2024/2025 arrivals and departures

[Frosti]

@Tormato, please don't get too stressed out. I've already got way more varieties than I can ever grow, so no need to rush for my sake. I'm sure most feel the same ...

[JayneR13]

Please count me as one who is grateful for the seeds no matter what time of year they arrive. I've had some wonderful seeds from this swap and since I garden every year, and hydroponically throughout the year, timing is flexible. Please don't turn your labor of love into a chore for my sake! Thanks for what you do Gary.

[MissTee]

I’ve received two envelopes with seeds from the US in the past two weeks with slits down one side and noticeably gaping open. The first one was from Gary (Tormato), a couple weeks ago but now that a second one arrived tonight looking the same, thought I’d share my experience.

Gary did a great job of taping everything securely, and Bill Minkey’s were wrapped in paper towel, so thankfully nothing was pilfered. Had seeds not been secured inside, they easily would have spilled out. I’m not sure who/where it happened en route, but with cross-border tensions increasing, best to tape all your seed packs well.

[Tormato]

I’ve received two envelopes with seeds from the US in the past two weeks with slits down one side and noticeably gaping open. The first one was from Gary (Tormato), a couple weeks ago but now that a second one arrived tonight looking the same, thought I’d share my experience.

Gary did a great job of taping everything securely, and Bill Minkey’s were wrapped in paper towel, so thankfully nothing was pilfered. Had seeds not been secured inside, they easily would have spilled out. I’m not sure who/where it happened en route, but with cross-border tensions increasing, best to tape all your seed packs well.

It's just not cross-border, it's happening more frequently everywhere. Several packages, and a few letters, delivered here, had the small slit cut into them. Just enough to peek inside. On bubble mailers, the slit is always at a top or bottom edge, where there are no bubbles. Many participants put all of their contents in a gallon freezer zip baggie, and then the baggie in the bubble mailer. Nothing was taken, and nothing spilled out.

Also, I've had three letters held at the post office, for payment due. Previously, in about 20 years, I've only had two other such letters. One of the post office workers explained to me that they reject many more letters, today, for being too thick. The under 1/4 inch rule must be a nearly flat under 1/4 inch. If one part is very thin and another part is close to 1/4 inch, they hold the letter for payment of a package cost ($5 +).

[MissTee]

It's just not cross-border, it's happening more frequently everywhere. Several packages, and a few letters, delivered here, had the small slit cut into them. Just enough to peek inside. On bubble mailers, the slit is always at a top or bottom edge, where there are no bubbles. Many participants put all of their contents in a gallon freezer zip baggie, and then the baggie in the bubble mailer. Nothing was taken, and nothing spilled out.

Must be happening in the US then. I haven’t received any damaged/opened domestic mail, just these two letters.

[Homegrwoninillinois]

I’ve received two envelopes with seeds from the US in the past two weeks with slits down one side and noticeably gaping open. The first one was from Gary (Tormato), a couple weeks ago but now that a second one arrived tonight looking the same, thought I’d share my experience.

Gary did a great job of taping everything securely, and Bill Minkey’s were wrapped in paper towel, so thankfully nothing was pilfered. Had seeds not been secured inside, they easily would have spilled out. I’m not sure who/where it happened en route, but with cross-border tensions increasing, best to tape all your seed packs well.

I recently mailed someone an envelope and it arrived just as you mentioned. This envelope wasn’t overfilled, or thick in any way. I have started to think the quality of envelopes may be the issue. Since then I place a piece of tape along each edge for a bit of the way to try and reinforce. Sorry that happened to you.

[MissTee]

Two totally different types of envelopes— a greeting card and a business #10 envelope and they were definitely tampered with. As Tormato says this has been happening to him, it’s a good idea to tape and secure everything well. It gives me an unsettling feeling seeing mail arrive this way, like nothing is private anymore.

[JayneR13]

Two totally different types of envelopes— a greeting card and a business #10 envelope and they were definitely tampered with. As Tormato says this has been happening to him, it’s a good idea to tape and secure everything well. It gives me an unsettling feeling seeing mail arrive this way, like nothing is private anymore.

I have that same feeling just reading these posts. It seems that greater caution is warranted, now more than ever. Sad but true.

[WindyWI1968]

I have been receiving mail with the top sides and bottom sliced open. I took some to the post office to complain and they looked at it and said it is a machine doing the damage. I am now taping the sides before mailing. The taped ones haven't been ripped that I know of. I am not entirely convinced it is a machine as it is happening to many others and started around December.

