Regular Community Calls

General Discussions
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Hey friends, that let me think about one thing : my day’s feeling, is that sometimes an internet forum can become some kind of “bottleneck” in itself.
That makes me think: why not doing collective calls?.. From time to time… Zoom or whatever… This would be more vibrant. A call where we could just talk about our respective projects, news, ask for help, expose ideas, etc. A way to meet each other for a an hour or so. Weekly event or so. Something a bit informal. Just to say hello, how are you doing, what are you up to, how is your soil, your first tomatoes, etc… Personnally, I am better at writting than at speaking english but I am sure it would be great discovering each others place that way, ways to store seeds, simply discuss our cultivation options, etc. I am quite sure many new ideas could come up like that. Without even thinking of it.

But sure that question would deserve another topic for itself… Don’t want hijack this topic but it is what the last discussions inspired me: some times interact with each in a more vibrant way by a weekly call… or monthly, whatever

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2

I agree, and I think this is a great idea. I am happy to start the zoom calls on the Going to Seed account, but I’m hoping Thomas or somebody else will be the facilitator/organizer.

Maybe the first task is a doodle poll to find the most popular time.

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It’ll have to be evening for Europeans, because we’re 8 hours ahead.

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I do not know if I can make it to the calls, but if they are recorded I will gradly listen to them.

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we will soon be confronted with the harsh reality of different time slots.
If we do the evening Hugo it will be noon in the USA so not very practical for our American friends.
I am afraid that we are obliged to make calls between one side Europeans who are already not all on the same time, and Americans on the other side

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In the first year we did do community calls at noon on weekends, so it’s possible, but not ideal for friends on other continents.

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I am part of an international craft zoom and it starts at 4pm EST, which is 9pm London UK where the person who started it lives. We have people from all over join.

That said it can mean some juggling for time in different time zones. I think having two at different times that make sense for different time zones makes sense. Those who are more flexible to join both can, and those who can’t will have one option that works for them.

I can’t do Thursdays at all because I have in person and online stuff pretty much the whole day. I’m open to just about any other day and pretty flexible for time frame.

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8

Yes!

There could also be two times set up. The main one where the most amount of people can join, and a secondary time for when the second most amount of people can join.

How many times per month?

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Sorry to have not replied shortly… Had many things happening at the same time… and I forgot about that.
I am open to any option. I believe it is great to start with collective calls, as we did a few years ago. Does anyone remembers when it was? I mean : which hour?
I would love to do also “regional” calls, but later. As I believe it would be great, and more vibrant, starting all together.
Frequence : I would suggest once a month for the collective one.

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10

Yeah, i’m in. Hope i get the microphone to work. Who would “lead” the talks? So we don’t randomly babble too much off topic. @Joseph_Lofthouse would you lead the talks again? Or should it be somebody else? Volunteering maybe? Hopefully.
And what topics? Maybe it would be an idea to end with deciding a bit on what the next topic is so everybody can take a firm stance and not give an inch. Kidding.

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11

Maybe we need to open a discord for those type of things…

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My preference of hours will be 22:00 to 02:00 GMT+1. A bit late, but I prefer to sleep less than not be able to attend.

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Yo go my man.

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I am very interested in the potential for using Discord, which is used by some other projects and groups I’m a part of. I don’t think that awareness is as widespread as Zoom, which is a shame because I think that Discord could be a better choice in community-type groups. The Discord free edition has better video meeting functions than free Zoom too.

One of the neat features of Discord is that it incorporates video meeting technology, somewhat like Zoom. Members sites that integrate with Discord for chat can allow users to initiate their voice or video conversations at any time, not just during pre-scheduled events.

I can’t tell if my post is taking this discussion off topic or not. I do like to spread the word about Discord, I tend to like it better than Zoom (or Slack) for the projects I’m involved in currently.

I have read that there is a plugin that integrates Discourse and Discord. Presumably Discord

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We can just create a discord. When we got some people online, we just can start a conversation on there, or leave messages for later.

I also use a lot of Telegram, you can create multiple channels on the same chat.

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I never even zoomed. What’s wrong with Skype? So this is not Discord, but discourse. The way you young people speak! We can use this or that or that. I don’t know if change is always better for people who already had trouble installing Zoom and stuff.

So you want to lead the discussion Richard? Is that it.

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Sure :sweat_smile: I do not mind it. But is going to be a nice chaos discussion.

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I use it a lot, but is less stable, and for more than 5 people is not good. So for this type of calls, I do not think it will go well for us.

My auntie is even using telegram. So then take some rejuvenating potion and get on the boat.

Discord is a mix of skype and a forum (discourse).

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I didn’t know discord had a video chat function. I have discord but I’m not totally familiar with it. I have been using zoom for crafting video groups for the last several years so I’m very familiar with it.

If discord has a function that could work for people to chime in with days and times they’re available and people can do hangouts whenever a few people are available would be fun.

The craft zoom I join the person pays for it so the “room” is the same and available at all times for people with access to it. I have the “room” number saved and there is a password. We have a group chat and people message when they’re getting on or plan to be on. That sounds like how discord would work.

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To frame what I’m about to offer in terms of an April Community Call: I’m inspired by Going to Seed. This community is a true model for how online tools can connect growers and facilitate learning. As I participate here, I’ve also found myself trying to learn from the community and how it is managed.

One reason is that I have been seriously thinking about how I might be able to help establish other online learning communities around 1) disability in farming and gardening and 2) regenerative agriculture in Central Appalachia. At this point, it’s completely a volunteer solo effort, but I would like to make it part of my job.

OK, I thought explaining that might be useful now.

Discord is one of the tools that I have seen other groups using, and I have been very impressed. I’ve been using it seriously for about a year myself. In my current ideal online learning community lineup, this forum software (Discourse) and the online curriculum software that GTS uses (Thinkific) would be paired with Discord for text chat, informal voice and video conversations, and meetings/presentations.

I am so vested in Discord’s potential that, if folks here also find it interesting as a potential tool for us to use, I would gladly offer to coordinate a Going to Seed Community Call in April via Discord. That would involve a little extra trouble and annoyance because it would be new to many people, but I would try to make sure there is information and assistance for people trying to use Discord for the first time.

If this hypothetical Discord call were to go well I would offer to assist with Discord technology and facilitation for future meetings (not coordinating the whole thing! :smiley: )

At the risk of going too long, I have been developing evaluation notes of these communications tools, in anticipation of raising funds for the topics I mentioned before. I thought my notes on Discord and Zoom might help illustrate the “community orientation” of Discord:

Discord
Excellent tools for structured presentations and discussions as well as the informal communication that helps participants keep in touch with each other. Discord’s channels are essentially virtual “meeting rooms” that remain available to users 24/7. Text-only channels are available along with voice and video chat. Channels can be configured on an individual basis for users to be able to schedule their own conversations.

The free version has these capabilities:

  • “Stage Channels” for facilitated audiovisual presentations for an audience of up to 50 people.
  • Simpler unfacilitated “Go Live and Screen Share” video presentations with unlimited viewers and voice discussion.
  • Watch Together: watch the same videos at the same time and talk amongst each other as you watch
  • Voice-only discussion channels with unlimited participants.
  • Video chat with up to 25 participants.

Zoom
Has the advantage of the most familiarity, even though the software interface is not that great. Can accommodate more simultaneous video users. Moderators, with some training, can manage functions like breakout rooms better than Discord, but the text chat is not nearly as robust, and zoom is not really designed to be available except during meetings.

Edit: there are ways of configuring zoom to have an ongoing meeting room. I will add the terminology or more info about that soon.

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