Seed Exchange System

Aussiemark · December 18, 2009

I have a concept for a seed exchange system, maybe this already exists?

The concept is like a cross between peer to peer networking and eBay.

It would be a credit system that gave people seed points for SASE exchange.

Their would be a website where people make seed offers via SASE and would receive points when the receiver of the seeds certified that had been received (kinda like an eBay rating)

The person wanting to receive the seeds would pay for them with seed points.

I see this as a away to reward and encourage seed saving and sharing.

There would be some details to work out like how do people get started when they have no points to start with.

I think this could work, and could create a very powerful global seed saving and exchange network.

So does something like this exist? and if not are there any programers on the forum that would like to volunteer to help put such a thing together?

Mark

Blueaussi · December 18, 2009

When you do it with books, it's called Book Mooch.

Aussiemark · December 18, 2009

ahhh... just had a look at that site, that's exactly the type of thing I am thinking.

Which means there is clearly software out there that can do the backend work, an may only need slight modification for seed exchange.

I wonder if the software company will work for tomatoes?

Mark

Medbury Gardens · December 20, 2009

Not a bad idea Mark,though any international exchange network wouldn't work for you within Australia because of your import quarantine resections.

huntsman · December 21, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussiemark

ahhh... just had a look at that site, that's exactly the type of thing I am thinking.

Which means there is clearly software out there that can do the backend work, an may only need slight modification for seed exchange.

I wonder if the software company will work for tomatoes?

Mark

Interesting concept, Mark, but wouldn't work without modification, as SASE are only useful internally. Internationally they are valueless.

What site are you referring to above?

Lomatia · December 21, 2009

Mark,

From what I can see seed swapping within enthusiasts is currently going on already on an ad hoc basis. The international aspect however is the stumbling point.

The organised importation of tomato seeds into Oz without permits is a very dangerous procedure that I'm sure BioSecurity Australia would not view favourably. It is one thing to get a 'birthday card' but to methodically swap seeds is fraught with danger.

In my opinion a better idea would be to organise o/s orders from suppliers as a group and get a PS Cert from them and an import permit from Oz which is not difficult and is cheap.

huntsman · December 21, 2009

Good point!

I have had several Birthday Cards opened by Aus BS, and the contents removed before sending on. Perhaps have a central 'Seed Baron' who has a permit and can distribute?

Still, where does that leave the rest of us....?

yotetrapper · December 21, 2009

Well, what about if it wasn't Sase? What if the poster offered seeds and paid the postage, earning seed points for so doing, and in turned used those seed points for obtaining seeds sent (and paid for) by another? Sending seeds to offshores countries would earn more seed points than for in country sending.

For example, if I sent a pack of seeds to OneoftheEarls, I'd get a point a pack, but if I sent them to Ami, I'd get 2 a pack, or 1.5 or whatever.

yotetrapper · December 21, 2009

Sending seeds overseas would also have to be an option, such as on ebay you can choose not to send overseas. Youd have to have that option as shipping to AU would be illegal, lol.

huntsman · December 21, 2009

shipping isn't illegal - receipt without a permit is, so if you can overcome the permit bit, it's fine.

I'm more concerned with the SASE issue. No country will send a SASE with another country's stamps...must be another way....

*rubs jaw and goes "Hmm"*

Aussiemark · December 21, 2009

I wasn't thinking of this as a concept to encourage illegal overseas seed exchange.

It was more of a systems of seed exchange, that would reward and encourage people to share seed. To create a real seed trading "economy", if you will (within local import/export laws).

It appears to me, when it comes to seed saving and sharing, a very small number of people are doing a large amount of the work.

In an ideal world a system like this would be unnecessary, but history seems to have proven the concept of give what you can and take only what you need, has not worked out the well for the human race.

Most peer to peer networks reward people who share more, ie the more you share/upload the faster/more you get to download, and this seems to work.

And I don't think it's just the points system that would be of value. People could logon and enter in what they have for trade or give away free if they like. The system would know what they had, how much that had available, and when enough orders came through it would close down the offer.

The big problem I see with this is that it would take some resources to get up and running and since it is not a model for a money making business there would be no funds to build and maintain it (hmm maybe the Gates foundation?)

Still I think a system like this could create a huge seed trading network that could benefit vast numbers of people.

Mark

sam123 · December 21, 2009

Both Mark and Lomatia have great ideas and both have merit but I would think Lomatia idea would be the way to go for purchasing seed from outside Australia and Marks idea would work within Australia if he could get enough people interested in it. I’m for one am interested in helping with both.

Peter

darwinslair · December 21, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussiemark

I wasn't thinking of this as a concept to encourage illegal overseas seed exchange.

