Expert confusion!

[veggiechicken]

Does anyone else feel confused about the role of the Expert Forums? Personally, I feel excluded from it, not that I am an expert on Soil for example but to me its like going to the doctor for a consultation but being advised by those in the waiting room while you wait to see the Doc. We are all answering the questions being put to the Expert as we would have done anyway, so are we supposed to leave the Expert to deal with the question? Or ask it in the other Forums as normal?

[WendyC]

Doctor's waiting room is a good analogy. It's very quiet in the Kitchen Garden Expert's waiting room -no-one has every visited! Contrast that with the number of threads each day on the general forum....

[julesapple]

I've just read the entire soil thread. I think I'll stick to bbq charcoal ashes, and the ashes when we burn logs in the fire. They do better than the very old fashioned clinker we used to get from the boiler, I know that much.

Dig it all in with a lot of chicken guano and the entrails from the Dalek. Works for me, even if I only do a little growing. And growbags for salads.

[Newton]

Harrod horticultural appear to be our new sponsored expert in the kitchen garden forum. I note they haven't made any expert comments yet. I expect they are taking in the reaction to Carbon golds posts.......

CG have a very interesting product that has long term climate improving attributes and it has been an education reading and discussing the product!

HH are an online shop......they will not have the same benefit of having such a product. They have lots of very good products but I think they might be seen as vendors rather than experts........we will see!

I am impressed with what I have seen from CG. They are engaging with us. I hope HH do the same thing.....I will be interested to learn about their products in a meaningful, disscusional way.

Come on HH. Don't be shy........We don't bite........






That often!

[julesapple]

Don't get the Kitchen Expert HH confused with our own little green HH!

[vikkib]

Does anyone else feel confused about the role of the Expert Forums? Personally, I feel excluded from it, not that I am an expert on Soil for example but to me its like going to the doctor for a consultation but being advised by those in the waiting room while you wait to see the Doc. We are all answering the questions being put to the Expert as we would have done anyway, so are we supposed to leave the Expert to deal with the question? Or ask it in the other Forums as normal?

Personally, unless I want a sales pitch, I think I'll stick to asking questions in the rest of the forum.

Having had a little look at the thread again there are a few questions on there which don't seem to have been answered anyway... I guess that's where the 'pertinent' bit comes in!

I am sure all our Experts will be more than happy to answer any questions- no matter how in depth they are ( including their personal surveys).
After all- they are Experts in their fields!

We are a well educated load of Grapes on this forum and I'm sure they will rise to the challenge of what we consider pertinent questions

(my emphasis)

[Bigmallly]

Yep, I agree. Part time experts who neglect an introduction but watch their ears prick up if you mention buying their product...........

[arpoet]

I used to be a pert before i retired, so does that now make me an Ex-Pert?

[Feral007]

I went for a look after reading this.

I've learned a new brand name. And I couldn't resist having a little say (well hush my mouth. )

[bubblewrap]

I used to be a pert before i retired, so does that now make me an Ex-Pert?

Before I retired I used to like farm machinery now I'm an "Extractor Fan"

[SarzWix]

The kitchen garden 'expert' does have a kitchen garden; there's been a blog on their website about it for yonks. Not that that makes them any more expert than any other long-term grower, but I guess means they aren't only pluggers of their goods without any experience?

To be honest, I think those sections would work best if they just put all-out advertising in them, and then jumped in the rest of the forum with possible answers to questions to show off their knowledge? But I'm just a mod, not an 'expert' in advertising

[alldigging]

If their expertise is over a wider field than their products or shop then I have no issue with them diving in and answering questions elsewhere on the forum.
If they're only able to answer questions on their product then you may as well keep them shut in one place.

[zazen999]

I imagine the novelty will wear off at some point...

[rustylady]

Shouldn't someone get in touch with Harrod's and tell them their section is open for posts? At least an introduction from them would be nice.

[veggiechicken]

I genuinely don't understand how we're supposed to interact with the Experts. Going back to my waiting to see the Doctor analogy, if every time you went to see him he prescribed the same treatment whatever your ailment, you'd change your doctor.
I appreciate that advertising helps to pay for the running of this forum and understand why they have been given this space to promote themselves. As you say, Sarz, if the Experts set out their stalls in that area we could go to them for one to one advice on their products in the knowledge that they are experts on their own products. I could see that working and being beneficial all round. I'm not convinced about the benefits to either side at the moment.