Just a word of caution if you have recently, or plan to order, seeds from either Henry Fields or Gurneys (over 50 differant varieties of seeds - $225 order). I had placed an order to both on March 1. I had not yet recieved the orders, nor did I recieve a response to my emails I sent 4 days ago requesting status of the order. So today I called to check on the order. I was told by both places that ALL SEEDS are on back order and they have no indication of when they will be able to fill the orders. They insist it has nothing to do with the new takeover due to the previous bankruptcy.

Not just that, but I was on the phone for over an hour because they could not locate either order (even though I had provided all the information as well as the confirmation order number). I asked why they did not notify me of the backorder status or why no one had responded to my email requests; however, they said they offered no response other than, "I don't know".

I had to speak to 2 differant customer service reps at Henry Fields to cancel the order since it will be too late to start the seeds and 3 customer service reps at Gurneys (who the first one insisted that the order had been shipped already even though the order showed it was backordered. Shipped when I asked?...funny thing...just went out today..LOL! Well found out from the 2nd and 3rd reps that it did NOT go out and was, in fact, backordered with no indication of a shipping date). At this point I am still not sure my credit card has been credited for the cancelled orders. I am dreading having to go through that one if not!

They sucked us in with that $20 off on all $40 orders or more and now can't fill any orders at all. Go figure. I will let you know what happens.

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), March 22, 2002

Answers

Don't want to disagree with you but I have been very happy with gurney's this year. I have been recieving back ordered things in a timely manner, exactly when they said I would. Maybe you just got lost in the computer and they were making excuses rather than tell you the truth. I did however have a similar problem with Shumway's this year and had to cancel the order and re order from someone else.

-- Bob Fade (fadefarm@aol.com), March 22, 2002.

If you are having a problem could you notify your credit card company to cancel???

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), March 22, 2002.

I know what you mean, they wont answer my emails. Same thing everything on back order. Not only seeds but fruit tree spray, fertilizer spikes, etc.

-- June (jblue@telecom.dgs.ca.gov), March 22, 2002.

Best way to reward a poor company is to shift your business to a competitor. Customers are too valuable to get away with this kind of outrageous treatment. JC

-- John Clark (johndiclrk@Elroynet.com), March 22, 2002.

I just received an email from Gurneys today that they have shipped my live plants. I have already received the seeds that I ordered from them. I placed my order within a week of receiving the catalog and used the $20 coupon. Maybe they were overwhelmed with the responses and can't handle it. You'd think tho that they'd at least be truthful if that was the case. I hope that you will receive your order in time for this years season. And I won't send in that second order that I was writing out. Thanks for the warning.

-- cindy palmer (jandcpalmer@sierratel.com), March 22, 2002.

A friend just told me tonight that he got his order today, after 3 1/2 weeks. Not everything came--some stuff backordered. No live plants available.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 22, 2002.

I placed an order from Gurney's a month ago and haven't received it yet. I called a couple of days ago and spoke with a very helpful lady who told me that my seeds weren't backordered, they were just very jammed up with orders and were shipping them out in the order received as quickly as they could. I was told that my seeds should arrive by the end of this month, my plants the first week of May and my sweet potato plants the middle of May.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), March 22, 2002.

I haven't got my seeds either. I hope thats all it is that they are jammed up with orders, but it will still be late to start my subartic tomatoes. Thats the whole point, starting them early.

-- Sherrie (BryrPatch35@aol.com), March 22, 2002.

I received my fruit trees from Gurney's on March 15. There catalog stated that no live fruit trees would be shipped before March 15. Needless to say, I am very happy with the timeliness of my order. They were high quality trees with a great root system.

-- Casey Weiss (caseyweiss@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.

I sent orders to both Gurney's and Henry Field's the first of Feb. I called them a couple of weeks ago and was told I would receive my order after Mar. 31. I received my fruit trees from Henry Field's last Friday, and Gurney's this Monday, but still haven't received my seeds. Hope to soon or it wil be too late for peas and beets. I'm glad I ordered my tomato, pepper, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower seeds from Jungs. I had great service from them and the seeds came up immediately. I am very pleased with Jungs. I hope we all get our seeds soon. Winona

-- Winona in MO (thompsonwin45@hotmail.com), March 22, 2002.

I wish I had tried this forum before ordering my seeds from Henry Fields and Gurney's. Last year Henry Fields sent things so late and when I asked for a refund or credit, they re-sent things, which I could not plant because it was too late. I thought if I ordered earlier this year, I might get them sooner. But on a positive note, I ordered from Burpee even though they were a little higher and received them right away. Also, Jung just replied to my e-mail today regarding my status. Yes, we can order from other companies but sometimes we can only find it at a certain company and then have to order from them if we want it.

I'm just starting to check into heirloom seeds - that sounds like the route to go - that and trading with other people.

-- Margie in Illinois (Margie2@winco.net), March 23, 2002.

Had big problems with Gurney's last year. (TNTC) Does anyone know what happened to Stokes?

-- Scotsirish (notreal@anywhere.net), March 23, 2002.