Hi fusty_overalls! I heard a lot of good stuff about you from my GW friend Pattygrow5. I am interested in being a part of the plant swap in the fall. I was at North Park also for the swap this year. This was my first plant swap so I don't have another to compare it to, however I agree with what you said about it. It was very hot, I kinda felt rushed to get some stuff and leave, and like you said, it was hard to socialize. Pretty chaotic. It would be nice to have a place to chit chat and some nice scenery to look at. I will try to think of some good spots. I think that the ticket idea would work out well. So, I am definately in for the swap and very excited about it! If you need anything please let me know.

Thanks, Dawn - mgood4u

I went to one, Frick Park I think, my son drove. They used the ticket system. It worked very well, except there were people who stood at the gate and pounced on the good stuff before it even got to the ticket table. Your Ambridge experience sounded great, sorry I missed it. I'm in Washington, PA and I'd love to host one for the South Hills, if I got enough response. But count on me for your Sept swap.

Oh! Good. I've been looking for someone who can explain how the ticket system works.

I assume it's something like: you get the same number of tickets as you have plants.

So, how's it work to compensate for the fact that I might be bringing some very common things (coneflowers or hens and chicks, for example) AND some less common things (named daylilies or jack in the pulpits or special foxgloves, for example)? Does each pot just get a ticket, regardless? or is there some point system? We didn't use a ticket system at the Ambridge one and it worked out fine cuz people who had special trades worked out their own deals (3 of these for one of these, for example).

So, how do we "advertise" to *only* invite non-pouncers? :) They are the people who really ruined the experience of a plant swap for several of us. Maybe we'll institute a no-pouncing policy! heh. No...i actually think that the people who set up the Ambridge one avoided that one by just being nice...they were nice so everyone attended also were nice...generous, polite, friendly.

I wonder if you could get that little park in Ambridge again...it was such a nice spot. I wouldn't mind trying to contact Cathy and Ross. He was a member of the group that owned the grounds and was able to get the place for free I think. For us people in the North is wasn't too terribly far to drive. Besides me in the Clarion area we had one lady come from Erie (she won the prize for coming the longest way) and a guy from Butler...I believe he was the one who did the flower pot demo.

I have been to a ticketed swap where everyone was given a number. All the plants were placed on a table and the person with #1 went first and picked one plant, then #2 and so on. After everyone had picked one plant we started through the order again. It was nice in that one person didn't quickly make the rounds and gather the best stuff for themself but it does take a while. It was also set up so that if you brought 5 plants you went through the order 5 times..10 plants - 10 times, etc.

Personally I too, liked the way the one we went to last spring in Ambridge was set up. People pretty much planned to spend the day, it was friendly and relaxed. I think everyone ended up with some nice plants and were happy. (I got some lovely yellow Iris from you Fusty, I think) Cathy and Ross got a few people together to plan the event. I am almost 100% sure she provided all the plants that were door prizes. They are very generous people and have the most bountiful gardens I've ever seen at one person's house.

Let me know if I can do anything to help you.
~Gillian

Oh! I didn't realize the "ticketing" worked that way...that sounds good. I kinda LIKE the idea of slowing down the process and making it less of a grab-and-run event.

Cathy and Ross .... that's right. They were the ones who really made things happen nicely at the Ambridge swap. If anyone has their email addresses, please forward a link to this thread and see if they are interested in helping us out...if we can all be as generous with time and plants and door prizes, etc. as they were, we'll have a very successful swap.

I like the idea of the Ambridge location but, any other (possibly more centrally located to Pgh) would work nicely, too. The pavillion, running water, grill area and ample parking made it a very nice location.

I'll try to start a new thread next week or so where we can start to set up one-to-one swaps. We can post what we have and what we're looking for then, just save off the plants to be traded when we meet face-to-face in the fall.

How's Sept 3rd (Saturday) sound to everyone?

PS: I'm so glad your yellow irises did well. This was the best year I've ever had for irises. My yellow ones were so dense with 5 and 6 blooms per stem! I'll have more of them at the plant swap this fall cuz, they spread like mad, too. :)

Sept. 3 sounds great. I will need something to cheer me up after sending my oldest off to college! I like the ticket idea

Sept. 3rd would work for me. I have plenty of stuff to get rid of, er, I mean, contribute. The South Hills would be perfect for me!

