i know what your saying!! :')) i see more and more of these pages empty these days.

Hi Kate,

Sorry to hear of so many members not following the rules. They are members right? Complete with member names...right?

The link to the Special Instructions for the exchange does not work on the Seed Exchange page, but here is part of it, if anyone wants to copy and paste it in a reply email to anyone who off the wall requests free seeds.

The exchanges were created to facilitate the arranging of trades of plants and seeds between members. Please do not use them to solicit donations, ask for free plants or seeds, or ask for items in exchange for postage. All requests must be in the context of arranging a trade. If you have nothing to offer at this time, please wait until you do.

I will go now and report that the link does not work (though a full copy of the instructions can be seen at a lot of the other exchanges).

One of the things I have always liked best here, is that unlike that 'other' site, most all thread posts are for trading, or 'offering' things for postage...as opposed to folks just asking/expecting for a lot of things for nothing....ie...no offer to trade anything.

Thankfully I have had very few email seed requests, though I did get one just this AM...not via GW, and of course no member name. I sent a return email asking for details though of where they got my email addy?... were they a GW member?...what was their member name? So far no reply yet.

Sue

Kate, I'm so sorry to hear it. I just received your seeds today. I do appreciate the seeds. I do also understand how your feeling. It seems like the rare occasion I post some Haves, somebody wants them all for a SASE. Take a break from trading. The die-hards will still be here in a couple months.

I am really sorry that you feel that way....I have said before, I couldnt have done it with out the help of others...and now I offer seeds, but I do have to say...I offer them WHEN I see someone is being active on the site, instead of thru a post, I will email them and ask if they would like some seeds I cant use...maybe you can do it that way ????

We need to not let a select few ruin what this site is all about, and the generosity of other gardeners has really brightened up my past year !!

Right there with you Kate! I am very selective on who I share with,I dont just hand over seeds to just anyone because they asked! I feel we all have the same opportunity here and it took me a lot of work and time to collect the seeds I have,all are valuable to me even though most of them I have not grown yet,so just because someone sends me an email with,"HI I am new,blah blah blah" doesnt get them seeds from me,I was new also not to long ago and never emailed someone asking for seeds like that! There are many SASE offers to respond to and no need to email someone and ask for seeds/plants.I ignore those emails,I wont even acknowledge them! Folks who have shown a genuine interest in trading are the only ones that get anything from me,and so far,(listening to your advice),sharing has been a pleasure for me!

I've taken a page from that book. I've recently posted a rant about people contacting me, then getting ugly when I ask for their GW ID. That's if they'd mentioned GW. Otherwise I ask what site they found me on. Any response but this one perhaps gets a polite letter telling them I don't trade with people I'm not familiar with. If they don't want to provide me with an ID, then I don't want to share the babies that others have shared and entrusted to me. Lately it seems to be more and more the rarer seeds they're after. So, I've gotten to where I don't post those on my trade list. When I'm setting up a trade I scan the other person's list and see if their interests run towards some of the more rare or expensive that I have to share. If so, I offer them.

I'm new, and I have a very (well, it was anyway :) ) empty yard. I responded promptly to SASBEs, I've made a presence on the boards both here and in the RR. I'm even hosting a RR this month (shameless plug for the MNF After Dark RR!) I took the time and trouble to put up a trade list. I take the time to split down VERY generous trades so that I have some to plant and some to share. To them it may seem like it's 'just seeds, so why should we care so much' but to me it's my favorite hobby, a way to make new friends, a labor of love to tend the plants and flowers, gather the seeds and repay the kindnesses shown to me. And I've met so many wonderful and generous friends here! I know for a fact the Angie will offer seeds simply for enjoying seeing someone's trade list after they make themselves known on the boards. I was one of the ones blessed by her :) And Michele is always sending me new goodies :) I want to thank you ladies and state again, that you're you're not being small, or petty, or anything else. You're generous hearted people who enjoy gardening and care about your gardens. I am very glad to have met you all. So don't feel badly if you just ignore those emails. If they can't take the time to become part of the community, then they probably can't take the time to plant, nurture and enjoy the babies you would share with them.

