diff --git a/app/controllers/home_controller.rb b/app/controllers/home_controller.rb
index e385d2de9..efe130a59 100644
--- a/app/controllers/home_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/home_controller.rb
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ class HomeController < ApplicationController
     @planting_count = Planting.count
     @garden_count   = Garden.count
 
-    @crops        = Crop.interesting(6)
+    @crops        = Crop.interesting.first(6)
     @recent_crops = Crop.recent.limit(12)
-    @plantings    = Planting.interesting(4)
-    @seeds        = Seed.interesting(6)
-    @members      = Member.interesting(6)
+    @plantings    = Planting.interesting.first(4)
+    @seeds        = Seed.interesting.first(6)
+    @members      = Member.interesting.first(6)
 
     respond_to do |format|
       format.html # index.html.haml
diff --git a/app/models/crop.rb b/app/models/crop.rb
index 86c4a5ac0..45fac0bc7 100644
--- a/app/models/crop.rb
+++ b/app/models/crop.rb
@@ -78,9 +78,10 @@ class Crop < ActiveRecord::Base
     return planted_from
   end
 
-  # Crop.interesting(howmany)
+  # Crop.interesting
   # returns a list of interesting crops, for use on the homepage etc
-  def Crop.interesting(howmany=12)
+  def Crop.interesting
+    howmany = 12 # max number to find
     interesting_crops = Array.new
     min_plantings = 3 # needs this many plantings to be interesting
     min_photos    = 3 # needs this many photos to be interesting
diff --git a/app/models/member.rb b/app/models/member.rb
index 6b4835c14..b8f64c0de 100644
--- a/app/models/member.rb
+++ b/app/models/member.rb
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ class Member < ActiveRecord::Base
     return sets
   end
 
-  def Member.interesting(howmany=12)
+  def Member.interesting
+    howmany = 12 # max number to find
     interesting_members = Array.new
     Member.confirmed.located.recently_signed_in.each do |m|
       break if interesting_members.length == howmany
diff --git a/app/models/planting.rb b/app/models/planting.rb
index fdee6f692..7fa267411 100644
--- a/app/models/planting.rb
+++ b/app/models/planting.rb
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ class Planting < ActiveRecord::Base
   # return a list of interesting plantings, for the homepage etc.
   # we can't do this via a scope (as far as we know) so sadly we have to
   # do it this way.
-  def Planting.interesting(howmany=10)
+  def Planting.interesting
+    howmany = 12 # max amount to collect
     interesting_plantings = Array.new
     seen_owners = Hash.new(false) # keep track of which owners we've seen already
 
diff --git a/app/models/seed.rb b/app/models/seed.rb
index d7fb25451..1879cfa29 100644
--- a/app/models/seed.rb
+++ b/app/models/seed.rb
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ class Seed < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
   end
 
-  # Seed.interesting(howmany)
+  # Seed.interesting
   # returns a list of interesting seeds, for use on the homepage etc
-  def Seed.interesting(howmany=8)
+  def Seed.interesting
+    howmany = 12 # max number to find
     interesting_seeds = Array.new
 
     Seed.tradable.each do |s|
diff --git a/spec/models/crop_spec.rb b/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
index 618e82500..b1363004a 100644
--- a/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
@@ -221,31 +221,6 @@ describe Crop do
       Crop.interesting.length.should == 1
     end
 
-    it 'only gives you as many as you ask for' do
-      # first, a couple of candidate crops
-      @crop1 = FactoryGirl.create(:crop, :system_name => 'aaa')
-      @crop2 = FactoryGirl.create(:crop, :system_name => 'zzz')
-
-      # they need 3+ plantings each to be interesting
-      (1..3).each do
-        FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :crop => @crop1)
-      end
-      (1..3).each do
-        FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :crop => @crop2)
-      end
-
-      # crops need 3+ photos to be interesting
-      @photo = FactoryGirl.create(:photo)
-      [@crop1, @crop2].each do |c|
-        (1..3).each do
-          c.plantings.first.photos << @photo
-          c.plantings.first.save
-        end
-      end
-
-      Crop.interesting(1).length.should == 1
-    end
-
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/planting_spec.rb b/spec/models/planting_spec.rb
index de2c24b65..d730414aa 100644
--- a/spec/models/planting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/planting_spec.rb
@@ -204,24 +204,6 @@ describe Planting do
       Planting.interesting.should_not include @planting1
     end
 
-    it 'only gives you as many as you ask for' do
-      # plantings have members created implicitly for them
-      # each member is different, hence these are all interesting
-      @planting1 = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :created_at => 5.days.ago)
-      @planting2 = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :created_at => 4.days.ago)
-      @planting3 = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :created_at => 3.days.ago)
-      @planting4 = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :created_at => 2.days.ago)
-
-      # plantings need photos to be interesting
-      @photo = FactoryGirl.create(:photo)
-      [@planting1, @planting2, @planting3, @planting4].each do |p|
-        p.photos << @photo
-        p.save
-      end
-
-      Planting.interesting(2).length.should == 2
-    end
-
   end
 
 end