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Trading Plants

Seeds, actually.
  (+13, -1)(+13, -1)
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What follows is an idea which my friend Max came up with. I have written it up properly, and expanded it a bit.

You have all probably seen those annoying trading cards everywhere. Like a very slow tide they come and go, in various guises. The premise is always the same. Children (usually) spend ridiculous amounts of money on packs of cards. These cards belong to a set, of varying complexity, games can be played with them, and the can (as the name suggests) be traded with others for more cards. Examples abound: Pokémon, Yu-gi-Oh, Magic, Top Trumps etc..

What about an idea which takes the natural desire of people to fritter their money into essentially useless thin objects which can be used against and for other peoples essentially useless thin objects, and uses this for a (slightly better) purpose?

My idea is this: Trading Plants. They are small, thin packets of seeds. On the outside of the packet, in card style, is a picture of the grown plant. There are also statistics about the plant, information about its history and uses, and other relevant information. The set of packets comes with instructions for some games that can be played with them. Players can trade them and play games with them.

But not only this: they can also (wonder of wonders) grow them! They will be able to buy special Trading Plants-themed pots and compost, and even a little watering can. They will grow their plants, and then they can harvest the seeds. They can make their own packets for them, and trade them anew. They can also trade the grown plants with each other, and the most splendiferous plants can win prizes of some sort.

Thus this scheme will distract from the growing televised apathy to life in general, help teach children (and adults) about plant-growing, and maybe even create some oxygen while their at it! Everyone wins.

So, whadaya think?

dbmag9, Jul 16 2006

a packet of seeds http://www.hastings...ls/sutton_seeds.jpg
[po, Jul 16 2006]

garden clubs do this, but expanding it would be nice http://www.seedswapper.com/
[xandram, Jul 16 2006]

more http://forums2.gard....com/forums/exseed/
[xandram, Jul 16 2006]

Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org/
[Galbinus_Caeli, Jul 17 2006]

[link]






       Sadly, seeds have a limited shelf life, making trading them a lot before growing them a little difficult.   

       Most plants also recombine their DNA during the seed production process, so that the seeds of one plant often produce baby plants with different colored flowers, and other changes to their characteristics.
ye_river_xiv, Jul 16 2006
  

       What are you talking about, [ye_river_xiv]? I buy little packets of seeds every year with cute little pictures on them of what the plant will look like- lo and behold, most times they do in fact look just like the picture (well, not quite as healthy most times).   

       Plus, seeds can last years. Years, I say, YEARS!   

       Ahem, sorry for the zeal.
NotTheSharpestSpoon, Jul 17 2006
  

       I agree, seeds will last for a few years. It would be nice to see children get interested in something like this. +
xandram, Jul 17 2006
  

       I thought this said "Trading Pants" - that would be funny indeed!   

       Chia-bun!
DesertFox, Jul 18 2006
  

       Not all seeds last for years. Some barely make it for weeks.
Galbinus_Caeli, Jul 18 2006
  

       //Not all seeds last for years. Some barely make it for weeks// - All reflected in the changing value placed on the card. A rare/beautiful plant with a short seed life will be worth a lot during the spring, but will soon plummet in value so you might as well plant it. Yu-Gi-Oh cards all have fairly static value, this would be much more interesting.
wagster, Jul 19 2006
  
      
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