halo all (wave from new hampshire)
i am writing on behalf of an organisation in great britain which not only is a cat shelter, they also, with the help of local vets who are compassionate, neuter the cats when they become old enough, and check out prospective "adoptive families" to ensure the cats will have a happy home....all on a volunteer basis.
so, you're thinking to yourself: "what does this have to do with gardening?" well, after emailing back and forth with Philip Asselin, sec'y & treasurer @ Caterham & District Cats Protection, he's told me that they have a lot of volunteers who knit and sew up little mice which can be stuffed with catnip and then can be sold at their various bazaars, festivals, online and real life shoppes. unfortunately, they've had a severe drought in great britain the past few years and watering is restricted, so this organisation has been appealing to certain european countries requesting contributions of dried catnip. they've been barely successful as the drought in the british isles has struck other countries on the european continent as well. philip wanted to appeal to americans but didn't know how to go on until i wandering through my fingers (it's a 60's xpression) fell SPLAT onto their website and told him as soon as spring comes to new hampshire (this year, it's prolly gonna be late may, early june), i'd grow him as much catnip as my garden would allow and then send it to him.
and then, i appealed to everyone on my personal addressbook who live in areas of america where it's already spring (or never had winter)AND who love animals. i received vague responses, lots of excuses, but did receive a lot of yes answers...but you know, it's still not enough!!!
so, i am appealing to all of you...where ever you live....if YOU can, or know of anyone who can, grow a LOT of catnip, dry it, and send it to philip...AND, you can deduct the cost of the seeds, the time you spent in reaping your harvest, postage, etc., as charitable donations.
i have discovered, postal rates to england ain't cheap, but philip and i are trying various ways of going around this. he told me, last year, he order
52 lbs. of dried catnip from an herb order house here, in america, and it cost way too much to do it again....and the "profits" they made did not outweigh the costs. ;o(so, please....if you can see clearly now AND can give of your time, your soil, and your heart, PLEASE go to the below website and see if there is ANYTHING you can do to help. i, gypsy skylark, thank you and i know philip asselin will be overwhelming in thanking you. you don't have to mention my name unless you want to....just...DO SOMETHING!!!! thanks for reading.
Please visit our branch website at