I'm not keen on too many rules. I'd prefer a more social event and am willing to bring a covered dish or something.

Just getting back to this forum after a pause, but still like the idea of the swap. Not sure if I can make it on the 3rd if I have house guests, but will come from Fox Chapel if I don't. The swap I went to at The Garden Gate last year handed out popcicle sticks as you arrived corresponding to the number of plants you brought. You put your group of plants around her garden and then everyone who came could browse through the gardens, look at the plants and socialize. Exchanges started at a given time and people had seen things they liked. But, you couldn't be in two places at once, so you might get one that you really wanted, but not likely many more. Seemed fair and people were polite (though not particularly friendly). The owner had provided refreshments while people were socializing. We did a swap at our last garden club meeting that was more along the lines of a Chinese Auction...fun. Each person drew a number & then chose a plant by that number. The twist was that you could also take back a plant from another if it had already been chosen. Too complicated if folks bring a lot of plants, but could be fun if everyone brought one item as a "gift"...say a cute pot or a sun catcher or some such. Helps break the ice, too.

Regards,

Susan

Howdy folks,

I showed y'all how to make a tire planter at last year's plant swap in Biden. Need another lesson on September 3rd?? ;~)

I agree! Early Sept is a time when we all need something to cheer us up! :) TC...if you could do a demo, that'd be cool! We were all hoping you'd come. This is shaping up to be fun. More to come!

Fusty,
Did you hear from Cathy who planned the Spring Swap last year? I told her about your swap and she was going to try to get in touch with you. I think she said she can get that same shelter/picnic area if you want. Also, please let me know if you have pretty much decided on the 3rd so I can request not to be scheduled to work that day.

I like Susan's idea of a Chinese Auction. But maybe instead of all the plants (which could get long as she said) we could each bring some sort of garden related gift..pots, birdhouse, books, etc. or maybe one special plant. Those could also serve as the door prizes..makes less work for the planner and everyone "wins" something. Just a thought, anyway.

Barefoot babe and TC, good to see you two are thinking of coming..looks like we will have several of the same people as attended last Spring.

~Gillian

I like the idea of a Chinese Auction for non-plant things! Those who want to participate can and those that don't don't have to.

so, here are the ideas that we've talked about so far for what makes a fun plant swap:
- ORGANIZED TRADING: tracking how many plants each person brings and letting them trade for that many plants (so it's not a "grab and run" affair)
- OPEN TRADING: open trading (where you can just make whatever arrangements you want...this would be good for people who have seed starts and stuff that wouldn't necessarily be counted in on their trade plants)...this would also allow people who just drop in to participate
- RESERVED TRADES: where we'll use this forum to list things we plan to bring for trade and set up "special" pre-arranged trades that aren't part of the general open trading.
- DEMO - for example, TC with his planter demo and/or something else (suggestions welcome)
- SOCIAL TIME: covered dish lunch or picnic-style social time where people can either contribute or donate a few bucks to cover costs...this should give us enough time to relax and chat and stuff
- NICE PEOPLE - that's pretty much taken care of with this forum...people here are so nice/helpful/fair/thoughtful ... that will set the tone for the plant swap
- DOOR PRIZES/CHINESE AUCTION: chinese auction
- DATE: transplanting time - I think we're all happy with Sept3 (a saturday)
- PLACE: a place where we can sit and relax, that's not blazing hot in the sun or wet if it rains (still to be determined but a park with a pavillion would be nice)

Gillian, did you get the email that I sent you?

Fusty_overhalls please let me know as soon as possible if you want the supervisors club, I don't want to hold if your not planning on using it for your plant swap.

It will be nice to see everyone again. I think the chinese auction will be great. Are you going to put this on the get together forum?

Cathy

Hi all. I'm interested if it's relatively close. If you need me to do something let me know.

Hi,
I'm a newbie and am very interested in the plant swap. Although I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to travel there or not? I've never been to a plant swap and am not familiar w/ it at all. My concern is that most of my plants aren't worthy of swapping. My plants are healthy and well taken care of, but they are just the same old thing you see everywhere. Of course, maybe by Sept. I'll have some other things in trade...I do have some things coming.

