Cache Prizes

[+sloigo]

While waiting for my GPS unit to arrive I am reading the forums and gathering my thoughts. I agree food in a cach would be a bad item, but I had thought of placing flower seeds in a ziplock, inside of some metal baseball card boxes I have, with instructions to scatter half of them out on the way to your next cach as a signature item. I understand that this could be considered "Mouse food" but I think the ziplocks and metal can would eliminate that concern. I am very impressed with the website and forum, and I joined s a premium member as soon as I bought a unit. Now if they will only ship it I can get into my new hobby. Peace and Harmony

[+DaveA]

While waiting for my GPS unit to arrive I am reading the forums and gathering my thoughts.  I agree food in a cach would be a bad item, but I had thought of placing flower seeds in a ziplock, inside of some metal baseball card boxes I have, with instructions to scatter half of them out on the way to your next cach as a signature item.  I understand that this could be considered "Mouse food" but I think the ziplocks and metal can would eliminate that concern.  I am very impressed with the website and forum, and I joined s a premium member as soon as I bought a unit.  Now if they will only ship it I can get into my new hobby.  Peace and Harmony 

Well, this might seem really anal, but I suggest you don't do this. I am not at all concerned about your putting flower seeds in a cache as they aren't a food item for many critters. Mainly it's birds and small rodents, incapable of damaging the cache that like them. Even then there are only a relative few seeds like sunflowers that would be appealing.

 

What concerns me is that you would instruct others to scatter half of them on their way out.

 

What I would like you to understand is that most commercial flowers won't survive if they are simply scattered haphazardly. For example a sun loving plant isn't going to survive under a tree canopy.

 

Assuming the variety can survive, it is also possible it will become invasive in the area. There are many varieties of plants that are banned in some states due to their invasive, take over everything tendencies that are legal to buy from a federal perspective.

 

Bottom line is that being johhny appleseed isn't a real good idea on public property.

 

99% of the time it really isn't a big deal which is why I acknowlege I am being anal. I am just throwing something out there for you to consider.

 

Now, if you were to put seeds into a cache that couldn't grow in the cache location, but would grow in my garden, I think that would be cool. I like heirloom tomatos as an example and if you were to place some brandywine or marianna's peace seeds in the cache I would consider that a primo swag item.

Edited January 10, 2005 by DaveA

[+sloigo]

Your point is well taken and not at all rectal. Strange that you mentioned Johnny Appleseed, he was a real person who wandered around the Ohio Territory at the start of the 19th century not only scattering apple seeds but also Dog Fennel which is a import used back then to reduce fever. It spread wildly thru pasture and field and is very foul smelling plant, growing as high as 15 feet. Todays farmers are still fighting to get rid of it. It is now referred to as "Johnnyweed" Point well taken. Flower and Veggie seeds for home only it will be. Thanx

[+briansnat]

I've put seed packets in caches. I never thought of them as a possible animal attractant, but I guess in theory they could be.

[+DaveA]

Your point is well taken and not at all rectal. Strange that you mentioned Johnny Appleseed, he was a real person who wandered around the Ohio Territory at the start of the 19th century not only scattering apple seeds but also Dog Fennel which is a import used back then to reduce fever. It spread wildly thru pasture and field and is very foul smelling plant, growing as high as 15 feet. Todays farmers are still fighting to get rid of it. It is now referred to as "Johnnyweed" Point well taken. Flower and Veggie seeds for home only it will be. Thanx

Interesting. I was aware that Johnny Appleseed was a ficticious name for a real person and I did know he sowed apple seeds, but had no idea he also introduced an invasive plant.

 

I responded to your inquiry primarily because in my state we have johnny appleseeds that scatter seeds along the roadsides and in addition to some really nice looking flowers in season we now have several out of control species that are displacing native plants. All of these invasive plants are legal to buy and plant, but introduced into the wild they can cause problems.

 

I am pleased that you have taken my post in the spirit it was intended and I wish you many pleasant and rewarding journeys while caching.

 

If you really want folks to scatter seeds in the cache area you can always look into infertile hybrids that cannot become invasive as they cannot reproduce.

[+SixDogTeam]

seeds in caches are to rodents as beer is to cachers! And mice can smell thru ballistic steel--mice and roaches will still be here long after we've used this place up and emigrated to other planets...

[+ChicagoCanineCrew]

seeds in caches are to rodents as beer is to cachers! And mice can smell thru ballistic steel--mice and roaches will still be here long after we've used this place up and emigrated to other planets...

True, and mice can chew through plastic (such as tupperware type containers.) And don't forget rats, although they probably wouldn't go to all the trouble of chewing through a container for something like a few seeds, they *could* chew through a plastic container very quickly-- they can chew through PVC pipes and cinderblocks... I used to doubt the veracity of that claim until I saw what my pet rats could do to a bone in about 2 minutes!

