SRGC 68th Seed Exchange 2014 - 2015

[Maggi Young]

68th SRGC Seed Exchange 2014-2015

Seed exchange charges remain unchanged.
As was the case in 2013-14, because of greatly increased postal costs,
all members will have to pay for all seed requests.
We have decided to keep the rates unchanged; this means that all members will pay £5,
€7 or $10 for their main seed request in 2014-15, and the same for each order of
25 packets in the surplus distribution. Full details of how to pay will be included in
the Seed List and online, and you can pay online for both online and paper
requests. We can only accept cheques in sterling from a UK bank, and can accept
sterling, Euros or US dollars in cash.

Autumn 2014 Seed Donations

Please send seed donations, individually packaged per variety, preferably in a
paper envelope, and cleaned of all seed cases, debris, insects, etc to:-
Prof. Stuart Pawley, Acres of Keillour, Methven, Perth, Scotland, UK, PH1 3RA.

Please include your name and address and a clearly written alphabetical list
of the seed you are sending. Please don’t be put off if you only have a small
amount of seed of a species, or only a few species to send - it may be the small
amount of seed that no-one else has, and that someone would love to have.
The deadline for seed to arrive at Stuart’s door is 31st October 2014.
If you have “late maturing” seed that cannot be sent until later, please send the
information about this as early as possible and before 31st October, to Stuart at
gsp.srgc@btinternet.com.
Send the list in the text of an e-mail, not as an attachment. Stuart can’t afford a computer virus at this critical time. It is important to send the information early so we can produce the seed list in good time. Please send late seed as soon as you can.

Seed Lists

All donors and overseas members (with a postal subscription)will receive a seed list by post automatically. Orders may be made online or by post.
Home non-donors should request a list from Stuart Pawley, and send a C5 stamped
addressed envelope to him. Last date for requesting a list is 14th December.
The seed list will be available from around mid-November, and will go online at the same time;
all members can browse and order online as well as by post.

Those members receiving their Journals by post need to REGISTER by first accessing the system via  the password printed in Journal 133 (on page 5)-  Important Notice : A mistake has been made in the password printed in the Journal: the first two letters there should be in upper case, the next four in lower case - the password in the printed seedlist is correct........ after that they enter their full details and choose a personal password and will activate their seed accounts. If the activation email does not appear to arrive, please check the spam filter online on your email provider's site - such automated emails can be caught up in that way by some providers and some customers of hotmail and gmail may not receive these automated  emails.  Once they have activated their accounts, postal members need to LOG IN  with ther membership numbers and the personal password they  have chosen.
Those members holding an "E-subscription", who only access their Journals online, need only LOG IN with their e-number and the personal password they use to access journals.

The password for 2014/15 was shown in Journal #133 (on page 5). Important Notice : A mistake has been made in the password printed in the Journal: the first two letters there should be in upper case, the next four in lower case - the password in the printed seedlist is correct.

 If you  are a "postal" member you will also need  your membership number (from the envelope that The Rock Garden arrives in)."E-sub" members can access their number online.

N. B. Please remember that main allocation and surplus seed requests must be made and paid for at the same time

Seed Packeting

Seed packeting will be done during November / early December. Ian Pryde would
be grateful to hear from any UK member willing to volunteer to packet seeds.
Full instructions and guidance will be provided; details from Ian Pryde on 01875
615185 or 07746 298334 or at ipryde@btinternet.com

Seed Distribution: early 2015

From 2014-15, we have a new Seed Distribution Team. After twelve years of
superb service to the Club, the Edinburgh Group is taking a well-earned break.
Our very grateful thanks and congratulations go to them for managing the distribution
so well for so long; they have done a fantastic job.

In 2014-15, the South-West Scotland Group will be a taking on the Distribution role, and the Club is very grateful to them for picking up the baton.
Full details of the arrangements for ordering seed will be included in the seed list and on the website.
Seed requests must reach the new Seed Request Manager, Neil McNulty by 15th January.
We cannot guarantee to meet requests received later. The South-West Scotland Rock
Garden Group will begin seed distribution in early January; we aim to have all
main requests completed by January 18th.
Donors’ seed requests are completed first, on the basis of their donation record.
Donating more seed and for more years moves you up the list. Non-donors and
surplus seed requests will be dealt with in order of their arrival date with Neil
McNulty.
Surplus seed distribution will not begin until all main requests are
completed; and not before Jan. 18th, so members will receive their main and
surplus requests a few weeks apart.
We hope to complete surplus distribution by the first weekend in February.

