2020/2021 Mostly Mystery 'Mater Mailing

[greenthumbomaha]

Tormato, I wish I knew the answer to your question. The Rat Tailed Radish seed I used is from a 2018 Seed Savers packet . If I did receive a donation from a prior swap, it went right passed me. Not a huge radish grower, Growing above ground sounded like something I could handle and remember it was there. I hope someone who has grown saved seeds will chime in before we get monster alien radishes!

I just ordered the baggies from Amazon, no Walmart before the holidays , we are spiking badly here. I still have quite a bit of pricking my finger on tithonia heads to do this weekend!

Lisa

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Tormato, I wish I knew the answer to your question. The Rat Tailed Radish seed I used is from a 2018 Seed Savers packet . If I did receive a donation from a prior swap, it went right passed me. Not a huge radish grower, Growing above ground sounded like something I could handle and remember it was there. I hope someone who has grown saved seeds will chime in before we get monster alien radishes!

I just ordered the baggies from Amazon, no Walmart before the holidays , we are spiking badly here. I still have quite a bit of pricking my finger on tithonia heads to do this weekend!

Lisa

Sounds like fun!

[greenthumbomaha]

No joy today or tomorrow!
Before breakfast I went to the grocery pick up line - it usually takes 5 minutes that early. Today I got stuck waiting 30 minutes .Why?
Some folks who put up a billboard and think it is their right to not wear a mask in public has promoted a 500 person :no mask: group shop in that very supermarket tomorrow. Moms full of kiddos decided to shop today and avoid the display of disrespect. The grocery said they had a record sales day today, 350 online orders.
When I came home (frozen) and unpacked, the sheet of stamps (actually 2) I ordered and paid for online were not in the order. I called the store and was given two options (someone I have known since he was a kid answered) come back and he would bring them to the pick up line "NO", or come back tomorrow double NO. He offered to have them delivered later today, which I accepted, but they didn't arrive. The place must be a madhouse. IF anyone wants to follow the situation , the grocery is HyVee 180 St. Omaha. The police dept said they will be at this particular location tomorrow. Needless to say, seeds will be a tad delayed!

Like many parts of the country, our metro hospitals are 85% full and expected to be at capacity in 7 to 10 days. staffing the limiting factor.

- Lisa

Thank goodness this was full of hot air. 35 people showed up, parking across at the school lot and walking over.

[Spike2]

I didn't save any seeds this year After several years of garden horrors, everything that grew ended up in a canning jar and our stock was running low. All I have to share is a variety of sunflower seeds if anyone would be interested?

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Spike2

I didn't save any seeds this year After several years of garden horrors, everything that grew ended up in a canning jar and our stock was running low. All I have to share is a variety of sunflower seeds if anyone would be interested?

Sunflower seeds would be fine. There's not even a requirement to send in any seeds. The only requirement is send a bubble mailer, the inside consisting of a legible return address, return postage, and a wish list of any seeds that you're looking for.

[MrBig46]

I had a lousy tomato season this year, so I don't participate in MMMM either. I'm just wondering if anyone offered Mountaineer Pride or Mountaineer Delight seeds as part of this event. If not, then I would like to at least know if anyone is growing and what their experience is with them.
Vladimír

[bhalford]

Where can I find the info to request and mail-in? Thank you!

[walt456]

Add me to the terrible tomato crop tribe. This was the worst gardening year I've ever had. The season started with a late deep freeze that killed about 200 of my plants and just when I thought things were looking better 15 inches of rain came and drowned a huge percent of what was left. We started 500 plants and didn't end up with enough to can for the winter.

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by bhalford

Where can I find the info to request and mail-in? Thank you!

Here's the info I found from Tormato:

send to:
(remove the smilies, which are there in an attempt to thwart any phishing)

Gary Fitzgerald
22 Francis St.
Westfield , MA 01085

DEADLINES:

For posting your wish lists in that forum, about November 1st.
For me receiving your package, about November 20th.