Mark

just as a point of fact, the getting caught aspect could be overcome by simply sending small quantities of small seeded varieties inside of something as silly as a birthday card.

<shrug> would mostly depend on how you feel about it. Dont ship really large seeds, or if you do, simply send a few.

Makes growing something out more laborious, but just one squash seed, with a hand pollinated flower, would give you enough seeds inside of two years to do a whole field of that type of squash.

Beans are another where just a plant or two is fine.

Potatoes (tps), tomatoes, eggplant, amaranth, ground cherries, etc, would not be an issue. So long as you are only sending one type. LIke I said, just tape a single small packet of seed inside a heavy stock greeting card.

Tom

ruet · December 21, 2009

Why reinvent the wheel? Use a wiki. There is already a system much like the one you describe active in France. Exchangers review eachother, review varieties, list what they have available and input variety information and pics. Check out the following for an example:
http://semeurs.free.fr/wiki/index.ph...e_black_cherry

It's in French, but it should give you a pretty good idea of what a system like this is capable of. Also if you check the main page, you can see lists of the highest rated varieties, most in demand, etc.

Seed laws would be the biggest obstacle, and I can't think of any way around this besides having a "global exchange" for non-restrictive countries and individual, local exchanges for countries like Australia... oooor you could state that shipments to places like Australia must be done using CD Cases with false bottoms...

December 18, 2009	#1
Aussiemark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 49	Seed Exchange System I have a concept for a seed exchange system, maybe this already exists? The concept is like a cross between peer to peer networking and eBay. It would be a credit system that gave people seed points for SASE exchange. Their would be a website where people make seed offers via SASE and would receive points when the receiver of the seeds certified that had been received (kinda like an eBay rating) The person wanting to receive the seeds would pay for them with seed points. I see this as a away to reward and encourage seed saving and sharing. There would be some details to work out like how do people get started when they have no points to start with. I think this could work, and could create a very powerful global seed saving and exchange network. So does something like this exist? and if not are there any programers on the forum that would like to volunteer to help put such a thing together? Mark

December 21, 2009	#10
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	shipping isn't illegal - receipt without a permit is, so if you can overcome the permit bit, it's fine. I'm more concerned with the SASE issue. No country will send a SASE with another country's stamps...must be another way.... *rubs jaw and goes "Hmm"* Last edited by huntsman; December 21, 2009 at 08:33 AM.

December 21, 2009	#12
sam123 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 24	Both Mark and Lomatia have great ideas and both have merit but I would think Lomatia idea would be the way to go for purchasing seed from outside Australia and Marks idea would work within Australia if he could get enough people interested in it. I’m for one am interested in helping with both. Peter Last edited by sam123; December 21, 2009 at 03:31 PM.

December 18, 2009	#2
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	When you do it with books, it's called Book Mooch.

December 20, 2009	#4
Medbury Gardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Medbury, New Zealand Posts: 1,881	Not a bad idea Mark,though any international exchange network wouldn't work for you within Australia because of your import quarantine resections.

December 21, 2009	#6
Lomatia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 147	Mark, From what I can see seed swapping within enthusiasts is currently going on already on an ad hoc basis. The international aspect however is the stumbling point. The organised importation of tomato seeds into Oz without permits is a very dangerous procedure that I'm sure BioSecurity Australia would not view favourably. It is one thing to get a 'birthday card' but to methodically swap seeds is fraught with danger. In my opinion a better idea would be to organise o/s orders from suppliers as a group and get a PS Cert from them and an import permit from Oz which is not difficult and is cheap.

December 21, 2009	#8
yotetrapper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Oakland MS Posts: 231	Well, what about if it wasn't Sase? What if the poster offered seeds and paid the postage, earning seed points for so doing, and in turned used those seed points for obtaining seeds sent (and paid for) by another? Sending seeds to offshores countries would earn more seed points than for in country sending. For example, if I sent a pack of seeds to OneoftheEarls, I'd get a point a pack, but if I sent them to Ami, I'd get 2 a pack, or 1.5 or whatever.

December 21, 2009	#14
ruet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 42	Why reinvent the wheel? Use a wiki. There is already a system much like the one you describe active in France. Exchangers review eachother, review varieties, list what they have available and input variety information and pics. Check out the following for an example: http://semeurs.free.fr/wiki/index.ph...e_black_cherry It's in French, but it should give you a pretty good idea of what a system like this is capable of. Also if you check the main page, you can see lists of the highest rated varieties, most in demand, etc. Seed laws would be the biggest obstacle, and I can't think of any way around this besides having a "global exchange" for non-restrictive countries and individual, local exchanges for countries like Australia... oooor you could state that shipments to places like Australia must be done using CD Cases with false bottoms...