We're off! The seeds went in the mail today! They should get to Donna in a couple days. Remember, there's 2 rounds. So twice as many chances to get fun seeds. I hope everyone enjoys the Round Robin.

Here's a reminder of the rules and the shipping order.

1. This Round Robin is for edibles. Bring on your fruits, veggies, herbs, etc. So long as it’s edible it’s good!

2. Please keep the seed packet total at 25 as a minimum. I don’t want anyone to be shorted. If you would like to add more than you take out that’s fine! Please just don't take out more than you add!

3. If you take out a commercial packet please replace it with a commercial packet. We’re starting off with 12 commercial & 13 traded or saved.

4. Please have seeds be from 2008 or 2009.

5. Please be kind to your fellow traders. As tempted as you may be, do not add "tired" varieties such Roma tomatoes or Early Prolific (yellow) Straightneck squash. Also please refrain from adding generically labeled items such as "beans" or "onions" as the only description.

6. Try and prevent doubles of varieties unless rare.

7. Please send the box out to the next person in a reasonable amount of time (within 7 days).

8. Please send with a Delivery Confirmation. Let the person you’re sending to know the DC #.

I’m going to be used a Small Priority Mail Flat Rate box. The shipping cost is $4.80 plus the cost of Delivery Confirmation (I think it was $5.65 all together). I strongly encourage this for everyone. The boxes are free from the post office or you can order them on line. It takes about 10 days to get the boxes delivered to your doorstep though.

Sorry for the rules! I know for all of us it probably goes without saying. Hopefully, this way we’ll have a happy Round Robin for everyone.

We’ll do 2 rounds, so you should receive the package twice and have two chances to get some fun seeds! Here’s the order for sending:

1. Becky (Booberry85)

2. Donna (SunnyK)

3. Christy (Bonechickchris)

4. Joan (EJMoore)

5. Nancy (Luvgardening2)

6. Toni (Dirtdiggin)

7. Bonnie(HighAltTransplant)

8. Deb (Austinnhanasmom)

9. Kathy Southermcharm)

Then Kathy sends to me, Becky, and we start from the top!

Happy Gardening!
Becky (booberry85)

Donna, I emailed you the DC#.

So guess what...it's on the way to Christy!
DC#:0308 1400 0000 0107 7645

Thanks Becky
Donna :)

I seem to be having a few email troubles at home. I'll see if it's working at work. I'll be out of town for a few days, but will be back on Saturday.

Happy Gardening!

I went through the box and took a few things. I have a bunch to put back into it. Sorry I am taking a few extra days, but I have been so busy. I will have the box out soon!
Christy

I'm back in town and my email troubles seem to be resolved. Christy, hope you found a few things you like!

Becky

Thanks for keeping us updated!

Hope all is well with you and yours...how'd the painted house turn out? Fresh paint is always so beautiful on a home! And when you do it yourself, it makes it so much better. It's that feeling of accomplishment!

Here is the number
7007 2560 0001 0653 8462

Well, as for the house, I have the front left to paint, and the 2nd coat for the shutters. Yesterday and today, we stained our front porch, which is made of wood, and I do not think anything was every done to it before. So, we put the stain on and it looks so awesome! Actually got a stain called, "Vintage Wine", so even though you can see it is still wood because it is semi-transparent, it has this wine colored tint to it that looks so neat! And it will also match the shutters, which are painted a color called,"Merlot". Yes, I turned my house into a big Wino house! LOL!
The house is a sort of tan color, but with a hint of like a mauve like in it, so when you look at it, it looks like a beige type tan color, but with a hue that will compliment the wine colors of the shutters and porch.The house color really looks awesome when the sunset shines on it over the lake. You know how twilight almost makes things "glow" when the sun is setting? Well, it gives my house this really neat glow as the sun sets. I love the sunset, because the colors are so unnatural and stunning, the same reason why so many artists try to capture those colors in paintings.
Boy, what a pain it was to coordinate the house color and the shutter and porch colors, that took a week by itself to do before we even got started! LOL!

