Mid-Winter Seed Swap(s)

We are in one or both. Not sure what I will have to swap but I love getting together either way.

Oooh -- looks like I can do Critter's date too. Not much to swap but happy to get together anyway.

I would be up for a group trade via mail if that transpires.

Joseph

Just wanted to let you know our route when coming from our home to Audubon, NJ (10 min from Philly) when we visit our daughter. We gave up on the 22 west, 476 south and 76 east route because the traffic was horrendous. We go 31 south and 295 south. We cross the free bridge from PA to NJ into Belvidere NJ and take route 46 east to 31 South.

Now (coming up from her house) we use 295 north, 31 north which leads to route 22/78. From there we have many choices for the last 20 minute drive.

Joseph, so far I think we've been talking about incorporating trades-by-mail into one of the in-person swaps... basically, somebody who is attending can act as a "seed fairy" for somebody who is participating by mail. Pre-arranged stuff should be marked with the recipient's name, and more trading can occur on your behalf at the swap, assuming your "seed fairy" has a wish list or some idea of the type of seeds you might like.

Ah, ok. I will have to bow out on this next seed exchange event and will try to catch the next one.

Why bow out? If you can team up with somebody who is going to a swap, you can jump right into the swapping & discussion that starts a few weeks before the event, make some pre-arranged trades, etc. To me, that seemed simpler than having somebody volunteer to host a third, mail-participation-only event... but maybe I'm missing something.

Critter, I've been mulling both ideas around, incorporating the mail swap with the in person swaps, or just doing a mail swap. I don't mind doing the work for a mail swap. i was going to set some seeds aside for all 3 exchanges. Let me think of how best to work it. Anyone, please feel free to chime in, or Dmail me.

This thread is for tossing around all seed swapping ideas, so I hope everybody will chime in, and we'll figure out what will work out best so everybody has lots of different seeds to plant this spring!

That would work pretty good, If you mailed seeds to someone going to the swap with a list of what seeds went to who and what seeds you would be interested in them sending back to you. If we have several people that want to do a mail in several of us could each take a person or two so no one has too many. We can work it out in detail later on a trading thread. Also it doesn't matter if you don't have a lot to swap. There are always tons of seeds to go around so don't be shy about asking for seeds. Holly

I have mainly Japanese morning glory seeds to offer, and am interested in what strains you all have of Ipomoea nil, I. purpurea and other species too.

...yup and if no preference, we can always fill a grab bag of seeds from the extras.

We've sent a couple of packets out to people after previous swaps, and that's worked out well... I'd rather not volunteer to be a "seed fairy" for this swap, because I think I'll have my hands generally full, and I'm not sure I could give it the attention I'd like to. But I am certain that we'll get volunteers for it, and I'd be happy to mail out packets to people after the swap.

In the past, I've put out little gift bags or take-out containers for people, with a few packs of seeds to start things off, and people have used those to sort out the seeds they brought for particular people, also. We can just add bags for participants-by-mail, marked with their name and that of their "seed fairy."

We can pair people up after the holidays, when the swap threads get rockin'. :-)

Jill, if we (the by mail swappers) use the small Priority Mail boxes the postage runs less the $5.00 and include our return mail address label and the amount for postage. you could just use the boxes for the collecting. All you would need is packing tape.
Would that make it easier?

Critter, don'tforget to include the Dutch Farms Greenhouse.

There's always time to go to Dutch Plant Farms before or after our seed party. I'm not sure if I can swing a discount this year... I've heard they've been making some changes... we'll see how it all works out!

I don't drive, so it is difficult for me to go to swaps. If anyone is traveling Route 80 looking for someone to chip in for gas, please let me know. I am within a short stroll from the Delaware Water Gap exit (the first one in PA).

I am participating in other mail in swaps. but still have star of yelta morning glory, yellow marigold-French and African, Shasta Daisy seeds. I am willing to trade or send for SASE. I would love them to go to a good home. I can't seem to throw anything out!

I am snowed in, cleaning my desk.

Garden Quilts, you have d-mail!

Hey, Critter,
I'm glad you're still game for the mid-winter swaps!! I will plan on that date. As of right now, it is open. I don't have anything exciting to swap but I will find seeds. Good excuse to order early!!

Good! It's looking like that "tentative" date will work for us, also.

I would like to start gathering some information about how many people would be interested in the swap that would be held at my house on the 23rd of January.

