Thinking about starting a new Tomato group. Any suggestions? Thoughts?

MikeyJoe · January 30, 2011

Hello all,
I haven't been here in quite a while but I've come back because I want some advice and this was always a good place to get advice.

A few years ago I attended a C.H.O.P.T.A.G. Spring Plant Swap with Gary Millwood and I had a great time. Met some wonderful people who were just as ate up with Tomatoes as I was. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to, that was the last event I was able to attend. A short time later I un-retired and returned to work as a manager at a local nursury.
Unfortunately if you work in a nursury, weekends are the busiest days and March through June are the busiest months. So naturally getting a weekend off in May is not easy to do. But finally I am able to get a few days off when I need to in the spring and I would like to be involved with a Tomato group like C.H.O.P.T.A.G.
While the Cincinnati area is not really that far away and the you couldn't ask for a better bunch of people, I would like to start a group in the Southern Indiana / Louisville area. The level of interest in gardening is at the highest I have ever seen, and people are asking about heirloom vegetables constantly.
I think the time is right to bring the area's Tomato lovers together and to educate the hundreds of people who are gardening for the first time. So I would like to know if there are any suggestions from those of you who have been down this path before. Or ideas from people who are members of Tomato groups. What do you like about your group? What would you do different if you ran the zoo?
Would also be happy to hear from any Tomato Lovers who live in my area and might be interested in joining or helping get this off the ground.

Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas will be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
"MikeyJoe"
Mike

P.S. Last time I was here there was talk of making Tomatoville t-shirts but nothing had been decided or confirmed. If they were ever made and are available I'd love to buy one ASAP.

January 30, 2011	#1
MikeyJoe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Indiana Zone 6B Posts: 3	Thinking about starting a new Tomato group. Any suggestions? Thoughts? Hello all, I haven't been here in quite a while but I've come back because I want some advice and this was always a good place to get advice. A few years ago I attended a C.H.O.P.T.A.G. Spring Plant Swap with Gary Millwood and I had a great time. Met some wonderful people who were just as ate up with Tomatoes as I was. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to, that was the last event I was able to attend. A short time later I un-retired and returned to work as a manager at a local nursury. Unfortunately if you work in a nursury, weekends are the busiest days and March through June are the busiest months. So naturally getting a weekend off in May is not easy to do. But finally I am able to get a few days off when I need to in the spring and I would like to be involved with a Tomato group like C.H.O.P.T.A.G. While the Cincinnati area is not really that far away and the you couldn't ask for a better bunch of people, I would like to start a group in the Southern Indiana / Louisville area. The level of interest in gardening is at the highest I have ever seen, and people are asking about heirloom vegetables constantly. I think the time is right to bring the area's Tomato lovers together and to educate the hundreds of people who are gardening for the first time. So I would like to know if there are any suggestions from those of you who have been down this path before. Or ideas from people who are members of Tomato groups. What do you like about your group? What would you do different if you ran the zoo? Would also be happy to hear from any Tomato Lovers who live in my area and might be interested in joining or helping get this off the ground. Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks, "MikeyJoe" Mike P.S. Last time I was here there was talk of making Tomatoville t-shirts but nothing had been decided or confirmed. If they were ever made and are available I'd love to buy one ASAP.