MSG Bulletin

[iann]

Nobody is missing out on too much yet, but I imagine some things will start to sell out soon. Or maybe they have judged the right quantities to satisfy nearly everyone. I think it is pretty safe to post this link to the list of sold-out seeds:
http://www.smale-conophytum.co.uk/MSGseed.htm

A message says no more seeds being sent until the cold snap is over. I don't know when that dates back to, but I got my order already.

[Aiko]

I look forward to getting shot down in flames!

I will not shoot you down. I think it is an excellent and fair system to use. Once the first bulletins hit the floor mat in the UK sounds like a good time to send out the seed list to members (UK and overseas), so everyone has a fair chance to obtain what they would like.

[Chris L]

Does it really matter if the (or any) seed list is available online for all and sundry to see?

As long as the people receiving the orders (either the MSG, BCSS or whoever) have an up-to-date member list they can simply discard any orders which come from non-members.

I am sure we have had members who have not renewed trying to order seed before now, so some checks must (should) already take place .

[Marisa]

Hi. It is my first year as a member of the MSG so I look forward to my first newsletter. Thanks to this post I know that I am not alone.

[Aiko]

and I will be interested to know when they arrive, just a sample, not everyone.

I got it today.

[Terry S.]

I am very interested to read all your comments on this topic. Tony, I know how difficult it is to produce haworthia seed, so I suspect that you do not send out close to 10 000 packets to over 250 members. This is why we try to stagger the orders for seed. The worry about putting the list in the public domain is that we will get inundated with requests from the far east just as Mesa Garden, Atomic Seeds and Oz Lithops do. The Chinese enthusiasts wouldn't bother to put the instruction preamble through Google Translate to see that membership is required. Our system worked OK until a few years ago and members got nearly all the seed they wanted if they ordered immediately the Bulletin was received. With the high World demand for conophytums and lithops cultivars, the situation is not now quite so satisfactory.

[mary44]

I am very interested to read all your comments on this topic. Tony, I know how difficult it is to produce haworthia seed, so I suspect that you do not send out close to 10 000 packets to over 250 members. This is why we try to stagger the orders for seed.

Wow. I have always wondered how many packets of seed are produced and how they get packed. I had no idea it was so many packets. I sell cyclamen seeds in a very small way and it takes me ages to pack seeds up and those seeds are so much bigger. Do you have a team of people packing the seeds? Is the meticulous method of packing in tissue then into a paper envelope unique to MSG?, I have not seen it elsewhere anyway and must take forever to achieve. Sowing the seeds is so easy though using the tissue as a funnel.

Maybe if people understood better how the MSG seed distribution works and the numbers involved they might be less demanding and more appreciative.

I don't think it has helped the current situation that people who have received their bulletin and then seeds posted photos on facebook. All this has done is upset the people who have yet to receive theirs.

[Terry S.]

Mary:- I do all the seed packing and Jennifer does the mailing. The tissue method actually takes less time than it does to try and put the seeds directly into the envelopes. That requires three hands: 1 to hold the envelope open, 2 to hold the seeds and 3 to count and transfer the seeds. The tissues are laid out on a desk, seeds are in palm of hand, they are counted out and dropped on tissue using an old penknife. Seeds are packed at leisure over winter but the distribution itself is now becoming too demanding.

[ragamala]

Terry, your efforts are very much appreciated, I am sure, by all, without reservation.

I do think it is worth giving some thought to the idea of emailing all existing and paid up members with the list, and an order form. I am sure they would appreciate the fairness of this approach. If a membership number were mandatory (as opposed to the wording "if possible" on the 2018 distribution instructions, then on receiving orders I am sure it would be a quick job to verify against the membership database. Re China, Chinese members are apparently not allowed to order anyway, so I don't see that as a big problem.

I do realise this might mean bunching of orders if received by email, but I think we would understand that if we had an order placed, and it was to be filed and dealt with by date/time received, you could deal with fulfillment at your own pace.

I also realise that if UK members were to be allowed to pay online, eg by Paypal this would perhaps increase MSG costs (I don't know the ins and outs of this). Personally I would be happy to pay extra, but can't speak for others. I appreciate, too, this might mean more admin, but I am sure if you asked you could find someone to help out on that ;-) .

[Aiko]

Re China, Chinese members are apparently not allowed to order anyway, so I don't see that as a big problem.

Be aware many Chinese have contacts in other countries in the world, and use that address to order seeds. So they get their hands on seeds, one way or the other.