On 2 Feb 2006 14:10:14 -0800, "Bill" wrote:
Hi Sue; To follow up on what Kenni said: first of all AMEN to what she
said. No really good grower wants to do a show where the vendors are
rotated. Then: a lot of societies will invite what we call "price
cutters". I guess their thinking is that their members can get plants
at a cheap price-- but I can tell you it is "show suicide". The people
who sell junk at cheap prices undermine the really good growers who are
growing orchids to make a living--- so they eventually stay away from
the shows who embrace "price cutters". In no time at all those shows
become JUNK shows where the public (including members) get sold plants
that are inferior & usually die. We (just as a for instance) guarantee
our plants 100%-- the junk dealers can't do that as they buy the
cheapest junk they can find & so their plants die too. Plus they are
usually not really growers but "brokers". They are doomed to go out of
business & then the society show is dead. I would give very careful
consideration to Kenni's advice if you want to build a show that will
be well attended for years & years. Get & KEEP top growers who stand
behind their product and will not knowingly sell inferior plants. Good
Luck, Bill
We are trying to build relationships rather than dependences. We felt
the majority of our membership only knew 3 or 4 vendors and needed to
feel that there were many good full service vendors with knowledge
people who were honest, trustworthy and helpful. People who were
Orchid Growers not like the nurseries and florists here who order a
box from Hawaii every month and have no knowledge of the plants they
receive. They are 1/2 step better than the grocery/sundry chain
stores and HD that provide plants for unskilled staff to kill.
John and I moved out from Chicago and go back for the Chicagoland
Festival. We are used to being able to 'visit' Orchid Ranges and
choose the plants we want with the expectation of an honest price on
both sides of the transaction. To have OS members tell us that the
local tree and annual nursery is the best place to get orchids. They
would tell me how wonderful the selection was, then I found a display
that would fit my kitchen table,
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php