I do understand that beans are self pollinating and I typically grow them side by side, save the seed and so far have observed no crosses. Yet, I see many beans labeled as hybrids. I understand hybrids as a crossing of two inbred lines or two other wise uniform strains. I understand the basic principles/concepts of hybrid crosses, inbreeding, linebreeding, backcrossing, topcrossing, etc. I used to raise some fine poultry. Even imported a trio from KY. Now here is my two cents on the hybrid subject. I believe, (as opposed to know) that seed companies sometimes do cross varieties and call them a F1 cross but after initial crossing and selection grow out from the original selection from year to year. In another words they don't have workers in south america or where ever tediously taking pollen from one variety of bean, or tomato etc. to another thousands of times to produce this year's F1 (or so they say) seed crop. So yes you can save the seed and they will come true to type year to year. And, yes "hybrid" is a vain attempt at least with some veggies, to discourage seed saving. I have commonly read that some crops, watermelons in particular will cross and must be isolated. However, one year I grew Charleston Grey, Crimson Sweet, and Yellow Doll (maybe Yellow Baby) and the next year I had a lot of volunteers. Guess what I harvested? All three types separate and distinct. Perhaps a third year would have yielded crosses. I don't know. Gardening seems to be filled with its own set of myths. Maybe garden myths should be a forum? Anyway my "mistakes" are what led me into seed saving and heirlooms etc. Now about those beans, yes they kinda lean over, but all my bush beans seem to lean over. Jumbo sends up a short runner vine above the bush and so could probably use some support. Wish I could say they are so massive that they pull the plants over, but I am not in the seed selling business! Am I on the right track?

My kids are 'stoked' as well. We have be sprouting seeds indoors for the past two months. We check them daily. And they are great about tending to the seedlings but at times, a little overzealous. I am now getting used to finding unidentified things growing in the cell pack's. Why? Because they watered too much, the seeds floated down the cell pack and I am too new to this to identify what is what. Your plans are great but are you growing any tomatoes? If your kids hate tomatoes, ignore the rest of my post. If they like them, throw a cherry or grape tomato in a 5 gallon container. My daughter is in kindergarten. I went into class this week to "sprout" cherry tomato seeds with the kids. I am taking them home to care for them for the next month. The plan is to bring them back after a month, have the kids decorate planters and transplant the seedlings. Since I already have a ton of cherry tomato plants thriving under lights I might have to cheat and switch them out. In any case, I have been very successful growing tomatoes in containers. If you are interested, my best advice is to plant them with potting soil and put a layer of mulch or wood chips on top to help retain the moisture. Good luck!!!!

And if you're all still with me...What waffle maker do you like? We have 2 small ones we have to use at once, and then it's still a lot of waiting for us all to get waffles. I was excited to see that Cuisinart has a 6 slice one, but there are very mixed reviews of it. We like traditional waffles, as opposed to Belgian, and it seems that most bakers on the market right now are for Belgian. Other question: Coffee maker? We don't drink it often, but when we do we want it to be good...And we have a dear friend who loves a wonderful, rich, strong cup of coffee, and it's important for me to offer him that. (He installed all our carpet and vinyl for free, as well as being a great friend otherwise) I saw that someone on the Appliance forum highly recommended Technivorm, but not sure I'm ready to spend $250 for a coffee maker. On the other hand, considering our Black and Decker has lasted us 24 years, it's not a purchase we'll be expecting to make again soon, and I want it to be a good decision. Still waffling on mixers. I know the two of you above love your Electroluxes, but in the research I've done over the past few years getting ready for this moment, it just never seemed like the best choice for me. I am thinking the Bosch is probably the way I need to go, but am also tempted by the 7 qt Viking, which Acountryfarm uses and loves for her family of 13. I can see that replacing my KA on the place of honor on my baking counter...The Bosch would live in a drawer. Not only is the Viking more attractive (I know that shouldn't be a big deal), but it's the type of mixer we like to use for baking other than bread, so it'd be nice to have one mixer rather than 2. Hmm. Anyway, since we are like-minded on some things, I thought maybe you'd have some thoughts on these things that would help, too. Thanks.

At a rest stop on a tour in Italy a couple of years ago, the restroom had a couple of stalls with the hole in the floor and footprints, while the others were modern. One teenaged girl got back on the coach to report that she had gone in one of the first kind and exclaimed, "I didn't know what to do!" Farm girl that I am, I wondered how she wasn't able to figure it out, even in the event that as a small girl she hadn't in an emergency been taken somewhere in the grass by her mother. I'm afraid I've become a bit of a cynic in my declining years.