Re: RE: AIS-question convention plant

Just a quick note from the commercial side.  Every iris sent to a regional
or national is great advertising for the commercial gardens *and* for the
region and local societies.  For the commercial garden it is advertising to
an extremely limited amount of folks, mostly members of the choir already.
Each iris sent for display costs the commercial source quite a bit in sales
in the regions were they are being displayed due to sales of donated iris,
also cost the commercial garden stock numbers.  From a purely business
aspect I completely understand requesting return of all but one for the
gardens.  Having experienced severe depletion of my own iris last year I can
understand requesting all iris back.  Other than in severe situations most
growers/hybridizers are more than generous.  All plants that are donated
after conventions are a great source of income for the region, more than
off-setting the cost to ship back to a few hybridizers.  It is a lot of work
for those involved but everyone is a volunteer so they must want to do it,
right?  :-)  Not too sure about the "hundreds of thousands" of seedlings
being shipped back, most are just named varieties that are donated, so no
worries there.  Also, this years convention wasn't exactly a money losing
endeavor.
a couple of cents worth from the other side of the fence
Mike
lots and lots of good food Michael


>
> >You have NO IDEA how valuable this discussion is to Host organizations
> >doing/contemplating both AIS and Regional conventions!  The "Convention
Handbook"
> >(both AIS and, if any, Regional) do not deal in depth with the "after
work" and
> >how important the initial "invitation to send Guest irises rules" are.
> >
> >Guest Iris chairs work very hard to keep tabs on what comes in, what
> >hybridizers want done with them, reporting on progress,
digging/sales/distribution and
> >sending them back out.  It is a big job for Regionals and a Monumental
job
> >for Nationals!!  But.........Seeing the irises bloom is THE reason for
all the
> >work  and what the Conventions should be all about.
> >
> >We (who are now on the spot of "conventions-future") have heard horror
> >stories of seedlings by the hundreds/thousands needing to be returned to
the
> >hybridizer at great expense to the Convention when the Convention barely
broke
> >even/lost money.  It hardly encourages Affiliates to volunteer to host a
National
> >Convention.
> >
> >
> >
> I have only attended one convention,Freso 2004 so I know little of what
> I speak but...
>
> The bus tours seemed to the major part of the convention. Proper
> planning should include allowing sufficient time for attendees to see
> all the iris. Our group was blessed with representatives from not only
> the largest commercial gardens but also at least half a dozen from other
> major commercial gardens. These knowledgeable people were unable to
> complete the tour of more than half the guest gardens. Consider the
> amount of time the tours will have in each garden and adjust the number
> of guest iris accordingly. Now you have the number of guest iris you can
> invite.
>
> Now each host of a guest garden knows they will be responsible for xxx
> number of iris. Each host should be made aware that there may be 12
> times xxx number of iris to be collected after the convention. A mutual
> agreement as to who will be responsible for digging,  cleaning,
> trimming and labeling should be confirmed in writing because people and
> memories can change over a two year period of time.
>
> My personal view would be that it would be proper courtesy for the
> hosting region to prepare and ship for return the same number or Rz's as
> received. If anyone wants a greater quantity returned for commercial
> reasons than they should pay for shipping the pre-agreed upon amount of
> Rz's. The hosting region should practice good business ethics and and
> refund the proper portion of the shipping charges on incorrect returns.
>
> You have to know what numbers are involved if you want to budget the
> expense.
>
> My only direct expierence with guest returns has been the digging,
> declumping, trimming and labeling part.
>
> Don't let any tales of woes discourage you. The majority of the people
> involved in Fresno 2004 that I have talked to are ready to do it again.
> Just a little smarter this time.
>
> Anyone care to dispute that Fresno 2004 had the best eats of any
convention?
>
> Michael Michaeli only, Stockton Ca.
>
>
>
>
> >Everyone Please chime in on this discussion  who has experience with
either
> >sending guest irises or digging them.  Only with information can we all
do
> >these chores more fairly and with less killer work!!!
> >
> >Rita Gormley
> >Gormley Greenery
> >Cedar Hill, MO
> >AIS Region 18, Zone 5
> >www.gormleygreenery.com
> >
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