The "corpse shovel-toss"!! TOO funny! We have groundhogs that expire due to "lead poisoning" & my husband gives them a "shovel ride" up the hill to a patch of loose sand that should have rows of headstones! The occasional former aquarium resident goes under the rose bushes, and we have lovely roses! For several years I house-sat in the country for the 1st 2 weeks of July each year. One year the resident dog (Blackie-I swear he lived to come up with mischief!) brought home a groundhog friend, only Mr. G had met with mayhem some time ago & resembled a furry basketball in appearance, and something VERY nasty in scent! Of course this was shortly before I was expecting guests for a picnic, so I grabbed the shovel & heaved Mr. G into the treerow. Blackie responded by bounding into the treerow & returning the foul carcass to me, all the while smiling (I swear!) and exclaiming What Fun! What now? I grabbed a large garbage bag & attempted to roll Mr G into it with the shovel while Blackie enjoyed trying to keep the carcass OUT of the bag! Finally I won the battle & the dog won a "time out" in his fenced area. Now I start to toss the bag in the back of my car until the smell hits me again & I say "In my CAR!? NO way!" Now what? In the end, I hold the bag out the open drivers window & drive slowly down the dirt road beyond the property where I pitched it down a ravine about a mile away! The dog had some fun, & Mr. G did not return!

It's a leafhopper, perhaps the grape leafhopper.

So about 100 miles East of San Franciso in northern CA and not near the coast. Good fertile soil or Delmonte wouldn't be there. Summers dry and hot, winters cool and rainy. If you lived nearer the coast you could have problems with the fog and what's called the June Glooms, in particular, which can lead to both types of Powdery Mildew which affects the foliage. You have little problems with the common foliage diseases b'c it so dry most of the time. The major problem would be some of the systemic diseases such as Fusarium, Verticillium , etc., and possibly Root Knot Nematodes. Because the soilborne systemic diseases can be so different in different parts of CA I'm going to suggest that you call your local Cooperative Extension and ask them what specific soilborne diseases are likely to be encountered. And be sure to ask about Fusarium and what specific races, there are three, that can be found there. Also, be sure to ask about Root Knot Nematodes and also if there is any Bacterial Canker there or Late Blight ( P. infestans). Modesto is a large city so there should be plenty of nurseries there that sell plants if you aren't going to raise your own plants from seed. The timing of when you put out plants, either inground or in containers is also important, so ask about that. I would imagine that plants need to be set out as early as possible in the early Spring so that fruits can set before the high heat of summer. High heat with sustained temps over about 90-95 F can destroy pollen leading to loss of pollen viability and blossom drop. Some in your area might do two crops a year, a Spring Crop where you'd grow interdeterminate varieties and midseason varieties and a seond Fall crop where you'd grow short and mid season varieties. You should be able to grow any varieties you want to. I know a few folks who live inland from San Francisco and they do and they would be to your East, not as far inland as you are. Hope that helps. Carolyn, who notes....ahem, very different from Massachusetts as well I know since I'm in upstate NY on the VT border and can be in Western, Mass in about 45 min.

I;m so glad I found this forum today. I lost my beautiful son Brian just over 3 months ago. he died Nov. 22nd 08 it was just after midnight and he was driving his date home when he was hit head on by @#$% showing of his car. Brian was only 18 years old and I am so devastated!!! he had just graduated high school only 5 months earlier. He had everything in the world going for him. His date lindsey is recorvering well, I would say thank god but i no longer believe. my son died saving her life.the police said Brian did everything he could to get off the road without crashing into this huge wooden planter. he could have gone off the road and he might have lived but she surly would have died. the @#$%ing monster still hasn't been arrested and i am so full of rage and sadness. I am married to my high school sweet heart Ricky we have 4 surviving kids Jenny age 26 Rick age 23 Rose age 17 Was 16 when it happened John age 15 was14 when it happened rose and John just had birthdays and all I could think was that one day they will be older than Brian. My husband and I were so heartbroken we couldn't even help plan his funeral. My daughter did everything. and I know she did the best she could but I feel more should have been done. over 600 people came to his wake.It was like a horrible blurry dream. I really can't remember much. It was so over whelming. all these people, alot I didn;t even know all wanted to hug me and express ther condolenses even his kindergarden teacher was there. and I promised Brian I would not embarress him so kept my "game face" on but the whole time I just wanted to scream my head off. Brian was the kind of person who made friends everywhere he went. I'm glad with all my heart he was so loved but I'm still freaked out It was so over whelming. I still can't leave my house. I feel like everyone is staring at me. I know they're not. I never went back to work. It's only been a few months but I feel so bad. I hate laughing i feel so guilty that every time I have a "good day" i just punish myself for the next few days. We buried Brian the day befor thanks giving. His birthday was the day before xmas eve. I wanted him cremated because I can not bear to think of his beautiful face rotting in that box. his father brothers and sisters refused. I have not visited his grave since valentines day and i told my husband i'm never going there again. his grave is covered with dead frozen flowers stuffed animals letters pictures and un opened xmas and birthday presents it looks like a garbage dump. people say the stupidest things like what a nice gadrden he'll have. I can't dig in the soil knowing my little boy is in there. I no longer believe in god My son was such a great kid. he was all boy. If there is a god why my son?!!! why not the @#$% that did this to him. and why isn't he aressted? He had 3 other kids in his car( the @#$%) all including him were in the hospital for weeks one boy(not sure if this is a roumer) is in a wheelchair for life. and all the roumers are so @#$% crazy. I'm sorry this is so long. I have no one to talk to .my so called friends don;t understand. I still can;t talk on the phone. I spend my days all alone crying. I know Brian would not want me to be this way but i just can;t stop. Thanks for listening to a mothers broken heart. Laura i'm sorry if i sound crazy but i am so lost.