Hi Michael I ordered from Ronnigers and they have very good customer service. Especially for us that we want potatoes at a certain time. It is a good idea about ordering together. I will include your Russian fingerlings too. They are all good. I don't remember if you saw the light half whisky barrel buckets that they were in. I also had some in 7 gallon pots. I had Bill lifting them, so he would know how light they were. This was important for me that I had to move them when the freeze came, to the porch. Only 2 nights I moved them and I covered them with a blanket a couple of times during the season. They were planted November 12, next season we can do earlier. I put about 6 inches of Miracle grow mixed with pine bark fines. And as they were growing i added straw. Once a week they had water from the sprinkles. That was all. Michael(the ultimate gourmet), we must grow them again!!!

Well, this is an old thread, but I just found it today. Anyway, I see people try to cultivate cloudberries and say it is difficult, and the plant carries no berries. A little background about myself. I am born, grew up and lived in northern part of Norway. Since the cloudberries have a high content of vitamin c, it was special laws for this berries in northern part of Norway. It was heavily regulated and if you picked an unripe cloudberry you could at least be heavily fined by the police. I am not a scholar of any kind when it comes to berries, just loves to eat them. But, picking the berries was a major event in the place we lived. I have been told that the cloudberry plant does not carry berries before 7 years have past. And, the deal with the unripe cloudberry that is red is that when you pick it, you rip off the leaves that grips the berry, and the plant is then useless again, and then it takes 7 years before it comes a new berry there. Since the cloudberry had such an importance for people living so far north with far less veggies and fruit, the laws was strict. It was a matter of life or death for people. A bit like stealing a horse from someone in the wild west, you were pretty doomed then. When the cloudberry gets ripe, the leaves that holds the berry, releases the grip of the berry, and opens up giving free access for your fingers to just pick the berry. So, it is a smart plant, and for those who are greedy and can not wait, they ruin the plant so they will not get anything the next summer. So, the plant punish those people. :-)

Hello Marshall, Brandan and others, Thanks for your interest in Whole Systems Ag and I am glad you enjoyed Dr B's paper. I think it's one of the best I've seen on oaks. Yes, I've visited the Santa Barbara museum many times when my family was living in Thousand Oaks. The botanic garden was a particularly nice attraction because, at the time, I was doing a lot of work with native plants. I checked out the PGI and that looks like a kind of Jungian place. I had a big interest in that stripe of psychology at that time too. At present, my work on the farm and with the tasks in front of my nose keep me from the more academic pursuits I once enjoyed. The garden at Pacifica sounds like a wonderful endeavor. Indeed, I'd be delighted if you should come for a visit. I seldom leave the farm so one time is about as good as another. It's easy to find just 6 miles or so north of the San Joaquin River on Highway 41 toward Yosemite. Send me a personal email at daddyoat@netptc.net and I'll return detailed directions.

The Rose Levy Birnbaum banana cake posted here by jgarner a couple of years ago. I don't even like bananas and I like that cake, I make cupcakes and don't bother to frost them, I just call them "muffins" instead. You could also make a smoothie or two, if you care for smoothies. I don't, but lots of people do. I don't know if it's the same as Deanna's, but I have this recipe for freezer jam, it's from Kraft-Canada. No-Cook Strawberry Banana-Split 2 cups crushed strawberries 1 cup mashed bananas, about 3 ( fully ripe) 3 cups sugar 3/4 cup water 1 (85 g) boxes Certo, pectin crystals Mix fruit and sugar until well blended. Let stand 10 minutes. Bring water and pectin to boil in saucepan; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 minutes. Pour into clean jars or plastic containers. Cover with tight fitting lids. Let stand at room temperature until set. (This could take up to 24 hours). Store in freezer, or if jam will be used in 3 weeks, store in refrigerator. TIPS: Add 1/3 cup chocolate liqueur to jam mixture before pouring into jars. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Warm jam, then use as a toppng for hot waffles, ice cream sundaes, or banana splits. For a quick and easy milk shake, add a spoonful jam to vanilla ice cream in a blender container. Add milk, then blend until thickened and smooth. I've taken "pectin crystals" to be powdered pectin, so that's what I use. Any of my Canadian friends, please correct me if I'm wrong. Annie