Ok, well, now everyone knows what my house looks like and listened to me blab on about color! LOL!
Christy

Joan

Joan
PS - The box is starting to bulge a little bit. :)

Anyway, Christy, I'm glad the painting is going well. It sounds like you have a beautiful color combination for your house.

Joan, glad you're enjoying going through the seeds!

Joan: Do you mind sending me the DC# so I can track it? Should I be worried? Because if it was shipped on Thursday, it should be here by now.

Nancy

Forgive me please.
Joan

Nancy

Nancy

I hope you find some goodies in there. :o)

Nancy

Thanks so much Nancy :)

Toni

For seeds, we picked out...

cardoon
neck pumpkin
green grape tomato
large pink bulgarian tomato
anise
anasazi bush beans
toad melon
Purple Vienna Kohlrabi
Santa Anna Pole Bean
Spacemaster cucumber
spinach

Thanks so much for everything everyone. Looking forward to the next time around. Gotta get busy replacing what I took :) I'll post the DC When it's on the way.

Toni

The DC is 01038555749816257619.

The box is pretty packed :) hope you enjoy some that I'm including.

Toni

Hope it arrives safely!

Toni

The package just arrived! I live in a small town, so the mail always takes an extra day or two to reach me. Anyway, I'm going through the box right now, but since it's Saturday, it won't go back out until Monday. I'll post the DC once it's on its way.

Bonnie

I took out:

Bean, Chinese Red Noodle
Bean, Yard Long Asparagus
Carrot, Lunar White
Carrot, St. Valery
Pea, Sugar Daddy
Pepper, Topepo Rosso
Squash, Baby Blue Hubbard
Squash, Blue Kuri
Squash, Uchiki Kuri
Squash, Lady Godiva
Tomato, Cour di Bue

I put the same number back in. Mostly Italian heirloom seeds. I'm so glad we are going around twice. I can't wait to see if all of the seeds I put in are gone when it makes it back around to me!

What a fun swap! Lots of cool varieties!

Bonnie

What a fun swap!!!!!!!!!!

Toni

Thanks Becky for putting this together :)

Becky

The good news is the box is heading my way. Deb just emailed me the confirmation #. Hurray! I can't wait to see what's in there!

So I took out the ones I initially put in that had no takers. These were:
White Half Runner Mountaineer beans
Thai Basil
Early White Vienna Kohlrabi
Blue Hubbard Squash
Brandywine Sudduth Strain Tomatoes
Listada De Gandia Eggplant
Crimson Cushion Tomatoes

For fun I took:
Golden Bantan Cross Corn
Botinecka Zuta Peppers
Soroksari pepper
Prosperosa Eggplant
Vittoria Bush Beans
Dragon Tongue Beans

Good Haul! Thanks everyone for a successful first round! So the second round now begins!

Donna, the box will be back your way in the next few days (I'll try for tomorrow but it might be Saturday or Tuesday.

I have new stuff coming off and drying etc...so it would be AWESOME!!

Donna (SunnyK)
Toni (dirtdiggin)
Becky (booberry85)

Would anyone else be up for a third round?

I am up for a 3rd or 4th OR? :o)

This has been way too much FUN.

Nancy

Toni

Donna (sunnyK)
Toni (dirtdiggin)
Becky (booberry85)
Nancy(luvgardening2)
Bonnie (highalttransplant)

Would anyone else be up for a third round?

Joan

Ok...so the box will be going out tomorrow....I will post the DC# then.

Hey Christy...I was thinking the same thing, about switching up the order ...I guess great minds think alike, LOL!

The DC# is: 0308 1400 0000 0107 7652

Lots of fun stuff stuffed into that box ;)

Toni

HELP....LOL!!

Donna :)

Nancy

Sorry Christy, I hope all is well...and hope to hear from you soon.

Toni

Joan, has she kept you in suspence long enough?
:)

I am back! I am so sorry that I have held up everyone! I feel so guilty!

