The 2021-2022 Seed Exchange (our 28th year!) is now open for online and mail-in orders!The 2021-2022 catalog is available for viewing here.
Seed Exchange CatalogTo order online, visit www.hardyplantseedshop.org and instructions are available there. There are a few things to be aware of when ordering online. The user ID and password are the same as your HPS login. When many users are in the online order website, it will run slower - be patient. All members can order 25 packages of seeds. If you have donated seed to this years Seed Exchange or plan to volunteer at a workshop later in January or early February, then you can order 10 Bonus packets. Only 1 dual membership member will be able to order online since the system can only process 1 member order – we are not Amazon! The other dual member will need to use the paper order form in the back of the Seed Exchange catalog and mail in the form and fee. The online ordering system can take credit cards or you can choose to pay by check (checks are to be addressed to Mary Ann Thomas, 8600 Elliston Drive, Wyndmoor, PA 19038) and the fee this year has been increased to $25, due to shipping costs. The online seed ordering system closes on January 21st. To order by mail, print out the inside back cover of the catalog or use the form from your mailed catalog. Fill out the form alphabetically, since it will be easier for the volunteers to follow. Fill out the Seed code, the name of the seed and the donor number you wish to receive. Mail-in orders are due by January 18th. Again, some seed is in short supply. Order early to receive the seeds you would like. Adding alternatives to either the online ordering system or mail-in form are still an option. ****************************************************************** Important Volunteer Information from Polly Garnett, our Seed Exchange volunteer coordinator: The Seed Exchange workshops will be cleaning, sorting and packaging seeds again at the Tyler Arboretum in its Terrace Room (located at the back side of the Barn). Workshops will begin on Wednesday, Jan.26 and Thursday, Jan. 27th, working from 10 a.m-3 p.m. and continue each week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through Feb. 1- 17, weather permitting or until we are finished. We want only 8 volunteers each day. FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED INSIDE THE ROOM. Hopefully each person will be vaccinated and boosted. We will have seating carefully spaced and provide sanitizer, gloves, and wipes. We will be cleaning surfaces at the end of each day. What we found last year was that the opportunity to socialize was wonderful!! Do remember to dress warmly as the room can be chilly. Directions to Tyler Arboretum can be found online. Stop at the visitor’s center to announce that you are volunteering at the Seed Exchange. This is a terrific wintertime activity, getting to know other HPS members, and sharing all types of info. Non-members are also welcome to help. To ensure that we have adequate coverage each day, but no more than 8 scheduled, it is important that you schedule your volunteer day(s) in advance with Polly Garnett, our Seed Exchange volunteer coordinator. Here is Polly's contact info: Please bring your lunch. We will have a microwave if you wish to warm something. As winter weather is unpredictable, we ask that before you set out on your scheduled day, you check on the HPS website, www.HardyPlant.org for any cancellation announcement that will be on the site by 8 am. Or if you prefer, if weather is questionable, you can call the seed exchange chairman, Susan Doblmaier after 8 am, 215-200-0660. She will try to remember to look at her phone. We look forward to hearing from you and possibly seeing you this year! 2022 Dates for Seed Exchange Order Fulfillment Workshops: ****************************************************************** Any member or non-member can submit seeds or volunteer to clean and sort seeds. To order seeds, one must be a member of HPS/MAG. Click here for the membership form. To learn more about the Exchange, read "A Seed of an Idea and How it Grew" and "The Power of Seed" from past HPS Newsletters. Also visit the Avant Gardens Blog, GardenForeplay, for their 2014 posting titled "Collecting Seed for Seed Exchanges." Working with the Seed Exchange is a fun way to meet fellow plant lovers in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. If you have questions or want to know how you can participate, please contact Susan Doblmaier, [email protected] or 215-542-7865.
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Since the fall and winter of 1993-94, the Seed Exchange has been one of the activities that makes HPS/MAG stand out from all of the other plant societies in the Mid-Atlantic region. Each year, as the fruiting season for a plant comes to an end, dedicated Society members collect the seeds and forward them, along with a description of the plant, to the Seed Exchange Team. The information is then used to create the Seed Exchange Catalog. This year’s annual edition (see link above) of the Catalog includes 923 seed donations generously contributed by 56 gardeners, from beginners to professionals and includes approximately 79 new seed varieties never before offered in our catalog.