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cbarry_gw

My name is ** and I'm a trading slut.

cbarry
15 years ago

Got your attention? A lot of you newbies won't know me because I've only been lurking for too long. But hopefully my old friends will remember me.

So, I said it in the title, I've been trading up and trading down since I joined in 2004. Actually, I had a period where I gave away plants for my favorite limerick/haiku/poem (well I'll say 'poem' lightly ;)

So my name is Carolyn, and I'm a trading slut.

But as I've refined my interests and tastes and abilities over the years, my collection has had such wild swings! I've now settled in to mostly slipper orchids. But how did I get here? Really, what plants that I have traded for do I still have? (There were always those that were known to be transients.) Well every slut's little black book is her/his's alone, but I'd like to share some of my exploits. And I hope that other sluts will stand up and share, and I don't apologize to those whom I call out for helping to make me the orchid trading slut that I am today.

These are the keepers:

Remember Bada? Dichaea glauca

Chryss knows how to share the love:

-Paph. Garet Fire x charlesworthii

-Paph. Peppermint 'Raspberry Snow' HCC/AOS

-Paph. Pink Sky

-Paph. Raisin Pie x Laser

I don't think that braspadya is still around, but mmmm:

-Phrag. Grande 'Loch Raven' HCC/AOS

-Cycnoches ventricosum

picotee_sofl has been around too: Paph. (Makuli-curtisii) - Maudiae x Maudiae 'Nappa Valley' HCC/AOC x sib

I miss chymera311:

-Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star (HCC/AD/AOS) x Vandafinetia Virgil (4n)

-Ionopsis satyrioides (fleshyleaf violet orchid)

-Phrag. Calurum

-Zygopetalum mackaii (intermedium)

(and many others that found another home!)

I adore aachenelf, but all I have left is Paph. delenatii.

My vanilla came from Parrot47, and those who want to put out can have a piece next spring (I've been making a bunch of babies, ahem).

turkeytaker doesn't seem to visit either (sniff) but the Phrag. Icho Tower 3n lives on.

One of my most favorite 'partners' is orchidnick, he was actually (blush) my first...

-Ascofineta Cherry Blossom

-Darwinara Charm 'Blue Pacific'

-Dockrilla cucumera

-Dockrilla NOID

-Paph. Fair maude chaudiere 'George' (HCC/AOS) x fairrieanum 'Hagee' (FCC/AOS)

-Paph. lowii

-Paph. Nick NOID (several)

-Paph. Stewart cross "Tree of Grove'

(I still owe nick pictures)

Well, these are the trades from *this* forum.

I told you I'm an orchid trading slut.

Carolyn

Comments (18)

  • lunaticvulpine
    15 years ago

    * sniff* you totally, forgot about me, Carolyn. It kinda makes me sad lol,

    well it seems that you've been a busy little T/W,

    and how can any one ever forget about you? you're one of my favorite forum friends, maybe we trade later, cause i have to get rid of my cooler growers XD

    Gaston

  • littlem_2007
    15 years ago

    i am sorry i have not made your list living as i do on the other side of the "track". but i thank you for the advice you have given me in the past.
    sue

  • Sheila
    15 years ago

    Carolyn, firstly, you are so organized! I've done only a few trades and I'm not certain who the majority of them came from. I do remember (I think) that I got a Max tenuifolia and possibly an Onc Sharry Baby from you, simply for cost of shipping.

    Happy growing. Sheila :)

  • cbarry
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Gaston, take heart! You are one of my favorites! It's just that my list claims that I no longer have anything that we traded together. I might have lost some, and the others must have found better homes. So you're right, maybe it's time we hook up again :)

    Thanks Sue! :)

    But c'mon there are others out there who share their love (of orchids). I want to hear your stories! How much of what you have traded for do you still have? Have you ever traded for something that you don't really want, but you planned to use it to trade up for something even better? (I have!) What's your favorite trade/trader?

    Do trades or purchases make up most of your collection? This is what prompted this post - as I look at my collection (now about 65, down from almost 200!), I realized that I have about 50/50 trades/purchases. And only a few that I'm interested in giving up right now.

    Where does everyone else stand?
    Carolyn

  • cbarry
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Sheila - Ah, yes, free for postage, how do you think I came down from 200 to 65? I think you 'won' some of the poem contests ;)

    Carolyn

  • lunaticvulpine
    15 years ago

    I'd say more on purchases although there is a list of things I'm needing to get rid of.

  • pegasus101
    15 years ago

    I haven't yet had the fun of trading with someone, as I'm fairly new to Orchids, and most of mine are NOID's.

    But it sounds fun, and someday I hope to join in!

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    15 years ago

    Oh yes Carolyn, we did do some good trades didn't we? I really haven't kept track of where my plants came from, but I know I still have some from you. The Max sophronitis just finished blooming and the Max uncata always seems to be doing something. You know, I've come to the conclusion that little plant has to have some of the ugliest flowers around, but I like the foliage so much it will not be going away anytime soon.

