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Post by americangardener on Oct 6, 2008 23:34:17 GMT -5
Well, the french, belgians and others buy their seeds on this side of the Atlantic, and if Gere had a translated site, he would make an even bigger killing. Even some small companies in Québec are actually better known across the pond because of that. Our european friends envy our laws and freedom to trade and sell heirloom seeds A LOT, and the variety we have access to. This year biggest client of my friend Patrice, who reads us here and should join after the crazyness of the summer and harvest, was a ''conservatoire'' in France, some historical domaine that has been classified and is now devoted to growing historical vegetables. They have to cross the pond to buy THEIR seeds from us!!! Translate my friend, translate, they are waiting for you eagerly... I know a guy with a degree in marketing, experience in sales and strong language skills that could help you out on this one...  Well.. i know who i'm gonna come to for help with the translations  Website design isn't actually on the schedule till springtime. I wanted to get the product line all figured out first. And some things, i won't know what i'll actually get seed increases from till then. For ones i may not have enough inventory of.. i'm gonna be looking for help there too. But, if ya want to advice me on what or how to do things before then .. i'm always open. |
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Post by orflo on Oct 7, 2008 3:32:53 GMT -5
I have so few and so many plans, already received loads of seeds for trying out next year. Just trying new things, improving and evaluating in 2009, I guess.That's a 'few' plans, but growing out hundreds of different vegetables can be 'many 'plans as well ;D ;D I do agree with Dave for luffa, they do make a good summer squash. If Belgian laws were a bit more flexible, I would seriously consider a seed firm myself, so I can only support your initiative, Dave. If you need any help, don't know anything about rules and setting up a firm in the US, but I could help growing out things, or supplying things for trying out. Even if someone ;D ;D ;D claims Europeans buy in the US, I still get the impression more can be found in Europe, especially Germany. A lot is circulating over here, but it's not always available commercially. It's just a matter of knowing the right channels (and knowing a bit of languages helps   , Frank |
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Post by plantsnobin on Oct 7, 2008 7:04:39 GMT -5
Dave, have you looked into a LLC? Not nearly the hassle of setting up a corporation, no boards, etc. Seems like all that may be overkill for a small seed start-up. And then when you became wildly sucessful, no one could oust you from your own company, SSE style.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Oct 7, 2008 8:35:58 GMT -5
a guy with strong language .. What was that Mikey? Ta-ber-what??? ;D Thanks Dave. I can wait for seeds. I don't really NEED them, but I always like to help out small business (hoping soon to be Big) wherever possible. Besides, I have no idea where I will be in 2009. I might be trying to grow luffas in containers on a balcony? |
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Post by americangardener on Oct 7, 2008 9:38:01 GMT -5
Dave, have you looked into a LLC? Not nearly the hassle of setting up a corporation, no boards, etc. Seems like all that may be overkill for a small seed start-up. And then when you became wildly sucessful, no one could oust you from your own company, SSE style. I don't recall much bout Limited liability corps. I know i got nothing i can see wrong with em right now. I did do some comparisons back bout 20 years ago, when i was still going to college business classes. At that time i decided the S corp route would be best for what i wanted to do when i started up my building company. I know it's not the same dealing with seeds as it is with contractors.. but i figure some of that past experience will be transferrable. Now.. since i'm just a poor old man with no one to help out.. i figure i better stick with what i know. I can't afford to pay accountants and lawyers thousands of dollars to file papers and keep records right now. So, i figure why not do it myself ... i don't need them to do what i can do for free. At least for now till i get the corp up and running big profits.. i can handle those responsibilities for a little while. The only thing is it's a drain on my time. Not that i can't do everything just fine.. it's just a pain trying to do all things all at once. It won't be fun i tell ya...that's why i'm hoping i can talk alan or some of the rest of ya into helping out. I know where my weakest spots are gonna be.. and Michel has already hit on one of em. The website design! My only experience with making a website was long long ago when i made a personal website.. and there i just put stuff bout myself. I have no real idea how to set up business websites yet. If i have to learn java code and