With temperatures about to plummet, it's time to think about winter sowing and spring planting - and that means SEEDS!
Please POST ON THIS THREAD to let me know you're planning to attend and also let me know if you'll have an item for the gift table. Questions go here, too, but trade requests and have/want lists for the swap will be handled by a new seed swap tool on AllThingsPlants. This invite/info thread will be posted on the MAG forum here and at ATP, so all our Mid-Atlantic friends can participate. This is NOT the place to debate about your garden site preferences. Thanks!
I'll post links to discussion threads and swap lists once that's set up.
Date: SUNDAY, Jan 31, 2016
TIME: noon to 4:30 pm
WHAT: lunch followed by seed swap party
WHERE: Frederick, MD, Chef Lin Buffet (scroll down for directions)
WHO: DG and ATP members and their guests
(scroll down thread )
COST: $18 in cash, please, per person
(inclusive: Sunday buffet, hot tea or soft drink, tip, tax)
If you are definitely not having a soft drink, subtract $2 and tell Sally
If you are 65 or over, subtract 10% and tell Sally
Kids are $1 per year of age
BRING: Extra seeds, either commercial or self-harvested. If you're going to split seeds into smaller packs, try to do that ahead of time, because it gets crazy! We'll have a "free to good home" pile also. Most seeds are viable 5 years or so, if stored dry & cool, but please don't offer seeds (even for the "free" pile) that are unlikely to sprout. Rule of thumb: bring seeds that you would be happy to receive. Most people bring a small item for the "gift table," which is sort of an expanded door prize thing that we like to do.
Most of all, bring your enthusiasm -- we're going to have a great time!
If you've never been to a Mid-Atlantic event, don't worry... we are a fun and casual group. Everybody brings their extra seeds to swap & share (it's very useful to make up little labeled packets ahead of time), everybody visits and talks, and everybody goes home with a nice selection of seeds to try! I wrote an article that may give you an idea about how this event goes. I think we're in our 9th year!
You may want to plan to come early so you can drop by Dutch Plant Farm, my favorite local nursery for winter visits. Joyanna's favorite bird, Pogo the Parrot, lives there. I wrote an article that has a lot of photos taken there, if you'd like an idea of what they are likely to have. I will try to arrange a "Dave's Garden Discount" for our group on that day, so please be sure to ask for it at the register. They'll be open 10 to 5.
http://thedutchplantfarm.com/h...
We'll meet at noon or a little before at Chef Lin, a local Chinese buffet that's one of my favorite Frederick restaurants. First, we'll gather in the back room (12 to 12:30) to get name tags and put our "stuff" down. I'll have a tray with bags for putting in seeds or little goodies for everybody (your name will be on the bag, but please leave it where it is until you're ready to leave). There will be a "gift table" set up as well as some tables/chairs where you can leave your seeds for the swapping part of the afternoon.
Look for Sally -- the tall blond with the dazzling smile -- and give her your lunch money. $18 cash per person includes the buffet, tax & tip, and your choice of water, hot tea, or soft drink. You may subtract $2 if you do not order a soft drink. Let's make it easy on our waitstaff and on Sally by not getting extras like adult beverages or snow crab.
I know some folks might be on tight budgets, and we've all been there. If the cost of the meal might keep you from coming, please Dmail me, and we'll get you covered. I don't want anybody to miss out.
Space permitting, we'll eat at the tables in the rear of the restaurant. This will let us all eat together but be a little less cramped than in the past. As always, people are encouraged to change seats after they make another trip to the buffet, so they get a chance to talk to different people during the meal.
You won't miss out on seafood by skipping the snow crab; the Sunday buffet usually includes sushi, steamed shrimp & mussels, garlicky little steamed clams, flounder, clams/oysters on the half shell, fried fish/shrimp/scallops, semi-fried "pepper shrimp," sweet coconut shrimp, steamed crabs, salmon and/or haddock, krab salad, and more. The hibachi grill lets you create your own combination of meats and vegetables, cooked for you on the spot.
The buffet also has everything from soups and stir-fries to fried chicken and mozzarella sticks... there's salad, fruit, and an expanded array of desserts. The Sunday menu has some nice additions, including crispy duck. Ice cream lovers are in luck -- they now have a toppings bar as well as 3 ice cream stations: Hershey's ice cream cups & bars, hand-scooped ice cream, and choc/vanilla soft serve. There's a chocolate fountain (great selection of fruit & other dipping items) and even a cotton candy machine! Don't miss the hot little fried sugared doughnuts on the appetizer bar. The selection is remarkable, and even if you don't like Chinese food you'll find plenty of possibilities.
Around 2 pm, we'll change gears with an activity (TBA) before starting in on door prizes and seed swapping. If you have something you'd like to donate to the "gift table," please Dmail me or post that you're bringing an item (I don't need to know what; keeping a count just lets me ensure everybody gets a little something). Purchased items for the table are generally under $5. If you got a pair of too-small garden gloves for Christmas, or you have a pretty grapevine wreath you're just done with, or you have an extra rooting vase or other container -- those are all wonderful gift table items!
We'll concentrate on seed swapping from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. Of course, seeds can be swapped outside of that time, and of course anybody who doesn't want to swap seeds can just keep chatting and visiting. I bet some of us will be at Dutch Plant Farm after the swap, too!
Instead of our usual discussion and have/want thread for swapping, we will use the new "Seed Swaps" tool at AllThingsPlants. It's not necessary to make any arrangements ahead of time, but it can be useful to see what people have and what they might be wishing for. If you have seeds sorted out ahead of time for people, you can "deliver" them into their goodie bags (like valentine mail boxes in grade school).
We can get away with a few plants on the gift table, but "serious" plant trading will have to take place in the parking lot, maybe around 4. Small bagged plants and cuttings are OK to bring inside the restaurant.
If you can't come but still want to swap seeds, please post here or on the seed swapping thread to ask somebody to volunteer to be your "seed fairy." You can use the ATP seed swap tool to participate, send your seeds and return postage to your person, and they'll send your seeds to you after the swap.
I had a blast at our previous seed swaps, and I'm so excited about this year's gathering!
THINK SPRING!
:-)
~ Critter (Jill)
