Hi MurrayS, try and email the trader, I am sure they would be willing to help you out...if you don't want them think you are hurting their feelings by saying they have bad cursive tell them you have bad eyesight!! LOL...

I don't have the best cursive so I either print on a small piece of index card inserted in the baggie or use a label maker. I agree marker can come off pretty easy.

Hi, Murrays:

It's true that bad cursive is a curse of the forum! :) pun intended. Misspellings, too. If these seeds are not from a mystery sasbe offer, you should be able to compare the packets to the list of seeds you expected to get, and work from there.

Also, sometimes people will come here and post what they think the packet says, and folks on here help them figure it out. We're not bad at identifying seed, either--so you do have a good chance of figuring out what you have. The first step should be contacting the trader, though--even someone offering a sasbe should expect to identify the seeds.

I think that people honestly think everyone can read their handwriting, because they can read it. No one on here is perfect, quite possibly not even me! ;) I try not to do to other traders what I don't like, but possibly I've invented my own way of giving people a hard time!

i hope they were not mine. if they were, just let me know, i would try to tell ya what they were, and if they were extra's, ummmmmmm...... good luck there!!! **onery grinn** ~medo

I traded for a specific seed years ago--the trader had the latin name on her trade page, but sent the seeds, labeled in blurry magic marker, something that looked like:

knnogg. Cow treat.

I finally figured out they were persicaria orientale-Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate. I had to email and ask her about the 'Cow Treat' part--turned out it was supposed to be Cold Treat.

Glad you brought that up about the cursive. Good point!
I've been looking for a place to post the following and this will solve some of your problems.

For seed packs, go to an office supply store and buy a box of coin envelopes. It will save you a lot of time making them or using baggies and then having to cut up paper to make note tags. At the top of it write the year the seeds were harvested and then the name, height, color, annual or perennial. And a notation if it is a big self seeder. Some folks dont want fast spreaders. I prepare some in advance by pouring them out of my full coin envelope. On it I'll write "KEEP" if that is the only one I'll have left as to save some for me to plant. These boxes of envys are not cheap since it is 300-500 in a box. If you have another gardening friend just ask if they would like to split the price of a box with you.
Then, use the large box they come in to file them as you like. You can also make tabs between sections of packets. I have not done all of this yet but ideas are popping up as I write. Ad you own ideas to suit your needs. And good luck gardening.
I hope I've helped out.
HP in Virginia

Moo! slurp slurp slurp. I'm picturing a huge cow tongue cleaning out the seed envelope!

ohhh gosh!! i don't know, a cow!! **SIGH** LAUGH**
yes, some of my trades that i've gotten the writing has been uhhhh,....lets say i can't read it and after asking tabor, hubs. i'll look it up and try to figure it out. once the trade is done i don't like to bug them. also i love to be on the adventerous side!! **big smile** then you get these traders who type their stuff. OMGosh i wanna kiss them!!! **big smile** now, that's what i wanna be like!! LOL i've even seen some print that is illegible, **looking up** LOL had to rewrite it at times. **sigh** ~medo

I've been making labels on my computer using Excel. I have the common name, scientific name, year of harvest and my GW name on each. I can get 40 labels on 1 piece of paper and plan on using the paper cutter at work to cut them.
I remember my first seed offer and writing all of that info on stick on labels.
jim_6b

i was looking up coin envelopes, so i could print on them the info. then came across this papermart.com, the thing is, the shipping is more than the cost, but if you buy 1 more then i figure i make up for the shipping. anyhow i figure i'd make out good. and i can get the one with the white space for writing, and i wonder if i can print on it?? ya, i thought about what would i do with 2-3 thousand little baggies around?? hey i see people always saying i need them, so i could trade some off for seeds!! yep, for 3 thousand baggies, in sizes 2 x3, and 2 x 2 and 3 x 4 i'd have to pay 28. 29. i don't think that's too bad.
for 3 thousand at walmart i'd have to pay 29.10 plus tax and that don't even include the different sizes! and the white part! so how cool!! ohhh and the gas! **grin** ~medo

Cow Treat.

I grew up on a dairy farm and wondered what I'd traded for that my bovine friends might love.

Think my background is why I interpreted it that way.

Goodnight moo to you all, may all your seed packets be accurately marked, though if they are not, you might have a good story to tell.

Kate

i absolutely LOVE surprises!! Hee Hee **big grin** it does give me something good to tell!! **big grin** ~medo

P.S.
i knew there was something special about you Kate!! you grew up on a farm!! Hee Hee!! **big smile** we want to move to one!! that's our ultimate goal!! only i told hubs we have to move all the plants with us!! LOL imagine that look!! **crackin up**