Kathy

Kathy,I dont feel bad about ignoring them because, I know there are people like you to share with! :) I feel good knowing every seed I shared with you is considered valuable to you,that's how I feel about seeds that I trade for or are shared with me! The "they are just seeds" comment really gets to me,as if seeds dont turn into plants! As if seeds take no time to harvest and clean! Kate and some others shared some wonderful seeds with me, and when I look at them I see a wonderful future for them and appreciate the work it took to grow the parent plant,harvest the seed and pack them up for their new homes. Some people never consider that someone put a lot of work into their seeds and think they just jump into those little baggies and mail themselves I guess! I treat every seed that has been shared with me as if I grew the parent plant myself and do the best I can for them,by looking them up and printing the info on each and everyone and asking the advice of those who grow them. I only pass my extras on to those I feel comfortable with,I refuse to pass on what was given to me out of kindness and generosity to just anyone! I see so many come and collect alot of seeds via SASE and you never see or hear from them again,they are so grateful,but they never return to trade or share with anyone here,that is what bugs me! I feel if you receive seeds from a group that later down the line, you should return the favor by bringing something to the table others may enjoy having. No one expects folks to be here day and night,but it is nice to see someone more than once or twice!

LOL, well, I've managed 40 trades along with about 10 SASBEs I've mailed out. I've responded to several SASBEs, especially early on. It helped me build a trade base along with giving me some wonderful new babies to nurture! I just responded to another SASBE because there were some iris, lilies and MGs on offer that I particularly wanted. But with that, I am rather protective of the seeds that have been so generously entrusted to me. And once harvesting time gets here, I'll be collecting seeds of my own to trade. I also got to buy several things that I was able to trade with as well, now that money's not been quite so strangled :) Personally, I'm rather enjoying all the friends I've made here and the conversations! I've been gardening most of my life, but have already learned several tips and tricks that I didn't know about.

Now, if someone would explain lasagna gardening to me...*hinthint* :P

Kathy

Kathy sent you an email! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: info on lasagna

While I was once a newbie (last year) and had very little to trade, I made the effort to go buy some seeds and seed snatch others as they became available. It is frustrating and off-putting when "members" don't make an effort to see this site as a community and expect something for nothing ALL the time! I enjoy helping people out, but there have been a lot of "hard luck" stories on the boards lately, maybe a few too many IMHO... Just my two cents, Ann

I agree, Ann. When I first found this board, I observed for awhile so I could figure out how things are done. Then, I snatched a bunch of seeds from my own garden and from friends' gardens, bought some inexpensive seeds, set up a trade list and was off and running!

I did it just like Susan,lurked for awhile and than made the leap! I raided my garden,Grammas garden and the woods...lol..seeds to be found everywhere!

I had never saved seeds before, so I did as Ann, Susan and Angie. As soon as I figured out that the seeds were valuable-I snatched all I could find. I also became slightly depressed because I got started late and missed the opportunity to save seeds from my early/late spring flowering plants. I had deadheaded them and it was too late. Not this year, I'm on it this time.

One thing about SASBEs, instead of offering seeds for SASBE, I go through posts and find a home for my extra seeds. I do this by seeing if someone asks for a particular seed that I may have, then I email them. Sometimes I don't even ask for the SASBE. I just mail them to them. I got rid of my extras that way. It's fun.

Rhonda

its funny how one mans trash is another mans treasure!! LOL and one mans trash is another mans valuable!! LOL i know what ya mean, on our way to oregon, we snatched sooooo many seeds on the way there all the way to cali then back to ks. anywhere i thought they might be ready, ya know as a newbie!! LOL and this past fall we put them all in one big square garden, and i know it won't get overtaken by weeds, cuz its where its always bare, and the dogs used to be there, and it is sooo soft, LOL its out oregon trip garden!! LOL i'm anxious to see if anything grows!! the funniest thing is, i don't even know how i came across this site, but i am sooo glad i did!! i have met some of the nicest people!! and have learned alot of really cool stuff!!
i have been having the newer people send first, cuz i'm just not sure, so far there is only one person who hasn't sent, and there is one person who say's they sent but i have yet to see anything. i stupidly sent at the same time. errrr!!! didn't make that mistake again!!

I think even a newbie can offer something as trade. I started with 5 types of veggies/fruits I bought for myself and realized that there were more than enough seeds. I made a couple origami packets and put those up for offer. I also responded to SASBE that were OFFERED. When I had a specific request that no one answered, I did a search of member pages to find someone that had a want for something I had or was willing to buy and share. I was given much more that I asked for and met some wonderful people to boot.

I think it would be perfectly acceptable to turn down an SASE if it was unsolicited. Well that is just my opinion, Kim

Guess I better update my trade list soon...I have received so many generous gifts from many of you!!!