all that i guess it'll have to be learn as i go. That is unless i can get someone to help with it before spring. Right now i got the basics i need to start out. I got seeds!!! Millions and millions of seeds of thousands of different varieties. I got good friends who are knowledgeble in areas where i'm weak. And i beleive there's a market out there right now even more than ever before for what i have to sell. What i have is variety. Won't be able to bring 1500 tomato varieties to the point of sellability all at one time.. but then again. The way i look at it heirloom seed buyers don't come back to buy the same seed varietys year after year. I figure i'll be needing a constantly evolving product line. With what i got now.. i'll be able to do that with as many varieties as i have for decades. I figure either start with a hundred of my favorites, most exclusive varieties of each type; and keep adding to the offerings each year. Or switch out new ones as i bring em to market and just maintain a lower amount of varieties on the site. I haven't quite decided which way to go with that.. i'm kinda thinking i'd switch em out and just maintain say 100 varieties for sale at a time. It can get time consuming packaging and all for 1500 varieties.. so i'm just thinking of making things easier.. At least to start out. Once i get all the ducks in a row we'll see how it goes. For now.. i got bout two months time left to get the business plan, and mission statement written out and ready to file. And about that amount of time to set up a steering committee. I'd like to get some help there soon as i can. But, that's it... I really got nothing exciting planned for '09 |
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Post by americangardener on Oct 7, 2008 10:08:04 GMT -5
Not nearly the hassle of setting up a corporation, no boards, etc. Seems like all that may be overkill for a small seed start-up. And then when you became wildly sucessful, no one could oust you from your own company, SSE style. Just another quick comment here.. then i'll stop sidetracking ya all from what Jim wanted to discuss about breeding experiments. Bout the board of directors.. i need em! Bout overkill.. i think not.. i envision this corp could easily have a net worth of over ten million dollars within five years time if done properly. And bout being wildly successfull.. well my success makes everyone that comes along with me successfull. It's the teamwork that will make or break this corp.. not just what i can do alone. My success will be in the value of my stocks going up. The more i invest into it.. the more i'll have when i retire. I don't intend to be running the board of directors forever.. nor would i want too. I'd be perfectly happy to have someone other than myself at the helm. And as for being ousted.. doun't think ya can oust shareholders can ya? If i have my way.. everyone else can deal with the headaches and balance sheets.. and i'll just go back to doing what i love most.. growing plants and saving seeds. As ya know.. SSE is a non-profit. And although I like the idea of being a non-profit for some types of businesses.. seed companies isn't one of em. I'm not concerned bout being ousted anyways... As i've said before.. my only motivation is to create something i can pass along to my children when i die. My share of the corp will be my legacy to them. Ok.. now ya can have the thread back Jim.. sorry to have sidetracked it. Dave |
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Post by Alan on Oct 7, 2008 11:59:08 GMT -5
Dave,
Good luck with your new "baby". I definetly would love to be involved with this in one way or another, weather it is just growing out seed, offering new OP varieties from our breeding experiments here on the site, publishing papers on your web-site, or something more involved than that.
I've got a lot on my plate right now but can always make room for more, exspecially to help out a friend.
My business plan as of late has relied more on the "underground economy" side of things than on the legitimate enterprise. Utilizing lots of message boards, "swap shop" radio programs, local outlets, newspapers and soon a site with a pay pal option offering everything from hatching eggs, seeds, seedlings, worm castings and lots of other stuff.
Keep me updated buddy!
-Alan
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Post by michaeljohnson on Nov 2, 2008 1:07:43 GMT -5
Regarding the O.S.U.Blue tomato- you might find a bit of difficulty when it comes to crossing them with other tomatoes, as the pollen is extremely fine and difficult to see and there does not seem to be much of it- a bit like the Brandywine tomato regarding low pollen count- although having said that-it seems to pollinate itself perfectly ok without the slightest problem with almost every tomato setting per truss- I struggled this season to try to get a cross between O.S.U.Blue and pink Brandywine but without success after half a dozen flowers were treated- I was going to call it Blue Brandy if it had worked, will try again next season.
