Howdy all! I am sad to write this posting but I'm not going to be able to host a swap this year. I'm currently in 1776 which runs till July 10th and then go right into rehearsals for Bat Boy which does not close till mid-October. Is anyone else able to host one in this area? The only free time I'll have is July 26-July 30 which is a one week break from rehearsals. I thought about trying to host one then but don't think I'd have enough time to plan it right. I was thinking about either Long's Park or Lancaster County Park... I'll definately help out if anyone wants to take the reigns and do one that weekend...

Hope everyone is enjoying their Summer and hoping I can garden vicariously through all of you this season!

Skeeter

What all is involved in hosting a plant swap. I'm interested (still have to talk to DH though). I don't drive so getting to one is really hard for me.

I have only been to them, never hosted one. Everybody brings plants to swap and a covered dish (food) & donates a couple dollars for the food the Host provides. The host usually provides soft drinks, water, hotdogs & rolls, ketchup, mustard, paper plates, plastic utensils, paper cups, etc, the plants are all put either on the ground or on folding tables (Dave Gelatt borrowed the tables from the Church next to his house & also the Church parking lot.) Everybody signs in & gets a nametag & also writes down how many plants they brought. Then, after everybody has eaten, the host announces: everybody whose last name starts from A-M can choose one plant and then the ones with last names that start from N-Z. This goes one until about half the plants are gone. Then, you are allowed to take 3-6 plants the next time it's your turn, and this continues until the plants are all gone. Usually, the swappers bring a plant in & give it to the Host for sponsoring such an undertaking. Meanwhile while everybody is arriving & signing in, it's a chance to meet other gardenaholics & chat. Dave, who originally started this swap, is now involved in plays in Lancaster, so no longer has the time to devote to sponsoring a plant swap. I do hope somebody, after reading this, someone decides to host this one as it's a good one. I work a fulltime job, make button jewelry in the evenings, do craft shows on the weekends, and so I would be unable to sponsor one. But someday when I retire, that's a different story.

This is the way Dave Gelatt hosted his and it was very well organized. I don't know how many years Dave had been doing this but I would love to see somebody else take the reins and continue this tradition in PA.

Wow....I am finally getting a chance to check the forums and really, really hope someone hosts a swap in Lancaster this year.

I'll check around and see if anyone is willing to host one in either July or August. I know that Lancaster County Park has tons of pavilions available so that would probably be the best option in this area or maybe Longs Park although that gets a bit crowded.

If anyone from here decides to host, let me know and I can help out as I'm able. My current show closes Saturday but I'm in for surgery for a week and then have a week before we start rehearsals for the next show.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful season so far!

Skeeter

My place is too small for a swap of that size. I live in delaware county, about an hour from lancaster, close to philadelphia. If anyone in this area wanted to do one, I would help.
Glad you are doing so well Dave. Keep up the good work!

I would host one in SW PA if I could get enough interested. I live about 30 miles east of pittsburgh zip code 15425.

I would be happy to host a plant swap I am in zone 6-7 Westminster Md. if anyone is interested.