The 2011 NARGS Seed Exchange

[Peter George]

As November moves rapidly toward it's conclusion, I thought I'd remind everyone that on December 15 the new online Seed Exchange will be ready for it's initial roll-out. Over the past few years the Seed Exchange has had fewer participants, primarily due to a rather diminished variety of interesting seeds, in particular fewer wild collected seeds. So in an effort to generate more interest we've purchased quite a bit of seed from Alplains for the Seed Exchange, and the variety and quality is unsurpassed. Alan Bradshaw is one of the last seed collectors, and he's been working harder the past couple of years than ever in his lonely effort to bring every worthy species of the American West into cultivation, and this year's collection is probably his best and most varied.

In addition, we've (successfully) solicited seed from a lot of our long time members like John Weiser, Mike Kintgen, and others, and I believe that it will be a truly exceptional selection, so make sure that you plan to participate. As most of you know, NARGS membership is a requirement for participation in the Seed Exchange, so make sure that your membership is paid up, or if you're not a member, contact Bobby Ward and get it done early enough to allow you to have a shot at the seeds you really want.

[RickR]

Well I, for one, am very excited!

The Coryphantha(Escobaria) vivipara I donated is really quite special, in my opinion, for those trying to grow cactus in the east.  It is seed from plants grown from seed from the easternmost colony known (as far as I know) - the South Dakota/Minnesota borderland.

[Peter George]

As many of you know, the online Seed Exchange has been delayed due to 'technical difficulties.' I discussed those issues with Chris Klapwijk, our webmaster, and he's confident that we'll have it functional today, the 17th. I did have an opportunity to go through the seed-list, which IS online right now, and I was quite surprised at the vast number of taxa that are there. And the wild collected group is the best I've seen in quite a while, due to contributions from both Alan Bradshaw/Alplains, John Weiser and so many others. Lots of Penstemon and Eriogonum seed is there, along with some very choice species not often seen here. So those of you who are already members of NARGS, make sure you have your email registration completed, and those of you who aren't members yet, take a look at the seed list and it may be enough to get you to pay the pittance for such an excellent collection.

[Beatty]

Hi, I'm new to NARGS so forgive me, but, where is the seed list?  I'd love to see it even if the system isn't running yet.  Thanks.

[Lori S.]

Beatty, welcome to the site!  The seed list and seed exchange information is at the main NARGS site here:

http://www.nargs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=269:2011-2012-ordering-instructions&catid=75:seedex&Itemid=123

Scroll down to the "complete seed list" link, for now, until the on-line ordering function is ready.

[McDonough]

Welcome Sue!  The link to both PDF versions of the seed list are currently not working for me, it stalls about 3/4 the way through the download, and the second link (basic seed list) gives errors.  I tried the link to the complete seed list several times, each time it gets a smidgen further in the download, maybe there's too much traffic trying to access it.
Seems these items are also in a state of needing repair.

[Beatty]

I can't open the link at all.  I finally got a donor list to open up (thank you) but an actual list no.  I don't see where I can get a spreadsheet but it tells me it's not a pdf.  What am I doing wrong?

[Lori S.]

I dunno.... I am able to open all links at the site, and see the full seed list.

[Beatty]

Thank you for your replies :-)  Mark, that's my problem and I thought I wasn't clicking in the right place - lol.  I'll try later and see how it goes.  I appreciate all the work they're doing and how frustrating it must be for them and now I know it's not my lack of knowledge I'll just wait.  Sue

[McDonough]

For the webmaster, here's the error I'm seeing when attempting to open the "basic seed list" link:

[Beatty]

Mark, that's what I'm getting.  Out of curiosity I went into my computer download file and there they all are - yes, every single click gave me another copy.  I'm not sure why I kept getting the error and it threw me off but it's there.  Hope you find it.

[McDonough]

Each time I tried the link for the complete seed list PDF, it would get a little bit further in the download... until eventually it finished.  I can email the list to anyone having trouble downloading it, it is a little over 2 MB in size.  For me, there were no other copies in my downloads folder.

[Beatty]

I guess I didn't get it.  I thought it was there in my download file but it wasn't :-(  I still get the same error as you are.

[Harold Peachey]

worked fine for me-thanks open source software-got tired of waiting so sent my order snail mail

[Peter George]

It opened fine for me on Firefox but it stopped part way on Explorer. I have Windows 7. Odd.