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Post by PapaVic on Nov 2, 2008 10:28:46 GMT -5
I had the exact same experience as Michael.
We're growing the same strain of OSU, so maybe it's common to that strain. But when collecting pollen, I got very little yield. Very little. And I tried at various times of day and various stages of flower development. But each attempt yielded a sparse dusting or nothing at all.
Yes, this was strange as every truss self-pollinated fully and every fruit was full of seeds.
In the end, I got zero crosses using what little OSU pollen I was able to gather. I think next year I'll reverse the process and use the OSU Blue as the recipient rather than the pollen donor.
Bill
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Post by michaeljohnson on Nov 13, 2008 0:59:31 GMT -5
That sounds a good Idea PV, I might try the same thing and reverse the parents as it might be more successful . I even tried to knock the pollen off onto black paper with an electric toothbrush vibrator- but regardless of that -do you know I still could not see the darned stuff despite using a magnifying glass- all very mysterious but exciting- a new challenge to test the old grey cells for 2009  |
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Post by raymondo on Jan 11, 2009 15:58:57 GMT -5
I help out on the dwarf tomato project over on T'ville so will continue growouts and crosses for that. I have crossed Lady Godiva (naked seeded pepo pumpkin) with Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato as the beginnings of a fine tasting pumpkin with naked seeds. I got hold of the Long Island Seed Project's offering of naked seeded pumpkins so will grow those out next season. Again from LISP I have their mixed collards and kales which I will grow out over winter looking for ones that do well here. I also have a couple of other tomato projects running - tasty PL yellow beefsteak, tasty PL green-when-ripe cherry (growing the F2s of those now), and orange and a white PL cherries (have just done the crosses). I have another kale and a beetroot project but I'm relying on insects and/or wind to do the crosses I want. So far the kale project (looking for a purple version of Green Glaze) is a fizzer becasue they all seem to want to flower at different times. The beetroot project (a golden version of Cylindra) I won't know about until I sow the seeds. I'm hoping the genetics will be simple enough to see whether the cross was successful straight away.
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Post by canadamike on Jan 11, 2009 19:04:20 GMT -5
Can't you freeze pollen? It is what is often done to solve the problem...
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Post by johno on Jan 12, 2009 1:41:53 GMT -5
I was looking at a photo of Pizza peppers this weekend and another little project popped into (out of?) my brain. I want to plant several Jalapeno variants in a block and pass around the resulting seed. We should be able to get an enormous number of possibilities for new Jalapenos in various combinations of heat, size, and color from this mass cross. If anyone wants to donate old Jalapeno seed for this project - any color, any hybrid, any kind of Jalapeno - please let me know (what kind) asap, because I plan to make an order for seeds mid-week. Gotta' start those pepper seeds soon!
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Post by Jim on Jan 12, 2009 10:56:29 GMT -5
I'll look in my seed bin. I think I've got a big packet of some early jalepeno you can have. Maybe have some goliath jalepeno too..I'll look tonight.
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Post by johno on Jan 12, 2009 13:30:03 GMT -5
I'm talking about this at TomatoLand as well. Peppereater is already sending early Jalapeno and a mild Jalapeno. Goliath is a good one that I don't have, so that would be great, Jim!
Besides the Jalapeno hybrids, what I'm most in need of is the yellow one (Jaloro, developed by Texas Agricultural Extension Service) and Purple Jalapeno. Also, I'd like to get a Jalapeno called Pizza pepper. I'm going to do some Googling shortly, but looking through my catalogs, I haven't found a company that sells all three.
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Website design isn't actually on the schedule till springtime. I wanted to get the product line all figured out first. And some things, i won't know what i'll actually get seed increases from till then. For ones i may not have enough inventory of.. i'm gonna be looking for help there too.
,
