fitch4 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Jon Swanson here from the E.O. Smith High School Coral Project. I wanted to invite you all to come out to this year's edition of the New England Frag Farmer's Market on March 7th 2015 at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs CT. The Frag Farmer's Started 7 years ago with the idea that if I used the school as a venue to have a "show" but not charge typical show prices to set-up, I could give hobbyists a bigger setting to sell the coral frags that they were growing in their system. My hope was that if they made a few $ doing it, they would be more likely to spend more time cutting, growing and distributing coral frags within the hobby. In the end, that should be the destiny for the hobby, IMO anyway. Since that first year, the FFM has grown out of control with over 50 "vendors" and over 800 people coming out for the day last year. This year's looks to be even bigger and better! I also wanted to mention the admission fee. Based on the # of people who came out last year (800+), I was asked to pay to use the school's space for this year's FFM. I very reluctantly decided that I had to raise the admission fee (it had been free or $1 in the past. I chose $5, and am planning to increase the number of FFM gift certificates that I give away as door prizes and in the raffle. I am also going to use some of the $ collected at the door to start a scholarship for college bound seniors planning to study biology. I am not sure what the scholarship looks like yet, but I promise that the $ will go to a good cause! I just hate to have to charge people to come out. The FFM was never about making money. The proceeds go to support my school project (www.eosmithcoralproject.org) but I have no desire to turn it into a money making machine. I am still looking for a few hobbyists to fill spots at the FFM. The spaces fill up QUICKLY each year so if you are interested, shoot me a PM and I can get you the details. Link to comment
fitch4 Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Just passed the 50 vendor mark for this year's list. That is only for coral vendors! Looks to be bigger and better than last year! Link to comment
Beer Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I am getting amped up for this. I had set up a tank a couple of weeks before the last one, so I wasn't ready for livestock, but decided to go check it out anyway. Well worth the two hour drive just to look at the corals. I am actually thinking about setting up another tank just for this event. I don't have the space for what I know I'm going to want to buy. There were so many amazing corals from both the commercial vendors and the hobbyests. Everyone was friendly and geeking out over all the corals and livestock. It was good to see some of the manufacturer's products in person and talk with their reps. Definitely coming out again this year. The FFM is a blast. Fitch, when you say you hit 50 and that is only for the vendors, do you mean that is for the commercial vendors and there are more hobbyests; or do you mean other than the manufacturers that were out in the hall like last year? Oh, and he's not kidding about the huge raffle. There was several thousand in coral cards, foods, publications, hardware, lights, everything reef related (I believe including a backup generator). Link to comment
fitch4 Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 50+ is the coral vendors, both shops and the hobbyists. I have a bunch of companies coming out this year to talk shop, including some new ones that I excited to host, but I do not include them in the number of vendors. The FFM is all about corals and aquaculture. I have tons of stuff in the raffle as well, but the generator was another event. The proceeds from the raffle at the FFM, and the FFM in general, all go to support the school project, not a reef club. Link to comment
fitch4 Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 People have been asking for the list of vendors for this year's FFM. I still have a few last minute additions (and a spot or two left) but here is the list so far. This is only the coral vendors, not any of the "dry goods" vendors (there will be more than in previous years). Enjoy! Jon AC Corals (CT)Alex's Advanced Aquatics (CT)Aquadreams (MA)Aquatic X-celelnce (NY)AZNnutty's Saltwater Connections (OH)BareBottom Corals (NY)Blastomaster/Dennis3366 (CT)Coralcruze (NY)Coralium (CT)CDMAS (CT)CTARS (CT)dizzzy1209 (NJ)Elmafioso52988 (MA)E.O. Smith Coral Project (CT)Exotic Fish and Corals (CT)Exotic Reef Creations (NY)Fish Frenzy (MA)Frag Freaks (MA)Frank180Reef (MA)Gotham Aquatics (NY)Greg Hiller (MA)Hammer (NH)Ijamcorals (MD)Jason Foxx (MD)Kwong1998 (NY)Marine Reef Care (MA)Mass Reef Care (MA)Matt Spaulding (VT)MetroKat's Sassy Frags (NY)Micheal Reeve (CT)MO~Idol (NY)Neublian (CT)Orange Country Corals (NY)Pablo (NY)Pacific East Aquaculture (MD)Pieces of the Ocean (NY)Polywise (NY)Popcorals (NJ)R+R Aquatics (NJ)Reef Creations (NY)Sassawrasse (CT)Shayna 123 (CT)Shector (CT)SteelerMike (CT)sydaze4 (CT)Suicideissleep (CT)The Coral Reef (CT)Tinygiant (Chris) (VT)Ultimate Corals (NJ)Upstate Corals (NY)Wet Pets (CT)xclusive corals (NY)Zybergoby (NY) Link to comment
