For the second year (of our two year obligation) the Great Lakes Chapter has completed filling the Second Round of the NARGS Seed Ex. In this phase NARGS members requested seed that was still on hand after all of the First Round seed requests had been filled.
GLC members filling orders would select a seed order request (which would ranging from 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100 seed packets). NARGS members requesting seeds indicated the number of seed packets they were interested in acquiring, by listing the identifying seed number as their first choices. If a desired packet of seed was no longer available, then a second choice (if listed) was selected in place of the missing first choice. GLC volunteers moved from table to table pulling designated glassine envelopes of seed (each species and cultivar marked with it’s own identifying number) from trays holding rows of seed packets, and dropping them into a berry box (for that order)
Between 15 to 20 of the GLC members donated their time over a 2 week period, to meet up at Tony Reznicek’s garage and fill a total of 247 Second Round Seed Orders.
Once a pass across all of the tables of seed trays has been made, pulling requested seed packets from the order list, a second pass may be necessary in order to replace first choices (not available) by pulling second choice seed packets (also listed on the order. If, after the second pass thru all of the available seed trays failed to meet the requested number of seed packets, the shortage would be made up by pulling substitutes (if requested). The seed packets were then placed into plastic bags with the order number written onto the bag and set on the staging table along with the order form, to be transferred into the padded mailing envelopes.
As this was our second year of filling these orders, this job will be preformed by another Chapter of NARGS next year. Something to consider when selecting a place to accomplish this task, is to have a heated space (especially for Chapters in a Northern locals), in which to work in. Tony’s garage was not and we had to make do with multiple space heaters. If your local NARGS Chapter has not yet taken of a project on behalf of the National before, the Second Round Seed Ex. is a great project to start with.
The loins share of the work accomplished was done by Holly Pilon (the overall director of this project and wearer of many hats), along with Lisa Quieggle, who took the seed order numbers from the on-line cart orders, and created the paper forms used to fill orders, and Colleen Mitchel, who’s duties included all things financial in addition to tracking and mailing. But all three of these ladies did a lot more than what I highlighted.
The Seed Ex is a big part of why people join NARGS. It would not happen if not for a lot of work most all of it unseen and unrealized. All NARGS members owe a great deal of thanks especially to Joyce Fingerut and Laura Sewowitz.
On behalf of everyone who donated seed, packaged it, filled the First Round Orders, and those of us in the GLC who filled the Second Round Orders,
Happy Gardening!
all photographs courtesy of Tony Reznicek.