I have had the box out already, and Joan might even have it by now. I bought confirmation, but cannot find my ticket from over the weekend. I will dig up my pocketbook and try to post it, although it will probably be too late! LOL!

Sorry again guys! I could not believe how long it took to get back on! The storm was not the main problem, it just started it. I live on a lake, and there are not many houses on the lake. I found out that I am like the only one who has internet on the lake. Because of this, they never properly updated the wiring on the poles, etc. Too cheap to do just for one customer. Come to think about it, it took me over a month to get the darn internet to begin with when I moved here a few years ago.
On the other hand, it is not like I live in the middle of nowhere, so I could not understand why the telephone poles out here were not updated to begin with.
Anyway, you never know if what they are telling you is BS or not, since I heard so many different stories on WHY my internet was down for so long. Anyway, it better be good now. They gave me a couple free months, but I am still quite ticked off at them!
What really aggravated me the most was being put on hold forever! I think I spent 7 hours on the phone in total. And the worst part, is they only play the same darn song over and over again on repeat! Maybe because I am a musician, it just got to me more than normal, but that darn song was so annoying and was imbedded in my head for weeks. UGG! Now just talking about it, it is back! LOL!
Anyway, enough of that! I am back! I hope you got the box Joan!Christy

Well, our show will be complete on Sunday, so I'm really looking forward to some rest. OH AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME REST LOL!!!!

Joan

I added the "Cerey Pumpkin" and my horrible writing should have read "Gray or Grey Pumpkin". And now when I think of it, it's actually a squash that looked just like a pumpkin, inside and out. When I saved the seed, that's how I labeled the bag. SO SORRY for the confusion.

I am saving tomato seeds for ya'll and I'll TRY TRY TRY to write legibly. I'm at the end of the 2nd round.

THANKS -

Have a great day everyone!

Joan

It, as well as the pie and white seeds I added to the box, sprouted really well in my garden this year and then a fungus took over the whole patch. A few pumpkins look good but the grey pumpkin isn't one of them. I think the fungus hit before any fruit got of decent size.

TGS? YEAH! I love tomatoes.

Nancy

I must of missed the gray pumpkin, or I probably would have picked that one out! LOL! Deb, I have a grey-type pumpkin/squash that I have seeds for, it is a hybrid I think, but if you want to try it, I will give you some. I have lots of blues too.
Christy

Joan

First we put up a 4 ft chick mesh fence and then picked up that plastic (cheap) black fencing that's supposed to keep deer out. We used the black plastic fencing above the chick mesh and used PVC and strapped it to the regular fence posts so they could support the additional 4 feet of fencing. All it takes for our deer is the visible fencing and they don't even try to go through it. Around the base, we ran one strand of barbed wire. NO MORE DEER. Now we just need to deal with the raccoons lol.

The other option is shorter fencing in narrow rows. They won't try to jump in if they feel like they can't get a running jump out.

Toni

Toni, we tried everything we could on my budget this year for the deer. I've been lain off since last November and hubbys been lain off since May. (We don't even have health insurance right now because it was so expensive.) My unemployment is going to run out shortly and I don't want to think about making our house payment etc, after. that. My garden is probably 1/4 to 1/3 acre. (We own 23 acres total here.) It's already got a 5 strand barbwire fence running the length of it that borders my neighbors horse pasture and the deer just jump it like it's not even there. We just couldn't afford to fence it completely in with an electric fence around it. Both my neighbors are retired and have done this and no longer have deer issues. However, I do know some other friends with an electric fence, and they still have deer issues. sigh Perhaps next year, if I can find a job we can address it then. Here are a few pictures of my garden this summer. I had 60+ tomato plants alone.

Joan

I'm going to try a cheap solution to the deer next year. A friend of mine has a terrific apple tree. I asked him how he kept the deer away. I had tried to grow apple trees years ago but the deer & the bunnies just did too much damage. Anyway, he said to hang bars of soap! Apparently the deer don't like the smell. So I'm going to find some biodegradable soap for next year and hang it down the centers of my pole bean tepees. I'm really hoping that does the trick. It's worth a shot.