fitch4 Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Added Fins Aquarium (NY)Fraggin Waggon (SC)New York Coral Farmer (NY) New York Reef Club (NY)Pimentinha (NY) Link to comment
tetraodon Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 sweet, now all i need to do is come up with some cash hehhe Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Looking forward to this! Link to comment
SomeWonderfulNonsense Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I can't wait!! I've requested the day off already!!! Link to comment
tetraodon Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 same here, got the day off and gonna save some money, haha wonder if we could get a "nano-reef" discount Link to comment
fitch4 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Added: Dan Rigle Long Island Sound School I have gotten a TON of emails asking for clarification on how the FFM works so I thought it might be easier to just post the general info for people who have not been in the past.The FFM is on March 7th and the doors open to the public at 11am (there is usually quite a line by then!). There are no advance tickets, you just need to pay at the door that day. Admission is $5 per person. Spouses, and kids under 15 are free.It is a GIANT coral market, with a TON of corals for sale. Some swapping does go on but it is really just a way to bring together as many hobbyists and local shops as I can to sell off their "homegrown" stuff. The focus is really on the "homegrown" corals and promoting aquaculture, so you can figure on seeing lots of frags of all different types.My seller list is pretty much full and I already have a small waiting list to get a space if people cancel but people are welcome to shoot me a PM and get on it. I have already had some spots open, so you never know!Do me a favor in the last few weeks- spread the word! Link to comment
fitch4 Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Lou Elkus, from Tropic Marin and a huge supporter of the school's project, and I had been talking about the range of the crowd at the FFM- from legendary reefer to complete newbie. Lou mentioned that he gives a number of talks about reef chemistry. Having talked to Lou a number of times about various aspects of my own reefs, I thought it would be a great idea to include one of Lou's talks at the FFM to get some of the newer people up to speed on their own tanks. Here is the official announcement for Lou's talk: At 1pm in the lecture hall of the school (just around the corner from all the corals!) Lou will be giving a talk titled "Basic Reef Chemistry." The talk will be focused on teaching the newer reefer the basics of reef chemistry including calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and more. I have heard Lou speak a number of times and he really has a gift for breaking down the complex ideas of reef chemistry into an easily understandable package. I highly recommend it. Oh, and by the way, the talk is FREE and anyone who attends the talk will be in the running for a $25 FFM Gift Certificate to be pulled at the end of the talk.Thanks and see you all in a few weeks!Jon Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Being a newbie, I really can't wait to go to Lou's talk!!! Link to comment
tetraodon Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Sweet, im curious to see how many nano reefers are going, I kinda want to put my user name on a sticker Link to comment
fitch4 Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 I'll pick up stickers for people to use and leave them at the door. It is funny because I never know who is who either... Link to comment
