wykvlvr wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 9:48 pm Starting to worry mine was supposed to be there by the 15th or a few days later due to weather... hope it makes it there soon.

OswaldAcres wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 11:57 pm Feel better soon and don't push yourself to hard. Take time to recover. We all understand

Charline wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:53 pm I start worrying a bit... Are you ok, tormato?

Tormahto wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 11:01 pm

wykvlvr wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 9:48 pm Starting to worry mine was supposed to be there by the 15th or a few days later due to weather... hope it makes it there soon.

It arrived.

I've been having health issues, nothing serious, just cold and flu like symptoms. Then a snow storm comes in, while my neighbor decides to tune up the snowblower, and puts it out of commission. So, I clear three driveways with a shovel, while still sick. A few days later, after the muscles are no longer sore, I finally could feel that my back is basically out, which means only a few hours of sleep a night.

Now after about 10 days, I'm just getting back to the swap. I've now set it up so that I can work while standing up, as I can't sit down for any length of time. There must be about half a dozen packages that have arrived since about the 15th. I hopefully will get some packages of participants from AZ, CA and FL out in a couple of days.

GoDawgs wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:38 am Would establishing a firm cut off date for sending seeds in help? I can't imagine how you can handle an erratic flow of incoming stuff while trying to get stuff ready to send out. Maybe send in by X or wait until next year?

Tormato wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 1:47 pm

GoDawgs wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:38 am Would establishing a firm cut off date for sending seeds in help? I can't imagine how you can handle an erratic flow of incoming stuff while trying to get stuff ready to send out. Maybe send in by X or wait until next year?

Ask MissS, as her packages just arrived a couple of days ago. Or, look at posts in this thread, dated past November 20th, as that is the unofficial cut-off date. Every year, packages arrive later and later. and there ain't no stopping it.

Doing three swaps, and initially not recording participants who joined more than one, has been the hard part to handle. The smoothest part has been the EBTKS swap (except for finding all mailing addresses), as I have to inventory everything to know what I have and how much I have. While inventorying, selected varieties are put in the large box, killing two Birdie Rouges with one stone.

While I don't like sending packages out very late, participants should realize that if things melt down, here, their back-up plans should be to consider that these swap seeds (indoor starts) may have to be for the 2026 garden. There are a few participants' that specifically plan for 2026, with the bonus that they might be able to sow some seeds, especially the ones that are not started indoors, in 2025.

This year's swap has brought in many people from Tomato Lovers Collective & Swap, hopefully no more than I can handle. But, a few of those participants have pointed out, to me, that they come from TLC and other groups, too. If the word spreads to the other groups, I'll either go to a spring to fall packaging of the bulk of people's wish lists, adding a few more varieties just before shipping packages out. Or, I'll have to do a cut-off to the number of participants. This year, I'm just committed to those who've already joined.

KinaTo wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 2:21 pm

Tormato wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 1:47 pm

GoDawgs wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:38 am Would establishing a firm cut off date for sending seeds in help? I can't imagine how you can handle an erratic flow of incoming stuff while trying to get stuff ready to send out. Maybe send in by X or wait until next year?

Ask MissS, as her packages just arrived a couple of days ago. Or, look at posts in this thread, dated past November 20th, as that is the unofficial cut-off date. Every year, packages arrive later and later. and there ain't no stopping it.

Doing three swaps, and initially not recording participants who joined more than one, has been the hard part to handle. The smoothest part has been the EBTKS swap (except for finding all mailing addresses), as I have to inventory everything to know what I have and how much I have. While inventorying, selected varieties are put in the large box, killing two Birdie Rouges with one stone.

While I don't like sending packages out very late, participants should realize that if things melt down, here, their back-up plans should be to consider that these swap seeds (indoor starts) may have to be for the 2026 garden. There are a few participants' that specifically plan for 2026, with the bonus that they might be able to sow some seeds, especially the ones that are not started indoors, in 2025.

This year's swap has brought in many people from Tomato Lovers Collective & Swap, hopefully no more than I can handle. But, a few of those participants have pointed out, to me, that they come from TLC and other groups, too. If the word spreads to the other groups, I'll either go to a spring to fall packaging of the bulk of people's wish lists, adding a few more varieties just before shipping packages out. Or, I'll have to do a cut-off to the number of participants. This year, I'm just committed to those who've already joined.

As a first year participant I might don’t have the “right to say anything”
But it sounds like a good idea to have either a maximum amount of people entering, or/and spring/fall sending out. And definitely be stern with the dates- everything coming in after your set date is automatically a fall participant?

And also maybe have on the Wishlist if one would like to take part in fall or spring?

But hey Im Scandinavian we love rules and strict system we can follow so I might be coloured by that

karstopography wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 2:54 pm I’m in the minimal rules camp if there are any camps. I had fun with the growing, the harvesting, the packaging and the shipping of seeds for the swap. That whole process had its own rewards without any expectation of an additional return. It’ll be even more fun getting a package of seeds in the mail whenever that happens to be.

Tormato wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:20 pm

karstopography wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 2:54 pm I’m in the minimal rules camp if there are any camps. I had fun with the growing, the harvesting, the packaging and the shipping of seeds for the swap. That whole process had its own rewards without any expectation of an additional return. It’ll be even more fun getting a package of seeds in the mail whenever that happens to be.

I just have to get you to try Seek-No-Further Love Apple. Your comments on tomato texture confuse me. I understand the hard/crunchy aversion. You also don't like very soft texture, but you like Prudens Purple. In my garden, Prudens Purple is one of the softest "meaty" tomatoes I've ever tried. (I disregard the softness of tomatoes that are mostly gel) But, since its flavor is over the top, I overlook that softness.

karstopography wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:30 pm

Tormato wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:20 pm

karstopography wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 2:54 pm I’m in the minimal rules camp if there are any camps. I had fun with the growing, the harvesting, the packaging and the shipping of seeds for the swap. That whole process had its own rewards without any expectation of an additional return. It’ll be even more fun getting a package of seeds in the mail whenever that happens to be.

I just have to get you to try Seek-No-Further Love Apple. Your comments on tomato texture confuse me. I understand the hard/crunchy aversion. You also don't like very soft texture, but you like Prudens Purple. In my garden, Prudens Purple is one of the softest "meaty" tomatoes I've ever tried. (I disregard the softness of tomatoes that are mostly gel) But, since its flavor is over the top, I overlook that softness.

Pruden’s Purple is “soft”, is that the right word? Pruden’s purple definitely isn’t mushy. Maybe it’s about all the gel, too much gel, very, very bad.