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2013-2014 Official Dixondale Onion Ordering Thread

seedmama
10 years ago

It's time to get the fourth annual Dixondale Farms group onion order together! (Can I just say I can't believe it's already our fourth go 'round?)

1. The price per bunch this year is $2.80, assuming a minimum group order of 60 bunches. For more information on this year's price read below.
2. You may order any variety of onion Dixondale sells. See the link below.
3. Orders are prepaid, and all money for orders must be received by me no later than Friday, January 17, 2014, so chop chop. (There's a little onion humor for you.)
4. There will be no group leek order this year.
5. I will request delivery the week of Februrary 10th. You will pick them up from me on Thursday, February 13 between 6 and 7 p.m. If you are unable to pick up your onions, it is YOUR responsibility to make arrangements for someone else to pick up them up. P-mac has historically volunteered to cart the alliums to Norman.
6. Any onions not picked up will be donated to the recipient of my choice. I am willing, but NOT ABLE, to make special, individual arrangements for pick up.
7. I will email you privately with the centralized pick up location in Oklahoma City, and ask that you do not post the location publicly.
8. If you don't want to pick up in OKC, I will ship to you at cost for a flat rate box. Choose a medium flat rate box ($12.35) which will hold 9 bunches, or a large flat rate box (17.45) which will hold 20 bunches. With 2014 rate increases, most out of towners will be further ahead by ordering directly from Dixondale.
9. If you do not live in the OKC metro area (Yukon to Choctaw, and Edmond to Norman) and plan to pick up your onions, I require a deposit equal to what it would cost to ship them. If you show up, your separate, uncashed check will be in the sack with your onions. If you don't show, the check will be cashed to cover the cost of shipping.
10. Historically the onions have arrived at my place Tuesday. Last year they gave me a terrible fright and didn't arrive until 2 p.m. on group delivery day. If the same happens this year, I will post on the forum, and do my best to send everyone and email to notify we will reschedule to Saturday. Please check the forum at 4:30 for a notice.

How do I participate?
1. Post your onion order on this thread. A copy of your post will be emailed to me.
2. Next, email me directly through garden web. It doesn't have to say much but must include your cell phone. The purpose is to ensure I have a current email for you, and can contact you directly in the event of a mix up on delivery day. Please indicate whether it is okay to text you in the event of a last minute delivery reschedule.
3. I will email you my address with a total so you can send payment promptly.
4. Your payment must be received by Friday, January 14, or your order will not be placed. A million thanks to those who have always sent timely payment. Fair warning to those who have tested this date historically. This year you will be out of luck.
5. I am not able to accept any late orders. Please accept my apologies in advance for not having time to respond to your request.
6. I encourage you to peruse the Dixondale website. It contains valuable information on how to prepare your garden before the plants arrive. Prompt planting impacts success, so have your space ready to go.
7. Don't hesitate to ask questions about placing your order on this thread. We had lots of good questions last year, and it helped the process go well for everyone involved. Note there is a separate thread for questions about growing onions, as that helps keep my inbox clean.
Notes on Pricing
Dixondale changed their pricing policy in 2013, and the price per bunch in this order reflects that change. Historically, once we hit the 30 bunch benchmark, we received the discounted price of $2.55 for all bunches. However, with their new pricing structure the higher rate of $11 for 1 bunch kicks back in each time we go over 30, 60, etc. For example, a 45 bunch order will be priced as a 30 bunch order and a 15 bunch order. This variable created a challenge for me in setting the price. Depending on how many are ordered, the cost to me will fall somewhere between $2.57 and $2.80. I am passing the 2.80 price point on to you, to keep it simple and to ensure I am not out of pocket. This is a service project for me. It is not, and never has been, a money making endeavor. If a potential overage of up to $.23 is of concern, the group order is not for you. 
Dixondale onions can usually be found around the metro for much less money. Newbies may wonder why some of us, including uber-frugal Seedmama, are willing to pay this premium price. Group order onions are pulled and shipped on a Monday and are in your hands by Thursday. Not only are they fresh, they are shipped at a time that, on average, is the best time to plant for our area. Furthermore, we have a much larger selection of varieties. There is no way to know how long plants have set in local stores, or what cold/warm/cold/warm conditions they have been stored in. Furthermore, variety selection is limited, and the consumer has no control over when the plants arrive in stores. That doesn't make supporting your local nursery a bad idea. It's just that the group order caters more to those of us who want some degree of control over the factors that impact our success.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dixondale Farms

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