8th 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 mailing list (: my email is ‘Nicky dot north @gmail.com’

I will be sending a few emails to the group during the swap. There will be a few instructional ones – about seed amounts, seed envelope ideas, etc. and also a few updates and date reminders.

8th 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 5th. You are welcome to send your envelope earlier, but please do not send it after the 5th, as I will have to return it unopened. The address will be sent when you join the swap.

1. You can send in up to 40 seed packs. If you send in 40 packs, you will get 40 packages back. If you send in 5 packages you will get 5 back. You can send in up to 2 packs of the same variety. Feel free to send in as many bonuses as you like. 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.

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 & the variety name. If there is anything that are unsure of, just ask! Do not include mixes or mystery seeds or unnamed varieties (example – green bell pepper or red oriental poppy) . Unknown varieties will be sent back to you. For example: Tomato – Rebel Yell or Cosmos – Rubenza.

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. 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 have 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.

Please do not send in old seed.

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! (: It helps if you email your wishlist as soon as you join the swap. It gives me time to hunt down some of the harder to find seeds.

4. Please mail your seeds inside of a bubble envelope with your return address label inside. I will reuse your bubble envelope to send your seeds back to you. Please send $2.95 return postage. The weight category for most returned packages is $2.95, 100-200 grams. If your package uses less postage I will send back the difference. If you go to Canada Post & they try to charge you more than 2.95, tell them that is Lettermail, non-standard and oversize – just make sure that is the correct size to fit through the slot! Here is the Canada Post rate page:

Click to access Canada.pdf

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. Return stamps totalling $2.95

4. An address label with your name & address on it.

5. A wish list or do not want list.

6. Your name & Screen name along with an email address.

Email your wishlist as soon as you can (you can add things to it any time).

If you have any questions or suggestions just let me know!