Cottage Gardening: Cottage Garden Seed Swap & Chat #44

We came from here - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1051144/

Star had asked us to start new Piggy threads for her once they reached about 200 posts, since this is precious time for her to spend with her son visiting from Iraq - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7212922 . Well, we ain't up to 200 posts yet, but I'm jumping the gun here since I'm hoping these pointers will help newbies at the top of a thread until Star gets the main threads up later.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7216524 - When the Piggy Swap opens around 6:00 pm (-ish) tonight, there will be two threads:
-- List Thread - here is where, in just one post for yourself, you list your haves and wants, and make any changes as the swap progresses - this is not for chat or oinking. Here is an example of how we posted our haves & wishes last year - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5784734 . In addition, it would be nice to add a link to a picture or to the PlantFiles page for each plant for which you are listing seeds. Some use google to find this, and others use this - http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?Search=Click+here+to+search+for+plants . You can cut and paste the web address of the picture and/or PlantFiles page to each entry on your list.
-- Chat Thread - here is where you chat and discuss your wishes and promises and what's going on in your life and the kitchen sink - we hope to keep all chat on the Chat Thread and not on the List Thread.

Always back up your requests/promises with dmails. Oink for requests/promises on the chat thread, too - what's a piggy swap without oinking? Having said that, not everyone can keep up with the chat thread, so it is okay to request & promise only by dmail, too. But if ya don't get onto the chat thread and share a few oinks, the Big Piggy in the Sky is gonna come down in years to come, and like that ghost in Scrooge, he will remind you of friendships missed and silly fun poofed.

Everyone can ask for whatever they want - you can ask for more than you plan to give - this swap is a chance for folks to spread the wealth around and share extra garden seed, commercial seed left over from sowing, trades, etc. Having said that, if you have a little of something very special, go ahead and make a trade for something special with that, too. The swap works both ways. Using each others' wish and want lists is a way to both find good homes for extra seed, as well as to trade for seed you think is special.

Old seed is okay, but not too old. Here are a couple of sources for some seed viability -
http://www.hillgardens.com/seed_longevity.htm
http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/ - In the catalog section, some of the seed entries give estimated seed viability
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220517 - ya never know

Put name of seed & your DG moniker on your seed baggies. It's also nice to indicate or estimate how many seeds, date either when harvested or received, and color and height. Common names are okay, but it you can, using the botanic name is best because it takes the guess-work out of figuring out what the seed is - there can be oodles of different common names for one plant, but only one botanic name per plant. PlantFiles can help out here - http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?Search=Click+here+to+search+for+plants . Thanks for the reminder, LeBug - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7230135

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Baggy Issues? -

1) What to do if seed not properly dried out -
-------- #1 put warning on baggy so recipient can know to dry them out; make your own baggie out of paper -#2 http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219649
-------- home-made baggie out of coffee-filter cones - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219775
-------- glassine bags - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219824
-------- some put dry rice kernels in baggy with the seeds to absorb extra moisture - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219826

2) Dust-like seed that sticks to sides of baggy
------- Ella's foil trick - scroll down to about paragraph 7 or 8 - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219715
------- I like to use wax paper - fold in half; then turn 90 degrees and fold in thirds; then fold top twice. I use a nail file to get between the outer two sides and use that as a pocket for very fine seeds. Tape with masking tape, because it's tacky enuf to stick things together, but still easy to take off and put back on again. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220100

3) local Michael's Crafts or WallyWorld or internet out of baggies? Here are some alternative suggestions -
-------- Go to our bag man (lol, Neil, couldn't resist) - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220347
-------- See sections 1 & 2
-------- cut up a sandwich bag and tape it up - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219964
-------- Recycle paper with very easy origami packets - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220082

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If you don't have very many seeds, but would like to add to what you can share with other piggies, here are some suggested sources:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7229947

a few others -
JL Hudson - http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/ - has seeds both as packet and as bulk - the bulk seeds are an excellent source of seeds relative to what they cost

Value Seeds - http://www.valueseeds.com/ - very inexpensive outlet seeds from T&M

OR! If ya have tons of one kind of seed, try trading some of it on the Seed Trading forum and then come back here to trade greater variety - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7213440

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Hopefully a bunch of us Elder Piggies will check in from time to time to answer questions, and Star will get to devote her attention to her son visiting from Iraq.