Tomatoes are all fermented, dry and ready

I did find some GREAT stuff to take this time. Too many to list right now. I will do it when I return.

Nancy

The DC# is 0309 0330 0001 1879 9519

I hope you found some nice seeds in there Toni.

Nancy

Thanks Nancy :) I sure hope you're having a great time.

Toni

I'll post what goodies I took shortly :) Gotta fill the box back up lol.

Toni

Here's the goodies Daniel and I took...

Fish Peppers
Brown's Jubilee Tomato
Whippersnapper Tomato
Cucumber - Crystal Apple
Endeavor Pickling cuke
Rainbow Chard
Easter Egg Rainbow radishes
Edible Sunfowers
Perpetual Spinach

Canary Melons
Swiss Chard
Victoria Rhubarb
Chicago Warted Hubbard
Slow Bolt Cilantro
Armenian Cucumber

I loaded it up with some freshly harvested and dried seed...hope you all enjoy :)

I have LOTS more to offer but they are still drying...so I'm looking forward to the next round ;)

Toni

Bonnie

I found LOTS that I wanted this time around. Cannot wait until ROUND 3.

Little Finger Carrot
Sub Arctic Plenty Tomato
Sioux Tomato
Big Raspberry Tomato
Campbell's Tomato
Anaheim Chili
Orient Express Cabbage
Anasazi Bush Beans
Italian Lacinato Kale

I was really worried cause neither of the last two I've posted have come up other than "There is no record of this package"! But the beans for Christy's bean swap are in NJ and it at least says the PO has been notified now on the above DC...I'm wiping my forehead and saying THANK YOU upstairs lol.

One quick question though. There is a packet that just says Tomato Gregory. I have searched every tomato website I can think of and pull up nothing. Does anyone have any information about it?

Thanks,
Bonnie

The seeds I offered were extras from this Spring and NOT from the infected plant...although I have read that Late Blight is not seed bourne.

I will be growing it out again next season because before the wet nasties hit, this was a vigorous beautiful plant, and I would like to see what it can do in a good year LOL!

Bonnie

The seeds are open pollinated, because I waited too long to put out the blossom bags - UGH.

Here's the list: (days to maturity listed first, although my mileage varied)

Some varieties have limited seeds but please send me an email of there's one that you really want - I'll do my best.

bonechickchris - I'll send you a Ramapo F6 packet.

55 Matina
65 Black Cherry
67 Isis Candy
70 Chocolate Cherry
70 Super Italian Paste (roma sized in my garden)
70 Tiger Tom
71 Pantano Romanesco
71 Super Sioux
72 Brown Berry
75 Galinas
75 Paul Robeson
75 Peach Garden
75 Sarnowski Polish Plum
75 Snow White
75 Sugar Lump aka Gardener's Delight
78 Clint Eastwood’s Rowdy Red
79 Hawaiian Currant
80 Blondkofpchen
80 Earl’s Faux
80 JD’s Special C-Tex
80 Nyagous
80 Riesentraube
80 Thessaloniki
82 Tibet Appell
85 Amazon Chocolate
85 Carbon
85 Costoluto Fiorentino
85 Giant Belgium
85 Indian Stripe
85 Ramapo F6
90 Yubileyny Tarasenko
95 Prue
Blueberry (perhaps the LSU seed)
German Heirloom (looks like a German Johnson - seed was isolated)
Jersey Giant
Sicilian Giant (roma sized in my garden)

Donna

Nancy

Bonnie

Nancy

Toni

Do you eat bitter melon or are they for decoration? I would not recommend this to someone that never ate bitter melon before. You may want to boil out some of the bitterness when you cook it.

If any one else would like some, just say so. I will put them in the box for you Toni when it comes my way.

Nancy

Deb, the box is on it's way to you. DC # 0304 1560 0000 7338 9436. Thank you again for your generous tomato seed offer!

