7th ANNUAL CANADIAN AUTUMN SEED SWAP
Its that time of year again!!! If you wish to join in, just send me a message with your email address & I will add you to the mailer (:
7th ANNUAL CANADIAN AUTUMN SEED EXCHANGE GUIDELINES
(Partially paraphrased from Heather MacDonald’s annual pepper/tomato swap guidelines – with her permission.
Seeds must be post marked by November 6th. You are welcome to send your envelope earlier, but please do not send it after the 6th, as I will have to return it unopened. Address will be sent when you join the swap.
1. You can send in up to 40 seed packs for exchange & as many bonuses as you wish. If you send in 40 packages, you will get 40 packages back. If you send in 5 packages you will get 5 back. Bonuses will be divided between everyone, so you will end up with more than you send in. Occasionally seed packs are split to fill more popular wishes. You can send in up to 2 packs of the same variety. If you send in more than 2 packs of the same variety I will contact you. I can either use the seeds as bonus or send them back to you in your return envelope.
2. This swap is for NAMED VARIETIES of seed only. DO NOT send in seeds that do not have a variety name. Please mark the seed package with the type of seed (annual or perennial, flower, herb, vegetable, etc.) & the variety name. If you know – mark whether they are heirloom or OP, commercial or hybrid, year collected. If there is anything that are unsure of, just ask! Do not include mixes or mystery seeds or unnamed varieties (example – bell pepper or red oriental poppy) . Unknown varieties will be sent back to you, unless marked as bonuses.
If you are sending in hybrid seed, only F1 seed from a commercial source is acceptable. Please mark the source on the package. Do not send in seeds you have collected from a hybrid plant. They will not grow true to the parent plant. If you are unsure if the seed you have collected is from a hybrid, please research online or send me a message.
Seed doesn’t need to be collected from bagged or separated varieties, accidental crosses occasionally happen. When you grow out the seeds that you receive please try not to be upset if an occasional plant isn’t true. Sometimes crosses are better than the original … That being said, please don’t send in seed that you know is crossed & will not grow true.
3. Please include a list of the seeds that you are sending in. Also include a wish list or preferences & if there are any seeds you do not want to receive. I will try my best to accommodate wish lists, but there are no guarantees. The returned seeds will be completely dependent upon what is sent in. The easiest wishlists to fill include some specifics, but also some general wishes. Don’t be shy. It is easier if your wishlist has 1000 things on it! (: Please feel free to email your wishlist earlier. It is easier for me to fill more of your wishes. If you want to change your wish list at any time before I send back your envelope, just let me know.
4. Please mail your seeds inside of a bubble envelope with your return address label inside. It is important that you send a regular bubble envelope & not the heavy cardboard type to keep within the weight restriction. Please send $2.95 return postage. If your package uses less postage I will send you back the difference. Please do not assume that your postage will be the same as your package that you send in. There may be lots of bonus seeds or heavy seeds. I will reuse your original bubble envelope to send your seeds back to you. If you go to Canada Post & they try to charge you more, be sure to tell them that is Lettermail, non-standard and oversize – just make sure that is the correct size to fit through the slot!
The weight category (usually) is:
$2.95. 100-200 grams
“https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/pages/lettersdocs/default.page” This has been the correct weight category for almost every package that I have sent out in previous years.
5. Please include both your real name (for mailing) and your screen name & your email – so I know who has sent in their seeds!
WHAT TO SEND:
Inside your bubble wrap envelope you should have;
1. Whatever seed you are contributing to the swap
2. A list of seed you have put in your envelope
3. Stamps totaling $2.95 (you will need another $2.95 in stamps to send your seeds to me)
4. An address label with your address on it.
5. A wish list or do not want list!
6. Your name & Screen name along with an email address.
Remember, you can email your wish list as soon as it is ready, making it easier to fill.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know. Happy trading!
Nicky
Fabulous. How do I go about sening you a message with my wish list and to get your mail address to send seeds to?d
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Just read the guidelines & let me know if you have any questions. I will send you an email to confirm (:
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I’m interested!
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I will send an email to confirm later this week. (:
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So excited for the exchange! Thank you for hosting it. 🙂
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(: Can’t wait to see what you send in. I didn’t know that you had a blog! Its awesome. I love those zinnias!
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Thanks! I find it a fun way of keeping track of how things do and a great way to compare notes from year to year. It also lets my family and friends in other parts of the country see what I am up to. I have Meteor zinnia seeds drying as we speak. 🙂
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I would love to join!
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Great! Welcome to the swap. I will add you to the email list.
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This reminds me of chain letters as child, haha!
I am incredibly excited about this! I would love to joint!
I’ll start mulling over my wish list now!
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Welcome Janet (: I will forward the 2 group emails that have been sent out. Let me know if you have any questions!
Cheers
Nicky
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Hello Nicky, this is a fabulous idea. I would love to join! Please add me to your mail list 🙂
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I have added you to the list & will forward the group emails to date (:
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Pingback: Seed Exchange - A Great Way To Get Free Seed - Garden Fundamentals
I would like to take part in this Seed Exchange as well!!
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I would like to join as well, please send me an email. -Julie.
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I will forward the group emails. Welcome to the swap!
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Hi Nicky,
Just a note to let you know that i have change my email address from xxxxxxxxx to xxxxxxxxxx. was worried that i will not get my mail as i have forgotten your email address. so please don’t send anything to the old address.
thanks
caroline ngeh
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I changed it in the list. I x’ed it out, so it isn’t in public view. Thanks Caroline!
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Hello Nicky,
Thank you very much for many years of organizing seed exchange. It is hard work on your side and also a great organizational talent. It was a pleasure and fun to participate for several years. I highly recommend it to other gardeners.
I wish you and your family (with all your pets included) good health and success with all you do.
Jay (and Margaret) from Cambridge, On.
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Jay! I wondered what adventure you were away on when I didn’t hear from you (:
I hope that you & Margaret have a lovely Christmas. I have some beautiful annual flower seeds this year, if you would like some!
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Will you be doing this exchange again in 2018? I may be interested in doing so if you do. Thanks,
Colleen
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Most likely, yes. If you would like to be added to the email reminder list, message your address.
Cheers!
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Im not sure but I think im on already but I will add here as well just in case. beachroome@hotmail.com
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