Dave's Garden national party - dead idea

Hmmm. Well Howard Garrett, "The Dirt Doctor" did a convention in Arlington for organic gardening. I guess he still does it. We only went the first year they had it, but if I had the money and the extra encentive of meeting Dger's, I would do my best to go back again.

Or the Fredericksburg Herb Farm has a festival in the spring (don't know the date). That might be a good side trip if you wanted to do it in this area. Other possible side trips could be the Wildseed Farm and Lady Bird's Wild flower park on the west side of Austin. For non-gardening types there's the Nimitz Museum (WW2 mostly) and Enchanted Rock state park and lots of shopping. Lots of other stuff to do in Austin, Boerne and New Braunfels etc.

Same thing here, either Minneapolis or Mankato. Not much garden.
The problem is the high price they charge the companies for display space. Garden retailers can't afford it.

Back to topic at hand. We would be to far from Texas to attend an event like this. We make a major weekend out of going to Iowa Round Up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There is always a good turn-out there & lots of fun. If a few more people would go to the local RU's, you wouldn't even think of a world-wide one.

Anyone posting here that has never been to a Round-up, go this year. Most are near enough that you can make it a 1 day thing.

Most are listed here.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/roundup/all/

See you at ROUND UP!
Bernie

Bernie (CountryGardens) also has a RU at his place in the fall, and there is another UMW RU in the spring usually around the Madison area.

silverfluter--hope you post when fredericksburg has its festival--if you ever plan outings for the places you listed i'd like to be included!!

Linda, I'll find out when the festival is and let you know. I've been to those places, but I have to admit I only go when somebody comes to town and wants to go. Not that I didn't enjoy myself and I would certainly go if some DGer's came to town and wanted to go. We just get so bogged down with work that we have a bad case of tunnel vision.:) I think the Wildseed Farm has some sort of event planned too for spring. And Lady Bird's wildflower has plant sales or something for fund raisers.

Linda, I just checked the website for the Herb Farm and they don't have a date for this years festival yet. You can find it if you just google Fredericksburg Herb Farm.

i know--tunnel vision--work etc and no time left or energy for much else!

All good ideas!

If you think there's enough interest I can start a thread about a trip to these events. I did a google search on Fredericksburg, Tx and found these dates on the event calendar:

Bluebonnet Trails Gourd Fest April 18 - May 18, 08
Wildseed Farms Wildflower celebration April 5 - 20, 08
Fredericksburg Herb Farm Fest April 18 - 20
Lavender Trail May 18 - June 30

i would love to do any one of those! looks like april 18 would have the gourd fest, wildflower celebration and the herb farm fest!! wow!! and fredericksburg is such a nice city! or so i have heard--

It is a great place to live and visit. I'll start a discussion thread and see where it goes.

thanks--april is coming right up--something to look forward to

All is not lost, we still have our local gatherings. I think if every state made a point of inviting others to their RU, it could be the same thing. This is a good time to invite those 64 people to our RU.
There is an old adage that states "too many cooks can spoil the broth" and thats what happen here. An plan should be taken as far as it can go before asking others to get involved with the planning. i.e. a place, date and time. that could not be changed ... look back at the poll, the numbers speak for it self.

This message was edited Jan 12, 2008 10:01 PM

Didn't everybody want it in their own backyard?

Not Really!

Lou.. Mitch.. committee members. I would suggest that you don't give up on this idea. Don't spend every minute of your days on it, but keep working on this goal. Fine tune it. it not an undertaking that can be done set-up and fully orhanized in a afew weeks or month.

You got all those votes, think only 1% said they won't come. You have before you a list of those who wil come and an even bigger list of the If's. Now take those if's and put them into a workable design and plan. Then when just the committee has everything set and organized , put up a bigg banner with all the info, time place, where, attractions, events and such and then about 6-8 months before the eventual time start a banner about it.

Looking at what going on, I would plan a small convention for about 50 people. it's a place to start and now folks at least all know about it and can start saving and planning with the idea at least in the back of their heads. hey if more show up, don't worry about it, everybody wil just crowd a little bit closer together. we all gardener's , we all know what dirt and sweat smells like. LOL I raided my son's football piggy bank to start savign for it, cuz I feel this will come to fruitation.

Something, that you may or may not have realized, is that even just the postign of the idea has brought alot of together here at Daves' that hadn't even met. new friendships and conversations are flowing . Wasn't that part of the whole idea? Well ya got a beginning. You have opened a door to communication. The physical part will just take a bit more time is all.

Some said... Texas a friendly state. If somebody here having a RU why not , if ya feel like it and are capable, open your Ru to anybody that wants to come. You might find, ya have a lot of folks from different aras and different parts, ya haven't met that still wouldn't mind traveling and tradding plants, seeds, stories and some friendly hospitality.

This idea has brought forth alot of people from all areas. I myself see folks I didn't know yet that while far from me they not so far, that maybe when things do get organized that a bunch of us couldn't car pool or rent a small van and all pile in. I think others are realizing the same things.

Dave may have put a hold on the idea for the moment. I could be wrong in this , but i think some of it because of all the if's, so I ask that you keep working as your time allows and then when it all finished to be presented , then bring it backup. Once you all have the first format set, and hold it, then that work can be used to one either in the same place and watch it grow, and it will provide the foundation to do ones set up in other areas.
Everythign has to start someplace, you had an idea that now a grain of sand. Work now to take that grain of sand and tun it into a brick an let it be the corner foundation of a Dg national garden party.

Not sure who reading where so gonna put this on both threads.

Still hoping for a steak and listenign to the "compost Carolers". : )

starlight1153 ... Kudos to you! ... my thoughts exactly ... Fine Tuning is the key! I think thats what I was trying to say above. ...295 would come if they knew where is was going to be ... 64 definite s.
... practicing principles say that 50% would participate. ... next time tell them where they are going and stick to it.

I'd come to a RU in TX, except that we couldn't tale plants home on the plane. :>(
x, C

Why not? I have ;o)

You could always take home seeds.

Or arrange to have them mailed.

Anne

Gosh, y'all are a friendly encouraging bunch! Just make sure whatever you're saving for me is hardy in z. 6, or like AuntAnne, mail me dead sticks, I'll ignore them and when I plant them here and there, a few days later, they'll end up being THE FEATURE in every one of my containers! xxx, Carrie

I was thinking do you suppose the time of year wasn`t good for the voting? That still looks pretty good for January. You might could double the outcome to a gathering of 64 by the time the weather gets warmed up.

Some folks probably aren`t posting as much because they aren`t as active in gardening this time of year. Why not try another vote in spring 2008? You could even do a vote for which town a person would definitely be able to make it maybe? Then you`d know where the best place to hold the event would be plus how many will commit or can foresee that it would be very likely they could make to to the event.

I`d go to one for sure if it wasn`t too far for us to afford the trip. So the exact location would be important. If it was close to where a family member lived then that would be added incentive plus more people coming with me.

Karen

I just would like to visit with everyone and put a face on a name! I wouldn't care if anything was organized but I would be there only to visit and talk plants (or get plants!)

Well then, come to the R.U. at College Station March 15th, many of us will be there.
here is the info;http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/803532/
Or you could come to the North Texas garden Party;
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/804590/
Many of us will be there too.
Josephine.

I am really planning on coming, Josephine, as I know there will be a lot of people there. Thanks for asking also!!!!!! I get enough seminars at the AV conventions and the begonia conventions to last a lifetime (LOL)