This message was edited Nov 1, 2009 1:59 PM

This message was edited Nov 1, 2009 2:02 PM

This message was edited Nov 1, 2009 4:14 PM

LOL Karen there isn't much I can do for the deposition really they will ask questions and I have to answer from the best of my knowledge I'm just trying to get some dates in my head if I can hold them that long three days is along time for my brain LOL

"Sending you positive thoughts and energies in the days to come for things to go well for you. Keep us posted and let us know when we can lend an ear or a shoulder or a brain cell or two."

I can use all of these I can get esp. the brain cells! I seem to be lacking a few of those here lately :)

Jnette, with seeds like petunias you don't have to go into detail about them. Sometimes they kind of do their own thing anyway :)

Lea, can't you bring notes with you, with dates and such? I can't imagine you'd be expected to keep dates in your memory. Sending best wishes and trying to send a few brain cells, but I keep losing those myself.

LeBug: I am a court reporter and the best advice I can give you, as I'm sure your attorney has already, is simply give the best answer you can. If you think of something later, you can always correct or modify a previous response. No one is perfect and none of us have perfect recall. Your attorney might want to have you read and sign your transcript as well. That way you can make corrections if you think of things (as you probably will) after the deposition is concluded. Don't be nervous. This isn't a test. It's simply what you recall of what happened. Relax and if you need something repeated or clarified, say so.

Hemo you are wonderful thank you I needed that! :)

perenniallyme, I can bring notes I guess but don't know the questions, my luck I would have all of these notes and no dates to the ones they ask at least this will give me an idea of what is going to go on when we go to court in Feb. I have a few date books of what has happened in the past with my dad and my sister but don't want her to know yet that I was keeping track of each time she came out and how long she stayed she won't expect that I wish I had written details for when we had a new Will made out, signing the house over and so forth...they do want to know when dad started going down hill in his mind and that was so hard to tell since he was so ignorant with a fifth grade education a lot of people thought his mind was gone a long time ago with no education even the lawyer that made the Will out, of course he was young and just didn't understand people with no education that one is a hard one to explain he just thought dad's mind was gone and it wasn't.

Got to get back to these labels :)

Just know that we're cheering you on, and glad you have a little something else to partly occupy yourself at the same time.

Bluespiral (hey you) Wouldn't it be a good idea to put a sample seed list up so newbies (and rusties) can get a good look at how its done before we start. I can't remember how to put the plant pic on my list either, would love a refresher. I'm getting all revved up here, everytime I move I snort hehehe.

George you can just put a link up to the plant you remember how to do that don't you:) Copy and paste :) I always just go to google then look for the DG files and put a link of that one up if they have it if not I just use one that's on the google page.

Amberboa ~ muricata ~ purple annual ~2008 ~ 8
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/4568/1.html

The 2008 is when I collected them and 8 is for how many trades I have.

LeBug: Seeing your additional info above, I caution you that if you bring something to the deposition to refresh your memory, opposing counsel has a right to have it produced in discovery to him and will probably want to get a copy of whatever you refer to. FYI.

I was so embarrassed by my meager offering of seeds that I have ordered more to beef up what I can offer in return. I'm getting excited as well. I've just put some pecans in the oven to make spiced pecans for a snack tonight and boy, are they smelling good! You know how wonderful they always smell at the mall.

So as Ella said, I've fed the pets, got a Port-a-Potty installed in the office, a mini-fridge and microwave, so I'm good to go! LOL!

Oh no, maybe I won't take any notes then how about in court can you use notes then Hemo?

I'm having a time here trying to get the animals to leave me alone I had to put a piece of tape hanging down off of the table I'm working on just so my cat would play with that instead of mine and of all days one cat I have picks the day today to growl and not get along with every one! LOL I have three cats and a dog in here :)

Hemophobic, that's better than what I got, all I got is marigolds, (like a bazillion!) morning glories, and some Yucca buccatta (?) seeds (it's the white flowered goes to zone 3a) No one wants those, we use those as filler when we don't have anything else yet...LOL

Trina, don't worry, there is alot of us who love MGs and Marigolds and Yucca. I'm listing a Yucca too, but a different one.

Good cause these are the big get tall smelly type

smelly enuf to counteract a gardener's dirty socks? perhaps it's no accident that yucca roots (tubers?) are said to make a good soap (right plant part?)

Ansonfan & LeBug - I added an example of what a wants/wish list post would look like for newbies in the Piggy List thread, as well as how to get a picture and/or DG PlantFiles page beside each entry. Hope I did that right - let me know if I can do that better. I am so behind grrr. Y'all might not see me for a few hours.

