I have been a member about a year now And want to tell you I have found a Mentor!!!! Their were question asked about him  Rfactor12 on E Bay if he was alright to Buy From the answer is YES. On this form he is Petechanr or Pete. I asked him if he could sell me a item he had listed on E Bay thru the form here. And when I got my package It was like XMAS all over !!! He could of sold the items he sent me for a pay check and not even bother with me but went out of his way to help a Newbie. I think we all can take lesson from  Pete. We all started in Figs at one point and were all were Newbies at One time. I have asked some members here about cutting And Most have told me they have cuttings On E bay instead of selling to you direct at a reasonable price. Too  me it's clear they are all about the money and not about the figs and the Form. I know we all have to sell or trade a little to support our collections with in reason, I myself will be like Pete, to help a New person getting into Figs Because with out them the fig collecting would dry up and Fade away with out New people coming into the Fig addiction. I think some of us need to think back how it was when you first Started and take a lesson from Pete. He is a very outstanding Member THANK YOU PETE  

Yes, Pete is outstanding!

I second that. There should be more people in the forum and the world like Pete!!!
We only pass through once, be kind to one another!
Vito

Don't want to take anything away from Pete because he is a great asset to the forum and a great person but do not want to slight others either. I think most people on the forum are very generous.  Do think we have to respect that some members are commercial growers and make their living or at least support their fig habit by selling what they grow. With weather and water issues as well as high energy costs in the past two or three years, some members may not be in a position to be as generous as they have been at other times. I have only been a member or lurker of the forum for a few years but I have noticed that there is a high correlation between growing conditions in various parts of the country and the amount of cuttings sold/bartered/given away within the forum and offered for sale on Ebay. I buy from members on E-bay because I know that I will get what I have bought and it helps support both members and the forum because I know several contribute all or some of their earnings to the F4F Foundation. Member generosity within the forum takes a lot of different forms be it in sharing knowledge or cuttings.

I Think we may have mist the point of the post. It is about me finding a Mentor. I am not trying to step on anyone's Toes OK. or offend any members here at all or single other members out because their are a lot of Great one's here on the F4F. IMO their are the ones that are just after a Buck.!!! Too me that is a real big turn Off and I don't deal with them because I don't have too and their are other forms which I belong too. IMO this is a big turn off for new people coming into figs. This is my point I am making Instead of telling a new person I have my cuttings listed on e Bay and pushing them away. would it not better to tell them I have listings on E Bay and if you see something get back with me.  If a person takes the time to contact them with a PM for cuttings I think one should take the time out to help a person and most do !!! But their are the one's that don't , Remember anyone can go to E bay and buy cuttings. And My point was about Pete going out of his way when he didn't have too !!!  

I guess I missed your point, all this time I thought you were talking about a mentor. Pete is great, I have purchased quite a few cuttings from him that were listed on eBay. Most members on this FORUM are great people and I could list dozens and dozens. Only a few are after the buck and for a reason, their initial investment(trying to break even) or selling is their business like hundreds of other businesses that sell plants. Eventually we will get the cost down so all members can afford what they want. In the meantime, I found this out when a newbie, there are dozens of varieties out there that cost very little that even I could afford as a newbie. Good luck and good growing.
How about them figs.

Pete is just a really nice guy he lives in my town and when he found out I was a newbie living near him he immediately offered me a lovely tree and several dozen cuttings and all for nothing. But this forum does have very nice people on it and I feel the prices on fig cuttings are rather generous.

I too have been deeply touched by the generosity of the members on this forum (Pete is most definitely amongst them), as well at the other fig forum I frequent. It has both touched and inspired me to know that there are still people in this world (which can be a very harsh world at times) who would give you the very shirt off their back so to speak, if they saw you were cold and in need. I have made a promise to myself & another member (whom we will refer to as Santa G ) to "Pay this kindness Forward" just as soon as I am able to. Since I don't yet have the matured fig collection I hope to some day, I try to find other ways to do that for now. I think that by far and in large this community is filled with good hearted folks truly generous at heart (the bad apples are few & far between).Some members are generous with their time, willing to walk a newbie through their current fig crisis one painful step at a time (ive had MANY myself), others are out to watch everyones back and share priceless info such as reputable connections or how to identify "a bad apple", and then there are those who dispatch little elves to newbies homes to leave surprise packages that just make you smile so big your face hurts! Lol! I guess I just want to say that generosity comes in many forms here on the forum, and each form is valuable and very much appreciated! Thank you all and I hope that when I grow up in this fig hobby, I can make some noob (or any member really) smile until their face hurts too! Lol

