Bless your heart Tom! I won't mind a bit of plaster or plastic, lol. Enjoy your time off.

Have a Wonderful Vacation!!!âºâº

Kylie

Token you have been in my thoughts everyday!! ( or is it the seeds?) I hope that you have time to rest this week off, even though you have a busy schedule. Once again thanks for hosting this swap. I am super excited to see what seeds are selected for me!!
Heidi

You know what really bites? I have to send these seeds to other people. I don't get to keep them all. It's like walking into a seed depository in my office right now. What you want? I got it! LOL

I might be emailing some of you and sending stamps back for some things you sent in side trades. Ya'll been busy.

Tom, going anywhere special or is this going to be a "working at home" vacation for you? I've had plenty of those kind but not in the wintertime. Enjoy! How does that seed swap work? I've seen all the pics of envelopes posted; what does everybody send seeds in to exchange for some on their list that they include with their seeds? Who foots the bill for postage of all those padded envelopes?

It's a work at home/seed sorting vacation. I'm hoping to finish the kitchen and get a few containers prepared for wintersowing.

With swaps, you send in the required number of seeds (20 in this case). Packaged in a bubble envelope, you put your seeds, an address label, and enough postage for the return trip. The host takes all the seeds, repackages them, and sends them back to the original senders. I asked everyone to include a wishlist on this one. I'm already seeing that a lot of people are going to be very happy with their seeds. There are 60+ participants in this one.

(((HUGS)))

I appreciate all the effort -

Thanks -

Deb

I opened 2/3rds of the packages tonight. I sorted private swaps into one box, all other seeds into another. Tomorrow, while it continues to rain, I'll open the rest. As I open the packages, I'm stapling wish lists to the envelopes.

These are the seeds I need to sort by variety so that I can match them to the wish lists.

{{gwi:460430}}

These are the seeds that are private trades.

{{gwi:460432}}

These are the packages left to open.

{{gwi:460434}}

I'll arrange the envelopes by postmark date before I start swapping. The first people to send seeds will get first choice on their wish lists. But it's very likely, based on what I'm seeing, that many will get several items from their list, maybe even a couple varieties. I can't believe how many people grew and collected butterfly weed "Ice Ballet" this year.

And I'd like to thank everyone for the huge supply of poppies and tithonia that have been marked for me. I've got a lot of new beds to fill this winter. This will make it much easier. I'm gonna need more containers. And dirt.

wow - I am so glad that there were others that took you up on your offer to pass on side trades.

I was afraid I abused it!

thanks again Token

Debbie

I would like to Nominate Token as Winter Sowing HERO of the Year for his bravery to attempt such a massive task, his generosity for using his vacation time for this task and his talent for being able to perform such a feat! (applause) LOL!!!

OH NO!

I knew that I forgot something, I didn't add a wish list to my envy!

Token, If you see this the only thing that I would reeeaaaallly love to have is a yellow salvia.

Thank you for taking your vacation time to sort seeds for us :0)

ishare, there's a short list of people who didn't include a wish list. You're on it. I was going to use the Gardenweb trade lists for those people. I'll look for yellow salvia. Haven't seen any yet. But there's still a few more packages to go.

I don't mind using my free time to do this. I've seen some great seeds pass through my hands in the last 24 hours. I've never heard of some of them. I'm doing google searches as I go. The best part about hosting one of these swaps is that I get first choice. But don't worry, some traders have been extremely generous in their seed packs. When possible, I'm taking out a few seeds and sending the rest on. I hope no one minds. :)

I did not include a wish list, I like to be surprised! Tom you must be having a blast learning about all the new plants you have never heard of before! That's the other really great thing about Winter Sowing...it's educational! I had a ball learning how to save seed from my plants.

This is quite an undertaking, Tom but it must be something you enjoy. I'm sure there's some humour generated as you open all the envelopes. Do you have a wish seed list for yourself on this website? Since I'm just starting out, I doubt if I have anything that you need but you never know. I used to do refunding years ago and go to conventions/swaps and trade through the mail and locally. This has to be very similar, just trading seeds instead of qualifiers or rebate forms.

It's a lot of fun learning about new plants for sure. I really enjoy growing from seed and then trading or giving away my seed.

There's nothing that I absolutely have to get my hands on right now. Most of my wants have been filled except of Euphorbia. I've got one pack from Park seed's 99cent sale, so I hope they all germinate. I've got a great spot for a sea of green and yellow.

After spending the day planting 569 bulbs (yes, I counted), I'm gonna spend some time tonight with my feet up alphabetizing the seeds into file folders. It makes finding things from people's wish lists a lot easier.

So many people sent more than 20 packs of seed. Some sent only 20. Two, and they know why and how, sent less than 20. I've got them covered from my own supply. I said I had a lot of extra seeds. So everyone can expect some extras when they come back. My guess is there'll be 25 returned. Maybe more. I hope everyone likes Butterfly weed. It's by far the most popular seed in this swap. I'd guess rudbeckia or cosmos would be next. Hardly anyone sent marigolds, unless they are named varieties.

Token you deserve to have first pick of the seeds. Without you we would not have this great swap. I will stand up and join in the applause **clap clap clap**

Heidi

You know token most ppl take a vacation to relax, not get to the real work. I appreciate it though. It must be fun wading through all those seeds. I have done quite a few searches myself after seed trades and that is always exciting. I'm looking forward to this trade very much and appreciate all the extra elbow grease involved. I'll try not to jump up and down when my envie comes. Well I won't try very hard.

