The more you know...

I went to a web site that I know gives several great reading references for the growing/farming and all other kinds of things on freshwater prawn.  I've been there several times and have looked at a lot of the articles.  Last night I went there to look for the title of one specific book.  The title isn't as important as the fact that it is a $400.00 book.

Now, it is probably one of the most highly recommended books there is on the subject of raising and just general knowledge of freshwater prawns there is.  And heck, it was updated as recently as 2002.  Prawns themselves haven't changed, but the knowledge of farming and raising them have come light years.  So I am a little hesitant in purchasing that particular book.

However, I did cheat a little.  I did write down the names of specific chapters from the book and then went on a search for the most current information on that particular subject.  My dear friends: I am not again the author of this book receiving his fair due for the work he has done.  The problem is that in this industry things change so quickly before someone could get a lot of information even published it will be out of date.  From researching this business over the last 1+ years, around 2002 although there were changes happening they weren't coming as fast.  Right now it's constant.  Thus the reason for looking up current information.

Then there is that constant nagging question of who has the best information?  Is University A's information and study more accurate than University B?  Or did University C actually provide the best data?  With that it is going to come down to which football team do you like best, or who did you study with or for whatever reason have you chosen to follow that individuals path?

Do I follow the path of the people who say freshwater prawn can't be raised in RAS tanks, or do I follow the path of the guys who say of course it can, we are doing it now!!  What do you think?  The guys who say it can't be done are traditionally the ones who tried it 15 years ago before the information and technology was there.  The ones making it are the guys doing it now and are using current information and new technology.  You probably get the idea.

But it all boils down to you have to constantly learn about your field no matter what it is.  If you sit back and try to stay afloat with what you learned 10 years ago it isn't going to work.  Farmers today need to stay ahead of the game with new ways of farming.  There are new ways of doing things for bankers.  My brother the Dentist goes to continuing education classes 2 times a year and looks forward to learning new procedures and ways of doing things 30 years later.  You can't sit back and say I have always done it this way.

So keep learning, the more you know the more successful you are going to be.  Even if it is different than what you may have done before.