Any advice?
Thanks,
Heather

I have lots of "same old thing" plants too. In fact, many of them, I GOT at plant swaps. I can speak from having been to a few different plant swaps that many people are looking for "same old thing" plants...either cuz they have them and want more or because they are YOUR same old thing but not THEIR same old thing. :)

But, to help you decide if the 'commute' is worth it, pretty soon, we'll be posting a thread on this forum where we can arrange individual swaps...before the swap day. This will be a place where you can post what you are bringing and/or looking for. The responses you get should give you a good idea of whether there will be interest in your plants.

Plants swaps are GREAT for newbies, tho. I went home from the first one I went to with a literal TRUCKLOAD of plants.

Hi all was off line for a few weeks but I'm back I suggest we also bring lots of pictures of our gardens to share for those of us who haven't visited each other I can't wait for this swap we actually could start a wish and have list now so we could set up our personal trades what do you think Fusty why don't you start it?

Whoo, hoo! I'm excited! I went to Cathy's last year & as a first timer, came home with my Geo Metro looking like a garden on wheels. I didn't have much to take except itty bitty Winter Sowing babies - sure hope they grew for everyone! The stuff I got is going great guns!

I even made sure to save some decent sized things in pots over winter just so I'd have something to trade this year, so am really looking forward to this one!

One suggestion I have is the start time - late enough for us long distance travelers. (I'm the one that beat out Gillian for the long distance prize.) It took me close to 2 hours (traffic in Mars, & stopped at every single light!) plus prep time at home to load the car. Anything before 11am is more difficult. Twice in the past I've planned on going to a swap but gave up after realizing I'd have to leave before 6am plus pack the car after working until 11pm the night before.

A suggestion for individuals coming: make a list of plants you brought to post where all can see. Much easier than bending over to read tags, LOL. (DonÂt include the prearranged trades.)

I do like the idea of tickets or Ârounds because sometimes Mr. A has something B wants but A wants what C has so you canÂt always Âtrade one on one.

For those who are new and donÂt feel they have much to share: come anyway! No one brings plants they plan to keep. More than once I heard someone say, "I could have brought __ but didnÂt think anyone would want it." Your Âsame old might be someone elseÂs Âalways wanted some of thatÂ. Once the major trading was done, people were begging others to "take some of these  donÂt make me compost these!" I swear people were stuffing plants in my car when I wasnÂt looking and I left with way more than I came with.

TC, its the dog here. No plant swap would be complete without your tire demonstration. See ya' there.

Looks like it's going to be another wonderful plant swap. I have lots to bring. EE's all colors, named daylilies and named hosta and lots more. I am going to dig up one garden it's a mess, has a lot of daylilies and iris in there. I don't know the names of the Iris's but I do no the colors.

Gillian were are you, I need a nurse, LOL. On July 15th Ross wrecked his ATV, he's doing better now. Home from the hospital. He broke 4 bones, all on his right side, 2 coller bone, 1 rib and 1 right shoulder blade, many cuts and bumps, and he had a bad concussion. What a week it's been.

Let me know if you have still want the club for the swap. It will be so nice to see everyone. I am going to set up a swap list in a soon.

Cathy

OK, September 3d at the Supervisors Club.

Cathy

Could someone tell me where the Supervisors Club is located?

Sorry Cathy, I've been concentrating on studying for boards. Now that they are behind me I can spend more time on garden related activities. I hope I can make the swap, I don't know yet if I have to work. If at all possible I will be there..hopefully this time I won't get lost!

~Gillian

Railroad Supervisors Club
Tevebaugh Hollow Road
Baden, PA 15005

You can access Tevebaugh Hollow Rd from either Route 65 in Baden or if your coming from Interstate 79 you can access Tebebaugh Hollow Rd from Conway Wallrose Road.

The supervisors club has no numbered address. But it's not hard to find. Just put in your address in a mapquest or other map program and put in Tevebaugh Hollow Road, Baden, PA 15005

Fusty_overalls are you still planning on having this plant swap?

Cathy

So...What time is this starting?

i'm thinking of 11am...how's that sound to everyone?