I'm there, Jeff. I think the ideas you put forth are fantastic. I was going to suggest the shift thing too - great minds think alike, right? :)

You'll have my thoughts on 'swap etiquette' in your mailbox soon.

I'll go with whatever the majority thinks best, but here's a coupla comments for public discussion:

One thing I've noticed about swaps: some people expect actual trades for each plant, while some people give away their plants without expectation of a trade. Then some people, like me, do some of both. I think it would be a great idea if everyone makes clear which system they are operating under -- trade or giveaway -- perhaps with a sign on their tables.

I don't think anything was wrong with the fall swap, which is the only mid-TN swap I've attended so far. I think so long as we don't try to make the swap too big too fast, everything will be fine!

This ties into the trade/giveaway system Ione mentioned. One thing I think needs clarifying even for seasoned swappers is what the notepads are for. Before the official swapping starts, some people write down what they want from your table on your pad, while others carry their pad around with them and write down what they want on *their* pad. I found it impossible to keep track of who wanted what as I only knew of about half of the requests as it turned out. (This was aggravated, of course, by folks not understanding swap etiquette and just taking things, but it won't be like that again.)

One other difficulty was locating table numbers. With pre-registration perhaps we'd have time to devise a showier numbering system that was more visible? I'm thinking stiff, maybe laminated sheets with BIG numerals that could be duct taped on or something. Such things would be reusable, too, although you'd probably lose some every swap due to folks forgetting to return them. But most would come back and it wouldn't be hard to fill in the blanks.

I love your suggestions, and your thinking parallels mine -- always a good sign to me! :-) And you know I'll volunteer to do whatever.

Marty

Jeff,
As a newbie, I will say that the notepad thing I didn't get. I mean if you prearrange, I understand. If your giving away we'll that makes sense to. But if I would like something of yours...and you don't want anything of mine then how do you decide who gets what???? Anyway I will go along with the majority since ya'll have been doing this way longer then I have. Also I will do whatever you want me to do. Thanks
Martha

I have a couple of problems with this. My wife and I are so
old we are afraid to buy green banana's and you want us to
register 5 months in advance. # 2 Our printer dosen't work.
Can I write down #1 table now?
Norm

What about the green tomatoes?

Norm we haven't even got to the point where we're getting up on the site yet. Patience young fella!

We will have print-outs too but it will be easier if folks bring their own copy.

No, I get table #1. You and Marianne are going to have to arm wrestle for #2. :-)

Norm, you'll probably outlast the lot of us. :)

But maybe for longtime participants of a certain age there could be a set-aside table number that they always get (for example, The Highly Official Norm Layne Ultramaternut Commemorative Swap Spot)? Or is this opening a can of worms somehow, Jeff?

You may have to break down and get a working printer, though. Can't figure out a workaround for that one.

Marty (just thinking off the cuff)

Jeff,
I will print out stuff for Norm and Barbara and take it to them......But I sure would like to see Marianne and Norm arm wrestle for it. Or better yet I bet I can find them a printer. And I think They Should have a permanent spot. Since they are seasoned members...:) Sorry to add fuel to that spark...
Martha

Ya'll need to stop. You're gonna to spoil him worse than Barbara already has!!!

How about Western Half A Tennessee And Norman's Ususal Table or we could just use the acronym WHATANUT.

;-)

They sould be spoiled by all of us. My grandparents aren't alive any more. But I would be willing to adopt some. My son is so lucky to have 4 great-grandparents and 3 sets of grandparents. He's so spoiled and thats a great thing to be.........He'll be 3 in 10 days.
Martha

This is totally up to the campground...

Instead of the cost of doing the number signs, could we use bed marking spray paint to draw marks between spaces and paint the # on the ground. You can usually brush it away fairly easily at the end of the day - I know I have accidently done that. One of the problems of this last swap was people weren't even in numerical order.

Just a simple thought. I hope to remember to bring a white sheet to lay over my plants that are already traded to protect from sun and unauthorized plant swapping. Perhaps with a sign "Already swapped - no peaking".

As for a speaker, if we ever don't have one volunteer, I would enjoy a Q & A since there are so many learned people in the group. As for topics, I would enjoy info on grafting.

Just a few things off the top of my head:

Pre-arranged trades should be arranged BEFORE THE DAY OF THE SWAP, and marked as such before they ever leave home. I also think these swaps should be taken care of BEFORE the general swapping begins, so there's less of a chance of someone's pre-arranged trade getting lost in the shuffle, grabbed by some uninformed newbie, etc.

I agree that the deal with the notepads needs to be worked out in better detail. Maybe we'd be better of with two pads each---one to remain ATTACHED to the table where folks can write down what they'd like, their name and table number, etc. and a second one to carry around and note that same info on, so no one forgets who's pad they've written something on. (Hey, I'm getting old and forgetful, okay?)

I love the idea of pre-registration, and BIG numbers for the tables. Tables should also be in strict numerical order, IF it's possible for someone to mark off the spaces before people start arriving. And it might be a good idea to put your table number on your plant tags, too, along with your name and the name of the plant.

I'd also like to suggest that if you have a plant to share that needs to be DIVIDED, please divide it BEFORE bringing it to the swap. A couple of things I really wanted I was told "This needs to be divided since there are so many people here" and when I went back for it, it was all gone. Granted, in previous years this *probably* wouldn't have happened, but...

Doorprizes---maybe we could just do away with this? In past years, where the swap was smaller, it worked okay, but as things have gotten larger---a lot of people either don't donate a doorprize at all, or donate one and fail to register for one, etc. I think some were left over this time, too. And this would be just one less thing to have to organize...

Speakers---I really hate that I missed Mary's talk this last time, but I had to leave early because we had out-of-town relatives on their way. (Who didn't arrive until WAAAAY late, but...they're family.) Maybe Norm could tell us all about 'maters? (*grin*) And I do like the Q&A idea, too.

What is the date for the fall swap?

Saturday, Oct. 21st.

Dang, I missed that one!

Jeff Jim said to tell you that we have 6" cards with numbers from 1- 100 that you can use for the tables.

THese are all good ideas...this fall swap is going to be the best one yet!

Jan