2012 Seed Circles - Poll

[zazen999]

For 2 years now, we on the Vine have held seed circles and very interesting they have been too.

The first year, we had 2 general circles, with about 16 people in each. Some dropped out but a fair amount of seed was swapped.

The second we had 2 general circles, which were merged into one after a few people dropped out; plus a Tomato, a Chilli, a Pea and Bean and a Squash circle. So that was 1 in the end. Numbers were lower, but lots of seeds were saved and swapped again.

So, the question is, do we add speciality circles again, go for a general approach as in the first year, Forget the general and just stick to specials...the choice is - well - ours! Or do we extend the number in the general to [say] 32 and all send in 32 packs...easy for some seeds but not so for others...

Please, could all interested parties chip in with comments, and vote on the poll. If anyone has another suggestion then I'll add it to the poll as we go.

Note: I am a member of a different circle on another forum; and I received 72 bags of seed - it was fantastic. There is something fabulous about receiving seed that you would never think to grow - and many of these are not run of the mill, so the huge circle would also be about the seasoned savers trying something a little different this year...for example, true potato seed etc

*ETA - Sorry - I've redone the thread so please revote - the other one wouldn't let you have multiple votes

[donnakebab]

I'm keen to get involved but not sure how to vote. I'm comfortable with cucurbits and enjoy growing them because I love the flowers. This year I will be growing peas and mangetout which I haven't grown before...well not for a long time anyway so it will be a challenge, which I like and will give me extra incentive. Then I think I should vote for the beginer circle because everybody on the vine seems so competant and I feel I still have so much to learn.

Last year I had plans to grow so many things but something happened at the end of February and all my plans went pear shaped so as long as nothing happens this spring I should be up and running (not literally, I have weak ankles)

Please advise anyone

[veggiechicken]

I can't guarantee being able to grow and save seed from a particular named plant as I can't ensure that there wouldn't be cross-pollination. So anything specific is out for me. The general swap that is taking place at present suits me down to the ground - and I like the random seed swap too as it threw up some varieties that I would not have thought of trying.

[VirginVegGrower]

I echo VC's comments above however I am going to give seed saving a go this year and have deliberately opted for open pollinated varieties that I can save from. I am looking to create dedicated and smaller beds on the allotment. I will start with the easy seed saving first and work up to the others over the next two years. F1 is now Forgotten 1.

[stella]

Same here as above. The thing that I find off putting (unless I have got it wrong, which could easily be the case) is that you have to submit many packets of seed at once and I often only have a few packets at any one time.

[northepaul]

I would much rather participate in specialist circles, as (and please dont be offended) I dont really like the new virtual general seed parcel. I dont like the spread sheet and the titles of each section are confusing - esp with herbs being in more than one catagory for example etc.

I would hate the circles being the same as this.

Its also nice that different people run them, it must spread the load abit?

I wondered about running more this year, more specialist ones?

Just some thoughts

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

I voted for a Specials circle, as I don't think we need any General circles due to the Virtual Seed Parcel. Save a few seeds and swap for something you want, no need to try and save a lot of seeds (which can be difficult due to lack of space/ weather....) It does get Grapes into the habit of saving seeds. But is dependent on the hard work and goodwill of Zaz and Chris (sorry not trying to lumber you with more work).

The Specials need not be something which is hard to save seed from, just something unusual. I've got D'Eyseinne (sp?) carrots from Real Seeds which I'm hoping I'll be able to save seed from next year (but to be honest I doubt it - I live in a really damp area). Well if I can't do the carrots I'll try Peruvian Ginseng (tastes not bad). If that fails how about Zahir Bread Poppy and the Nutmeg Flower, both are unusual but easy to get seed from. Both are beautiful flowers whose seeds are edible.

[zazen999]

I dont like the spread sheet and the titles of each section are confusing - esp with herbs being in more than one catagory for example etc.

I would hate the circles being the same as this.

The herbs are going to have to be in different section as they are from difference families; and some do get put into the wrong section every now and then but are changed over when pointed out.

