duane456 said:Personally, I obtain seeds from swaps to try that particular plant in my area to see if it's a keeper. Very rarely, the person giving the seed I want, gives too little amount. I don't think I would ever ask for a double batch. If you want more of that seed, then collect it for the next year so you have it. I just don't see why anyone would want a extra pack. Just my opinion.
I think that Seed Savers Institute has that kind of philosophy. It was decades ago that I looked into it, so I may have forgotten or imagined this,but I thought they had a rule LIMITING the size of a trade packet to be some number as small as 30 (if I recall). Barely enough to maintain genetic diversity for some species!
Then you really HAVE TO multiply the seed if you want more than a small sample of it. That might be a goal of SSE.
But for saved seeds I have in abundance? No problem, except for keeping a record of "Joe asked for more XYZ". I know that I like to be able to buy one packet of commercial seeds, and get a few sowings from it this year, plus some left over for next year. That gives me 3-4 chances to get a good crop and decide whether I like it. A seed trader might appreciate the same luxury, when plenty of seed is available.
I guess a host could push a themed swap in either direction by setting upper or lower bounds on packet size. One host might agree with Duane, and consider the swap a way to SAMPLE many varieties. Another host might want to run a swap that lets seed-saving participants provide each other with enough seed for a 30' row, direct-sown and then brutally thinned.
One problem with that is that some plants like tomatoes are typically started in flats and then planted out spaced widely. Five tomato plants cover a very large area compared to 5 pea vines or bushes. So 10 tomato seeds might be a medium-size-pkt, but 30 peas might be a small pkt.
But ten carrot seeds aren't enough to be worth labeling! Any "size" rules would have to cover a wide range, from dust-like seeds to peas and beans.