Please do not enquire about the whereabouts of seed requests until after 5th February; queries should be addressed to Neil McNulty, 6 Main Rd, Crookedholm, Kilmarnock, KA3 6JT, Scotland, UK.
neil.mcnultysrgcseedexchange@talktalk.net

US Members

US members must have a ‘Small Lots of Seeds’ permit, which is issued by APHIS.
You can find details of how to get a permit at:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/smalllots_seed.sht
ml
This must be a ‘small lots’ permit, as this does not require UK phytosanitary
certification.
You must enclose a copy of the permit and conditions and a green/yellow customs
label for each order - one for a main order, and one for each surplus order of 50
packets.
If you order online, you must still post the permit documents and labels to Neil
McNulty  6 Main Rd, Crookedholm, Kilmarnock, KA3 6JT, Scotland, UK.     (or you may send them to Stuart Pawley with your seed donation). You
can copy your permit as many times as you need. Please ensure your permit is still
valid before you send copies to us; the permits are valid for three years.
We must stress that “no permit, no seed” is the SRGC rule! We will do our best to
get everyone their seed, but it must be in compliance with USDA regulations.

[Maggi Young]

Please note : The SRGC does not have a seed  donation form.
All donations of seed are very gratefully received.

Details for sending seed are in the previous post, in the Seed Exchange pages of the main SRGC site and on page 5 of the 2014 July Journal and the centre pages of the July  Secretary's Pages.

[Maggi Young]

We hope that many of you have already, or are just about to contribute seed to the SRGC Seed Exchange 
Please send the seed to arrive Stuart Pawley BEFORE the 31st October - you can email him a list in advance of seed you are sending  if you suspect it may be late in arriving.  All details are below.

Your contribution the the Seed Ex. is much appreciated.

The Seed Exchange online ordering system will go "live"  probably in late  November - there will be a post here and on the main site when that happens.
Online ordering means your requests are clearly received by the seed team and makes the listing of seed included to you in order to comply with  overseas regulations much more simple, and removes the need for members to make those lists when ordering.

As in previous years, in the online system there will be the chance to "click" to search info/images on the seeds offered,  to help with those species with which you may be unfamiliar.

Those preferring to order by post may do so and still enter the system to make their payment.

[Maggi Young]

Note to overseas members

All will be aware, I am sure, of the increasing postage costs around the
world which now take the price of printing and posting the journal to the
stage of straining the membership costs.

Rising costs associated with posting the journals meant that, the other year, the SRGC had to separate out the charge for  overseas members' seed from their subscription payment , because it was no longer feasible to fund that through their subscription. Clearly the club cannot lose money in such a way.

We are mindful that some members may find the increased cost of ordering seed to be a burden.
 
We understand  that overseas members are not able to attend the shows and other functions in the  UK but access to all the resources and community of our forum and website is
available to all, no matter where you live, which many regard as  a very great advantage to membership.

We are immensely grateful for all support of the Seed Exchange. Of course the possibility to get seed from the exchange is especially important for  those members in Australia and New Zealand where plant imports are so restricted.

If you find the cost of "postal" subscription to the Club to be a financial burden but would wish to continue your support of the Club, to enable the Seed Exchange and all the other facilities we provide to continue, then may I make a suggestion?

It is possible to have an "electronic" subscription to the Scottish Rock Garden Club.  For only £10 per year you can have access to the journals online - to download them and read at leisure and also have exactly the same access to the seed exchange as a "postal" member.

For members in the likes of Australia, our online seed ordering service is very popular because of the ease with which the system prepares all the necessary lists for the AQIS /DAFF requirements, not to mention taking away the uncertainties of the postal service for delivery of requests.

To take out an "E" sub. you would register from the "register" button near the top right of the main SRGC web page  www.srgc.net  and then, when you activate that registration and log in - you will be offered the chance to choose either a one year or three year subscription to the club.

Thereafter when logging in to the main site  you will have access to the latest journals and you will also have access to the seed exchange ordering system online without the need for further registration etc.