BUBBLE MAILER (or equivalent):

A size #0 (about 6" X 9") bubble mailer should be adequate for most participants. It will hold about 150 - 200 seed packs of tomatoes and similar sized seeds, like peppers.

LEGIBLE RETURN ADDRESS:

Inside the bubble mailer, include a written return address that the postal workers and I can read, not one where you can read your own "chicken scratch". This can be on your wish list or any other correspondence, such as special requests and contact info like your Tomatoville username.

RETURN POSTAGE:

Cash or stamps only. This is the most forgotten item, by newbies exited in their first swap, and long-time participants concentrating on sending in lots of seeds. Current first class rates for packages over 3/4" are $3.80 for weights up to 4 ounces, and $4.60 for weights of 4 to 8 ounces. I will pack a test bubble mailer with about 150 tomato packs to see which of the above rates will likely be used.

In you sending bubble mailers to me with little contents, the rate might be only about $1.20 (under 3/4", and under 2 ounces). If you can find it, there's an online chart called the "United States Postal Service Retail Quick Tip Sheet". The upper left corner has the first-class info. The one thing I could never get info on from anyone at the post office was postage for packages beyond Zone 1 & 2. I couldn't even get a verification as to what Zone 1 & 2 were. But, with most packages going out around Christmas, I don't think the USPS cares, at that extremely busy time of year. Many packages never get stamps counter-stamped.

[greenthumbomaha]

I had fun gathering random seeds from my garden for this years swap. The season was long , dry and HOT. I was finally able to collect enough mature seeds to share. None were isolated, and some were from shares so not many named varieties, but they were all pollinator magnets. I believe this is the only MMMM thread here, so SPOILER ALERT follows (5-15 packets):

Tried a new garden style with more flowers mixed in with maters:

Tithonia- Torch Mexican Sunflower late season
Goldenrod - common
Zinnia - white but not pure as in a bridal gown, slight ivory tone 3-4 feet
Yellow marigolds - about 4 feet tall ,nicely branched, blooms were larger than usual bedding type plants
Orange marigolds - same description as above
When I was able to get near enough the marigolds to collect seeds, I noticed a nice scent for a change when I ahem stepped into the plant, but I'm not sure if it was coming from the yellow or orange leaves or blooms.
Marigold mix - I made a few packets of the orange and yellow combined. I think they looked nice together.
Asparagus- Originally purchased years ago in 1 gallon pots marked Jersey Giant, but throws off lots of red seeds.
Rat Tailed radish - some question as to if these come true to seed
Lettuce - romaine 4 seasons mix, looked like only one variety sprouted in abundance , either Burpee or Park Seed was original source from memory
Butterfly weed - orange blooms on 2 foot plant, perennial, not a butterfly bush

I tried saving St Johns Wort, but seeds were just dust, not sure if I sent them in anyway

I found a huge box of unprocessed seed heads in my fort of empty online purchase boxes wrapping up the season, so more of the same will be eventually be available for trading.

- Lisa

[gardenmermaid]

Got my seed pack! It was like a second Christmas! Thank you Tormato and everyone else, I am looking up unfamiliar varieties right now and trying to figure out how I am going to double my garden space :-)

[Jonnyhat]

Not sure if this is still going on, I got a new job helping seniors relocate during the pandemic and I fell into a gardening abyss. If available:

Sungold
Sun sugar
Ryzovi myod (sp?)
Big rainbow
Paul roberson
Brandywine from croatia
1884
Red barn
Seek no further love apple
Stump of the world
Fish lake oxheart
Work release
Cows tit
Amish paste
Taxi
Orange jazz
And any other random yellow/white, or paste varieties.
I am zone 6b
Jon Beretsky
528 Grant Ave
Downingtown, PA 19335

[Jonnyhat]

Also if there is no MMMM still going on I am willing to pay for these.

[Jonnyhat]

Furthermore, and recommendations for good sites to buy these varieties from would be great

[Tormato]

I have about half of those on the list, but don't know when SunGold and SunSugar will arrive. I'll send a package in a day or so.