# Happy Camper



## limuhead (Jan 1, 2014)

The countdown has begun! In about 36 hours I will land in Hilo, go to Ken's House of Pancakes, drop off my luggage at the Hilo Seaside Hotel, and make my first stop at Quintal Farms. I am thinking that one sign of an economic recovery is that almost every Orchid Nursery on the Big Island of Hawaii told me that they are already getting their inventory wiped out for Spring Shows. For the last few months I have been working overtime and doing side jobs, saving my pennies and I now have a pretty good nest egg for orchid shopping. Needless to say I am very excited to go. I will most likely be buying plugs/2" pots seeing how most of the places said they are short of plants...


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## MaryPientka (Jan 1, 2014)

Happy hunting!


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## NYEric (Jan 1, 2014)

I guess orchids is good business in Hi.!! Enjoy and good hunting.


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## abax (Jan 1, 2014)

WOOHOO! Have lotsa fun.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 2, 2014)

Will you please put me in your pocket when you go?


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Jan 2, 2014)

I wish I could be in a warmer climate like you are. It's zero degrees out and they are talking about -15 tomorrow night. I wish you some happy hunting as maybe down the line some of us STers will benefit from you hunt. Go get um.


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## limuhead (Jan 2, 2014)

Bob in Albany said:


> I wish I could be in a warmer climate like you are. It's zero degrees out and they are talking about -15 tomorrow night. I wish you some happy hunting as maybe down the line some of us STers will benefit from you hunt. Go get um.



Well, IF some slippertalk members were to accidentally post some requests I might be able to pick them up. Worst case scenario; I have an orchid show coming up in March and need a few plants to boost my inventory. If they don't get snapped up before then it's a win-win situation for me and maybe a chance to do a few favors for my friends...


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## Ruth (Jan 3, 2014)

Envy you!! Don't forget the Heineken.


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## limuhead (Jan 3, 2014)

Ruth said:


> Envy you!! Don't forget the Heineken.



Actually Kai is slowing down in his old age; it's Heineken Lite nowadays...
A few years ago he let me make some crosses, hopefully some of them are on the benches. He make me promise to take the rest of the Cymbidiums, which I sincerely appreciate, but I don't have room for 700 more overgrown plugs. slippertalk fund maybe?


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## limuhead (Jan 3, 2014)

SlipperFan said:


> Will you please put me in your pocket when you go?



I can put my camera in my pocket and send you some pictures, is that close enough?


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## NYEric (Jan 3, 2014)

That would have to do! 
I'm only a little envious. 

Psssst, any Pk 2nd generation plants named Quintal, nice Paphs, etc...


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## SlipperFan (Jan 3, 2014)

limuhead said:


> I can put my camera in my pocket and send you some pictures, is that close enough?


That will be nice. And I'll send you some photos of the ice and snow I'd love to get away from...oke:


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## limuhead (Jan 4, 2014)

NYEric said:


> That would have to do!
> I'm only a little envious.
> 
> Psssst, any Pk 2nd generation plants named Quintal, nice Paphs, etc...



I saw about 100 or so 2nd gen Pk plants in bloom and/or in spike today. Unfortunately most of them were either reserved or slated for breeding. Going to BBQ at Kai's place tomorrow if the weather holds out, but weather report doesn't look promising; thunder storms and 90% chance of rain. I might be able to pick up a few plants, but not counting on it. Saw a few today with 6+ inch NS, amazing color, first blooms. Hopefully I can get a few runts that will bloom next year or the following year. Kai is a good friend but this is how he makes his money. He has loyal long term bread and butter customers he has to take care of first.


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## limuhead (Jan 4, 2014)

But I did see a plethora of amazing Paphs I might be able to get my hands on...


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## NYEric (Jan 4, 2014)

hmmm, OK. Hopefully you took photos.


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Jan 4, 2014)

Fred, like I said before, go get um. Many of us wish that we could have the relationship and friendship that you have with some of the growers. I hope you and your little women enjoy yourselves.


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## limuhead (Jan 4, 2014)

I have a schedule now. Going to Quintal Farms for a BBQ tonight, hike a volcano tomorrow, then Yamamoto Dendrobiums, Hilo Orchid Farms, The Orchid Works, Kalapana Tropicals, Orchid Eros, and Quintal Farms on Monday. Went shopping for Anthuriums today, spent a small fortune but I got some stuff that nobody else has except the grower and myself. Far less expensive and easier to grow than orchids, well unless you buy like I do...


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## NYEric (Jan 4, 2014)

Commercially viable? Anyway, we await photos w/ bated breath!


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## Migrant13 (Jan 5, 2014)

Need some pics!


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## limuhead (Jan 5, 2014)

Ok, here is just a teaser, this is a few of 4, maybe 5 stud plant benches. I saw no less than 200 either seed pods or attempts at crosses and learned a few things about Phrag genetics. I used to wonder why they were so expensive, now I know...


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## Dido (Jan 5, 2014)

great I need to move to Hawaii


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## Migrant13 (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the teaser. Welcome to the jungle baby!


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## MaryPientka (Jan 5, 2014)

Oh, man-single digits here. . .


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## cattmad (Jan 5, 2014)

I'd love to see some photos of HOF


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## papheteer (Jan 5, 2014)

Wish I lived in Hawaii. In a cool party though so i could grow Parvis outdoors! I can't wait for your photos!


