Hi Leslie! I'm glad you're joining the swap!
Don't hesitate to ask how to do something: it's all very easy AFTER you figure out how to do it once.
BEFORE you know how, ... it might not be obvious.
I was thinking once of making a series of screenshots, so the directions could just be "Click HERE and then THERE" instead of trying to find words to describe each screen.
The grand plan is:
1. get some plants into "Your SWAP List".
(The easiest way is to find them in the Plant database, then click on "Add to My Plant List".
Then go to "Your Plant List" and find a button for adding it to "Your SWAP List" with extra info. That button looks like a "recycling" symbol, three circling arrows, as if seed swapping is "recycling" seed packets.
There are several other things that can be done with Your PLANT List, besides seed swapping.)
2. Within "Your Swap List", add any swap info you want,
like approximately how big the pkt is, and how old if more than a few years old. (I like to include what seed vendor it originally came from, so that, years from now, anyone can know exactly where that seed came from.
3. (Join a seed swap)
4. Within "Your Swap List", you should see a column for how many packets to offer to a particular seed swap. Move some of your offered packets into that swap list. (They are not committed to the swap until someone requests them DURING the trading period.)
5. There is also a big green check mark that has to be checked before that kind of seed is REALLY offered to that swap.
I would have to refresh my memory on those last two steps before offering more advice!
I also heard that it might not be totally seamless to be in two swaps AT THE SAME TIME. But I'll soon find out!
6. One you are "in" a swap, you'll see tools that let you update YOUR swap offerings, see what OTHER people are offering, filter and search on all offerings, and ... a key feature ...
7. ... Stars! As you browse through all the offerings in a swap, you'll find things you want a little, or a lot. Put 4-5 stars on the things that thrill you, and 2-3 on things you might like.
During the swap, you can bring up your "Wish List", which is just a list of all offerings that you have "starred", [b]sorted by how many stars you gave that item.
Say you get three requests on the first day. You would request your three things with the most stars. If someone else got your favorite thing before you, go ahead and request as your third thing something with fewer stars.
The second day, say you get six requests. Ask for your NEXT 6 favorite things.
Dave did it that way to skew the results towards everyone having the best chance possible to get the things they want most strongly.
