Clones can be used to great effect when hybridizing or breeding stable OP varieties, and tomatoes are super easy to clone. I know with human cells, telomere length is a limiting factor on immortality. But cancer cells can achieve immortality in a petri dish, see link below. I am not sure if there is such a limit on plants. Considering 2000+ year old trees here and there perhaps there is not a fundamental limit, and plant clones could be kept alive forever. As for OP vs. hybrid, I'll gladly take the adaptability, resilience and independence from seed co's that OP offers, over whatever gains might be obtained by buying hybrid seed. I want seeds that are adapted to my climate, my garden, my pests and my habits as a gardener. My plan is to just keep chucking tomato seeds out there to see what thrives and produces. My aims are different than a lot of gardeners, for me it's more about resilient gardening than gourmet gardening. I'm happier with the 'wild arugula' that reseeds itself perpetually than with some named variety of arugula that I would have to resow every year. I am a member of a local seed library, $10 lifetime membership, and I have access to way more veggie seeds than I could ever grow, with the caveat that I return extra saved seed when possible. With those seeds, I follow stricter seed saving protocols, because there is an obligation to keep the varieties true. Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.npr.org/2011/03/18/134622044/tracing-the-immortal-cells-of-henrietta-lacks This post was edited by yukkuri_kame on Mon, Aug 12, 13 at 17:18

Proudmama: Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for in a light maple. Puppy farms? Egads, just another category of purchases to feel guilty about.... I can't buy anything from China without a twinge of guilt either.... Ellen: Thanks for the insight into Amish business practices. I'm glad they've found a way to survive and still hold their belief system together. I admire those people for their lifestyle and discipline. Thanks again for all of the replies!

adopted ~ I had a heck of a time finding a bedspread that fit most of my criteria. Thankfully I tend to go for more traditional and/or simple ones. I gussy it up with the accoutrements ;o) I found the one we have at JC Penney on-line. It's a simple quilted lightweight one in a smoky slate-ish blue. I have a queen sized duvet from Country Curtains at the foot of the bed for extra warmth, if needed. The pattern from CC is "Montague" and we have the duvet and the valances in the same pattern. When we went from a queen bed to an olympic queen I didn't want to give up the duvet. I'm chuckling as I read this thread. So many personalities and so many different ways to put together a bed. Who'd have thunk?

Mtn, I hear ya. One summer when I was a teen, I made my bed up so beautifully with new sheets, perfect corners, I couldn't bear to mess it up. I slept all summer on a sleeping bag on the floor next to it...cozy nest :) Throw pillows: depends on who gets there first. DH frisbees them into the corner. I use them for reading (3 little-ish ones) so I tuck them between bed and nightstand at lights out.