stickAseed --- Beta/Final Prototype
Gap Being Addressed: An easy, fun, sustainable, low-cost way to share milkweed seeds to promote the planting and protection of milkweed which is the only plant that the monarch larva can eat to become a butterfly.
Background on Gap: This is my story. For quick reading, simply read the next and last paragraph. To know more, read it all.
I am a butterfly enthusiast who has published several small books on the butterflies found in my yard (30 species). I saved a Butterfly weed (milkweed) plant from a fundraising event in 2008 that was going to be sprayed with pesticide by the greenhouse who hosted the live butterfly exhibit. The following Fall, 2009, a late season monarch came and laid eggs on that lone plant stuck in the dirt outside my back door (I had put it there just to secure it until later, then found that they don't transplant well). That plant was covered with caterpillars (see image above). Normally I don't 'interfere' with nature, but knowing the plight of the monarch (declining numbers due to reduced access to milkweed and logging in their winter/migration location), I protected the caterpillars from one spider and one beetle by relocation those two predators. Though it may look like the plant would die, you should know that the larvae never eat a plant to death (except the gypsy moth), but they do eat until it is ugly. This plant is still coming back 6 years later!
Soon I found more than 3 dozen chrysalises hanging from everywhere, including an old Easter basket. I filmed and photographed them as they emerged and took flight.
I studied and became a Virginia Master Naturalist (VMN). I volunteered extensively at schools and in the community to encourage planting of things that the larva of butterflies eat because most people plant the nectar for the butterfly but not the food for the larva.
This year, our VMN group did a service project to encourage planting of milkweed. We prepared little peat pots with milkweed planted in it to distribute at two big Arbor/Earth day events. Though nice to hand out, the project was expensive and for the one event, we had too many pots (that we then had to hurry up and plant) and for the other we had too few pots (and no fallback object to share). That became my gap: A better way to share milkweed seeds to promote planting of milkweed was needed.
Early prototypes were crafty items for kids to make; Business cards to handout; and several versions of what became the stickAseed.
I am a butterfly enthusiast who has published several small books on the butterflies found in my yard (30 species). I saved a Butterfly weed (milkweed) plant from a fundraising event in 2008 that was going to be sprayed with pesticide by the greenhouse who hosted the live butterfly exhibit. The following Fall, 2009, a late season monarch came and laid eggs on that lone plant stuck in the dirt outside my back door (I had put it there just to secure it until later, then found that they don't transplant well). That plant was covered with caterpillars (see image above). Normally I don't 'interfere' with nature, but knowing the plight of the monarch (declining numbers due to reduced access to milkweed and logging in their winter/migration location), I protected the caterpillars from one spider and one beetle by relocation those two predators. Though it may look like the plant would die, you should know that the larvae never eat a plant to death (except the gypsy moth), but they do eat until it is ugly. This plant is still coming back 6 years later!
Soon I found more than 3 dozen chrysalises hanging from everywhere, including an old Easter basket. I filmed and photographed them as they emerged and took flight.
I studied and became a Virginia Master Naturalist (VMN). I volunteered extensively at schools and in the community to encourage planting of things that the larva of butterflies eat because most people plant the nectar for the butterfly but not the food for the larva.
This year, our VMN group did a service project to encourage planting of milkweed. We prepared little peat pots with milkweed planted in it to distribute at two big Arbor/Earth day events. Though nice to hand out, the project was expensive and for the one event, we had too many pots (that we then had to hurry up and plant) and for the other we had too few pots (and no fallback object to share). That became my gap: A better way to share milkweed seeds to promote planting of milkweed was needed.
Early prototypes were crafty items for kids to make; Business cards to handout; and several versions of what became the stickAseed.
Key Needs: Shown in order of "desire" (importance)
- Low Cost (funding is donated and limited)
- Easy to make (simple to assemble by the participants)
- Easy to use (simple for people to use, and more likely to use)
- Promotes planting of milkweed (informational)
- Fun (a craft, or an appealing item that people desire)
- Portable (minimal space required for transport)
- Sustainable (uses items that do not pollute)
- Storable (has a reasonable shelf life)
I chose the 'brand' name of stickAseed because it: * describes the product
* is easy to say
* is alliterative (brings a smile)
* is not currently in use that I can find
* can be used for other kinds of seeds (expansion)
The stickAseed logo (above) was designed to relate to the artifact as:
* is easy to say
* is alliterative (brings a smile)
* is not currently in use that I can find
* can be used for other kinds of seeds (expansion)
The stickAseed logo (above) was designed to relate to the artifact as:
- the infinity symbolism to indicate continuation of the plant
- the shape to imply a butterfly, with the 'body' implying the stick
- the words stickAseed use Lucida Bright font to be clear for print
- the logo emphasizes the A in the middle so the logo is lowercase except for that A
Next Steps to Refine/develop Prototype: My beta prototype is pretty solid for self and small group production.
Other groups could use a template for the labels that I would provide and could produce the sticks for less than 25 cents when paying full cost for supplies if they did at least 500. Smaller runs would cost more.
One thing that happened when I started to 'brand' my artifact was the creation of a logo. Then I had to find space on the stick for the added logo because I was not willing to remove the image of the monarch because I wanted the stick to show what was supported. That change resulted in some organization issues, so the seeds moved to the back of the stick. I don't like this as well, but feel that finding an alternative label size is not feasible.
Mass production is a possibility I could pursue with seed companies. Since my item is not especially patentable even though it provides a unique combination of items, I am not likely to pursue a patent. I could however file the copyright for the labels, and pursue a trademark for the brand name StickAseed.
Thanks to all who reviewed, and therefore improved, my work. I have many extra prototypes to share, so if you want one, send me an address (they have to be sent snail mail) and I will send one. Otherwise, I hope you will at least consider planting some form of milkweed. Remember, it likes the edge of a garden, it cannot be moved, it dislikes mulch and compost, it blooms the second year and is a seeded perrenial (looks ugly but comes back).
thanks!
- the craft sticks are three for a penny (or less in bulk) available locally
- the labels are standard 1x4 available at any office supply (I have a supply bought during a clearance event which means they are 2 for a penny)
- the stickers that go over the seeds are available at an office supply and cost a penny each
- laser printing is required to prevent 'running' of inkjet print; other than the initial cost of the printer, the beta prototype uses very little ink, no more than 5 cents per stick
- seeds are readily available from my garden (or mail supply for very low cost per seed) and are not regulated unless leaving the US
Other groups could use a template for the labels that I would provide and could produce the sticks for less than 25 cents when paying full cost for supplies if they did at least 500. Smaller runs would cost more.
One thing that happened when I started to 'brand' my artifact was the creation of a logo. Then I had to find space on the stick for the added logo because I was not willing to remove the image of the monarch because I wanted the stick to show what was supported. That change resulted in some organization issues, so the seeds moved to the back of the stick. I don't like this as well, but feel that finding an alternative label size is not feasible.
Mass production is a possibility I could pursue with seed companies. Since my item is not especially patentable even though it provides a unique combination of items, I am not likely to pursue a patent. I could however file the copyright for the labels, and pursue a trademark for the brand name StickAseed.
Thanks to all who reviewed, and therefore improved, my work. I have many extra prototypes to share, so if you want one, send me an address (they have to be sent snail mail) and I will send one. Otherwise, I hope you will at least consider planting some form of milkweed. Remember, it likes the edge of a garden, it cannot be moved, it dislikes mulch and compost, it blooms the second year and is a seeded perrenial (looks ugly but comes back).
thanks!