It’s that time of year! The Mississippi Gulf Coast Plant Exchange will be conducting its fall meeting from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on October 22 at the Harrison County Fair Grounds in Gulfport.
This meet will be held under the large black pavilion at the fairgrounds, so shade and weather protection are available. Bring your plants in your trunk or truck and head on over! This is the place to share seeds, cuttings, plants, crafts, and even plant pots.
The group was formed by Wendy Freed in July 2012 and has been growing steadily since. They now have 8.6k members on their Facebook page.
These “meets” are twice a year in the spring and fall and are a delightful way for gardeners and plant lovers to connect, share plant tips, improve their plant inventory, and have a fun-filled day. The day will feature drawings for door prizes and a grand drawing for 50% of the proceeds. The other 50% is used to fund the expenses of the next meet in spring. Tickets are $2 for the grand drawing and are limited to one per member. You don’t have to be present to win.
Although you must be a member to attend, guests of members are allowed, to join in the fun day of exchanging plants and other items such as beverages or baked goods, even crafts, yard art, and more, but remember no selling! So even a newbie gardener can just bring some bottles of water and leave with an inventory of lovely plants.
Also, becoming a member is not complicated. All you have to do is join the Facebook page. It’s FREE. They even have members from other areas such as Florida and Louisiana that have heard about the group and just want to be a part of a garden-centered community. And no member is left behind, even if you move out of state you can still retain your membership.
Absolutely no sales are allowed on the Facebook page or at meets. It’s an exchange only, a way to associate with and meet other members, a place to share from your own gardens.
