I hosted plant swaps for many years. I basically "made up" the rules for our Georgia GW forum plant swap as I think they started at my place. We trade two ways because we have GW to discuss trades. We have "pre-trading" online - say you don't have much of something, and someone else has something special too - you arrange a pre-swap trade and bring everything pre-swapped labeled with the swappers name. When the participants arrive to my home, each swapper is assigned a special "Spot" this is the spot they can use to put the things they are special trading for and can bring their new trades to. The first half our is meet/greet/load in and pre-swap trades. There was a "main swapping" area, largest area in the middle of all the action. This had stations that people could bring their plants to. All plants MUST be labeled with the common and botanical names (botanical names can be assigned that day, if someone didn't know them) and placed in an appropriate spot: perennials was divided in sun/shade, then annuals, veggies, herbs, a small area for fruits, houseplants and then finally: books, tools, ornaments and "other stuff" (perhaps someone wanted to bring their compost tea, or bags of compost etc)...and we had a table set up for seeds and also had a reference book out for labels if need be. After everyone arrived I would set up an area near the "exit" space with "free for alls" - everyone was encouraged to bring at least one plant for a newbie who had none. "Have nones" were able to contribute to the lunch or brunch though, so everybody contributed SOMETHING and nobody felt left out. The "have none" folks were welcome to take anything from the free area, and at the very end of the swap could take things that nobody else found homes for. Everyone was encouraged not to bring anything from the state Invasives & Exotics list unless they had done a pre-trade for it and educated their trading partner. The trade would start by everyone basically "lining up" and waiting for the "call" to begin. Everyone would then go take one plant and bring it back to their "spot" we'd wait until people were finished and then do it again twice more. After that people could just take what they wanted until they could take no more. We assumed that everyone had then gotten at least three plants and would be pleased. Once once did some ladies come, drop off stuff, grab a ton of things they wanted and haul out of their quickly. It was weird. The next year we communicated the rules "more clearly" and the reasoning behind the method (going slowly allowed time for people with physical disabilities, people who couldn't bend low, folks who needed help reading labels or have labels and plant habits explained to make their choices). As the hostess I mostly just participated in pre-trades although many people kindly brought me one of their "special" items to set aside because I was really too busy to trade. Then we all ate our meal together and had good fun, lastly was a tour of my garden if someone wanted it. Anyone who wanted to stay even longer could get a free "lesson" in something. Sometimes it was pruning, sometimes it was taking cuttings of things or seed saving. Whomever was deemed most educated gardener in that area would go ahead and instruct us all quickly in about 15 minutes. Everything lasted 3 hrs in general. Good times. I also went to local swaps for another gardening website. There we set up private areas and "car boots" and walked around with our plants offering trades for this and that. It always worked out so nicely. People often brought plants just to give away asking nothing at all in return. Perhaps they wanted you to try a new pepper they bred, or if this particularly hard to find tomato did well for you. Then we could discuss it through the growing season. Once I also went to a "nothing in return" trade at a private residence. The woman was dying of cancer and was a fantastic gardener. She had us all come to show us her beautiful garden and enjoy it with her: just a day of gardens and gardeners. Then she allowed people to take bits and pieces so that we would all remember a lovely lady and a lovely day. I still grow and save seed of the "mushroom pepper" she gave me that day.

I personally don't think buying seeds for someone else is necessary. Nor is it expected. If you want to, I guess that is fine. I look through other's lists and some are getting 3 things and others are not getting any (from me). But as I see it, others that have things that I don't have, and will have some for them (the person I din't have any for) and perhaps none for someone else. If someone has a short want list they might not get much of anything since we can't fill their wants if they don't want anything. The host will have to fill in the gaps for them with extras seeds, and hope there is something in there that might please this person. If the person with a short list is not sure what they want, perhaps they can be vague and say I like blue flowers that like the shade. Or any flowers, I am new and I have no clue what will grow here yet. Then maybe someone can toss in something that fits that requirement. Personally, I am tossing my extra veggie seeds in the extras baggie. So, if someone that asks for any veggie or any tomato, Fran can fill in with my extra veggies in a fair way. I have no way of knowing if one person needs more seeds and another has an overflowing amount already. But really, I think this should be fun, and as Fran said it is not a one for one thing, just share what you have, and it will all be ok. (really) For example: I once participated in the give to a newbie thing as a newbie gardener. I really did not receive much of anything I could use (mostly flowers). But is was still fun. I kept what I could use and SASE'ed what I did not need. So the seeds found nice homes, even if not mine. All is good. Surprises are fun. Giving is good for the heart, and sole. I hope my interpretation of this Swap is not not way off. Yes I should try starting seeds inside in early spring. I found out out that natural beginnings seeds starter mix is a very good all natural mix from gardens alive. My rutabagas did very well in this mix. I had always thought of starting seeds inside as a northern thing to do. But I guess it is not. We are trying to beat heat and the northerners are trying to beat the frost. I have some soup peas in damp paper towels now to try to give them a early go for it this spring. Last spring direct sowed peas took 3 weeks to come up. So by the time they matured, it was too hot. I'm learning. My garden is on the side of the house were veggies get shade after 2 pm. First year I made the mistake of thinking full sun, I will plant on west of the house. UG. Learned that, that is too much sun for Texas! So this year all will hopefully be better due to: water ditches starting some things under pop bottle cloches Sprouting peas inside living mulch verses dead mulch cover crops over winter reorienting garden beds so sorghum and sunflowers can help shade off the rest of the garden. avoiding overly thirsty crops smaller tomato varieties trying beany things along ground But anyway, time to go to the dentist. I have to realize I am not the only one having garden woes. It is just that since I am a new gardener, all years have been extreme weather years. I have nothing to compare it to. Hope every has some fun with this SWAP. Mary

