Ok. Here is the story with all the details needed to make up your mind and help me make up mine.
Two weeks ago, there was a ad in the Tennessee Trader (a local un regulated classified publishing for everything) and it said:
"BLUEBERRY BUSHES: 3rd year blueberry bushes, two varieties, climax and premiere, $18 a piece or $15 for 3 or more (and then the phone number)"
So I called, talked to a man who gave me a 5 minute lesson on blueberries and the two varieties he had for sale. I told him I would love to get some and he gave me directions and hours of operation. Well, I couldn't make it that week because of "production Friday" which is mandatory overtime. So I waited another week. Then, yesterday, the next Friday in the story, I went out to buy 8 blueberry bushes from him. He told me on the phone (and in the ad) that they were 3rd year and I will get maybe a small handful of berries this year but in a year or two they will be full producing bushes. Kay?
When I get there, there were blueberries in 1 gallon buckets and pots. (1 Gallon is important - suggesting a large root system) but they were just bare and about 2-3 feet tall. Well, I got to tell you... I have 4 blueberry bushes myself already that are infact 2 year and they do not have leaves right now. So I didn't think anything of it.
Now, while the daughter (in her 30's) goes to get a print out of how to care for blueberries... I walk around their greenhouse and buy a few more things. She comes back and sees all the pots of plants I drug out and placed together for her to add up and says, and I quote, "Wow. You are buying alot. I'll have to give you a discount." I said thanks and she started to add it all up. As she is adding it up, I hear roosters crowing. I said to her, "Are those your chickens or a neighbors?" She was already done writting prices on the receipt. She then adds up the total on a calculator, and we were talking about her chickens... she was trying to describe them since she didn't know the breed. I said, "I better be quiet so you can add that up. It may go in my favor or yours." We laughed, and she double checked it again... in silence.
She tells me $119+ change... and I gave her the cash. Her dad drives up as we are loading the car and she says to him, "They have chickens, Dad. You should find out what kind." So I talk to him for a minute about Delawares mainly and the others we will be having come into lay within the summer. He says, "Do you have a website?" I told him yes and gave it to them.
We go home, and I check my emails. I have one through my website (exceptionalchickens.com) from them (well, the mother I never met). It says (and I quote):
"Hello, Stacy. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you. Seems while {name omitted} was talking to you about your exceptional chickens, the calculator miss fired. You bought:
8 blueberry bushes @ $15 each
....
....
....
....
....
....
and a English Yew @ $7.50, which was free.
Your total should have been $177.65 and you paid {name omitted} $120. Would you please mail us a check for $57.65 or bring us the cash? I see you take paypal, so that is fine too.
Thanks for comming out to the farm and thanks for your understanding. (smiley face)
(then signed)"
Now, I took the "exceptional chickens" thing very smart @$$ish. And I find the whole hunting me down for the difference very rude. That alone made me very upset for most of the day.
Well, I took three of the 8 blueberries to my mother's house because she wanted some. When I pulled one of them out of the SUV, it started to fall out of the pot... the way a stick falls over in the mud. So I pulled it out of the soil and what do you know! This "3rd year bush" was nothing but a very recent cutting. All that was on it was two water roots. (the thin ones that look like hair)
My mother, who knows just about everything there is to know about plants (she's the one people turn to about these things) said that those are last years cutting, put in water, and then just in the last month or so put in pots. They may or maynot make it. She said a responcible nursery would have never sold something like that.
So, my question after knowing all the details to it all, is this: What should I do now? I paid the difference through paypal, and am concidering going through paypal for the $57.65 to be returned. I know I will never go back. I just don't know what I should do now. I mean, $120 for twigs! Ok. Enough typing. Let's here ya'lls two cents.
Two weeks ago, there was a ad in the Tennessee Trader (a local un regulated classified publishing for everything) and it said:
"BLUEBERRY BUSHES: 3rd year blueberry bushes, two varieties, climax and premiere, $18 a piece or $15 for 3 or more (and then the phone number)"
So I called, talked to a man who gave me a 5 minute lesson on blueberries and the two varieties he had for sale. I told him I would love to get some and he gave me directions and hours of operation. Well, I couldn't make it that week because of "production Friday" which is mandatory overtime. So I waited another week. Then, yesterday, the next Friday in the story, I went out to buy 8 blueberry bushes from him. He told me on the phone (and in the ad) that they were 3rd year and I will get maybe a small handful of berries this year but in a year or two they will be full producing bushes. Kay?
When I get there, there were blueberries in 1 gallon buckets and pots. (1 Gallon is important - suggesting a large root system) but they were just bare and about 2-3 feet tall. Well, I got to tell you... I have 4 blueberry bushes myself already that are infact 2 year and they do not have leaves right now. So I didn't think anything of it.
Now, while the daughter (in her 30's) goes to get a print out of how to care for blueberries... I walk around their greenhouse and buy a few more things. She comes back and sees all the pots of plants I drug out and placed together for her to add up and says, and I quote, "Wow. You are buying alot. I'll have to give you a discount." I said thanks and she started to add it all up. As she is adding it up, I hear roosters crowing. I said to her, "Are those your chickens or a neighbors?" She was already done writting prices on the receipt. She then adds up the total on a calculator, and we were talking about her chickens... she was trying to describe them since she didn't know the breed. I said, "I better be quiet so you can add that up. It may go in my favor or yours." We laughed, and she double checked it again... in silence.
She tells me $119+ change... and I gave her the cash. Her dad drives up as we are loading the car and she says to him, "They have chickens, Dad. You should find out what kind." So I talk to him for a minute about Delawares mainly and the others we will be having come into lay within the summer. He says, "Do you have a website?" I told him yes and gave it to them.
We go home, and I check my emails. I have one through my website (exceptionalchickens.com) from them (well, the mother I never met). It says (and I quote):
"Hello, Stacy. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you. Seems while {name omitted} was talking to you about your exceptional chickens, the calculator miss fired. You bought:
8 blueberry bushes @ $15 each
....
....
....
....
....
....
and a English Yew @ $7.50, which was free.
Your total should have been $177.65 and you paid {name omitted} $120. Would you please mail us a check for $57.65 or bring us the cash? I see you take paypal, so that is fine too.
Thanks for comming out to the farm and thanks for your understanding. (smiley face)
(then signed)"
Now, I took the "exceptional chickens" thing very smart @$$ish. And I find the whole hunting me down for the difference very rude. That alone made me very upset for most of the day.
Well, I took three of the 8 blueberries to my mother's house because she wanted some. When I pulled one of them out of the SUV, it started to fall out of the pot... the way a stick falls over in the mud. So I pulled it out of the soil and what do you know! This "3rd year bush" was nothing but a very recent cutting. All that was on it was two water roots. (the thin ones that look like hair)
My mother, who knows just about everything there is to know about plants (she's the one people turn to about these things) said that those are last years cutting, put in water, and then just in the last month or so put in pots. They may or maynot make it. She said a responcible nursery would have never sold something like that.
So, my question after knowing all the details to it all, is this: What should I do now? I paid the difference through paypal, and am concidering going through paypal for the $57.65 to be returned. I know I will never go back. I just don't know what I should do now. I mean, $120 for twigs! Ok. Enough typing. Let's here ya'lls two cents.