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## NYEric (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the teasers. I love going to big GH's.


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## limuhead (Jan 6, 2014)

here are just a few of the things I liked...












many more pics to come. Change of plans too, I will spend most, if not all of the day tomorrow dividing and repotting Paph and Phrag stud plants. I have been to many nurseries. I have NEVER seen better culture, period.


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## NYEric (Jan 6, 2014)

kovachii 
Fritz Schomburgh flavum
Papa Frankie Quintal
armeniacum (w/ Liberty Taiwan in the background?) 
In large commercial houses, I find having enough staff and a good maintenance program seem to be the keys to good culture. 
 Thanks.
what studs did you get?


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## Dido (Jan 6, 2014)

This armeniacum is a deam and the pic nr 3 Phrag too what ever it is...

Need no the hungarian tablettes too


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Jan 6, 2014)

I don't have enough knowledge to comment on the phrags, but I do like the armeniacum.


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## NYEric (Jan 6, 2014)

Bob in Albany said:


> I don't have enough knowledge to comment on the phrags, but I do like the armeniacum.



What!? Do you like or not!?


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## Migrant13 (Jan 6, 2014)

Thanks for the additional photos. Such great plants and flowers...interesting way of wedging the larger pots in the screened bench. Had to put sunglasses on for the armeniacum!


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## monocotman (Jan 7, 2014)

*2nd gen Pk hybrids*

Thanks for the photos.
That armeniacum is amazing, BUT I've now seen enough of the 2nd gen PK hybrids to know that I'll be making room for them as soon as any become available for sale. (Adios Eumelia Arias - not my favourite)
I've not seen anything available yet in Europe.
I'd love to see what the EYOF are currently producing....
David


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## NYEric (Jan 7, 2014)

monocotman said:


> ..I've now seen enough of the 2nd gen PK hybrids to know that I'll be making room for them as soon as any become available for sale. (Adios Eumelia Arias - not my favourite)
> I've not seen anything available yet in Europe.



Anything can be had for the right reason. :evil:


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## limuhead (Jan 10, 2014)

NYEric said:


> kovachii
> Fritz Schomburgh flavum
> Papa Frankie Quintal
> armeniacum (w/ Liberty Taiwan in the background?)
> ...



Good guess, but the first one is NOT kovachii, it's a hybrid. I ended up not getting any plants this trip, but ordered some for an upcoming show in March that I am selling at. For those of you who have some patience some of the PK hybrids that will be released in the next few years will surpass your wildest dreams, I promise...


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## limuhead (Jan 10, 2014)

For those of you who are not familiar with Quintal Farms, they are one of, if not the best wholesale nurseries out there. They don't do retail, they sell only to the people who many of us buy from at orchid shows and nurseries pretty much everywhere. It is one of their policies not to sell any retail, period. They do this because their customers who sell their plants are the ones who are keeping them going. I know that there are a bunch of wholesalers who are starting to do both retail AND wholesale; which is taking money out of the pockets of the people who buy from them wholesale. Quintal Farms has integrity. Even though I am a friend, have stayed there, done work(carpentry and planting out stuff) I haven't, and wouldn't use my friendship to try and get some of these incredible new hybrids. When they become available to me I will pay whatever they ask because I have seen some of the test crosses. I will also have to wait my turn, behind their regular customers, because like I stated earlier they have integrity and give their loyal customers first crack at the best of what they have to offer.


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## AdamD (Jan 10, 2014)

I really appreciate your last post Fred. Well put and spot on analysis. Every one of us would love to have cutting edge, high quality plants at dirt cheap prices. But isn't part of the allure to strive to get those plants, to visit with vendors who also do small scale hybridizing and breeding, to get to know those people and have them deliver individualized service on a personable level. I don't know about you, but the most rewarding thing for me is to patronize the people/vendors who take the time to sit and talk to me about culture, trends, what excites them, and build a relationship on a first name basis with the people I buy from. If they were to disappear, orchid growing would be less fascinating, less enjoyable, less personal. Just an opinion


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## NYEric (Jan 10, 2014)

limuhead said:


> Good guess, but the first one is NOT kovachii, it's a hybrid. I ended up not getting any plants this trip, but ordered some for an upcoming show in March that I am selling at. For those of you who have some patience some of the PK hybrids that will be released in the next few years will surpass your wildest dreams, I promise...



The color is the reason I guess Pk for the first one, it looks very dark.
Not getting any plants!?!? .....ity: :sob:
Patience!? 
Thanks for sharing.


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## limuhead (Jan 10, 2014)

I am waiting on some things to become available. The plants I want are some unregistered hybrids which will not be released until EVERY one of them is bloomed out. Talk about patience. Could you imagine waiting a year for a pod to mature, waiting a year to get flasks back from the lab, and then another 3 or more years to see the potential of a particular cross? I have seen many plants get tossed because they were not up to QF standards. Plants that their competitors would have sold without a second thought...


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## NYEric (Jan 10, 2014)

Well, good luck to you. Life is too short for that kind of patience, IMO.


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## limuhead (Jan 10, 2014)

NYEric said:


> Well, good luck to you. Life is too short for that kind of patience, IMO.



Good things come to those who wait...


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