Well, your plans sound a little more elaborate than the swap I've attended and the one we are putting together in my area. I have only been to one. We got permission from a local Botanical Garden area and had it in the far part of the parking lot. It was free, the swaps were mostly arranged before hand, with people putting a list on their page. People who had extra brought extra and some swaps were made on site. No one had a booth, but just opened up their trunks or out of the bed of their truck. We didn't have food, but some folks went to lunch together after.

It looks as though our Spring swap will be in a back parking lot of a nursery with folks going to lunch after, if interested.

I wish you luck with your swap!

Idig hit it on the nose. I reserved the botanical gardens site. We have been doing this for several years. Twice at private homes, one in Birmingham and the other in Prattville (near Montgomery). We have used the parking lot at Oak Mountain State park swimming, beach and picnic area. We would bring a dish and share lunch. In all cases, we opened our tailgates and swapped or shared plants. One year I would like to go to the Univ. of Alabama Arboretum in Tuscaloosa for a swap and tour of the arboretum. We have several people coming from east Alabama (Gadsden, Anniston, Talledega)and from down US Hwy 280 near Columbus, GA. Maybe we can go to their areas.
Since there isn't an Arkansas forum, why don't you contact some local garden clubs, rose society, orchid society, etc. to see if they are interested in helping organize a swap. I don't know where you are in AR, but the folks on the MS-LA forums have been talking SWAP for some time. Also, there was a lady Memphis, screen name "Something Shadow or Shadow something" who wanted to swap. BTW, do they still grow a lot of rice in AR? I remember seeing field so bright green rice in your state.

Bless you for thinking of the Humane Society! I know the rescue group that I work with will set up adoption stands just about anywhere where people will let us, and would jump at the chance to bring some animals out.

A lady at one local plant sale was selling catnip, and all of the proceeds went to homeless animals, which I thought was a great idea.

The Humane Society (or a local 4H/youth group) might want to raise a little money selling doughnuts and coffee in the morning, then hamburgers/hot dogs and cokes and chips at lunchtime. If not, I wouldn't sweat it.

If you're the one paying upfront for the venue, I'd collect the rental fee money from other vendors as they reserve a spot, then try to have some extra spots available for any excess vendors that show up that morning without reserving. I've been in that position before, and you might be suprised how many people say they're coming, but flake out and decide they can't get up that early on a Saturday. Have a rain date set in advance if it's outdoors.

I like the ticket idea a lot. I'd also make sure to advertise well, definitely get it up on craigslist and the like early, so people have time to plan and prepare stuff to swap/sell. I'd also advertise at local nurseries, garden centers, farmers markets, etc.

Good luck!

Look at the Mid-Atlantic Gardening forum. We've been doing swaps for YEARS. Note that we have not mixed up swapping with selling - there is no selling at our swaps.

Ditto, no selling at the Fort Worth area swap. One lady showed up one time and wanted to sell her plants, but when we told her we weren't there to buy anything, she packed up her kit bag and went home. If you log on the Gardening in Arkansas forum and go to the trading forum you can just post a notice that you would like to have a swap in your area and see how many people are interested. You may be surprised and if you only have 5-10 people respond, go with it, a small swap is still a swap and you still get stuff for your garden for free.

Ours started out several years ago with Sylvia doing that, and it is always a big event. We reserve a space at a centrally located public park, preferably an area with a pavilion and a grill. One couple has agreed to always bring refreshments for everyone in exchange for plants and seeds. Then if anyone has something they want to bring extra to eat they bring enough for at least 30 people. Then we set a date, usually a Saturday and people start listing what they plan to bring.

We have a lot of "pre-swaps" on the garden web and then there are on the spot swaps after you get there and find people have brought stuff that they didn't list that you want, like tools, books and other fun things. One time someone brought gardening aprons with the GW logo embroidered on them. One person always brings great soaps and bath salts that she makes at home. Some people will bring baked goods to trade for plants if they don't have enough plants to swap. Another person made cute personalized name tags for everyone.

Once you get one of these swap things going you will find that a lot of the same people will attend year after year (oh and we do it twice a year too, Spring and Fall) so we all get to be very good friends, even visiting each others homes and gardens and sharing plants and info on a regular basis.

My humble opinion of the swap is that you should not ante up a dime for anything, otherwise you will be expected to continue to cover the costs and you will eventually lose out big time. Go cheap, spend nothing, and you will have a fun get-together with other gardeners who share interests in the best way, freely. This way you will never feel used or abused and in no danger of having to make it into some kind of business.

Check out your public parks, maybe a church yard or a school yard will allow you to set up for a couple hours on a Saturday morning. If you plan to help out your humane society that can certainly happen too, they would have to be willing to set up at whatever location you choose but if they want to make money by selling something, you may again wind up obligated in some way. Personally, I'd keep those kinds of activities separate from a free plant swap.

