I will have to leave that to those who have actually organized one, Janie - but I want to come to the one you put together.

Janie, I'm not an organizer but here's a link to the Galveston Co. Plant Swap homepage. The Master Gardeners who organize it do a fantastic job, and can be reached from the contact page.
Hope this helps.
Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Gal. Co. Plant Swap

Janie, first post it on GW then make rules (you can copy mine if you want), and you must locate a place to have it.

We play the Round Robin Game. This is the most fun way to swap.

Everyone brings plants 5...10 or whatever, then they line them up in a row and when you say go, everyone picks out a plant. You can also have garden yard art, books, pots etc. They're all in the game.

We also have a free table. This is where you can each take a plant or even put a plant down and take another one.

We eat lunch together and have drawings for prizes that people donate money for from the previous swap.

If you could only come to ours then I'd show you how it works.

We're also giving gas money for the person who comes the furthest distance.

Copy Carolann! Hers are really great! PJ

Thanks PJ.

Now let me explain the gas money thingie. The gas money is from a box that people donate so I don't know how much money it'll be.

We've had Spring & Autumn Swaps in Ft Worth for a number of years now, & they've evolved over time from simply getting together & trading to our latest one, an absolute extravaganza of trading, visiting, prizes, & a rose-propagation demonstration.

The first element you need is the facility;
Since yours will be a Master Gardeners event, you may be able to use their meeting room/picnic area/whatever.

The Belton Swap last summer was held on the grounds of the facility (can't remember exactly what it was!) where the MGs had their greenhouses.

That was wonderful:
we got to tour the greenhouses with a MG who told us about all the plants & their needs & habits.

Gardenweb member xtal organized that one;
you might email her for tips particular to setting up a swap sponsored by MGs rather than just a group of us gardeners from gardenweb.

Some facilitating tips I've learned are:

post often enough to keep the threads on page 1 of the appropriate gardenweb forum so more people see the info.

Post photos of "photogenic" plants that you'll bring (or whose seeds you'll bring).

On Discussions & Conversations, refer to the Exchanges post;
ask people not to reply on Discussions or Conversations, & keep everything on the Exchanges page.

Post the date, time, & place.

Give simple, clear driving directions & maybe link to a map.

mention & encourage others to mention what plants they plan to bring.

encourage pre-trades:
people will be more committed to attending if they know someone else is counting on them, & they'll be more excited about coming if they know that they'll come home with something they really want.

Post a *minimum number* of simple, loose, clear "rules" & foster the spirit of sharing.

Rules like:

don't take anything unless the person who brought it says you can (seriously)

no selling (or some selling, or whatever, as long as the rule is the same every time for every attendee)

no rules as to what can be traded for what:
a fair trade is what the traders agree on.
if I want to trade an 30" tall shrub for a package of tomato seeds, that's fine.

no alcohol, no glass bottles

clean up your own mess

In addition to "rules", there are "hints" or "suggestions".

like

Put pre-trades in cardboard boxes clearly labeled with the recipient's name.
You might also put on the label the names of the plants that that trader is bringing for you.

Put things that are available in one place, & things that are committed to a pre-trade or that are to go home with ou in another place.

Folding tables & chairs & garden carts are extremely handy!
(You can put "unavailable" things under the table.)

Take along a notebook, pen, & camera;
these really help you remember what you're supposed to do with that plant!

Encourage newcomers to attend, even if they don't have plants or seeds; growing gardeners is an excellent way to grow gardens!

We've always shared potluck, but it isn't mandatory for every person to bring something, & we don't ask for money to subsidize the potluck;
asking for money at a swap sort of contradicts the basic premise of sharing.
But...at the Spring 2007 swap, one clever gardener, whose garden is too new to have enough to share, brought her husband (got a nice rose for him, too-snork!-I'm kidding!), & they made lunch for the group in exchange for plants.

It worked out beautifully!

I've tried to keep things as simple & loose as possible, to make the swaps undemanding & easy for anyone to enjoy.

At first, we didn't go in for games & prizes, since our swaps are "come & go" affairs:
People often bring their children, & you can't wait around a plant swap for a game or prize if it conflicts with, say, a soccer game.

At the Spring 2007 Swap, we did have prizes, brought by anyone who felt moved to do so, & we drew tickets for them;
We put all the prizes on a table, put our names on tickets, & when your ticket was drawn, you picked the prize you wanted.
It worked out great, & it was loads of fun.

Other than that, the swap takes care of itself as the traders get into the groove & visit & share experiences & tips, so be sure to follow the prime rule of hostessing:

enjoy your own party!

I don't organize the trade but have been going for years. At the Mercer trade we have a kitty and Jennifer buys the meat from that. The rest of us bring side dishes, desserts, drinks and things like paper plates and forks.

Usually David-Jennifers significant other, will cook the meat. Our Mardi Gras Krewe does a brisket sale every year and if it's around the trade time I take a cooked brisket up with me.

We have a drawing for door prizes, a lot of us bring something garden related or get donated stuff-David from up north usually brings stuff from Rabbit Hill Farms, I bring garden tools or birdhouses or garden fairies or such.

Each person decides what they want to trade for what. I try and talk people into taking my plants. I don't want to take it home with me! Some people only want to trade for certain plants or plants for plants, cuttings for cuttings. I'm just there to have fun and share what I grow. If I do take something rare or weird I'll put a "trade only" sign or put it under the table. I've traded plumeria for cherry tomatoes, brug cuttings for rooted brugs, water plants for seeds, I'm not picky and will even trade for things I already have! I'm a plant-a-holic, what can I say. If you turn your back I'll stick plants under your table.

Plants on top of the tables are trades, under the table are the ones that person is taking home.

Lots of people pre-trade. Sometimes I get it together to trade and sometimes I don't have a single pre-trade going.

Some people just bring cuttings, some people bring beautiful gorgeous plants. I've never been to a trade that does a round robin but I know a lot of them do. We also trade seeds, garden supplies, planters, books, etc.

Galveston Co. has a "free" table, you bring garden stuff you don't want and then you can take whatever you need. Last year they also set up a free plant area.

Both trades we do an "orphan" plants at the end, you take everything you have left that you don't want to drag home & put it in the orphan pile. Everyone helps themselves to the orphan plants.

Galv. Co. is going to have master gardeners this year at a table to help with questions and stuff.

The kitty is also used to pay the rental fee for the pavilion at Mercer and the pavilion at the park for the Galv. Co. group. Galveston County also does a silent auction of garden crafts & stuff. We have some very talented gardeners!

Have fun, don't fret too much and ignore the gripping, someone always gripes about something!
And watch me I'm addicted to certain plants and it's worse than drugs!
Tally HO!

Tally, are you sure we are not related?

WHAHAhahahahahahahaha! We are all related!

I appreciate all the information. I saved/printed out the whole thread for future reference. Exactly what we needed to get us started.

I thank you all so much!

("They" have all threatened me, tho. Our plant sale is Saturday the 21st, and then we have public seminar on the 24th.......They want a breather after that. But the planning wheels can turn, can't they?)

Janie

Those planning wheels sure can turn!!

Turn your wheels my way and come see us.

Related by dirt!
And dang the luck I won't make Janies sale or the Mercer trade.
What is a plant-a-holic to do? I got a fix yesterday at Loews but will need more tomorrow.....
What kind of wimps are they that they want a break? what do they want to do garden or something??
Tally HO!

I haven't been to a swap yet, but that hasn't stopped me from organizing one! heehee! I decided to do a round robin b/c it sounded easier. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Round Robin is very easy and so much fun. You can never go wrong with it.

You'll do good.