fitch4 Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Here is the updated list as of this morning, with a few cancellations and a few additions. My apologies to any of the "vendors" whose home locations I mixed up... AC Corals (CT)Alex's Advanced Aquatics (CT)ARKSC (CT)Aquadreams (MA)AZNnutty's Saltwater Connections (OH)BareBottom Corals (NY)Blastomaster (CT)CTARS (CT)Coralium (CT)Dan Rigle (PA)dizzzy1209 (NJ)Elmafioso52988 (NY)E.O. Smith Coral Project (CT)Exotic Fish and Corals (CT)Exotic Reef Creations (NY)Fins Aquarium (NJ)Fish Frenzy (MA)Frag Freaks (MA)Fraggin Waggon (SC)Frank180Reef (MA)Gotham Aquatics (NY)Greg Hiller (MA)Hammer (NH)Ijamcorals (MD)Jason Foxx (MD)Kwong1998 (NY)Marine Reef Habitat (MA)Matt Spaulding (VT)MetroKat's Sassy Frags (NY)Micheal Reeve (CT)MO~Idol (NY)Neublian (CT)New York Coral Farmer (NY)New York Reef Club (NY)Pablo (NY)Pacific East Aquaculture (MD)Pieces of the Ocean (NY)Pimentinha (NY)Polywise (NJ)Popcorals (NJ)R+R Aquatics (NJ)Reef Creations (NY)Sassawrasse (CT)Shayna 123 (CT)Shawn B (CT)Shector (CT)Long Island Sound School (CT)SteelerMike (CT)sydaze4 (CT)Suicideissleep (CT)The Coral Reef (CT)Triggreef (CT)Ultimate Corals (NJ)Upstate Corals (NY)Wet Pets (CT)xclusive corals (NY)zooanthids.com (OH) Link to comment
metrokat Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Getting ready for the Swap!!!! Link to comment
fitch4 Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 I just got a note that Logan from Reefbreeders will be offering a few specials for the FFM this year. First, he is throwing a Superlux LED fixture into the raffle, to go with the dosing pump he was already putting in. He is also offering: $20 off all Jaebo pumps, at the FFM only. He NEVER discounts them. $40 off all Photon Units, again only at the FFM. Link to comment
fitch4 Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 I just got back from the school (okay, I might have slept for a few hours...) and about 1/2 the people came to set-up last night. I have to say that the stuff people brought this year, compared to previous years, is amazing. Just walking around, I saw quite a few things that I had never seen before. The only problem that I had was that I was too busy to cherry pick anything before the FFM got going! Seriously, I am positive that this will be the biggest and best FFM yet, with more set-ups, and just about all of the local clubs there to promote their events and club. Do me one last favor and tell someone about the event this morning, or just stop by their house and grab them on your way out. When you are at the FFM today, stop by and introduce yourself. I love to meet all the people that are just as crazy as I am!-Jon Link to comment
aquarium Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Nice! I'm going, I'll leave home soon. This will be my first time going but I'm excited! Link to comment
tetraodon Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Im taking a shower and hitting my bank then heading YAAHOO Link to comment
fitch4 Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Now that the dust has settled, for the most part, I wanted to extend a thank you to all of the vendors and attendees. The vendors this year brought the sweetest stuff I have ever seen at an FFM. They truly brought their A game and I was just sorry that I didn't get to stop and see half of them during the day. The attendees drive in from all over the Northeast, including a bunch from here at NR. I appreciate you making the ride out and hope that your ride was worth it. On a less positive note, one of my students had a clam that he had bought taken from the greenhouse at the end the FFM. He spent all of the money that he had on this clam and someone walked off with it. I am hoping it was an accident but if anyone knows anything about the missing clam, please let me know. I don't want to see the poor kid have to save up for another few months to replace it... Thanks again to everyone who came/helped/shopped. -Jon Link to comment
fitch4 Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 I just wanted to let people know that this whole thing is going to have a happy ending. Both The Coral Reef and Aquadreams have offered to give Ethan a replacement clam to make him whole again. He just needs to decide which shop he will take up on the offer. I showed him the threads today and he was flattered by all of the generosity from this, and many other groups. I started this thread just to see if someone had picked it up on accident and discovered that the reefing community in the area is full of just plain great people. I thank you, and Ethan thanks you as well for all of the very generous offers everyone has made. Thanks to everyone for showing him, and reminding me, of great a group the reefkeepers in this area are. I am glad to have him to leave the experience with that rather than the negative of losing the clam. Thanks again! Jon Link to comment
SomeWonderfulNonsense Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 i had a great time and loved all the corals I got! Thank you for setting this up! Link to comment
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