Unsatisfied with my club

[BUBBAFRGA]

Look for other clubs.

You don't have to be a member of only one club. I live in south Georgia. NO access to a lot of clubs but I belong to three. Do I make it to all meetings NO but I do go to the ones that I think I'll learn the most. Are all three the same no.....one is almost three hour drive...but it has the most seasoned Members. The one I attend regularly is hour and half from me and is good but only three or four seasoned members. But in most cases you get what you put into them. The third is more of a study group about an hour away and I am one of the seasoned members in that group and I don't know anything....LOL.....


Good luck

 

[HotAction]

Tonight am heading to Rochester, NY for the BSUNY (Bonsai society of upstate New York) for their annual picnic sale and auction. Bill Valavanis is a member/ VP out there, and they have a rather large club. I hope it will be promising. Also a rock planting demo will be given.

-Dave

 

[Mike Page]

Tonight am heading to Rochester, NY for the BSUNY (Bonsai society of upstate New York) for their annual picnic sale and auction. Bill Valavanis is a member/ VP out there, and they have a rather large club. I hope it will be promising. Also a rock planting demo will be given.

-Dave

Dave
This is the place for you to be. You have a world class venue of knowledge and learning within an hour or so drive from Syracuse. Take adventage of it as much as possible.

The most important thing you can give to your club is your skill and knowledge. Study, learn and practice. You can be a leader.

Best Regards

Mike

 

[HotAction]

Thanks for the encouragement Mike. Unfortunately, my studies during the semester will limit my ability to make the meetings. I will try to get there when i can though. Well, with that i am off to Rochester.

-Dave

 

[R_F]

Tonight am heading to Rochester, NY for the BSUNY (Bonsai society of upstate New York) for their annual picnic sale and auction. Bill Valavanis is a member/ VP out there, and they have a rather large club. I hope it will be promising. Also a rock planting demo will be given.

-Dave

You're lucky to have a club relatively close to you with a headliner like Bill Valavanis as VP!

 

[HotAction]

WOW!!!!! I should have brought a camera...oops

-Dave

 

[HotAction]

Well... no reason to complain anymore. Korean Hornbeam- $30, JWP $18, Trident, $20.

-Dave

 

[Anonymous User]

Well... no reason to complain anymore. Korean Hornbeam- $30, JWP $18, Trident, $20.

-Dave

I think I just read a thread about some guy looking to leave his club because he brought a Korean Hornbeam, a Japanese White Pine, and a Trident to his clubs auction and only got $68 bucks for all three.......





Will

 

[R_F]

I think I just read a thread about some guy looking to leave his club because he brought a Korean Hornbeam, a Japanese White Pine, and a Trident to his clubs auction and only got $68 bucks for all three.......





Will

LOL...Seriously Dave you got a GREAT deal.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I think there can be room for more than one club, as long as you focus on doing what the club does best and not trying to be all things to all people.

For example, some of the clubs here in California can get very serious. Some are more social/easy-going. Personally, I have been thinking about starting a club here in southern Orange County just for people to bring trees and work on them together. Not all clubs have to have exhibitions, auctions, and annual dinners. Start out by getting a group of like-minded people together, and always ask people what they enjoy versus what they don't.

 

[HotAction]

I think I just read a thread about some guy looking to leave his club because he brought a Korean Hornbeam, a Japanese White Pine, and a Trident to his clubs auction and only got $68 bucks for all three.......





Will

I wasn't really upset about the $10 I got for my larch, rather that there was nothing else for me to bid on. And I got the goods in Roch from more than one person. Also, for clarification there was no auction yesterday like I originally thought, just strictly a sale.

-Dave

 

[Anonymous User]

No offense intended Dave, just pointing out the irony......You never hear anyone complaining about the bargains they find, or feeling sorry for the sellers of these bargain items....I guess it all depends on what side of the fence you're standing on.

Nobody likes having an item sell for less than they thought it was worth, but they certainly love buying an item for less than they think it is worth.


Will

 

[HotAction]

Not offended at all, and the irony is pretty thick. But, the items I bought had price tags that read what I paid for them, except for the hornbeam with a price tag of $40. When the previous owner was packing up I offered him $30 and he took it.

-Dave

 

[head_cutter]

never expect too much from a club

The picnic is usually just a fun event anyway, we never had much plant material to sell anyway, I was a grower so I'd normally bring a bunch of junk stuff to sell cheap because most of the ones who did buy anything were on the cheap side...never expect to make anything on the other club members.

I went to help with the styling contest, usually to give a demo or workshop.

Never, ever, add up what you spent collecting trees--you're doing it because you want to.

Actually my most fun was when we had to clear the growing field, due to my moving. We had some serious buyers for the bigger material but for both weekends we also had the 'bonsai on the cheap' lookers. Waiting for the free trees. It was my club so I knew who they were by name. They stood around looking and trying to get a cheap tree for free, wanted someone else to dig it etc.

They showed up on the last day as a group...I'd already cut the bigger trees off at ground level and we were about to brush-hog everything else. They were agast that I was going to do that instead of giving trees away!!!!! I had to chase them away because they were getting in the way going around gathering 'cuttings' LOL...xin loi!!
Probably brush-hogged around 800 trees, made for a great bonfire, weenie roast after we were done.

Bob

 

[greerhw]

Most clubs have no heavy hitters, just folks that enjoy the hobby with what little they have to spend. I know that it can be frustrating sometimes. I can't even sell a tree for half of what I paid for it. I think I'm giving someone a chance to own a pretty nice tree for a bargain and I get comments like "I wouldn't spend more than 50 bucks for any tree"

keep it green,
Harry

 

[ianb]

I think there can be room for more than one club, as long as you focus on doing what the club does best and not trying to be all things to all people.

For example, some of the clubs here in California can get very serious. Some are more social/easy-going. Personally, I have been thinking about starting a club here in southern Orange County just for people to bring trees and work on them together. Not all clubs have to have exhibitions, auctions, and annual dinners. Start out by getting a group of like-minded people together, and always ask people what they enjoy versus what they don't.

If you decide to do this count me in it would be great. We could be "The Real Bonsainuts of the OC"

 

[head_cutter]

sale price

except for the hornbeam with a price tag of $40. When the previous owner was packing up I offered him $30 and he took it.


So, you did this...doubt if he went home and pouted about it.

When we were 'closing' the field only 3 members of my club bought anything. Keith Scott bought 6 trees and never once argued about price (he thought I was selling too cheap), if I remember correctly his check was for around $5 grand--and he's a recognized master. A few other members spent around $1000 each for a few trees...the rest were from out of state.

Bob

 

[HotAction]

Ok, it seems people think I was complaining about the $$$. This is not the case. I was let down by the fact that I was the only one who brought a plant for bonsai cultivation. I am new, and had hoped I could aquire something. In the end, everything worked out, and I was able to find some nice material to start with. All it took was a little drive.

-Dave

 

[treebeard55]

...I think I'm giving someone a chance to own a pretty nice tree for a bargain and I get comments like "I wouldn't spend more than 50 bucks for any tree" ...
Harry

Maybe what they really mean is "I couldn't spend more than 50 bucks on any tree." Than pride or embarrassment keeps them from saying it straight.