Proposing New "Spin-off" Forums!

There is been much discussion at the Co-op Forum, please see this thread http://davesgarden.com/t/383917/. Past & present Co-op Coordinators, as well as, co-op participants have given very valuable insight, suggestions, problems that have been encountered, in addition to possible recommended suggestions, that I would like you to consider.

I could go into a long elaborate list, if requested, that would help facilitate running a successful Co-op. I feel that Co-op Coordinators (past and present) need there OWN Forum in which to discuss various co-oping matters. I propose that this new forum be an "eyes only" forum for only Co-op Coordinators, because many personal, financial, & health issues need to be taken into consideration.

Also, I would like to see two links, at the top of the current Co-op Forum, for "Co-op Coordinators", as well as, future paid members who are considering running a co-op, but don't know how to get started, what to consider, how to contact wholesale nurseries, financial questions, how to package & ship plants vs. seeds, and a whole host of other related issues!

These links will take DG'ers in two directions. Either toward a forum for "Co-op Coordinators" or "Information on How to Run a Co-op for New Coordinators". YOU will decide who should be given access to these new forums. You would then simply send an e-mail giving or denying permission to enter into these forums. It would not be made available to everyone!

Thank you for considering my suggestions and I welcome your feedback, as well as, postings from other DG Co-op Coordinators and participants.

I'll let Dave voice his opinion on a forum that is read-only for some members (I have no idea of the technial issues or other concerns/considerations he may have.)

But in a similar vein, I'm pulling together a first draft of a Co-op Primer (similar in format to the Trading Primer.) I'm going to post the outline of the sections in a new thread in the Co-op forum; if anyone would like to help create/edit the document, I'd be glad to have the input!

Read only/invitation/exclusive forms are not in the codebase here at DG (nor in my Scif system), and I've never had a reason to create this work.

Your idea is not a bad one, in fact, several times I've wanted an invitation-only type of forum, but I really need a pretty big reason to create it (it would be a substantial amount of work).

The coop primer will be an outstanding first stop for anyone interested in doing a coop. Thank you Terry for putting that together!

Dave

Shirley, you could always form a Yahoo Group or some other similar mailing list for DG Co-Op coordinators. It could be by invitation only and since it would take place off-site, it would be private.

That's true, Shirley, and so easy to do!! All you need is a Yahoo Account, and it's free!!


"eyes"

Great ideas everyone. Any way I can help or offer feedback, I'd be delighted to participate.

I agree that there should be some kind of tutorial to assist someone who is considering organizing a co-op. I also do not want to see any co-op organizer using their personal funds for anything other than the plants that they personally wanted to purchase in the first place - they put so much time and effort into getting plants at reasonable prices for everyone. Realistically, these wonderful people could have bought their own plants cheaper if they calculated the time/labor that was involved with a co-op.

Unfortunately, I don't feel an exclusive forum is the right answer either. The majority of folks pay for their orders in a timely manner. I think it should be up to the co-op organizer to decide and post the remittance deadline, advance payment/deposit would be the ideal situation, and deal with any personal circumstances on a one to one basis in the way they personally decide.

The caveat I see is if the co-op organizers are able to have their own private forum about members, why wouldn't co-op participants eventually broach the subject of having a private forum for their voice too?

In my humble opinion this would only open a can of worms. There has to be a better way, I just wish I had a possible solution.

I agree Carol. It's working like it is, with the names at the top and who's paid. The one thing I did differently than many, I didn't pay for the plants out of my pocket. I couldn't. I had them ordered, but got all the money in first.

I wouldn't mind paying for my plants up front. If I order plants elsewhere I pay up front, so why should a co-op be different? Just my 2CW.
Ruth

I meant before I even got the plants here. Many of the organizers are paying up front and I just don't know how they do it.

I agree with yardbird. I wouldn't mind paying for co-op plants up front. If you purchase from a catalog or on eBay for instance, you pay your money and you take your chances. From what I've seen of the great people on DG, in the short time I've been here, your chances of being unhappy with a pre-paid purchase would be mighty slim.
Bill

Thanks everyone for your very valuable input. Yes, (waving my hand in the air), I was one of the Co-op Coordinators who paid for not one but two co-ops "up front". Watch out! I'm dangerous when it comes to these plastic cards called VISA, MASTERCARD, etc. So consequently, I want to be sure to recoop all the money that I paid up front. Plus, if I hadn't purchased the plants "up front", many varieties would have been gone or "sold out"! I didn't want to disapoint any co-op participants. There were enough changes in the Clematis Co-op because of Donahue's Nursery mis-organization & lack of keeping better track of their own inventory. I already put my comments in the Garden Watchdog.

Regarding a Yahoo group, I'm NOT trying to "reinvent the wheel", folks! I have seen some issues that need to be addressed in much more detail!

Choosing to participant in a Co-op is a PRIVILEDGE extended to DG members ONLY. Is that a correct statement Dave? If that is true, didn't you have to write computer code to ONLY include DG members? Didn't you exclude non-members?

That means that members who choose to participate in a Co-op need to follow certain guidelines. If they are not able to for whatever reason, then they should NOT participate. However, if a urgent matter comes up unexpectantly, shouldn't the Co-op Coordinator be made aware of this? If the participant is in several co-ops at the same time, many different Co-op Coordinators will be affected! If the participant's problems are "long-term", then future Co-op Coordinators need to be made aware of this. What is the best way of handling those scenarios?

Terry, I would be more than happy to help in any way that I possibly can. The primer would need to be divided into chapters or sections. One on "how to be a good co-op participant" and the other on "how to run or manage a successful co-op". I have so many thoughts and ideas rattlin' around in my brain!

I'm with ya'll, etexbill, tiG and yardbird,

I feel like I've got much better odds with a co-op here than with any mail order company. The volunteer actually looks at the stuff before he/she sends it on, so it's passed one unbiased (ok, maybe biased in our favor), educated inspection before it gets sent to me. And we don't pay extra for that (what a service!)... the least I can do is pay up front.

Shirley,

The forums at DG distinguish between three classes of users:

1) Visitors (no username - they are not members).

2) Members (username and logged in)

3) Subscribers (username, logged in, paid subscriber).

Only subscribers can access most of the forums here at DG.

Your idea (a good idea) would require my creating an infinite number of classes of users, ad hoc, maintained at will be some central person in authority. It's a good idea and I will no doubt be developing this one day.

But, it's a ways off. :)

Dave

Gee, if we kept it to "subscribers only" might get a few more members--I thought it was for us only!

Thanks for the three subsets of users at DG. I meant to say "subscribers" and instead called them "members". Thanks for the clarification.

Glad you liked my ideas. I know that your time is very valuable. Thank you for considering my suggestions and if I can be of further help to you or Terry regarding input, I will be happy to do whatever I can to help!