Tom - You are one busy guy! If you see a special seed(s) in all those packets, by all means you are allowed to keep or take a pinch to try.

Thanks again
Sandy

Thanks Heidi.

Flood, I just hope everyone likes what they get. Some may get the same varieties of seed they sent as I start stuffing envelopes willy nilly near the end, but I hope no one gets their own seed back. ;)

Sandy, I'm trying to work on the kitchen during the day, sorting seeds after dark. My goal today is to get the kitchen ready to paint, if that's possible. Tomorrow I'll be splitting wood for the heater downstairs, and Sunday, painting. All throughout, seeds are going into envelopes and being packed up. I'm about 4 hours from caulking the kitchen trim, I think. Maybe 6. Tonight I'll really get going on the swap.

I'm really getting excited!!!!

I second that nomination! Tom, you are "something else"... what energy you have! Good luck....Wintersowing "Hero of the Year"....
:0)

Carrie

I've made it through about half of the envelopes. So far, most people are getting 3-4 items from their wish list on the first go round. Some are even getting very specific requests filled like Cosmos "cosmic red" and celosia "pink candles". Ya'll sent some great seeds.

Token, I've got a polychroma euphorbia (spurge) that I've never even considered looking for seeds from because it doesn't set actual flowers, only bracts. I brought it here when I moved. It's so reliable and just comes up, is gorgeous and dies back in winter. I'd be happy to try and harvest seeds for you next year. It would be a nice thank you gift for your generosity this year helping me WS for the first time. Note to self: remember to gather seed from polychroma spurge euphorbia for Token, our collective WS hero. No SASBE required.

Thanks Gardenweed!

You're entirely welcome! I'm intrigued with the idea of figuring out where the seeds are too. Just another of Life's little mysteries to try and solve. Hints are always welcome of course.

Token,
Thank you so much for all your hard work.
Our winter swapping Hero.
I'm so excited.
:) Laura

I've selected my 20 packs. This doesn't include the ones specifically marked for me, which is way more than 20 packs. You people rock!

Agastache
Honey bee white

Ox eye daisy

Orlaya grandiflora
White lace flower

Columbine
Yellow

Centaurea macrophelia
Armenian basketflower

Echinacea
Harvest Moon

Malva
Mauritiana

Bunny Tail Grass

Dianthus
Firewitch

Heliopsis

Mina Lobata
Spanish flag Vine

Malva
Pink

Clitora Vine

Cynara cardunculus

Rudbeckia triloba

Marsh mallow
Althea officianalis

Verbascum chaixii
"Wedding candles"

Solidago caesia
"Bluestem goldenrod"

Baptisia australis
"False Indigo"

Lobelia siphilitica
"Great Blue Lobelia"

Thanks! :)

My contributions,

Anise Hyssop "Golden Jubilee" - 2 packs
Pineapple sage - 2 packs
Yvonne's salvia - 2 packs
Coreopsis "Mahogany midget" - 2 packs
White Four O'clocks
Pink four o'clocks
gazania
white hyacinth bean
creeping thyme
siberian wallflower
datura inoxia
triple yellow datura
tuber vervain
drummond phlox
Tweedia milkweed (blue)
melampodium
salvia subrotunda
calycanthus florida (sweetshrub)
castor bean
variegated hosta
blue morning glory
and queen Anne's lace.

I provided extras too. Private trades not included here.

The excitement is building!!!! I can hardly wait!

Gosh, Token. You're right on top of everything. So organized! It's like reading a behind-the-scenes peek at Santa's workshop. All those gift seeds, and one very busy elf..... ;-D
Kris

Nice selections for yourself AND contributions, Token. You have chosen some real tried and trues - your garden will be absolutely beautiful next year.

Token, my baptisia was 3 years from seed to bloom (in MA, maybe climate will make a difference on that) but it was SO worth waiting for. I was really sorry to leave that one behind - but of course, collected some seeds for myself before I did. I'll be sowing them this winter as well.

I hope so drippy. I concentrated so much on the strip right next to the street that I left large swaths of the garden untouched. I also had some poor soil in those areas but it's gotten better over the summer with composted leaves being dumped there. I have a few more spots to work on before I start planting out next year, and a section I want to tear out completely and redo. I just find it so hard to destroy plants that I grew from seed, but I found unimpressive or need too much attention. I must power through.

Hooray for Token! This is gonna be a great Christmas!
Thank you again Token, what a guy.

wow, thanks for all the work!!!!

I can wait till later...

I could imagine how strange it would look dropping 60 packs of bubble envies down on the post office counter :)

Karen

They've come to know my face if not my name at the post office over the last few weeks. I've been sending out cuttings, seeds, and getting flat rate boxes for 3 weeks. The mail lady doesn't even look at me when I'm out in the yard now. I wonder if she's ever heard of wintersowing. I know she saw me out there last year in February planting out. I bet she thinks I'm crazy.

Alright, I am done for the night. I've been sorting seeds for 6 hours. My eyes are crossed and I swear I'll be dreaming about them tonight. I've got a few more packages to go through for the third time. After that, I'm just gonna be stuffing envelopes with whatever's left. So if you get something you didn't want, something you sent, or something totally inappropriate, blame the ones who sent extras. LOL

There's a LOT of seeds left to go. I had hoped to send everything out Monday, but it ain't gonna be done. I go back to work tomorrow, so I'll be sorting again in the evenings. Thanks for your patience.

Token if it helps...I WANT IT ALL!! When it comes to seeds I feel like that brat in Willy Wonka :o)