What a great idea for a workshop topic! I would love to come but know already that I can't unfortunately. I have at least 2 unidentified roses in my own garden right now and would love to learn how to give them their proper names. Is there any way to obtain the information that Cass will be giving at the workshop? Did/will she write an article about this topic or something like that? Or does someone know any other source of good information about identifying roses? Thanks for answering my questions in advance. Christina Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Garden Dreams

Thanks, Sandy. It's true. Teachers are the WORST audience EVER! (eyes rolling...BIG time) Think of the worst kids ever and the teachers are those kids x ten. The books you mentioned are some of my faves to read to my kids, particularly for the errors! It's funny to have little Kindergartners point out the 'mistakes' as I read now (interrupting, no less) and how "it's okay because everyone makes mistakes" but then again, how sad that SO many people learn from these mistakes and don't realize that these errors exist. Think of how many people assume that all butterflies make a cocoon...or that caterpillars have millions of legs...or that all caterpillars form a J when they pupate...the number of body parts a butterfly has...the number of legs as butterfly has...etc. It truly is horrific to me all the inconsistencies that exist. I just recently purchased the Dr. Seuss (well, one of the Beginner Books series) butterfly book and almost keeled over from the errors in the illustrations alone. I ended up NOT reading it to my students but just shared the pictures and discussed them. The kids were able to spot the 'mistakes' pretty quickly. Then again, I guess my expectations are such that I EXPECT that teachers will attempt to have accurate information. I EXPECT authors and illustrators to do their best to show information that is true to form. In my little Pollyanna world this would all be... But it isn't that way, is it? Oh well. We do our best and by sharing our knowledge, limited as it is, we can provide a service. YOU provided a great service today and are to be commended. What you did will spread. The enthusiasm with which you shared your experiences and knowledge will spread. That's what counts. :) Keep it up. I truly believe we need to share this type of information. It is why I returned to teaching in the classroom and why I chose to go to Kindergarten instead of back to middle school mathematics. Let's spread the news, like the fluff from a Milkweed seed pod flies through the sky...

ECHO is a global hunger solutions organization. it develops agricultural crops (food, fodder, commodity) essentially for the 20/20 zone (the tropics, 20 degrees north and south of the equator). i have found its website to be the single best source of information for organic (or near organic) gardening in our zones. the event on saturday is a chance to tour their global gardens and see their demonstrations of ultra-low-tech farming methods: http://www.echonet.org/virtual_tour.htm i guess the reasons to go are two-fold: to improve one's understanding of gardening in fla and to learn about all the great work that ECHO does. i had a couple of friends go last year -- an environmental biologist and his wife, who lived on a subsistence farm in ecuador for most of her life. they both thought it was an amazing place and really enjoyed themselves. oh -- and they have a great exotic fruit tree nursery! http://www.echonet.org/nursery.htm Here is a link that might be useful: ECHO's farm day

Thanks for the info