I plan to attend this year for the first time. I have heard wonderful things about the swap!

I'll be there! Still getting my plants potted.

I'll be there! Things are finally starting to move along in my garden. I was planning to post our swap info in a hort club list-serve, so I think spreading the news is a good idea.

I'm coming.

I'll be there!

I will be coming. Sujiwan...I will take all the tomatoes, eggplants, peppers etc that you can spare. I've got a great big veggie garden this year just waiting to be filled with your plants.
Bonnie

I plan on coming! My mother and I are co-gardening a plot this year as a mother-daughter project, so I am going to bring her too.

The top of my want list would be tabasco pepper plants. Some herbs and maybe some other peppers would also be nice. I have heirloom tomatoes and maybe some seeds to give in exchange! I might even be willing to part with some of my own peppers, although that's iffy . . . it has been a difficult year for starting them.

If there is an address, that would help me find the place because I could GPS it! But I understand if people don't want to post it.

Angie

Yes, I am coming.

I think we should seriously consider moving this swap off Gardenweb. Gardenweb seems stagnant to me. Anyone have any suggestions, ideas? What I see on Freecycle, etc is that there are plenty of gardeners who would participate if we can get the message out.

Also, I think a lot of our regulars are winging it - we've got the routine down.

I think it would be good to expand but because this is a private venue at GardenGramma's you want to have a filter. Maybe the Freecycle groups in your area are a little different. *Some* freecyclers I've met are kinda...well...looking for deals. That's why Gardenweb people attending works because there's already a sort of garden lover selection going on. How about garden clubs in our area or Master Gardener groups?
Hope you are right about the regulars.

I am coming and hopefully bringing a few neighbors. I look forward as always to going. Thanks!

I was thinking about Hometalk, but it's pretty nonselective. Does anyone here blog? That's an interesting way to spread the word to people who are actually interested.

Christine

I'll be there. I agree that many people may know the routine and will show up. I can't wait! It's my one untouchable day of the year. Nothing competes with it. Free plants, great conversation and Henrietta's garden of immense beauty... I'm sooo there.

I will be there.

Jette

me too
Carol

It has been so cold this year, I can't believe it is time again. Wont miss it for the world. thanks again grandma

I'll be there!

I will be there, too. Still potting...

Oh boy--bring umbrellas! I'm glad we do this rain or shine. :-)
Bringing van full of tomatoes/eggplants and truck full of peppers this year.

I am returning after a few years off!

Beth

Sujiwan - I agree that it would not be wise to put this event up on Freecycle for the reasons you suggest. My Freecycle comment only means that I am sure there are many congenial gardeners out there who would be happy to participate, but how do we reach them? Do we want to move this event to Meetup or is there another possibility? Do we want to have a sign-up email list like Yahoo?

Just exploring possibilities....

Hi Chrismd,

How did you find the turn out numbers to be this year? It felt like maybe there were more people than last year, but I could be wrong.

I kind of like the Meetup idea, but it would have to be OK'd with Henrietta since they have been hosting for a long time. The advantage is that it would be new people who join that out of common interests.

The problem with closed/"inbred" swaps is that we start to see most of the same things offered each year. I see this with my garden club-we all have each other's stuff. I kind of feel obligated to do the tomato-pepper-eggplant thing because so many people want them. I do vary my varieties at least. But-- It's good to always have new people who bring a fresh set of offerings and that find what we have to be new to them.

I think Freecycle could be OK except it is geared toward people coming to take, rather than swapping (in my experience). It would be cool to have a venue like a giant flea market situation where it's always fun and a surprise to see what you can find. However, at those, someone is usually having to man a table and can't walk around as the object is $.

Anyway, why are the forums like MidAtl so quiet these days? What is taking their place? Is forum discussion age related ? Love to see the demographics for GardenWeb and which forum is most active.

Sue (Sujiwan)