LeBug: yes, you can use notes in court, but counsel still gets to see them, depending on the judge. Most judges will allow that. Just relax. You'll do fine.

Trina: Lots of mine only have 1 offering of seeds, so I ordered a few things from Swallowtail.

behind what is that, I now have labels for three seeds lol Did I mention I'm trying to get my house in shape for a visitor for a couple of months too! Multitasker here don't know how fast I will be though LOL I haven't even eaten anything today yet gosh I need to do that!

I had a bunch of labels done on my word and it decided to go nuts on me! I don't know how to get it back so I just started another! Yes I saved it but the computer had other ideas maybe it has seeds to enter too LOL

I'mmmmmmmmmmmmmm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccckkkkk! Aren't happy. : )

Been a wild morning. After church got to spend abotu an horu and a half with my son, then he on his way to meet up with his friends at the mall. High school buddies are mroe important than moms LOL

That ok, I took him to dinern at Capt'nD's and we had the Deacons wife and husband with us, who are also close friends.

Got a coupel of pics to show ya. Lightign was not the best in the back of the place, btu I got pics. : ) Lebug.. thanks for todays memories. Ya was a life safer.

First pic is of him with deacons wife. Actually got a little smile out of him. He got a good sens e of humor and is a kidder, but when it coem s to pics, he doe s that do'nt smile Army thing. grrrrrrrrrrr

LOL LeBug! Want a teenager to help you? I have 5, here's a dart just aim at one and you can have the kid on either side.....LOL

Dinner time. He had to order desert before anything. Love's ther e choclate cake thingy. He drive s me crazy with beign on leave he decided nto to shave this morning. Nothign liek five 0'clock shadow at noon. LOL

Handsome young man, Ella. You did good!

I was just thinking that...so How old is he? no offense but to me with hats on they all look 12! I grew up an Army Bratt so I saw alot of them with hats on...LOL

Aw, know what you mean about friends being more important. Its setting in at age 8 here! My daughter's stuck with me because she's running a fever, so she had to get on skype to video chat with her friend! Ah well, they still love us...

Crazy child already has his truck in storga e and pulel dout his bike. He was freezing and swallowing bugs on the trip from his Dad's to me. I tell ya if ya evr would have told me my child would own and be drivign a bike, I would have said no way, never. I was wrong!

He doesn't knwo his momma use d to ride all the time and statred lot s yougne r than him. Maybe one day wil tell him that secret. hehehehheh

I tell ya he was pulling out on his bike to the mall and it like make s ya stop and wonder wher e the years have gone and when did he get so big seems just liek yesterday that he was just starting junior high.

It is a nice bike though, soemthign called a Shadow. Give me a good Harley anyday. Ok I sur e ya seen enough of my son.LOL

Lea... Ya knwo w e all rootign for ya. And am sur e Hemophobic can be a big help to ya.

I should be aroudn for most of the time now until the 4th. That wil be th elast day a get to see my son befor e he leaves again. Unless he pops up unexpectedly for afe w mintues alogn the way, but with the tight schedule he got and thinsg he still ha s ot get done I really don't expect to see much of him. an always hope though.

So unless I get pute r problems I should be around.

Ok, Gonan start getting things together and start tryign to get the thread s done. Gonan get stuff ready, but gonan have th ethreads closed til I have everythign in place. I should be ready to roll at 6. Crossign fingers anyways.

He's 21. Looks like his dad, but he has my heart. He don't know a stranger and wil lend a hand to help anybody. I was gettign worrie d on the highway cuz he was stoppign to help folks. Just the way he is, but he knows folsk help me when I break down or have flats and such, so he wil stop and help other s too.

That's a good trait, Ella, and even though it can be dangerous, most folks really appreciate help when they need it and are not thugs lying in wait. One of the hardest things about being a parent is letting them go out into the world where we can't protect them.

Yes Terese thats great. I know it takes a little time to get things to working in my brain. I'm like Ella, got a little dyslexic thing going on upstairs so I have to look carefully. I just found out from Lebug that we can make our list on a dmail, including the links, then copy/paste to the list when it is up and running. I was really glad to learn that too so maybe I can get a little head start.

