I hear the frustration in FloridaBear's post. S. Florida has a lot of opportunities and some adjustments to gardening especially if you were used to gardening "up North". I grow herbs, orchids, fruit trees etc and have found there are herbs, orchids, fruit trees etc that thrive in my climate, others survive or languish and others hate it and die (no matter how hard I try to pursuade them to live). I have made the decision to invite only those plants that thrive in my climate to share it with me and put away the idea of giving up my life to figuring out how to keep plants alive that really don't do well here (it resulted most of the time in failure and wasn't a whole lot of fun even when there was success). I know that heat, humidity, rain and a lot of mulch = mold. I know I can grow all sorts of vegetables during the winter and many herbs under trees and some shade during the rest of the year. Many vegetables disintegrate in our summer humidity (To those "up North" - if you know what happens to plants after a freeze - you know mush - well that's kind of what mold and humidity can do to our plants - full sun and heat just fries them-- but many can be hardened off to the sun.) Now, for hippeastrum...last year I kept an appleblossom outside in a clay pot and it is bigger, the bulb is green and has two offsets. It never lost its leaves, I don't know when it will flower but I can wait. I am just happy to see it happy. (and this forum CHADed me into buying many more that did flower) I kept it in full sun during the winter after it flowered last year and it naturally got accustomed to the sun. It was outside all summer and never lost a beat. Now about pests, I only use pesticide as a last ditch effort and only on potted plants and hand spray sparingly under very controlled circumstances. I do not want any lizzards, frogs, toads or others beings harmed -- they are my main pest control. I have had no need to spray anything in the ground - my pest control squad has it under control. I have lots of lizzards and frogs and loads of toads. Anyeway, I am looking for a place, to try a couple of hippeastrum in the ground (maybe a raised bed with some shade)and we will see how they do. I am also looking to have a covered area outside where I can control the rainfall, but not the heat and humiditiy so I can try a few species that I think might do well here. Anyway, I really do understand your frustration, S. Fl is unlike most other places in the US but just like any other place on this planet there are frustrations and rewards. Hey, what about this - take a few of the 'common' hippeastrum that you find growing in your area and hybridize them with some of the hippeastrum that 'catch your eye' to develop your own hybrid that you find appealing that would grow in your area. Might be fun and might even be successful. Let me know, I might want one for my garden.

For the olive oil question: Retail grades in IOOC member nations As IOOC standards are complex, the labels in stores (except in the U.S.) clearly show an oil's grade: * Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil. * Virgin olive oil has an acidity less than 2%, and judged to have a good taste. There can be no refined oil in virgin olive oil. * Pure olive oil. Oils labeled as Pure olive oil or Olive oil are usually a blend of refined olive oil and one of the above two categories of virgin olive oil. * Olive oil is a blend of virgin oil and refined oil, containing no more than 1.5% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor. * Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined pomace olive oil and possibly some virgin oil. It is fit for consumption, but it may not be called olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely found in a grocery store; it is often used for certain kinds of cooking in restaurants. * Lampante oil is olive oil not used for consumption; lampante comes from olive oil's ancient use as fuel in oil-burning lamps. Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil

I've sold 'Salad Bowls' with great success at market. I use a fiber pot, 8" deep & about a foot across. We put a fat chive plant in the center (they're usually flowering when they go to market) surrounded by greens & a few violas for color & as edible flowers. We charge $12-$18.00. This is a great thread! There are such good ideas. We have a hard time w/ the state health dept. here on bagging greens for market. They are convinced that all bagged greens are assumed (by the consumer)to be washed in a commercail kitchen and ready to eat. Even a giant "wash and enjoy" label won't satisfy them. So....we can't pre-bag. What they want is to have the greens in a large, open container that customers bag themselves. That way, the customer kows that they should be washed at home. (you can see this really gets me going). NOW, there are hundreds of hands going into that open container, bagging salad, but not seen as a health issue!! I've taken to putting out a box of latex gloves - it strikes me as so unsanitary. Not to mention , how hard it is to keep greens looking good under those conditions. We have a very high UV load here - even if it's cool, they'll go down quickly, even under a canopy. Thanks for the advice & information!

Well, Ladies, it's time to close this swap! I'm glad everyone enjoyed it and I'd like to thank everyone who sent out recipes. A big thank you to everyone who responded, too. One thing: if you signed up for the swap and didn't get a recipe, please let me know, okay? Jeanne already has the June FOTESS swap up and running, check it out! We are going to take a break in July and I will be back in August with our 2nd Annual FOTESS Yard Sale! Last year's Yard Sale was fun and I'm sure this one will be too! Off to sit outside and enjoy a glass of vino! Shirley!