Cheryl

Well, slap me silly, I just realized there is no Arkansas gardening forum. Kathy, it looks like you are just going to have to make a little noise over there and get some folks interested enough to get your own forum. Start with a post that draws attention the part of Arkansas where you live so that people who are near you will read your post. Then go from there. Eventually, if there is enough interest GW will create a forum for you. Cheryl

There is a monthly swap at the Governor Mike Huckabee nature center in Pine Bluff, ARkansas. I too have been missing swaps since leaving my previous home 3 years ago, and moving to Arkansas (The Clear Lake swap of Texas was fantastic, BTW). I just learned recently about the nature center swap.

This morning, I posted a thread on the plant exchange forum explaining what I learned about this swap, and hoping that someone would post what they had and what they wanted. The next swap is on the first Sat of April. Go to the Plant Exchange forum to see my thread. I hope to go, and I hope to see others nearby.

I like the idea of the completely free swap, I just had never been to one that was completely free. Do you ever have one where everyone brings the same thing? If so, what do you do? What to do about left-over tickets or plants? Any ideas welcome!!!!

If we go the ticket route, how do you do things besides plants? For example, someone brings homemade birdhouses. Would they get a ticket for each birdhouse or should I give them more? Use my judgement for each item & each person? (not sure I want to be in that position!) If someone wants to bring packets of seeds, how many should equal 1 ticket?

I like the idea of people without plants or other things to bring being the ones to bring stuff like food, door prizes, & supplies. What's the fair way of handing out tickets?

From different threads about swaps, here's a list of items I think I'll need for a swap:

self-adhesive labels for writing plant names & information
napkins, paper towels
paper plates, plastic or paper cups, plastic spoons/forks
toilet paper, soap, & paper towels for bathroom (just in case)
large trash bags for clean up
food & condiments, drinks & ice
door prizes
extra tables & chairs
roll of tickets to hand out for plants/items brought, to give to people who help out, etc.
cleaning supplies like broom & dust pan in case they're needed & not provided
baggies for any seeds given or to put cuttings in (wrapped in dampened towels)

Can you think of anything else I would need?

Do you experienced swappers ever have problems with things "walking off" from someone's table? If so, how have you handled it?

If I have to rent the fairgrounds or someplace, I will have to "sell" booth space & get the money upfront to pay for the rent. I can't afford, nor would I even think of paying for anything out of my own pocket. My husband would kill me!

I hadn't thought of church or school parking lots as a place to hold a swap. I prefer something inside or under some sort of canopy just in case it rains. I'm going to check with the nearest state park to see if we could meet there. I drove out there & counted about 25-30 parking spots (it's a small park) if we met there & just did it from truck beds & car trunks.

Do most of you eat first or swap first? How do you begin the actual swap? Someone ring a bell or something?

I think the more elaborate you make it, the better chance for it to flop.
People can each bring whatever supplies they will need, not you bringing it all. The location can be a park, ballfield, parking lot, or whatever will give you room even if at someone's home.
Put out a notice for persons interested in a swap and the area it would be held. Find a free location. Then give options as to maybe 3 different dates to see when most can come.
Ask if interest in having a lunch. What would people be interested in bringing? Even suggest maybe a local place for chicken, BBQ, hambergers or whatever or people just cook, buy chips or drinks, salad, pickles, etc.
Door prizes is not required but perhaps there will be some talented people that make things and offer one. Just write everyone's name on a piece of paper put it in a bowl and draw names. No tickets and all that to complicate it.
Besides plants, potting soil, garden decor, mulch, rock, trellis, windchimes, pots both plastic and decorative, just anything garden related.
Keeping it simple with a loose time schedule, gives you time to just chit chat exchanging ideas, plants, or even plans to visit each others gardens. Make it a day to relax and enjoy.
Good Luck
Lynn

Hey Kathy just letting you know that there is actually a swap in Ferndale(right outside Little Rock) on May 2nd. It is being organized by someone on Dave's Garden. I'm not a member on there but I can get my friend who is to find out how you can participate. They do a series of swap lists and reserve stuff for each other but apparently they also just show up with extras from their garden and swap those. I haven't ever attended one of these before but I am going to this one so I'll see if I enjoy it.

If you decide to host a swap I'd love to come. Let me know if you want info on the Ferndale swap

There is a current swap thread on the Alabama forum with about 70 replies. Also go to the Alabama Exchange page. It will give you a good idea about what Lynn (pfllh) is talking about. You can browse through the Fall swap correspondence as well. Good luck.

Please, please let me know about the Ferndale, AR swap. It is closer to me than the Pine Bluff one, and I still have plants I can swap. I would love to attend. I can bring Oakleaf hydrangea, bee balm, indigofera, and other things on my 'Have' list. Some, I can just give away. I'll be looking at this thread, and I'll see if I can send you an email.