Croppie Gossip: 13 June 2023
Here at The Croppie we always find it interesting when certain people who think they know everything attempt to rewrite history to suit their own agenda. Take Robin Knight, the would-be circle maker who has nobody to work with, so lives his life grovelling at the feet of any circle makers foolish enough to give him the time of day.
It seems Robin has a problem with how crop circle reports and photographs are distributed. Posting in a Facebook group run by two circle makers, he posted:
If you’re wondering what the ‘picture for attention’ is, it’s Robin Knight’s act of criminal damage committed at Barbury Castle in 2022.
Ah, it’s the age old complaint against the Crop Circle Connector website and their associated social media outlets. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
So if you found a crop circle, what would you do? Personally I would try and take ground photos and post them on somewhere like here first.
Those of us who have followed crop circles online for the past twenty five years know that the overwhelming majority of crop circle reports have been made to the Crop Circle Connector. We also know, for a fact, that members of the public have reported crop circles to other outlets in recent years including Monique Klinkenbergh’s Crop Circle Exhibition and Information Centre, together with the website you are reading right now and our Instagram account Crop Circle Explorer. Alternatively, some people do post photographs of crop circles they’ve found on Facebook.
Would you know where to report the circle otherwise?
The public aren’t stupid, Robin. Don’t treat them like idiots. They’re perfectly capable of uploading photographs on social media. This isn’t 1990 where you had to get to The Waggon and Horses at Beckhampton to speak to George Wingfield, or find someone who had the telephone number of Busty Taylor, Pat Delgado or Colin Andrews.
Therefore don’t you think its strange we often have aerial drone shots often from the same photographers before people have even visited?
You know how the game works, Robin. The Croppie has never made any secret of it. A crop circle is reported to the Crop Circle Connector. In turn, they despatch their chosen photographer to capture images of that circle. At the moment, that individual is Nick Bull, who is one of the very best in the business. We know he does the job for very little except fuel expenses. Sometimes we know he doesn’t even claim that.
Robin, we know the game doesn’t suit you and you want more crop circles to be discovered organically in order that your Facebook mates can get the first photos before any other outlet. Perhaps you’re unaware, but we know that three of the four crop circles so far reported this season were discovered — and visited — by members of the public before the Connector published their photographs. Yet they didn’t contact you or your Facebook friends.
But it isn’t just Robin whining and attempting to stir the contents of the china bowl. We’ve seen other drone using photographers crying that Mr Bull is first to everything, including Kathy Mingo and Simon Man’w. The latter wrote:
99% drone flyers/visitors know nothing [about new circles] until the Crop Circle Connector release their video.
True, but the news has to be disseminated somewhere first.
Why, Simon, do you think the Connector get the majority of crop circle reports? Is it something to do with their history, their reputation and the fact they are trusted? Is it because, historically, they have a name and profile that a group on Facebook doesn’t possess?
And let’s look at the circle makers themselves … why do they choose the Crop Circle Connector ahead of certain Facebook groups? Is it because said Facebook groups are run by people who facilitate — and sometimes contribute to — the endless criticism of their work and dissemination of personal abuse against them? Why would these circle makers even offer the dregs to this outlet? Furthermore, why would they offer anything to you on a personal basis when you’ve been obnoxious towards them? All said, you’ve got 400 followers on Instagram. What do you and the likes of Robin Knight offer them? Nothing. The only thing you will ever get from them is a chance discovery made by yourselves or a third party in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, the bridges are well and truly burnt.