[ellalee2421]

US here.. few years ago my bf sold seeds in his etsy shop.. the very first order he had shipped in a card with a non machinable stamp. Customer sent pics of the envelope had been "torn" open by the machines. All contents were intact and undamaged. Ever since i tape all 4 corners and across the flap. Haven't had it occur since. Around the holidays this last year i did receive a few envelopes where the pepper seeds had all been crushed by the machines and not enough protection inside. As well as envelopes split open on the ends where no tape had been added. I think it's a combination of workers opening envelopes as well as machines tearing things open. Tape tape tape!

[coolbythecoast]

It helps to stabilize seeds away from stamp area.

[Tormahto]

The high speed sorting rollers at the post office is what crushes seeds. They run at the top and bottom of letters. Taping seed packets to the middle of thin card stock, helps. A bit of thin cushioning, like a folded paper towel can also help.

[coolbythecoast]

The high speed sorting rollers at the post office is what crushes seeds. They run at the top and bottom of letters. Taping seed packets to the middle of thin card stock, helps. A bit of thin cushioning, like a folded paper towel can also help.

Thats pretty much what I do when using letter envelopes, only small difference is using very thin closed cell foam and keeping the seeds away from machine cancelling of the stamps. It seems to work very well.

[kdlund121]

Seed packets are being opened here in the US as well. had a couple of people report to me this year that their packages were sliced open on both sides of the ends of the envelopes and taped back together, and some of the seeds were missing. This is very disheartening that our postal service workers are doing this. The packages didn't look as though they were stuck in the sorter machines, they were strategically opened with a sharp blade and re tapped. You just can't rust anyone anymore.

[JayneR13]

Seed packets are being opened here in the US as well. had a couple of people report to me this year that their packages were sliced open on both sides of the ends of the envelopes and taped back together, and some of the seeds were missing. This is very disheartening that our postal service workers are doing this. The packages didn't look as though they were stuck in the sorter machines, they were strategically opened with a sharp blade and re tapped. You just can't rust anyone anymore.

It's not necessarily the postal workers doing this. People are stealing surprising things, including stuff out of mailboxes and potted plants from yards. Crazy.

[MissS]

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[KinaTo]

Just wondering if there is any updates on how this swap is going?

I know a lot of ppl send in seeds and so it’s a lot of work, but it’s been weeks without updates

[Tormahto]

Just wondering if there is any updates on how this swap is going?

I know a lot of ppl send in seeds and so it’s a lot of work, but it’s been weeks without updates

It's been weeks of being ill, and having my back finally go out on me. The one positive is no more hand cramps, and I can write again. And that is really needed, as I write notes on what I do each day. With little sleep, contributing to brain fog, when waking up in the morning, I generally do not remember what I did the previous 24 hours. The memory seems to be fine for anything beyond just the previous day.

Most packages will continue to be delayed. It would be best to let participants from TLC know that tomatoes and peppers may not arrive in time for starting this year. ALL seeds requests will be filled, I just don't know when. I'm really going to try to get packages out, so that at least warm weather direct sowing veggies/fruits can be used this year.

I suppose this is the place to mention that I've yet to send out Christmas cards, in the Secret Santa seed swap that I'm in.

At some point, I was almost expecting this to happen, after struggling the past two years to get packages out on time. Early signups for this round of the MMMM was initially very slow. So I asked, here, about other internet groups to contact for increasing participation. TLC was the right one. Adding the TLC participants, and all of the new requests, and varieties sent in, from your group was part of the struggling, but I wanted to do it. And, I want to do it right. I've had so many generous donations of many hundreds of seed packets from so many people, that my plan is still to send back an average of about 200 packs, up from an average of 100-150 in previous years.

And, there will have to be a big change for the next swap, where I simply will have to go to working on it year round. Sometime (maybe late spring or early summer) I will first inventory and list everything in the collection (I consider this the MMMM participant's collection, not mine). From there, I'd like participants to choose the vast majority of their wish list. I can do much of the packing from summer through fall. Late in the year, when new packages arrive, here, participants can top off their wish lists from all of the new varieties that come in.