I don't know The hubby (actually BF, he did ask me to marry him though) and I have 5 between us
Amanda 12 (his and his ex's)
Kenny 13 (mine and no one else's)
Austin 14 (his and his ex's)
Blake 15 (A suprise to everyone when his mother died 4 years ago)
Matt 19 (also military) The ex's that she left when she left 6 years ago

Mine can cook, clean, hunt, fish and protect himself from most stuff if need be, I've taught him how to "get by" in 3 other languages, and he's smart as can be (although most of the time he pulls this blonde surfer boy attitude of huh? when you ask him to do something) I have rasied him to have chores and be responsible and that money desn't grow on trees, if you want something you have to work hard an earn it, and I've taken him all over the country, and to Mexico and Canada, and he's seen pictures and heard the stories about my life living in Europe, and he's willing to try most knew foods as long as I don't tell him what's in them before he tries them, but he will NOT eat a green veggie to save his life except cut green beans!
His kids on the other hand if something were tosuddenly happen tomorrow they would all die....the only things any of them can cook by themselves is the cheapo version of velveta shells and cheese, hot dogs, and pb&j sandwhiches! None of them pick up after themselves, not a boy one was taught to lift the seat when they go pee....just absolute pigs, if you ask them to fold thier own clothes and put them away they think that should earn them something (usually $10), discipline is nothing, there wasn't even a rquirement with any kind of a consequence about keeping your grades at least at a C...and don't mention hunting or fishing to any of them, because they don't know how and aren't interested in learning, and they have NEVER been outside of this little bitty town until they went t visit thier mother 2 yrs ago (Florida) so they were trying to tell Kenny all about Big City LIfe (There mom lives in a town about twice the size of this one so maybe 40,000 people) Kenny goes let's just see when we go visit my grandma next week...My mom lives in Springfield...still asmall town but a small town of about 200,000 people. 2 of his kids crawled down on the floor boards and cried until we got to my mom's. Kenny just looked and said good thing we're not going to visit grandpa or Grandma great (Indianapolis and St. Louis) they'd be hospitalized from shock!

sorry That was from like several posts ago...ok I'll shut up now

ok so i'm not shutting up yet I hae a question a stupid questin but a question, I got the retrning piggies and the newbie piggies spots but what's a survivors spot?

I want to read through all the chat, but before I do I want to take a minute to address some of the newbies and as George calls us, the 'rusties' too.

People really do appreciate as much information as you can give about the seeds your offering, but if you don't know everything, it's OK to say so. Just be clear about what you DO know. You may have that one special seed that some one has been looking for for years, so please don't feel like you can't offer something just because you don't remember the cultivar. This is especially true with more common seeds like petunias, marigolds, and the like. If you list that you have a red and orange french marigold, that is certainly enough information to peek the interest of anyone looking for red and orange french marigolds. The botanical infomation is WONDERFUL and greatly appreciated. But it's not a deal breaker on whether or not you can list a seed. :-)

Now to catch up on everything else!......

Trina: Those were hurricane/flood survivors whose gardens were wiped out and needed seed to get going again. Someone correct me if this is wrong, but that's my understanding.

Trina, a survivor is someone who has been in a hurricane, flood, tornado or other devastating experience, and so may not have anything to contribute to the swap. Survivors don't have to contribute seeds, but can oink for whatever they want, and any survivor can join the swap. I believe I've explained correctly, but if I haven't, someone let me know.

oops. cross-posted.

This message was edited Nov 1, 2009 4:58 PM

I still working on the swap thread, but have most if it up if ya want to take a look and start readign through the rules and such. It pretty much like last year, with a few wrinkles added. Have to with such a big crowd if I want to stay sane. ( not that I ever wil be heheheheh)

If I lucky should be ready to roll at 6.

In between while I stil busy working on the s wpa thread part. If oen of the seasoned piggys has a minute and could dmail Terry and ask if she would be so kind as to rais e the daily editing limit again and send her a link to the 2009 Fall frenzy seed List thread.. I would appreciate it. Let her knwo it wil be startign her e in an horu or so.

Ok, be back in a bit gott a get the other s ection typed. I so thankful for the work that folsk did last year in makign the starting posts. Mad eit easier on me so all I have to do is add the new parts and tweak a fe w things. : )

OK! Got tabs open for the threads, got my coffee, did one last tweak to my list so it's ready to copy and paste on the thread and told the fam that I am unapproachable for the unforseeable future. I AM READY FOR THE SUUUUUEEEEE!

geez, you could cut the suspense with a knife. Ella, you out there? Don't fall asleep on us now after all your hard work!

Ok, it offically open. Didn't do too bad onyl runnign 6 mintue s behind. Now to get my list up.

Have at it piggies. LOL : ) : ) : )

hooray!

WOOP WOOP! Got my list up folks, come on down!

Will somebody please tell me where the link is