 Username: Frankallen
Message:
 

You have been a Member here for 9 months and you single out one person to show your appreciation? We have many people here that are very generous! Have you shared cuttings since you have been a member? Maybe I missed the point you were trying to convey?                                                                                                                                                                 Yes I think you have missed the point. And I  am sorry if you feel I have single out everyone else in the form. I know their are a lot of  generous members here  ARE YOU ONE ???  This is about a member that went out of his way and didn't have Too. And MY point is we ALL could take a lesson from Pete And I will do the same for others that is what a Mentor is.  And I have not single my appreciation to one form member Sorry again if that's way you feel !!!! Most off my appreciation is done by P M and By Phone sorry you don't know me. And to answer  your last Question YES I have shared with Members !!! Sorry you didn't make it too L S U Fig Day,  you may have gotten a free tree from me their are other members who did. I hope this helps you clarify this misunderstand you had Thanks

How does one pronounce your user name?

Jamie the reply was to Frankallen that posted some comments and they must have pulled it down but I still have it in my email this is what he had to say on Pete                                                                                                                                Username: Frankallen
Message:


You have been a Member here for 9 months and you single out one person to show your appreciation? We have many people here that are very generous! Have you shared cuttings since you have been a member? Maybe I missed the point you were trying to convey?

Ok Pukz it is very nice for you to recognize Pete for his generosity and I am sure he deserves your praise. Many others also deserve it-like Vito who posted in this thread. He is the most generous man I know, so let me take my hat off to him. However, there are many of us here who follow Vito's example, and there are also many scammers looking for free cuttings that they will resell on ebay. It happens on an open forum-waddya gonna do? However, while it is nice to help newbies, it is not appropriate to just show up out of nowhere and immediately start asking for cuttings without an introduction or explanation. For every stingy grower, there is a freeloading newbie. The good folks here make an effort, and receive their rewards in time. I have some cuttings if you are interested.

Could you not thank Pete privately? Pete is a very good Member here! I thought you thanked people privately?? Why did you talk about some of Members here wanting just Money, first off they have to get to know you! You have only been here for a short while and already making detrimental remarks about some of our Members here! 

Frank from Bama

Thanks Rafael for your post. Let me update this a little, I have stated their are a lot of generosity members here as well on other forms too not to leave anyone out. This is about my experiences Being a Newbie and what I ran into. I known what you mean and probable have went thru with the newbie freeloading.I for one am not a freeloader I have always asked if the members has cuttings for sale or trade not if they had cuttings they could give me. And I have run into some that are just after a sale or money. When I PM someone and ask if they have cuttings for sale And their reply is I only sale on E bay This is a Big turn off because I took the time to contact them being a new member it is just not the way I would treat someone or want to be treated, So I don't deal with them and it is their lost because I would have gotten more than a few cuttings from them, And I will find what I am looking for down the road anyway. So maybe they can see my point of view on this. Their are a lot of  generosity members However Pete stood out I had bought from him on E bay before and when he went above the board to include what he sent me I just cannot say enough about him. Again Thank You for your Post 

I know your intentions are probably sincere but....
Did you ever think that thanking him privately would be better for Pete, he may get bombarded with requests for private sales and never get an Ebay sale again. I can see if you purchased through eBay and said thanks, the cuttings are great etc... or gave thanks if the seller gave you a gift and that was his standard practice. What if the seller gave you a break and does not want to do direct sales with everyone? Members put cuttings on eBay for a reason and may not have enough to go around for EVERYONE, now the generous person has to say no. I tell members to bid on Pete's auctions because he is honest, he is generous, his cuttings are very healthy, and you will be pleasantly surprised when your package arrives. I have made the same statements for several members that sell on eBay. I have made repeat purchases from Pete for this reason. Therefore, I tell everyone if they buy from Pete then I bet they will repeat with Pete.

Well, it seemed to start out nice...
How 'bout them figs :(

Why does this keep happening here?

Because it's unmoderated.

I ask Jon to freeze this thread or have it deleted, please Jon do what is right.