Donna, I did end up keeping the Gregory seeds. Curiousity got the better of me : )

Bonnie

So, I am sitting here debating with my 2yo. I'd like to remove, dry and send the seeds for you all. She disagrees!! We are returning to the patch tomorrow for a whole family outing, err ordeal, and I offered to buy her even MORE little pumpkins then. Still shaking her head no.

Since I am the adult and she'll be napping soon, the pumpkins are going under the knife.

I'm not sure how many seeds these little things will yield, but look for the packets in the box!!

I returned to the pumpkin patch today and the little white and orange pumpkins were labeled Jack Be Little.

I'm guessing the staff is clueless.

Anyway, I added a baggie of orange and a baggie of white Wee Be Little or Jack Be Little - whatever the names, they are adorable and fit in my ladies large hand...I collected seed from the fatter fruits.

I had more of the "gray pumpkin- 10/08" so I added that too.

I also added some tomatoes. There are a few baggies specifically for ladies with special requests. I didn't add all that I grew so please check my trade list if interested...
The box is on it's way to NY, for round 3. DC #0309 1830 0001 0569 0821

I removed some fantastic seeds and can't wait for spring!! The family's gonna be eatin some new home grown veggies next year!

Thanks all -

Deb

1. Becky/ Booberry85
2. Toni / Dirtdiggin
3. Nancy /Luvgardening2
4. Deb / Austinhanasmom
5. Bonnie / highalttransplant
6. Donna / Sunnyk
7. Christy / bonechickchris
8. Joan / Ejmoore510

Then back to me again!

Toni

This really has been a great swap! Lots of great varieties being shared.

Thanks, Becky for organizing it!

Bonnie

I would NEVER take ALL the good stuff!!

I figure if I kill 5/5 seeds, it doesn't belong in the Cook garden!!

Toni, I'll try and get it out the early part of the week.

Just remmeber the order is DIFFERENT this time around. Here's the order again.

1. Becky/ Booberry85
2. Toni / Dirtdiggin
3. Nancy /Luvgardening2
4. Deb / Austinhanasmom
5. Bonnie / highalttransplant
6. Donna / Sunnyk
7. Christy / bonechickchris
8. Joan / Ejmoore510

Then back to me again!

Deb, how much did you end up with?

Bonnie

Toni

I had finished turning over my garden and adding amendments just when it started to rain. This snow is awesome!!

While digging in the dirt, I spotted worms, European Nightcrawlers - I think due to their size, in EVERY scoop - YEAH. I was doing the happy worm dance. I had bought worm cocoons in the spring and dug them into the dirt with the foods they love. It seems like they are flourishing. Now, I need them to multiply!! All the horse manure I hauled, inside my car btw, should keep them happy during the winter.

Happy Halloween!!

Hope you find some exciting items in there :) I know I did...and I love the bulk thing where you can just take a few out! Great idea when you have a large qty of a particular type of seed.

Toni

1. Becky/ Booberry85
2. Toni / Dirtdiggin
3. Nancy /Luvgardening2
4. Deb / Austinhanasmom
5. Bonnie / highalttransplant
6. Donna / Sunnyk
7. Christy / bonechickchris
8. Joan / Ejmoore510

Then back to me again!

Nancy still has her computer down. She called and asked me to let you all know that the package is on its way to the next person.
Here is the confirmation #

03090330000118805951

Nancy, sorry your computer is down. Hope you're back up in running soon. (Isn't it silly to post this when I know her computer is down!) I hope the plague of failed computers stops hitting our group!

THANKS ladies!! This swap was great!! I hope it continues.

I am drying two neat gourds and will send it to Bonnie by Monday at the latest.

I can't wait to add cool squash to the garden next year:))

Bonnie

I know I for sure have -

One Too Many Pumpkin
Caveman Club Maranka Gourd
Blue Hubbard Squash
Tiger Tom tomato
Borage

Toni and Nancy (thanks for the seeds Nancy), let me know if you want any of those.