I think the key to organics is sustainability, not necessarily some anecdotal health or quality benefit or a dogmatic adherence to "purity", both physically and philosophically. If chemical fertilizers damage the environment by killing the soil life, choking the watersheds, and resulting in more pollution, etc, then not only is it morally abhorrent, it just isn't good business sense or resource management. You kill your supply and potentially kill your demand (through systematic poisoning), you lose customers. But then again, I could go on about subsidies and lack of property rights that reduces these incentives, but I'll withhold. As for buying food, I think more emphasis should be put on buying local rather than the "organic" label, which probably was grown 3000 miles away in China by some dirt cheap labor and flown over with hundreds of gallons of gas, not to mention it probably isn't fresh. However, if people have chosen a lifestyle, for whatever reason, people should respect their choices and inquiries. I don't see many people mocking vegans for their lifestyle, claiming its a scam and marketing ploy which ultimately is futile.

The bottom line is, you came here with both guns blasting about how we're all somehow stupid or gullible for buying seeds and then drew a ton of conclusions about us. I think most members of this forum are offended by your initial post. It is obvious that you DO have experience growing your own produce, but you also list some special circumstances. Namely, access to incredible farmer's markets that simply do not exist everywhere. If I had access to fantastic tomatoes a 10 minute drive away, I wouldn't be putting so much sweat equity into growing a garden. Most of the "Farmer's Markets" around here are now starting to look like a dumping ground for excess grocery store produce. I rarely find a variety that you can't find in a grocery store. Most of us don't have "source material" (i.e. fantastic watermelons, tomatoes, etc.) that we can copy. My initial motivations to grow a garden this year were because the quality of the tomatoes, watermelons, etc. at the store are down the toilet and red bell peppers cost $2+. So this year, the goal was to supplement the grocery store. Next year the goal is to partially REPLACE the grocery store. I am increasing the number of crops from 5 to 30. I don't have any agendas except to demystify things that are sometimes presented as mysterious. I really appreciate all the no-nonsense posting on this forum. I just think you made a lot of assumptions and tried to preach something that just isn't possible in most areas of the country. Some people don't have time to do what you suggested. Realize that these "seed catalogs" you see posted here all the time didn't start out that way. When the great "hybrid" exodus started happening, a few interested parties started saving seeds from desirable plants and growing them again each year. Then people started mailing seeds (for free) through the mail to each other. Then the Seed Savers Exchange formed, which was an annual "Yearbook" where these varieties (that most people didn't and still don't have access to) were listed and people traded with each other through the mail. No profit was involved. It was an attempt to save these varieties that industry forgot. Now, fast forward to 2006 and it's the "I want it now" society. Yes, I could trade by mail (which I am loathe to do) to try to get the seeds I want, but if I can go to a website, make a few clicks, punch in my CC, hit ORDER, and have varieties that I would have to scour the US to get, hell yes it's worth $2 a package for several year's worth of plants. And I will probably try to save seed from my tomatoes this year. But I have to start somewhere. There are very desireable species that are simply unavailable at the market. For example Brandy Boy. It is a hybrid, so you cannot save the seed. But you won't find it at a farmer's market either. I suppose I could hop on a plane and fly to these heirloom tomato markets in the midwest and new england states (been a long time since I visited where I grew up). But again, a packet of seeds for $2 is reasonable. And we keep bandying about this $2 price. I bought a ton of seeds at Home Depot for 40% off yesterday (avg. 89 cents to $1.25 a packet). And I filled in the remainder from HeirloomSeeds.com which averages $1.15 to $1.50 a packet. Extremely reasonable. $80 to get the seeds to start a garden and last a few years is not a big deal compared to the money spent on lumber, soil, trellising materials, etc. Yes it's possible to do these all on the cheap but this is what I've chosen to do. Now that I am started, I am going to recycle as much as I can. I've got a big compost pile going (and a new friend on a horse farm). I'm going to work the soil with leaves and grass from neighbors. But I have to start somewhere. Can we agree that your original post was, in some ways, rude? Originally posted by squeeziemonkey: I got dozens and dozens of people that do what I do and, like me have NEVER had an issue. The same thing exists here. It's called the Seed Savers Exchange. It's an organization that fosters saving of seeds from varieties and trading them by mail, etc. No profits involved. Just saving varieties from extinction and distributing germplasm across the country. Originally posted by squeeziemonkey: We are not experts or trying to talk to God or start a movement or anything... And yet that's exactly what your original post sounded like. We're all fools for buying seeds. We should start a movement to buy our "crops" from farmer's markets and stop using seed companies. I don't see how your original post could be seen as anything OTHER than some kind of "call to action". P.S. I'd be curious to know how you are getting seeds for cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, beets, lettuce, etc. which must all be grown significantly past their harvest date in order to get seeds (carrots have to be grown for a whole second season).

It will still need a lot of light, though. Will it get it in your garage? You could stand it outside in the day time to start toughening it up a bit. I have just looked up Jacob and see it is a Helleborus niger cultivar, so a bit more finicky that the H orientalis hybrids I grow. I suggest you do a little research as H niger can prove a challenge. The link suggests Jacob may be dubiously hardy in z5 and would not normally be in flower there in January. Here is a link that might be useful: Jacob

You probably would have always wondered what he was like if you hadn't taken him in so it may be a blessing in disguise. Now you know so you can put that mystery to bed. He does sound like a con man so I'd be careful with any financial papers left around. Lock them up & when he's gone after the house sale, you can start a new chapter & have a very good life. Your ex-husband sounds like a decent man and you have a good son who cares about you. To put his mind at rest about your health, why not try one of those life alert systems? It might give him peace of mind & he does need to get on with his life. Best of luck to you. I can't think of anyone who deserves it more.