After spending half of an afternoon trying without success to create an account with the USDA, I've decided that I will have to mail an application too. The site wouldn't accept my driver's license photos for some reason, nor would it accept that my phone number was my phone number. If anybody else wants to create an account, keep in mind that you will need photos of both the front and back of your license.

Theoretically, you can get your identity verified at a local post office instead of online, but only if the site actually accepts the phone number you give it--and I tried all three of ours!

I tried a few months ago online and gave up when it would not accept my answers regarding a previous address I had in Georgia. I tabled the issue in frustration, but a snail mail application may be my answer, too. Thanks for the informative discussion!

Just had to share this with you guys.

And another good one!

Pine tree gardens is offering free shipping for the next 5 days. Of course, this happens this morning when I got the confirmation that my seeds shipped last night.

No code required.

@ishareflowers Lol, Lisa, that happens to me all the time. I, too, had a Pinetree order shipped just before they arranged the free shipping special.

ishareflowers said: Pine tree gardens is offering free shipping for the next 5 days. Of course, this happens this morning when I got the confirmation that my seeds shipped last night.

No code required.

Thanks for the tip! Can you contact them for shipping $ reimbursement? I know I've contacted bulb companies when I've bought something and they have a price drop within a week. Holland Bulbs specifically gave me a price adjustment.

@Mollie670 , I just placed another order to get the free shipping. I don't know that they would reimburse shipping and I'm not going to bother asking I just made another order to make them pay shipping. 🤦‍♀️

Yeah, that makes sense, Lisa!

ishareflowers said: @Mollie670 , I just placed another order to get the free shipping. I don't know that they would reimburse shipping and I'm not going to bother asking I just made another order to make them pay shipping. 🤦‍♀️

I like the way you think

Mollie670 said: Just had to share this with you guys.

This is hilarious 😂

I haven't had to go that far ... yet .., but I have been known to threaten tantrums 🤣
Pat

Hi all - Haven't done this swap for a few seasons mainly due to California's droughts and increased restrictions for those of us who live in the very high severity fire hazard zones (basically the highest). I've had to take out a few garden beds and reduce plantings (zone 0 is no plants within 5 feet of the home) and that left me with only full sun beds and none with afternoon shade. I did my 6 raised vegetable beds last year and with all the rain/snow this year will be growing more this season. I thought about joining swap #3 and did have enough seed but pulled back and went to ordering small packets from multiple places. Yes, @ishareflowers I'm another person here who placed a Pinetree order pre free shipping then another after because what the heck, I want them to stay in business. Also bought from Harris and Renee's this year and after looking over the forum adding Baker Creek Orange Hat and Basil Cardinal that I've been meaning to try to my 2024 orders. Curious, has GeoSeed had fall sales lately? They used to but may have stopped after Covid.
@Bluespiral - I'd browsed previous posts and saw your hankering for a tomato to go over an arbor. Matt's Wild Cherry would do it - huge plant, prolific. I only didn't continue to grow it as I don't have little ones to send to harvest cherry tomatoes and with weeks over 100°s here, it's just not fun to harvest loads of the small cherries. I tend to grow only the larger cherries or mid-size tomatoes. But, it was tasty. Looks like both Seed Savers and Pinetree have it. https://www.superseeds.com/pro....

I saw someone mention Mass Delete - is there an easy way to just set all packets to zero so you can go back in and update but that way carry the plant list year to year? I'll search around, have been doing them one by one.

@Faerygardener The only short cut I've found to editing entries is to edit and then back arrow twice. That takes you back to where you were on your list instead of the beginning. The entry you just changed will appear unchanged. I usually change several entries and then refresh the page and check that all the changes are there. Sometimes I edit an entry and forget to hit Save before leaving.

Faerygardener said: I saw someone mention Mass Delete - is there an easy way to just set all packets to zero so you can go back in and update but that way carry the plant list year to year? I'll search around, have been doing them one by one.

The easiest and least time consuming thing to do is edit only the entries of items you want to include in the swap and leave the rest as is. They can't be seen by anyone unless they're added to a swap so it doesn't matter if the packet count is zeroed out. I'm lazy, so that's what I do!

Thanks ladies, I'll do both of your suggestions.

Thankyou @Faerygardener for suggesting Matts Wild Cherry Tomato. I would have loved its wildish ambience in the garden - sounds a little like Principe Borghese? But pressure to sell and get out of my community is becoming more painful - not that I'll ever 'freely' give up what's left of my garden.

anyhoo, I'll definitely pounce on it if things improve next year.

@Bluespiral Gosh, I'm so sorry for your issues. That sounds like a horrible thing to be dealing with.

Principe Borghese says to 6ft, Matt's is HUGE - looked to see if there was anything on YouTube - there are a few https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Wow, is this swap popular! I noticed it was maxed out the other day. I'm a little confused though...how are 26 people signed up when the maximum is 25? Is it in case people drop out?

Just a note to say that I finally received my Small Lots of Seed permit via e-mail, about 20 days after I mailed the application. Of course, I also called the APHIS office and faxed them a copy of the application after somebody there suggested I might get a faster response that way.

Yesterday, I e-mailed my congressman's office, too, to see whether the people there could expedite the process. (Patience has never been my strong suit!) So, I don't know whether the fact that I received the license today was due to that or just a coincidence. Now I'll have to hope that the seed company still has my seeds!