The Circles are NOT the same as the Virtual Seed Parcel; we set this up to save people's postage money, plus people can join in as and when they want...and whole parcels won't go missing.

The Circles are about saving from one or two types and sharing the results between the other members of the Circle.

I know you can't please all the people all the time but I do wonder sometimes...

[VirginVegGrower]

I for one am grateful and love this new seed circle. Everything is under one roof. It's not that difficult to look through. Just a mouse click away from seeing yet MORE seeds. It's benefitted me hugely already as I have received some varieties I wanted that are unusual to me. Hopefully mine have contributed something back. Having them all over the place with multiple threads going round, seemed like chaos. I guess it's what you know, but I like efficiency and this VSP runs like a dream. However, I think the amount of hours you and Chris have put in needs More output from us all and less from you two. Maybe eroom this as it stands so people have to Internet shop it if you like and the VSP has an almost PoS quality to it.
Thank you Zazen and Chris! Please let's not keep going round in lots of circles. Didn't some get lost?!

[Thelma Sanders]

I voted for a couple of special circles, for tomatoes and cucurbits that I'm really interested in growing.
The seed saving for the squash will take a bit of organising, but I'll give it a go

[northepaul]

I did say dont be offended!!

Its just my opinion.

and also I completely understand the reason for the change in format for the seed parcels.

I was under the impression that you were thinking of doing the same to the circles too?

Maybe its my dyslexic reading of the first post then?

[veggiechicken]

Excuse my ignorance everyone but there seem to have been several different methods for exchanging seeds here and I, for one am confused!
This is my understanding of the methods:
1. The specific Seed Circle, open to a limited number of people who agree to grow a named variety and provide seeds of that variety to others in the Circle
2. A pass the parcel thing that went from one to another , where you took out something and replaced it with summat else (before it went AWOL). This was often a specific parcel - like tomatoes or chillis.
3. The Virtual Seed Parcel, where you choose what you want from the VSP list and swap it for anything else.
4. The Random seed swap which was, as it says a random collection distributed Pot luck to those who submitted seeds.

A question - were 1 and 2 the same?

[Jeanied]

I voted for the specials too I love the idea of developing land races around the country and sharing as well as getting my hands on interesting varieties I would not normally try.

I was tickled to see a seed company offering Purple Gusto chilli seed as a new introduction this year! I have been saving the seed and sharing around the vine for a couple of years now!

As for the demise of the traditional seed parcels, well I had such fun putting my two together and organising it, I am not totally unbiased! It is lovely to get a big parcel of different seeds and just browse and look at the pictures etc. However I know the postage costs caused concerns for one or two people - and also there were a few anxious and frustrating moments when we weren't sure where the parcels were! And not all grapes play totally fair with them. Having said that- the down side was more than made up for by the lovely responses from people who enjoyed the parcel as much as I did!

[SarzWix]

I quite like the smaller, specialised circles. It fits in with my thing of having a 'passion' for a changing, particular type of veg. I did pea and bean swaps for a couple of years and have more than enough types of those to try for a while, so I'd like to do tomatoes again, because I've got some unusual/rare types to try this year, and think it would be nice to share them out if they do well.

The 'general' circles are good too, but I still haven't got the hang of saving biennials so I don't have as much to offer there really.

[zazen999]

A pass the parcel thing that went from one to another , where you took out something and replaced it with summat else (before it went AWOL). This was often a specific parcel - like tomatoes or chillis.

This was replaced by...
The Virtual Seed Parcel, where you choose what you want from the VSP list and swap it for anything else.

Because of the postage costs, and the length of time it took to go round the county. Of course, it will never replace getting a parcel full of seeds to pore over; but we had several [6 I believe] that went missing 2 years ago, and quite a number that people donated seeds to last year but nobody every got to see because it was held back for some reason....
_____________________________________
This poll is ONLY about the SEED CIRCLES - where you save from seeds and share it with other people in the circle. This isn't about any other swaps or parcels...to decide what circles we want to specifically save for in 2012.