Voting Booth ideas and opinions, please!

I sent Dave some more voting ideas, and in our e-mail correspondence, I learned that he feels the current questions sometime stay out there too long. I, on the other hand, have often wondered if we keep them accessible long enough for everyone who isn't a daily DG reader (all .00001% of you, LOL!) to have a chance to see it and vote.

So here's where your opinion is needed:

How long should a question stay open for voting? Should it be a "Question of the Week"? And if so, what day is best to switch to a new one? Or should the questions change more frequently, or less frequently?

And then a plea for your ideas - imagine you could gather the entire group of subscribers together and ask everyone here a question (or two, or three or twenty!) What would your question(s) be?

I see the voting booth as a place where we get to learn a little more about each other, especially through the responses that many post after they vote. And the overall statistics are interesting, too.

I sent Dave an assortment of silly and serious voting questions, but please put on those thinking caps, and let's give him a lot of different ideas to draw on for upcoming polls! Thanks!!!

This message was edited Tuesday, Nov 20th 2:18 PM

This message was edited Monday, Nov 19th 8:55 PM

This message was edited Monday, Nov 19th 10:20 PM

Thinking of my own propensity to gather wildflowers when I travel, I would be interested in knowing if others do this, and in what way. Some of the things I enjoy most in my gardens were brought from Louisiana, and I would love to follow the spring in our own country and maybe the fall or late summer, to gather seeds or rooted starts. Then there is the time I went to Iran and carried seeds for a plant that had originated in the far east, moss rose or purslane. I planted it in the private area behind the villa, where the soil was sandy and poor. While there, I went to a local nursery, a growing area in the forest, not like our commercial nurseries, and purchased roses with the most intoxicating fragrance I have ever smelled, and learned that they originated in China hundreds or more years ago. These, I planted in the front of the villa, with the help of a local man from across the "kuchi", or lane, because the yards were so bare of ornamentation and I had to plant something! But I wasn't able to gather seeds or bring back any plant materials, as everything belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture and I would have been running the risk of being accused of stealing national property. Oops, sorry about that lapse, I just love going other places and observing the flora.

I think a week is the right amount of time for a question to be posted. It gives everyone some week days plus a weekend to respond. Some people only have the computer at work, some at home. Hometime can sometimes be rather wild with school and church or social activities, so not everyone gets here regularly.

Wantabe's suggestion raises a good point - the voting booth questions have to have a limited number of responses - they can't be "open ended"/fill-in-the-blank style.

Is there another way to word your question, Wantabe? I'll think about it some, and perhaps in the meantime, someone else will suggest a way to do it.

Aimee, I like your idea - can you expand it a bit further? For instance, what are the different techniques for gathering seed do you use? Are there others that you don't use?

Good discussion, all - let's keep the ideas coming.

Mary, that was my thought, too - a week seems about right for everyone to get a fair shot at reading and voting if they wish to. Maybe change the question every Sunday evening? (New question to start the week sort of thing.) What does everyone think?

This is just my opinion, but then again that is what you are asking for right?? I would say to change the question in the voting booth every Monday. Because I think that in a weeks time, everyone has been here at least once or twice and that would give them plenty of time to see and vote in the booth. But now that is just my opinion.
As for suggested questions for the booth...hmmmm let's see..
What about: Your Favorite Holiday, OR What about the hoilday's, will they be spending the holidays at home or at family and friends house? OR Are you doing any cooking for the holiday's? or or or LOL I guess that is all I can come up with for now hee heee

Unsure how to expand it! Do you gather along public roads, or on private land, attempt to gain permission, go to local nurseries after spotting interesting plants, ? What items do you regard as essentials for a gardener's well stocked car: capped containers for seeds and plants, waterproof marking supplies, paper towels or newspapers, folding spade, zip lock bags, field guide for wildflowers or natives. Do you: plan trips for seed and plant gathering, stop spontaneously anytime you see desirable and interesting plants, spot them and go back later, ask people in the area about the ones you notice and seek their help in gathering? What plants have you wanted enough to make them the purpose of a trip? (For me, the native iris in south Louisiana, especially around Abbeville). I think I am obsessed.

This message was edited Tuesday, Nov 20th 8:39 AM

How old were you when you first learned about gardening - or grew your first plant? OR, when did you first realize that gardening was something you wanted to do?

Are you the only one in your family who has a love of gardening, or are there other family members who share in this recreation/hobby?

If you could change where you live (US), where would you move to: NE, SE, MW, SW, NW?

Do you think gardening programs should be integrated into our school system?

Do you have poisonous plants/bulbs, etc in your gardens?

How many gardening books do you own?

When do you plant the most? Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter?

