SSE on-line yearbook

[bcday]

The rules for requesting seeds, as well as the source codes for commercial sources, are printed in the paper copy of the 2009 Yearbook. As a returning member, Ami has the 2009 Yearbook, but as a new member for 2010, you probably don't.

Those pages are expected to be included in the online Yearbook as well, but obviously haven't been added yet. And this is a problem at the moment for new members who have never received a printed copy of the Yearbook.

Having the listings online along with the member codes does put returning members, and members who have internet access, at an advantage over new members and those who are not online. Those folks have to wait until the necessary instructions are added to the online Yearbook or until the paper copy comes out. The paper copy usually arrives in members' mailboxes sometime in February.

Ami and others may be requesting seeds via the "Email This Member" link that accompanies some of the online listings. Or if there is no email link, they may be looking up the member code in a previous year's Yearbook and making their requests that way.

SSE has not made any statement as to whether early requests from the 2010 online Yearbook are to be allowed before the paper copy containing the Seed Request Forms is distributed. Apparently individual members are making personal decisions as to whether they will honor such requests. Some members are honoring them and some aren't.

I don't know that the codes for the commercial companies would be all that helpful. If the original seeds were obtained decades ago from a company that has been out of business for years or doesn't carry that variety any more (and there are quite a few of those), you wouldn't be able to order your seeds from the company anyway.

I believe work was still being done yesterday on the online Yearbook, but probably over the holiday today and the weekend no one will be working on it.

It will be a great asset when it's finished though.

[brokenbar]

Online or not, you just gotta have "The Book"! Nothing more fun than sitting in front of a fire and crawling your way through a "baJjillion" listings and reading the grower notes. Something very satisfying about holding this hefty volume in your hands (and weighty a it is, you could thump an intruder with it and immobilize him in a minute!) I love a seed catalog no matter what I can read online. Of course, I am older and the "catalogue" method was what I grew up with so maybe I am just an Old Fogey! Either way, The Yearbook is a treasure of information and varieties and is something that no dedicated gardener should miss out on! Happy New Year and 2010 Gardening Season to all!

[Wi-sunflower]

True, many of the seeds in the yearbook are no longer offered by the companies that originally had them. But with the company codes we could at least check it out.

Yes even unfinished as it is, the yearbook is good for variety info on things we don't really know what they are.

One of the odd things tho is the fact that the varieties listed by SSE itself -- most of them have next to no info about that variety. I mean how many people are going to try a variety they have absolutely no info about ? If they want to get those varieties "out there" they need to make people "want" that variety with an interesting description. It's those "delicious" descriptions that have me looking at all kinds of new-to-me varieties.

Carol

[bcday]

I also found SSE's own descriptions frustrating. One advantage of the online Yearbook is that there is a Previous Listings button. Clicking on that brings up descriptions entered by other members in previous years for that variety, and there are some great descriptions there. Unfortunately they don't always agree, possibly due to variations in growing conditions or to some members receiving crossed or stray seeds.

[Wi-sunflower]

I don't know how I missed it before, but there is a sticky at the SSE forum that has the vendor codes in a Excel download.

Carol

[pooklette]

Originally Posted by DiggingDogFarm

Today I attempted to renew my membership and got the following error....

The web cart is currently closed. Please try again later or place a phone order now. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

On main 'buy online' page of SSE's website, there is a warning at the top saying:

"We will be doing year-end inventory December 30th - January 5th. Through this period you will not be able to order online, please call our office to place an order or if you have questions at (563) 382-5990. Thank you!"

I think your online renewal problem is due to this year end inventory period, not necessarily due to a buggy website (at least in this case.)

I do agree that the online yearbook is a little disappointing so far. I know that projects like this are huge and take quite a bit of time...I really do. But - putting the online 'work in progress' up leads to frustration for many and seems to make them feel like the online version was just a bad idea. I think it WILL be great; it's just nowhere near completion yet. It'll get there though.

[DiggingDogFarm]

Originally Posted by pooklette

On main 'buy online' page of SSE's website, there is a warning at the top saying:

"We will be doing year-end inventory December 30th - January 5th. Through this period you will not be able to order online, please call our office to place an order or if you have questions at (563) 382-5990. Thank you!"

Thanks for posting that, it, I think, explains the problem, or one of the problems!!!!

That notice isn't anywhere to be seen the way I attempted to renew.

On the main web page I clicked on "Membership", then "Become a SSE member now" that takes you to the renewal page. No notice anywhere!

I must say, SSE web site is one of the most frustrating and unituitive sites I've ever dealt with, and I've dealt with a lot of them!!!

It's time for a MAJOR usability update!!!!


~DiggingDog

[DiggingDogFarm]

There's also no notice when you click on "quick order".

Very sloppy website!!!



~DiggingDog

[Blueaussi]

Hmm, I've always found them to be easy to use. The only time I had a problem I emailed them and had a reply back in just a few hours.

I do all the ordering for our lab, and I have seen some frustrating and horribly designed websites, though, so I expect my sample selection is larger than yours.

[yotetrapper]

Are they doing away with the printed year book next year?

[mjc]

DDF...yep, agree on the site update...

[Wi-sunflower]

Well after having trouble with the site last week, Sat and Sun I was able to nav theyearbook quite well. I was using the search feature to find the new varieties on my web site so I could add some kind of description. Occasionally I had problems finding a variety I thought should be there. Odd mis-spellings or punctuation was usually the problem.

But I found almost all the varieties and now have a bit of an up-date in my web site.

Carol

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by yotetrapper

Are they doing away with the printed year book next year?

No.

With all the problems of the online right now I know many are disappointed, but what is, is.

This year ALL SSE members get the paper Yearbook, and good thing that.

The paper Yearbook will always be an option. Many SSE members do not have a computer and that's just one reason why the paper Yearbook will always be published, thank heavens.

Since in my blurb at the online version I supposely said that I would honor requests only if submitted on the 2010 SSE Request form, and there is no download for that, and I'm also told that the blurbs of the individual members where they state their contact information is also not there, so I don't expect to get any requests at all until the paper yearbook is received by members. And my blurb and contact info and the 2010 SSE request form will be in that, as always.

I have been told by a friend that my varieties are listed at the online, though.

And you guessed it; I haven't even been interested enough to go to the online version. I know that info is given for each variety back to the time when it was first listed. But I'm lucky b'c I have all the Yearbooks back to the start of SSE in 1975 except for the 1982. And that's b/c two of us had offered to try and get some of the wrong info out of the tomato section, but that never came to pass. I didn't join SSE until I think 1989.

I guess I'll just have to write a new will and leave those Yearbooks to a worthy person.

[mjc]

Just logged in a few minutes ago and this was up...

The 2010 yearbook is now closed for editing. We are finalizing the format and preparing to send it off for printing.

[Wi-sunflower]

That's been there for a while. It just means that you can't edit your listings any more. But you CAN access the listings as I have been doing for days now.

Carol