And, Jen will soon be receiving the Everything But The Kitchen Sink (EBTKS) swap package. Although she is a bit down in the middle of the list on receiving it, where I don't know what was taken out, and what was put in, it should be larger than all three MMMM packages she got in the last swap. I'm hoping for another youtube video, where TLC members can see it, and hopefully sign up for that swap. My plan is to expand that swap (US participation only) to multiple boxes going out, to relieve the amount of time it takes me with the MMMM.

And finally, when the EBTKS swap is over, I'd like feedback from participants on what they liked about it, what they didn't like about it (some types of seeds have already run out, from what I hear), input on how to improve it, and whether they would participate again (realizing participation may not be each year, as people may get several years worth of grow outs in one swap).

[Homegrwoninillinois]

Just wondering if there is any updates on how this swap is going?

I know a lot of ppl send in seeds and so it’s a lot of work, but it’s been weeks without updates

It's been weeks of being ill, and having my back finally go out on me. The one positive is no more hand cramps, and I can write again. And that is really needed, as I write notes on what I do each day. With little sleep, contributing to brain fog, when waking up in the morning, I generally do not remember what I did the previous 24 hours. The memory seems to be fine for anything beyond just the previous day.

Most packages will continue to be delayed. It would be best to let participants from TLC know that tomatoes and peppers may not arrive in time for starting this year. ALL seeds requests will be filled, I just don't know when. I'm really going to try to get packages out, so that at least warm weather direct sowing veggies/fruits can be used this year.

I suppose this is the place to mention that I've yet to send out Christmas cards, in the Secret Santa seed swap that I'm in.

At some point, I was almost expecting this to happen, after struggling the past two years to get packages out on time. Early signups for this round of the MMMM was initially very slow. So I asked, here, about other internet groups to contact for increasing participation. TLC was the right one. Adding the TLC participants, and all of the new requests, and varieties sent in, from your group was part of the struggling, but I wanted to do it. And, I want to do it right. I've had so many generous donations of many hundreds of seed packets from so many people, that my plan is still to send back an average of about 200 packs, up from an average of 100-150 in previous years.

And, there will have to be a big change for the next swap, where I simply will have to go to working on it year round. Sometime (maybe late spring or early summer) I will first inventory and list everything in the collection (I consider this the MMMM participant's collection, not mine). From there, I'd like participants to choose the vast majority of their wish list. I can do much of the packing from summer through fall. Late in the year, when new packages arrive, here, participants can top off their wish lists from all of the new varieties that come in.

And, Jen will soon be receiving the Everything But The Kitchen Sink (EBTKS) swap package. Although she is a bit down in the middle of the list on receiving it, where I don't know what was taken out, and what was put in, it should be larger than all three MMMM packages she got in the last swap. I'm hoping for another youtube video, where TLC members can see it, and hopefully sign up for that swap. My plan is to expand that swap (US participation only) to multiple boxes going out, to relieve the amount of time it takes me with the MMMM.

And finally, when the EBTKS swap is over, I'd like feedback from participants on what they liked about it, what they didn't like about it (some types of seeds have already run out, from what I hear), input on how to improve it, and whether they would participate again (realizing participation may not be each year, as people may get several years worth of grow outs in one swap).

I’m sorry to hear you aren’t quite on the mend yet. But glad some things have improved for you. I really enjoyed the EBTKS box. Cali just had it and also really enjoyed it. I knew a few people who were following me and I let them know privately it was low on pepper varieties. I tried to add multiples of anything I put it, in case more joined on to the end. I also added additional treats for the same reason.

I would gladly participate in the EVTKS again in place if MMMM next year. My suggestion is maybe do one in December and the second mid February? Southern growers might choose the first box where northerners or people less concerned with immediate growing could choose the second. Some could choose both boxes?

This may also allow the first box to return and at least be a portion of the beginning of the second box?

The downside to this idea of mine is usually shipping charges are higher from 11/1-1/1 I believe, I do not know if this impacts the priority box cost?

If there is anything I can do (I don’t know what that would be, but I wanted to offer in case there is) to help you with this portion of the mmmm please don’t hesitate to ask.

I did speak with Val, as she was the next person after the Wisconsin member to receive the EBTKS and hopefully you have an address for her. If not I have it and can provide it to you. She also struggles a bit with the site.

~Sam

[MissS]

"She also struggles a bit with the site." @Homegrwoninillinois Sam would you please PM me and tell me what problems she is having using the site? I'm wondering if there is something that we need to do to make the site more user friendly.