[+BilboB]

I have picked seed packets out of caches before, planted them, and my kids and I have watched beautiful flowers grow. If you want to do it, go for it, but I would not ask that cachers spread them around, and I would also agree to only place them in a metal container.

[+sloigo]

All very good points. I called today and I found that my unit had not been shipped "due to a glitch" in their system. I told them "Thank God the glitch did not extend to you taking the money out of my account on the fifth", but I received word late this evening that it had been shipped. Until then I am reading the forums and determining some geo etiquite. I am very impressed with the website and forum pages. I am glad I will be able to be a part of this hobby. Peace and Harmony sloigo

[+Sputnik 57]

I too have found packets of seeds (wildflowers and blue bonnets, as I recall) in caches. Hadn't thought about about Mousasaurus ripping into the cache. I guess I'll grab them and move or plant them at home if the container isn't metal.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Johnny Appleseed planted small nursies from seed, working west in front of the expanding homesteaders. One of the requirements to take possession of the land was to plant X number of fruit trees.The homesteaders needed his trees for homesteading requirements. His intent was to SELL them, though mostly they were just taken, as he was always moving on. He generously gave seed of many medicinals to anyone he met. He died quite a wealthy man - not from the apple trees, but because of his claim of all the properties on which he planted nursery stock. Nearly all apple trees grown world wide today descend from Appleseed stock, because of the extreme genetic variability of apples - most of the trees were "crab apples", used for fodder and cider but ocassionally a really great tree would arise. More than you wanted to know I bet. This is geocaching related 'cause your hint is: it's not in the appletree!

[+anniebananie]

Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) Was born 9/26/1774, in

Leominster MA about 5 miles from my home co-ords. The ruins of his birthplace are at approximately 42.30.930 - 71.43.530. Every year Leominster holds an apple festival in his honor.

[+sloigo]

I got my information about Johnny appleseed from the Bathroom Reader I am reading and remembered seeing his name and the article. I am a trivia buff and have an eye for such things. My Grandfather owned a farm outside on Louisville Ky. in a small community named Shivley "Lively Shively" I am told since it

was named for all the Honkie Tonks and its red light district. Until 1960 when he died my momma and I use to go back each summer for a month. He had two Giant crabapple trees in the horse pasture. The first branch was probably 20 feet up. we fought the horses for the fallen apples, or threw them to knock out others that had not fallen, but each had a worm so you had to share. I often wondered if these too were Johnny's fruit. Peace and Harmony BEAR

[+YuccaPatrol]

The real Johnny Appleseed was quite the scoundrel.

 

He collected seeds from cider makers and planted them in groves. He then sold these apple seedlings to homesteaders

 

Apples are not true-breeding, and the seeds from an apple will rarely create a tree that produces good fruit, much less a tree that produces fruit the same as the parent tree. The vast majority of seeds from a good apple will produce trees that produce a tart and nearly useless dwarf apple.

 

Johnny Appleseed knew this, but he also knew that the homesteaders would not figure it out for several years after they bought the trees.

 

A fantastic book called "The Botany of Desire" gives a great review of the botany of apples, potatos, and other desirable plant products. One of the best books I have read.

 

But back to the subject of this thread:

 

In my opinion, a McToy that has been handled by a french-fry eating child probably has more food smell on it than a packet of wildflower seeds. Humans carry a lot of various scents with us and nearly anything we touch in a cache is likely to attract animals.

Edited January 12, 2005 by YuccaPatrol

[+Team Tigger International]

Johnny Appleseed was burried in Ft Wayne Indiana ... Ft Wayne also holds a Festival in his honor every year , and there is a Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park ....We have been to the gravesite and the Park and festival as well.

 

Johnny Appleseeds Grave

 

Plus , seeds in a cache as you have discribed should be fine, we have traded for seeds to plant in our garden a couple of times.

 

Star of Team Tigger International

[+sloigo]

Villian or hero, he provided a service at a time when it was needed. I remember the taste of the crabapples at my grandpa's were sweet enough for a a child's taste. This thread has given me numerous ideas. My unit is suppose to arrive on Monday. I hope I can figure out all of the ins and outs soon. Peace and Harmony everyone BEAR

[+WxGuesser]

did you know that monday is a federal holiday.. sorry to spoil your hopes!

[+sloigo]

Apparantly not for UPS. The package was sitting on my back step when I got home from work. Unit in hand, Watch out Northern California, your caches are in danger of being found. If I can ONLY figure out how to turn it on. Not the best instructions I have ever seen. Absolutely no data given on the memory cards etc. I am glad I did not buy one from Costco, it looks like it takes a mini sandisk card.I am going to start another thread regarding maps, and memory cards and see if I can find additional information from the rest of you ole timers

[JeepNQuad]

thanks everybody, I realy enjoyed reading about Johnny Appleseed, didn't know he was a real fellow! cool!