I can come up with lots more, but not sure they'd be any better than this. If this is the idea, let me know and I'll be glad to submit more ideas...that is, if you ever run low on ideas. :)

I'm still hung up on this "where are you from" thing. I love seeing everyone post the town and state on their name...Scrolling back through this thread I see only one that I can't tell where they are from (I'll save you a scroll...it's MaryE). Maybe a question like: Why do you have/do not have, your town and state showing?
A. Like to see where others are from
B. Hope to find someone else from my area
C. don't, for privacy reasons
D. Didn't think about when I subscribed
E. Evading the law (LOL here!)

MaryE...I'm not picking on you...was just using you as an example. Jo

RR, I didn't hesitate because once you post anything on the web, you can be found. Anyone with an ulterior motive will know how to do it, and no one else poses a threat. And I guess I just refuse to be intimidated to the point I have to hide. I do exercise caution about opening mail, though, and almost every week I get something that I don't feel comfortable opening.

I think the "question of the week" is a good amount of time. I think most of us can get to it within a week. As far as what questions I would like to see I'll have to think on that.

This message was edited Tuesday, Nov 20th 5:26 AM

I agree,a week to respond,seems sufficient'

As for a limited number of responses is fine too however if the "question" is answered and the required number of responses are posted,say in only a couple of hours,then it cannot be considered a "weekly voting opportunity"

We have such a diversity of everyone's lifestyles perhaps another route for question/answer could be approached'

Example: Our nightowls that post,early morning posters and some that pop in and out whenever' For everyone to participate/respond,perhaps voting could be at different hours thus getting a full/balanced tally' Just a thought' Sis'

I think a week is fine - a new subject matter every Monday. Given the political stance at the moment, I'm sure Dave could come up with some very interesting questions there. As I was away when this was initiated would someone please explain the reason for the polling booth? What is the end product?? Thanks!!

I agree with a week and Sunday is the first day of the week, so why no start and end it there.

I like Sunday for the new question..more time usually for being on the computer..for most people I think.
And a week is a good long time to have the question up.
I don't think there has to be a limit as to the number of reponses. It is just a fun thing to see and learn about how others feel and live...thoughts flow..and I am inspired by others. It is not a requirement to even vote or to explain ..it is one's choice.
Cheers,
Carol
P.S...we are having our first snow flurries right now....a blanket for the plants :)

Uh oh, I guess I didn't say something very clearly. When I said there can be only a limited number of responses, what I meant was that the voting booth requires a "multiple choice" or "True/False" response to the question - you must choose from among a set number of responses. Although you can expand/explain your vote in a reply to that forum.

And that makes it hard to do questions like your favorite holiday or what country would you like to visit. We'd have a list of possible choices that is as long as your arm! So a question has to be worded in such a way as to give you only a few choices you can vote on.

Thanks!
Terry (who's hoping that clarifies and doesn't confuse further....)

Yes..it sure does clear that up...thanks for explaining.

ditto'

I think that once a week accomodates most member's schedules and I feel Sunday is a good day to start too. I feel informing everyone with the start/end day and being consistent with those days will be what makes it easy and agreeable for all. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm a creature of habit.
I also agree that listing a question like "What country would you like to visit?" would require too many choices, but if the question was rephrased to ask "What continent would you like to visit?" would be feasible since there would only be five choices to select from. The same goes with "What season has your favorite holiday?". There's only four options, but a person can post and express the reasons for their choice. Just my thoughts.

Carol, thank you! The way you've rephrased these questions would make them perfectly workable for polling questions.
And anyone who wants to elaborate on their vote can do so with a reply to the forum.

As far as when to change the question, I'm leaning toward Sunday, too. It gives everyone a chance to vote before the workweek starts up again. (I had orginally stated that I thought Europe time was earlier than the US, but it was ever-so-gently pointed out to me by a good DG friend that you-all are LATER than the US - sorry!)

Not to box Dave in too tight on when to change up the question, but if it is posted by mid-morning here, is that early enough for just about everyone everywhere to see it on Sunday during semi-normal waking hours? Or maybe Dave can program it to change automatically on Saturday night/Sunday morning...I'll leave it to him to work out the technical details :)

Okay, folks, let's hear your ideas for more voting questions - silly or serious. I am trying to steer clear of political issues though. As I recall, one of the first concerns about the voting booth was that it could create hard feelings if we used it for potentially divisive issues. I'd prefer to stick with questions that pertain to DG - gardening, farming, wildlife, books, pets, etc.

This message was edited Tuesday, Nov 20th 11:20 AM

I think a week is fine. What day it changes over does not matter to me. As far as what 3 questions would I ask DG gardeners if I had them all together? Oh Geez...I would be so overwhelmed I would be speechless. It would sort of be like sitting in front of the President of the United States or something. I mean if you take all the gardening intelligence of DG people, WOW, I would have a million questions and not be able to ask one :-) vic