relationships.  

There are no trade secrets.  I grow flowers.  You cut them.  And when you get down to it, that is it.


But this letter really really bugged me.  What do you grow?  When do you start them?  Send me all the seed catalogs you use.  How much will that cost me? I need all the information you can give me.

And all I can read is give me, give me, give me.


OK -- first ... I don't know what the planting zone is where you live.  I don't know what acreage you have.  I don't know your gardening ability or physical limitations.

And I have worked for ten years building my business .... from the dirt of my knees and the seat of my pants.  I have studied.  I have succeeded.  And I have failed.  


But to start out ...I read.  I read everything I could get my hands on.  And really, that wasn't an awful lot .... which is why I made a bunch of mistakes.  But they were my mistakes.  And you will make your own.


We have become a society that expects all knowledge handed to us.  Silver platter and all.  And as adults, we don't want to work for it ... not one little bit.  We aren't going to open a book.  We aren't going to Google.  It is all at our fingertips ... and that's not good enough.


If we as adults aren't willing to put some effort into learning ......... how can we expect that of our children???


We are in deep deep chicken doo-doo,

 

Comments

Farm Girl said…
Welllllllll........... You already know what I think!

What the hell is wrong with people?

And why, when you don't "comply" with peoples request that they have bestowed upon you then you become the word that rhymes with witch?

I think people need to remember, God helps those who help themselves.

Have a lovely day!
noodledogknits said…
Honestly ridiculous. For one, it is called a CLASS for a reason, right? We all work all day, don't whine about it, this is LIFE. Secondly, if you can't be bothered to take notes, are you really going to be willing to make your own bread, even in 5 minutes a day?
Gross. Some people make me sad.
And at least we HAVE Google, right?
Oh Miss Eff you are so right on. EVERYONE wants what we have but they want us to GIVE it to them, We get folks who come to the farm and while I am trying to work with 3 other customers in out tiny store, will insist I answer all their questions about how to raise their TWO chickens. There is no effort made, no expense risked. Arrrrgggghhhh! Makes me pissed as well. The word is WORK and no one wants to do it anymore.
Wow! People are shameless. And the comment from the gal in class makes me want to scream. She's nuts! Some people are just martyrs. When I go to a class, I expect to take notes.

Hang in there.
Deborah Niemann said…
I love this post. I really do. I have felt like writing the same thing many times -- with my own stories or emails I get from people or class evaluations I get -- or there was this one woman who came to a class on the farm last year, and all seemed perfectly wonderful, but then she sends me an email saying how disappointed she was that she didn't actually get to milk a goat -- and that was the whole reason she came to the class, which was a cheesemaking class, mind you. It's been seven or eight months, and that one is still stuck in my craw. As for emails, what really ticks me off are the people who don't even respond to say THANK YOU after I send them a detailed response to their questions -- like I was just sitting here wondering what I was going to do with all my free time and was so thrilled to be able to spend half an hour responding to their questions.
Unknown said…
I agree with you 100%--but you wouldn't MAKE IT in NYC!! Too many people here do it--its called "entitlement," and how the heck it ever became so popular, I don't know! My parents would tan my britches if I thought about acting that way!!

It's a shame, when people can't do even the most simple thing--and you're right, we have SO MANY ways to get our information now, you wouldn't think it would be so hard!!
Kelly said…
Hear Hear sister!!! Wonderful post and this hard working note taker doesn't think you are anything that rhythms with witch. Actually, I think you are now my hero.
Kudos for stating what most of us only think of saying to folks that have that air of entitlement surrounding them.
Keep up the good work.
Colleen said…
I see this on a daily basis. I don't want to take the notes, why can't you just send me the notes. Why are You failing me. We are raising an entire generation of people who want everything handed to them.
Dan Mays said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dan Mays said…
You missed the perfect opportunity for this response:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yB7J7DYi6M
FairyLover said…
There's always gonna be one. I'm so sorry you had to deal with this stuff. Try to let it roll off. And next time remember, there will be one. Try to look at the 99%.

Kathi
Teri said…
I have to agree with Kathi. Focus on the 99% of people who do not do this and extend grace to the other 1%. Seems to me that people come to the classes and to the farm in large part because YOU are an inspiration to them. Maybe they've discovered a dream of their own through what you (and others here on your blog) do. They love what you have been able to create, to the point obviously of wanting to do it themselves, even if they don't have a clue how much work it takes. Our culture has become one of immediate gratification - which is reflected in people's behavior. I think most people respond better with a little grace and encouragement - at least 99%. Keep up the good work. :)

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