Please do give the possibility of switching to an "electronic" subscription some consideration.  The total cost, even with seed costs, is much less than the postal version where journals are posted to you.

We hope you will give this suggestion some thought.

[Maggi Young]

Online ordering is now enabled :
To order seed online or pay online for seed ordered by post, a registration is required each year by members receiving their Journals by post. .
Please read the notes and follow the instructions carefully, bearing in mind that the SRGC system is individual and may differ from other systems!
Those members receiving their Journals by post need to REGISTER by first accessing the system via  the password printed in Journal 133 (on page 5)- BUT- A mistake has been made in the password printed in the Journal  : please note there is a mistake there, the first two letters there should be in upper case, the next four in lower case - the password in the printed seedlist is correct

after that they enter their full details and choose a personal password and will activate their seed accounts and will then LOG in with their membership number and their own password.  If the activation email does not appear to arrive, please check the spam filter online on your email provider's site - such automated emails can be caught up in that way by some providers.

Those members holding an "E-subscription", who only access their Journals online, need only
LOG IN with their e-number and the personal password they use to access journals.

The password for initial access to the online system in 2014/15 was shown in Journal #133 (on page 5). If you  are a "postal" member you will also need to enter your membership number (from the envelope that The Rock Garden arrives in)."E-sub" members can access their number online.

SRGC SEED EXCHANGE No. 68 : See all details and the link to the service to order or pay for seeds online:  CLICK HERE


The current seedlist is available to browse  HERE

[Maggi Young]

A mistake has been made in the password printed in the Journal  : please note there is a mistake there, the first two letters there should be in upper case, the next four in lower case - the password in the printed seedlist is correct

[Maggi Young]

Contact with the SRGC : mail and broadband service problems 

21st November : I am continuing to have major email problems and also some broadband problems with my BT provider - if you are trying to get in touch about the Seed Exchange I apologise for any delay there may be in accessing your email and making a reply.

Maggi Young
SRGC Web Team
 

[Maggi Young]

There are twelve more days to make your seed requests !  Better get it done soon ....

This message from Carolyn McHale of the SRGC 's new Seed Distribution Team

I have enjoyed reading the forum for several years but have never contributed until now.  I am a member of the SW Scotland group, which is about to embark on the seed distribution for the 2014-15 seed exchange.  I thought it might be helpful to keep you updated on our progress over the next few weeks, perhaps even with some photos from my new camera.  The local group plans to set up the distribution on Thursday and Friday of this week, and then starting on Sunday, picking and packing will begin in earnest.

[Maggi Young]

From the  SRGC Seed Distribution Team:

The 2014-15 Seed Distribution Deadline has passed.
 
Thank you to everyone who contributed seed, packed it and then ordered it.   The requests have been processed in the usual sequence of donors, non-donors and surplus and should be completed by 21 January.    Please be patient when awaiting your treasured seeds; the franking machine has a mind of its own and has led to delays in the posting of some packets.
 
Members of the SW Scotland group have come out in force, with assistance from Edinburgh and Ayr, battling through storm force winds, rain, snow and ice to carry out such invaluable work.   The lure of the tea, coffee, cakes, biscuits and social occasion no doubt!   Huge thanks to them for all their concentration, staying power, attention to detail and humour.
 
Carolyn McNab
 
Seed Distribution Manager
Convener SW Scotland

[Maggi Young]

From the  SRGC Seed Distribution Team -  Carolyn McNab, Seed Distribution Manager

Oh the excitement and impatience to be sowing!  As usual, all the seed requests have been processed in sequence.  This started in mid January and packets have been sent out during January.    Some of the early requests were completed but for a few seeds listed which came from a box that was late being packeted and hence late  arriving at the distribution centre.  As soon as the seeds were delivered, those requests were completed and posted too.    Then the franking machine decided not to cooperate and that led to further delays.   Please be patient and give the postal system a chance to deliver your much wanted choices.   At this stage, we are hoping that your orders are all en route if not already safely with you.
 
Carolyn McNab, Seed Distribution Manager


and from Neil McNulty :

Please do not enquire about the whereabouts of seed requests until after 5th February; and then to the postal address and email  address  shown in the Seed Pages.