A couple of notes because the rest is going to be rather long and involved: Lynda, I have the Vitex marked for you and in your baggie! And thank you for the marigolds! They will be very interesting with my others! Dessie I would be more than happy to receive your little helper's seed packets! I think it's great! Wendy Try some Chai Spice tea, it works wonders in helping clear up colds and flu. I always add a dollop of honey to help sooth the throat. It's a staple in our house and really does help. Alright, here is my take on this.. I can understand how many were hoping that the two swaps would not coincide, but, we all knew there was a fair chance of that happening. For myself, I know that I continued to update my list, even well after Patty's swap's mailing deadline. I did my updates using the same method we did for Patty's swap- using an updated date. Even had I not, I knew there was a good chance the two swaps would overlap. I joined this one knowing full well- according to the guidelines posted for it- that I may NOT receive as many as I sent in. That I would receive as many as were sent in FOR me, up to five packets of the SAME item. I recall there being some issue with this and a member who became very rude in their comments about this fact. Yes, my package from the What's Left swap is in the second batch to go out. No, I did not keep strict record of what I sent to those who were in the What's Left swap. I did keep better records of what I'm sending for this swap. I also know that a lot of people will be sending in baggies of seeds marked as extras- not dedicated for anyone, but to add in when it's seen those items are on someone's list. No, these may not be some of the rarer or more exclusively wanted items on someone's list. But if someone has some of those rarer or more specific items to share, I'm sure they would have put them into your baggie before they mailed. So, I don't see that anyone would be missing out on anything. The only way I could see having updated one's list further as complicating Patty's swap would be if someone had removed things from their list. Updating and adding items would not have conflicted. Because if there were any extras of what you were wanting, Patty would have included them. So, I guess I'm not really understanding how there is such a need to update the lists just because one is in both swaps. If I receive duplicates, wonderful! Because the things on my list are things I want! If I don't receive something on my list, then no one had it to share. If I receive so many of something that I can't plant it all, then I can bless someone else by offering it up for a trade. So, perhaps I'm being dense here, but how would one not receive something sent in specifically for them (up to FIVE packets of the same item!) that was on their wants list in this swap? Everyone has the chance to see your wants as posted and you have had the option to add to that list, as many including myself have this whole time. The only thing I could really see the two swaps happening almost simultaneously possibly affecting would be one's have's list. I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset or offend anyone. I'm just honestly trying to understand why this is such an issue. So please don't take this as meaning to offend or as pointed to anyone in particular. This is just me trying to understand why so many are upset about this. If you prefer to email me privately and help me understand it, I would be pleased with that and please do! Perhaps there are aspects and issues with this that I'm not readily seeing and should consider. I don't want to keep the thread off track by my question becoming a debate here. Perhaps there can be some adjustments of dates if this swap happens in the late summer or again next winter, but for this year it is as it is and personally, I'm really enjoying it! Nancy, I hope you don't decide to drop out, because I know that I should have at least a couple of things from your list, perhaps more. But I'll respect your choice and be your Garden Buddy either way :) Fran, you have a real job ahead of you and I don't know how those like you and Patty do it! Leave me hosting my "pair em up and let em go" or true RR type swaps! I think those of you that host this kind of swap are awesome! Angela, you have been a wonderful help to Fran and all of us in this swap! I know the time it can take to code pages like that, though updates are easier once the initial work is done, and I want to say THANK YOU for the time and work you are putting in on this swap for everyone's benefit! Kathy~ heading off to stuff more little baggies and envelopes.

Count me in Penny. Hilary