Gardadore and I live very near each other and would be happy to see whomever would be interested in coming.

Let me know.

Regards,

Teri

Where is Mt. Bethel located, Teri?

R_R_R Ric and I will come baring bad weather. I won't have a lot of fresh seeds to bring but I have some from last year. We could take seeds from your swap to Critters if anyone has some to send along.

Jan, Stormyla is thinking of having one in the Philly area. I believe
Mt Bethel is on the NY border in mid PA.

Mount Bethel is between Easton and Stroudsburg PA near the New Jersey border. It is about one hour and forty five minutes from Philly.

This message was edited Dec 22, 2009 6:52 AM

Cris, I'm sorry for the confusion. I was asking for someone to host one in PA. Roses and Gardadore have volunteered to host it. I will be attending that one as well as Critter's and will happily bring seeds back and forth between the two for anyone who wants that.

Thanks for the info. I knew it sounded familiar. I grew up in Wind Gap until I was 8. I will try to get there.

Critter,

When and where do we start posting the seeds that we will have available for the swap?

Roses, I was thinking we didn't need specific threads yet since the swap is 2 months away, but then I thought maybe people were using some holiday break time to sort through their seeds... so here ya go!

:-)

"Think Spring!" party thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1064708/

There's a link from that thread to the seed swapping thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1064709/

At what point should I ask for seeds lists for my swap on January 23rd? Does it depend on whether we have just a few people and could do it casually without too much planning?

Roses, go ahead whenever you want with swap threads, and I'll add links at the top of this thread. Sorry, thought you were prompting me for the Feb swap, duh moment here.

It's probably easier to have parallel threads for the 2 swaps rather than 1 thread & trying to keep straight who will be at which event. ?

btw, wrote about hosting a seed party here http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1479/ , might have some ideas for you.

Ignore as Critter posted an answer to my question while I was writing this!!

This message was edited Dec 23, 2009 3:38 PM

Roses, my apologies I must have typed in the wrong name on the
Google map site.

Stormy, I'd be willing to co-host in the Philly area. Slightly intimidated
to think of doing it by myself. Plus, I'm not all that familiar with restaurants
that would have a separate room available.

My bad, I updated the "Events" thread but forgot to edit the first post in this thread with info about the swap being organized in PA... Chris, please give Teri (Roses_R_Red) a holler and see how you might be able to help out. :-)

Cris, Thank you. I'll be happy to take avantage of your offer if it still stands next year. With Rose's and Gardadore's swap as well as Critter's swap, I think adding another one would dilute the participation. This is the first year that we are trying 2 in the northern part of the MidAtlantic, so let's see how this goes before we try to add more.

In addition, once, both swap threads go up, I will add another thread just for those who want to participate in a seed swap by mail. My personal plan will be to offer the greatest number of varieities at the two physical seed swaps and to offer the excess for the mail swap.

Thanks Stormy, that would really be better for me.

Jill, if weather permits, I would like to attend a Swap but don't know what to expect. Can you tell me more about what goes on at these swaps and what do people swap besides seeds, or possible cuttings? Are there any demonstrations?If given directions I could make it to Frederick..if weather permits. Do you know anybody in the Rockville, Olney or Silver Spring area that WS that I may contact by email or by phone? If you know of somebody and don't want to give their information out, please give them my name/email address and ask they contact me. I'd like to see their operation of WS so I can get a grasp to make sure I understand how to do it. It seems pretty simple, but I just want to make sure and if I see it in person, it would help me to feel more confident. Hubby is already giving me a fit about collecting empty jugs, but those jugs are not in his way. He won't sit down at the computer and look at anything on WS or read what I've pulled off. And you can be sure, I'll be mixing up the potting mix in the cold freezing garage because there is no way he will let me bring it inside. He's just waiting to say "I told you it wouldn't work! "

Well, Pippi, You'll just have to prove him wrong!!

Pippi, It would be great to have you attend one of the seed swaps. I haven't done much winter sowing but I did have some success and it is pretty easy. Save jugs, milk, juice, soda bottles big and small. Find a sunny spot with a little wind protection in your yard. There are many threads on DG that give great directions and some of the other MA members have done quite a bit of winter sowing. Holly

Pippi

I get that too. It has gotten to a point when those 4 words are strung together, I don't even hear them anymore...... You will be happy with WS results!