From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Decatur, IL

Just wanted to remind everyone to be cautious of who you trade with! I know there was a problem a year or so back with juveniles scamming other traders. I too got sucked into a bad trade last winter and found out just recently that the person I was trading with was probably in their early teens. It wasn't a big deal to me since the seed I traded wasn't really that in demand and I just thought I'd get rid of a seed that I probably would never plant...I was mainly responding to the person's request for the seed. I was going to let it drop, but I noticed the person was posting heavily on the "seed exchange" message board. Just a heads up so you don't lose a valuable seed and get nothing in return. Charlie

10/26/2005 11:49:03 AM

Ohio

Thanks for the heads up Charlie

10/26/2005 12:00:50 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

As everyone jumps to the Seed Exchange Board to guess who it is.....

10/26/2005 1:09:25 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

I almost had a run in with them too. Your private email helped too Charlie.
Here's a hint for everyone jumping to the Seed Exchange Board...Who has the most posts on the first page!
Probably not a bad kid, just not quite mature enough yet, BF

10/26/2005 1:24:58 PM

Jaffrey NH

Hey guys,
I don't want to start a war here, but I am 17 years old and have done every trade very well and without any doubt with the seeds. Not all teens or kids are bad traders.

Douglas Kabat

10/26/2005 3:57:27 PM

Knopp, Germany

iif you do not know who you are trading with, it is your own fault, you are telling on yourself actually.

10/26/2005 4:15:27 PM

Ankeny, Iowa

I remember a couple of years ago when the same thing happened. I just want to voice my opinion on the whole "issue". I know that these incidents don't directly effect me because I don't trade with many people and nobody has ripped me off. But I still get frusterated when these things happen because I'm 17 too and I want to trade more. But if people my age are ripping other people off then nobody will want to trade with me because of my age. I hope the person who's doing this stops and comes clean so that honest people like me and (most) of the younger people on this site who want to trade will be able to do so without having to worry about being denied a trade because they're young. Just my two cents worth. Good luck to ya all and have a good time on Holloween.

10/26/2005 6:05:36 PM

Western NY

Doug - I don't think anyone is worried about your trades. I know i would never second guess you.

Sometimes it's about how well people handle themselves, regardless of age.

10/26/2005 6:11:22 PM

addison Il

im acutally a professinal grower have been conning peaple out of seeds for yrs. J/k

10/26/2005 6:13:59 PM

Mn

The person your talking about charlie would be me. Last year was my first year and it was an ACCIDENT that I forgot to send you that seed. I was still getting used to every thing. I just happened to get I ton of seeds that year and I just simply forgot to send the seed out. This year i'm a lot more organized. Sorry for all the trouble guys. I have no proublem claiming responsibillity for that accident.
Alex G.

10/26/2005 6:38:06 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

Being juvenile and immature unfortunately is not limited to nor exclusive to a person's age. As Andy put it, it's about how you handle yourself/business. I believe this tends to shine through with each of our posts.
I wish "knowing who we are trading with" before we traded, was realistic, but I believe if we have our hearts set on a certain seed, it's not always. On the other hand, the trading process IS a good way to start to get to know someone.
I have never met Charlie. I couldn't pick him out of a line-up. If his town and state weren't listed above, I'd probably guess it wrong. But Charlie is an example of someone I've met strickly through trading. Someone whom I'm better for knowing. Someone I consider a friend. Growing in SC isn't exactly the hot-bed of AG growing. If it weren't for the trading aspect of this sport I'd know a lot less of you. BF

10/26/2005 6:56:44 PM

Newcastle England

well said junior i back you a 100% peter.

10/26/2005 7:19:09 PM

San Diego

one honest mistake in trading can really beat somebody and their reputation up pretty bad. It's hard to recover. Alex, glad to hear you reply in such an honest way, just be patient and continue to trade with 100% integrity and your mistake will fade away with time. Everyone has made mistakes in life, some big, some small. None of us can claim to be perfect in dealing with people or pumpkins. Sounds like you are learning from your past and that's great. God Bless, Jimmy

10/26/2005 8:08:17 PM

San Diego

ps, it's never too late to send out that forgotten seed, even if you have to go get one somewhere. It's a great start to that integrity I was talking about! :)

10/26/2005 8:09:58 PM

Mn

Hey, I still have the rest of my life to screw up don't I?:) I pretty lucky. I don't really have a reputation for being a bad person in the pumpkin world and in my own life.

10/26/2005 8:32:46 PM

Rhode Island

heres my take in a nut shell

first of all newer growers ( for the most part ) collect far to many seeds
more than they will ever use, but i understand why because there was a time when ron and i did the same thing
in fact, we still have seeds from 1995 and up that will never get planted

when your starting out its normal to want everything you can get your hands on because your not sure what is going to be real hot someday
and,being a fairly new grower a lot of desirable seed stocks are not available to you, so we stockpile

i do agree that there are some growers out there that could care less about the credibility of the hobby ( theirs or yours ) they just do what comes naturally to them so they may get the desired result

the best advise i could give anyone especially newer growers is get aquainted with a couple growers who seem to have advanced farther than you
swap seeds with them ,that way you are sure what your getting and can start to form friendships and trust with fellow growers
even if you dont have seed to trade most established growers will return seeds to you if you send them a bubble pack

its sad to say but trading seeds is sometimes as big a gamble as planting them
my thoughts only, its not my intention to offend or insult

dick

10/27/2005 1:34:22 AM

Alex, have you sent Charlie his seed?

10/27/2005 2:04:22 AM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Who ever curvy 1 is ?, his initials do not match with mine although the same. As I am in COLORADO or the way he put it it seems to look like it does ,AS all of you I hope know who I am and I never have tried my luck at traded seeds on-line yet although I was thinking about it, maybe not now !!! I think I will just stick with the circle I know / and knows of me....And give the rest to charity.. No Bad Seed Trades Ever Here on my part as an 11 year grower, as I would rather give seeds than take if at all possible..happy seed harvest and carving to all........JK..

10/27/2005 6:05:22 AM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

And secondly if you do not get with it on your soil prep as of now, and not in the spring, the best seed in the world will do you no good...a serious fruit means serious hard work on the patch first, the fruit of your labor and hard work and dreams may come true..You get what you put into it including lots of disappointments on some years even with the best and greatest seeds...

10/27/2005 6:13:11 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

JK, I think what curvy1 meant by J/k is...just kidding...not a reference to anyone's initials. Not positive but I think that is what she meant. Peace Wayne

10/27/2005 6:55:33 AM

Decatur, IL

No need for Alex to send me the seed now. As long as he trades responsibly from now on, I'm satisfied. I was mainly concerned with his lack of response to the messages that I sent him when I didn't receive the seed I traded for. I hope he realizes that once you break a person's trust, fat chance they'll attempt a trade with you again, regardless of whether you made ammends or not!!
Charlie

10/27/2005 1:00:09 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

Your too nice of a guy Charlie to tell him to still send it.
However, from someone else's point of view he certainly still should! His mistake dug the hole for him. He needs to be the one to work hard to fill it up. Sending the seed late is better than not at all. My point of view(experience), BF

10/27/2005 7:15:26 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Curvy1 is one of the most positive people on this site. She was just poking fun at herself.

10/28/2005 7:45:49 PM