    Last summer I thought my interest in orchids was coming to an end, but all I needed was to get rid of a whole mess of plants. I bet I don't have 1/2 the number I use to, but I'm much, much happier. I love the ones I kept and it's so nice having room to spare. I know I traded a few of them away on another forum, but I also got rid of a lot of them on Craigslist for good, hard cash. I was amazed at the number of people who responded to my ads and I got decent money for them. If anything, I think I've become a Craigslist slut. I just love selling stuff that way.

    As far as % of trades vs. purchases, I'm probably in the 50/50 range too. You know, I only placed one orchid order in all of 2007 and that was for only 10 plants. Still love the beasts, but I will continue to be very, very careful with what I invite into my home.

    Kevin

  • barbcoleus
    15 years ago

    I lurk here, lurk there, lurk everywhere. I've made a couple of fabulous trades in my opinion. Many years of Orchid Digest for a LOT of cattleyas, my favorite. A baby stroller for a LOT of phalenopis, my other favorite. I've had other trades but these were jaw dropping out of this world.
    Barb

  • orchidnick
    15 years ago

    I had no idea I was your first! I would have been much gentler. I feel honored.

    Reminds me of the joke where a couple converse in a dishelved bed and she says: "Of course you were my first, I don't know why you men always ask this stupid question!"

    We had some good trades, unfortunately I'm out of Paphs but other good plants occasionally happen along. I'll keep you posted. Have a good holiday.

    Nick

  • quinnfyre
    15 years ago

    I didn't trade anything with you, but I got a couple computer fans from you, to save my Aerangis citrata. That little project evolved into my ang/pleuro case, and citrata is not only saved, but spiking! I think you sent me two power supplies for the fans, but for the life of me, I don't know where I put the 2nd one. It's okay, one fan has been enough to save the day. And has contributed heavily to my acquisition of angs and pleuros, because why have an ang case with only one in it? And apparently, why have angs without pleuros?

  • karensj7
    15 years ago

    I am so new at this so please be patient. Would anyone recommend purchasing plugs for eventually trading?

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    15 years ago

    karen - Not a bad idea as long as you know what to purchase - what's going to be popular with other traders. I used to buy seedling-sized plants from Oak Hill for cheap, grow them a couple of years and offer as trade. It worked for me.

    Kevin

  • orchidnick
    15 years ago

    Carmela orchids also offers 'Plug Trays'. Good sized catts for a little more than $1.00 each but you end up with 25 of the same. I got a bunch, plan to:

    1) Trade them
    2) Sell them when in bloom at our societies 'Silent Auction'
    3) Do crazy things with them for my collection like covering an irregular piece of wood with 8 of them. When mature should be a ball of color. Also putting a bunch in one basket to achieve the same effect.

    Nick

  • quicksilver
    15 years ago

    Hi Carolyn! I remember at least one of your offers of orchids for poems. (I was too late!) I am responding to this post just to let folks know there is another end to this bell curve. A few years ago I responded to an ad on Craigslist for orchids. The woman who posted the ad was developing tendonitis from watering too many orchids. I drove 110 miles to her condo, (might as well be to the nearest galaxy for people in MA). When I saw her plants I was stunned. She must of had an assortment of 35 mostly mature plants on her kitchen counter. I humbly offered her $20 for 13 orchids. She readily accepted the offer. Amoung the plants I came home with were 4 mature paphs, Bel Royal, Michael Koopowitz, and 2 Raisen Pie. After one year the plants were doing well. In a fit of conscience I sent her a check for $100.

  • tworthy
    15 years ago

    How about the Masd. floribunda that I traded you for a partially chewed on Max. tenufolia?
    Troy

  • cbarry
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Sorry Troy, but the masdie moved on (traded, not killed). Did Kevin get that one? I can't remember... Partially chewed...that must be the era of the monster puppy. Still have her. She doesn't chew on the plants anymore, she just runs away if she can (orchids are sooo much easier! they stay where you leave them!).

    Actually, when I gave upon my masdies (I had several), and dismantled the special tank that I set up for them, that's when the fans became available that quinnfyre now has! It just proved to be more time and effort that I wanted to give. The last plant from that era was a drac that recently moved out via ebay. At least I was able to finally bloom that drac! Not so for the masdies!

    And for those wondering about trading... A good trade can be almost anything! That's why garage sales work so well - stuff that you no longer want can be gold to the right person!

    Carolyn

  • whitecat8
    15 years ago

    Carolyn, so glad to see you've got power! I've been wondering if you were up and running, with all the storms and power outages in your area.

    You and I haven't traded - I've "traded" only once, for $$, but we did the Ecuagenera Orchids Caper, with mixed results re: the quality of the plants.

    Extra glad to hear from you.

    I've got 40 orchids that have to go - resenting the care they take, plus the 100+ plants are taking time away from DH and the critter crew. Thanks, Kev for reminding me of Craig's List. No way am I gonna pack these things up and ship them.

    Carolyn, good to see names of some of the old members you mention.

    Whitecat8

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