Members seed contributions and list

[deluxestogie]

Just remember that seed in a seed bank is perishable. While it does last easily five years, and probably ten years, under ideal storage conditions, I think it would be reasonable to aim for a renewal grow-out at least every five years. That would be 20% of the varieties renewed every year by reliable growers. Although the numbers aren't that large, it does pose an administrative challenge, just to keep track of who, what, when and where.

Bob

 

[Chicken]

Just remember that seed in a seed bank is perishable. While it does last easily five years, and probably ten years, under ideal storage conditions, I think it would be reasonable to aim for a renewal grow-out at least every five years. That would be 20% of the varieties renewed every year by reliable growers. Although the numbers aren't that large, it does pose an administrative challenge, just to keep track of who, what, when and where.

Bob

your the '' administrator''

looks like you may have your work cut out for you.

>>

 

[Grundle]

Just remember that seed in a seed bank is perishable. While it does last easily five years, and probably ten years, under ideal storage conditions, I think it would be reasonable to aim for a renewal grow-out at least every five years. That would be 20% of the varieties renewed every year by reliable growers. Although the numbers aren't that large, it does pose an administrative challenge, just to keep track of who, what, when and where.

Bob

A program can be written to help alleviate most of the tracking burden...

 

[FmGrowit]

It's funny this came up...I was thinking about it yesterday.

First, Bob is under no obligation to produce anything for the seed bank. He has already contributed more than everyone else combined.

Second, It would be a full time job for someone to refresh the number of varieties in stock every 5 years.

Which brings me to what I was contemplating yesterday...

I'd like you guys to help create some kind of workable rule for how the seed is allocated. I don;t see how I can continue to give away seed without there being some kind of regeneration program in place.

Four of the grow-outs I'm doing this year are from the very last seeds of those varieties. One was down to 9 seeds...that's how close we were to losing that variety forever.

I really can't see any way around hiring someone to do the grow-outs.

 

[Grundle]

This being a hobbyist and amateur growing community, I don't think it would be any problem for several of us to choose a different variety "in need" to grow and send back to you.

This is the same concept as distributed computing. It is impossible for one computer to do all the work, so you have several computers working in parallel and it ends up saving literally years of processing time (if you were only using that one computer).

I am fairly excited to always being able to try out new varieties and I am pretty sure that others here feel the same way. Maybe we can organize a group/guild/club that is in a private/semi-private forum where the list can be posted and prospective growers can choose which variety they want to grow and replenish on a first come first serve basis.

This is off the top of my head right now, maybe someone else can help develop this idea more

 

[indianjoe]

Don,
jsut post the list and give the years countdown needed for growout help. Divided among all of us, surely we can accomplish per 3-5 years. As to allocating the seed, we are just here to support, you determine the outcome.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I know Don posted a request early this year for help growing out some seeds. I volunteered to grow some but I do not know how many other members did. I'd be curious to know what % of people offered to help

 

[johnlee1933]

I know Don posted a request early this year for help growing out some seeds. I volunteered to grow some but I do not know how many other members did. I'd be curious to know what % of people offered to help

I don't know either but for what it's worth, count me in.

John

 

[workhorse_01]

I've planted gold dollar, ytb, hickory pryor, one sucker, big Gem, and virginia gold. If i can help let me know what you need.

 

[BarG]

I'm bagging the best plant of each of the 19 varietys I have planted. Most are the same varietys as other members have planted but they will be made available for seed bank if needed. All I need is about 555 of each, or 1 or 2 seed pods of each.

It may be a good idea to have seeds of the same variety grown in different regions! It would be that much harder to keep up with though.

 

[deluxestogie]

As for the administrative side of the seed bank, I have a robust database (SQL Server) designed and set up. The website (Asp.Net) is about 1/2 done, but I haven't really worked on it since this season got under way. Hopefully it will be up by seed time, in the fall.

Bob

 

[workhorse_01]

As long as we fill the seed bank . In the short time i've been here i have really seen the member list grow, lots of new user names and it'd be nice to have seed on hand for contributing members. I'm bagging two of each type for insurance.

 

[Chicken]

perhaps, we can bag our seed,,,

and give fm... our info on the seed we have in high supply,

and when someone request's some seed, he can just p.m. us the addy,

and let us do the shipping,of the strain the guy wants,,/ vs the strain we have on stock,

i know last year, i sure sent a lot of people some big-gem,

and this year a lot of those same people are growing it,

/////////////////////

so we really dont need a central distribution person,

we can all join in and help. accomplish the process, of delivering free seed to people,

ive come with a ingenious way of sending the seed while protecting it also,{it's been tried and tested allready, and the seed made it intact'']

i put some seed in a small ziplock '' druggie bag'' thats what i call them small bags. and i put cigg butts in there with the seeds, and they survived the brutality of the postal service,

 

[workhorse_01]

I'm up for whatever helps the site the most .

 

[FmGrowit]

Rest assured, anyone who donates seed will receive free seed. Maybe next year we should try a system where each member who requests seed, can do a small grow-out of one variety.

We have plenty of time to figure things out, but it's never too early to start thinking about what the solution is.

 

[BarG]

I'll post a list at end of season with pics of bagged plants so Admin. can choose any they may need or want contributed.

Question; How many plants would be needed to be considered a small grow out? If theres any I have growing now needed I could always bag several more of a needed variety. I'll check my grow log and update or edit for varietys just in case.

 

[FmGrowit]

To refresh any variety, only 5 - 6 pods are needed. The collection was never intended to supply quantities needed for commercial crops

Someday, we might find a variety that becomes commercially viable, but that's pretty unlikely since all commercial seed is developed over the course of many years using existing hybrids.

 

[SmokeStack]

I have Indian Rustica plants that already have seed pods. It is cool to see this for the first time! Some pods were dried up so I opened a pod and a bunch of seeds poured out. I have about 10 plants and I estimate that I could get at least 2,000 seeds - maybe even more. The original seeds came from www.seedman.com and were named as Indian Rustica. In a couple of weeks I expect all the seed pods to dry out. I would like to donate these seeds to the seed bank. I am not sure how the system works - should I mail my seeds to Don or Bob?

 

[deluxestogie]

Don't mail them to me. At present, Don is doing the scut work of handling and distributing the seed, and paying for all that postage (not such good deal). Perhaps that work can be off-loaded to other members in the future. If I ever get back on my butt, and complete the seed bank database (probably after harvest is complete), then it will handle all the tracking on-line. But the physical handling of the seed (tricky and tedious, as you know) still needs to be done by somebody. And I believe that the postage, at least, should be paid by any established members receiving seed--just my opinion. I also feel that members should pay for seed, maybe $2+ per packet, to cover the costs of packaging and labeling.

Differing opinions are welcome.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

Don't mail them to me. At present, Don is doing the scut work of handling and distributing the seed, and paying for all that postage (not such good deal). Perhaps that work can be off-loaded to other members in the future. If I ever get back on my butt, and complete the seed bank database (probably after harvest is complete), then it will handle all the tracking on-line. But the physical handling of the seed (tricky and tedious, as you know) still needs to be done by somebody. And I believe that the postage, at least, should be paid by any established members receiving seed--just my opinion. I also feel that members should pay for seed, maybe $2+ per packet, to cover the costs of packaging and labeling.

Differing opinions are welcome.

Bob

I agree and would be happy to pay my postage.

John