'16 Bean, pea, legume swap questions

[SummerSky]

Originally Posted by Tormato

Mayflower, in my garden was a twining pole bean, but a very short one at about 5'- 6'.

Thanks Tormato

[Aerial]

Selecting round 3 of beans to direct sow. This has been SO MUCH FUN all winter and spring. Thank you Tormato for hosting the swap and all participants who sent seeds in.

I have a question regarding the Vermont Cranberry beans. There are 2 packs both dated 2015, but vastly different in color and size. Any thoughts? Thank you...

Vermont Cranberry.JPG

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Tormato

Participation for the bean swap is usually 20-25 people, about half of whom are also in the MMMM. The rate of what each participant sends in is highly variable, from almost nothing to 600 packs. The varieties of beans to send back may be important. Kentucky Wonder, Blue Lake (generic), Rattlesnake, Black Turtle, and several more, are usually sent in by several participants. I likely have enough left over of those, and some other varieties, for next year. Dry beans are the most common sent in, likely because they have to be dried before using. My guess is lots of snaps are eaten, with seed saving less of a priority.

Peas are always in short supply and high demand. Most other legumes are moderate supply, with moderate demand.

I'll be posting what I plan to grow (no guarantee of a crop). For now, Flamingo, Kwintus, Garrafal Oro, and Aunt Mary's Meat are pole snap beans that have done well in the past, and plan to be in the garden with many plants of each. Hopefully others will post their plans, so there will be many different varieties grown.

A plan of about 10 packs of beans (minimum 5 seeds each pack) would be a good start. Once people start sending in their wish lists, we'll know what the demand is. Some varieties may have a much higher demand, especially if someone requests more than one pack of a variety (that's allowed).

The MMMM can be 100+ participants. If someone has a really special variety that is virtually unknown, I have no problem with them sending in 100 packs of that variety, which could be their only donation the swap, if they wish. Typically, people send in 10 packs (minimum 5 seeds a pack) of a variety. They then can choose to enter that variety in the "Categories" part of the swap, or just consider them bonuses. Like the bean swap, participation rates are next to nothing up to several hundred packs. The "average" participant sends in ~100 packs. It may be closer to ~80 , but there are bulk packs of seeds sent in that make a few thousand more packs.

I think I'll start a thread on the 2016 MMMM (a Spoiler Alert), for people who would like to post what tomato and pepper varieties they plan to grow, for people to see what others are planning to grow, and for people to start planning their wish lists.

This reply ^^ answers one of my two questions. Here is what we are growing:

Wando peas - drying right now.
Runner beans - probably won't produce enough to send in any.
Cherokee Trail of Tears.
Asparagus Yard Long Beans - We have a lot planted/growing.
Black Eyes Peas (Cowpeas).
Purple Hull or whatever we find at the feed store (Cowpeas)

My second question is what to mail them in with? A bubble mailer or one of those boxes at the post office? https://store.usps.com/store/browse/...shipping-boxes If everything grows and produces a lot - I would send in a lot of peas/bean seeds - like I did with the MMMM.

Otherwise, it's the same as the MMMM swap...I'm thinking.

[jillian]

Originally Posted by Aerial

Selecting round 3 of beans to direct sow. This has been SO MUCH FUN all winter and spring. Thank you Tormato for hosting the swap and all participants who sent seeds in.

I have a question regarding the Vermont Cranberry beans. There are 2 packs both dated 2015, but vastly different in color and size. Any thoughts? Thank you...

Attachment 60656

Ariel I am so glad you asked this question! I have the same two packets. In fact I have them soaking. I am going to plant all that germinate but would love to know what the difference is.

Jillian

[Aerial]

Extra mailing tips here -

http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost.php?p=525424

http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost.php?p=525454

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

My second question is what to mail them in with? A bubble mailer or one of those boxes at the post office? https://store.usps.com/store/browse/...shipping-boxes

[AlittleSalt]

Thank you Aerial

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Aerial

Selecting round 3 of beans to direct sow. This has been SO MUCH FUN all winter and spring. Thank you Tormato for hosting the swap and all participants who sent seeds in.

I have a question regarding the Vermont Cranberry beans. There are 2 packs both dated 2015, but vastly different in color and size. Any thoughts? Thank you...

Attachment 60656

You're lucky you only have two Vermont Cranberry varieties. There are more. Some are bush, some are pole.

Of the two sent, one should have a light cranberry red colored background with dark cranberry red streaks, and the other would have an off-white to light tan background with cranberry red streaks. Whatever you decide, just keep them separate, as they are different varieties.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

This reply ^^ answers one of my two questions. Here is what we are growing:

Wando peas - drying right now.
Runner beans - probably won't produce enough to send in any.
Cherokee Trail of Tears.
Asparagus Yard Long Beans - We have a lot planted/growing.
Black Eyes Peas (Cowpeas).
Purple Hull or whatever we find at the feed store (Cowpeas)

My second question is what to mail them in with? A bubble mailer or one of those boxes at the post office? https://store.usps.com/store/browse/...shipping-boxes If everything grows and produces a lot - I would send in a lot of peas/bean seeds - like I did with the MMMM.

Otherwise, it's the same as the MMMM swap...I'm thinking.

Robert,

What worked best last year for the bean swap was the Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope (9-1/2" x 12-1/2"). But, my local Post Office rarely has this envelope, and they tell me they can't order it. It can be ordered (a carton of them) and shipped free of charge online. That's what the postal people tell me.

Shipping, using that envelope, is 6.80 (I think) at this time.

Do NOT use the Priority Mail Express padded envelope.

Since you'll likely be participating in the tomato/pepper swap, you can send beans, tomatoes, peppers and anything else, all in one flat rate envelope and get everything back in one envelope. I'll likely have to move the bean swap to start a bit earlier.

Since beans/peas etc... aren't traded as much as tomatoes, wish lists are hard to fill. All of the bean varieties that come in will be posted, and participants will pick from that list (same for peppers and other veggie/fruit and flower seed).

[Aerial]

Edited: just realized the "express". Too costly!

Originally Posted by Tormato

Do NOT use the Priority Mail Express padded envelope.

[imp]

Moving the bean swap forward makes me wonder if there will be enough time to really get this year's beans dried down good?

And, yes, the envelopes can be ordered through the USPS site, online, as well as various sizes of boxes for priority mail, free shipping either to your self or to your local PO. Back when I sold books and glass, the PO was shocked a bit as I had almost a pallet's worth shipped to the Local office for me. The local guys conned Rob out of a lot of the items!

[AlittleSalt]

Thank you Gary.

After creating an account with USPS, I ordered 10 envelopes =

Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope
SKU: EP14PE-X 9-1/2" x 12-1/2"Pack of 10 Envelopes
Availability: Ships in 3-5 Business Days
1x $0

I like free

[AlittleSalt]

They got here today.