Great ideas everyone! I should have clarified that all I was really looking for is what kind of markers or tags you use. I've used plastic knives or pieces cut from plastic cups and a china marker for temporary markers but wasn't sure it that would work for 3 years of observation. Does the china marker hold up for 3 yrs? I track the seedlings and all of my garden plants in a database. I use an inexpensive database called "List Pro" because it synchronizes easily between my computer & pda so I can take the pda right out into the garden & actually write observation data into it as I inspect the plants. It is a lot like a spreadsheet in that you create the fields for anything you want to keep track of but it also has things like checkbox fields and easier to build dropdown menus. I have fields for pod parent, pollen parent, ploidy, cross date, germination date, plant out date, source of the seeds (purchased or my own cross) all the datafields you get in Tinker's, plus 1st bloom date, scape/bud count, 2nd bloom date scape/bud count, and a notes section where I can write about increase and other details. I can export/import between a spreadsheet and this database easily. When I collect my seed I group each cross and assign it a number like 2007-003. I use the year of the cross rather than the year of planting. Then as the seedlings sprout I create a separate entry for each one and add -001, -002, etc. I chose 3 digits because it is unlikely that I'll ever have 1000 seeds in a cross. I use a checkbox for "loss or cull" and note the reason why in the notes section. I know later, when I've been doing this for awhile, I won't assign numbers to individual seedlings until I select them to observe. But for the moment I want to keep track of each plant because that helps me learn what I'm doing right/wrong so that I can improve each year. I also keep the seedlings grouped by pod/pollen parents. If the cross went both ways then I keep them next to each other but separated by pod parents. I dont' have any place where I could line them out in true rows except very short sections of the border. I plant them all about 4-6 inches apart kind of in clusers like wide-row sowing veggies, leaving a wider space in between crosses. Then I put a paw-paw label with the parents, the cross number, and the ploidy in front of each cross. Sounds like blinds or plastic knives are the markers of choice for the individual plants. Just curious if the china marker will hold up to the elements for several years.

Just following up to my original post. We kept the range for 4 + more years since my original post, but will be getting a replacement this week. The Caloric is still fully functional - including the electric mechanical clock - it just doesn't look too great anymore - even with my attempts at repainting some of the trim. As far as I can tell the only physical issue is that the bottom of the oven cavity has rust - probably got its start when the range was stored in an unheated garage, The planned obsolescence that many people have experienced with the new ranges has kept us from going too crazy in buying a replacement. We are getting a Kenmore 74332 gas range. I'm not too thrilled with idea that the new range's lifespan may only be 1/3 of the old range, but the replacement has a convection fan, so that will be something new to try.

Eliza6eth, I would do as Winnetka suggests ... wait to see if you can locate a floor model of the older style AG. One poster on GW found one recently, so there may still be some out there. I would also make some calls on my own to other stores rather than relying on one dealer to find one for me. The older style Wolf AG still has the black shiny top that you aren't fond of. However, I've found that it is a snap to clean, and a final wipe with a microfiber towel gets rid of any smudges and fingerprints. The entire top comes off if you needed to soak it in the sink, but I haven't made any messes that required more than a soapy sponge to the surface. In response to your 2nd question ... is Wolf's new design a mistake for them? I tend think so, because a lot of people who would have been attracted to their old-style range are not going to appreciate the new, sealed burner model and are going to look elsewhere. Because they no longer offer that option, Wolf is going to lose out on that entire demographic that does not want sealed burners. Personally, I wouldn't want one of the newer Wolf AG ranges ... the top no longer comes apart and there are too many cracks and crevices on the cooking surface for food and liquids to fall into. The grates are gigantic! I prefer the single grates on the older version because they are easier to lift off, clean, etc. and I really like the beefy look and feel of them as opposed to the newer grates. The new style AG oven has a spark ignitor which "click, click, clicks" each time it relights, whereas the old style has the glowbar style that doesn't make any noise at all. I looked at every little thing on both the old-style and new-style Wolf's when I was shopping for a range, and IMHO, the old-style is far superior in build quality and design. I don't know if performance has been sacrificed, because I haven't cooked on the new version.

If all you really want is "a reliable, basic gas range", I've been really happy with our Frigidaire. All gas; two "power" burners (one is like 15K BTU and another somewhat smaller) and a simmer burner. Self-cleaning; good-sized oven and waist-high broiler so we have pot storage under the range. Freestanding. For a couple hundred more than what we paid years ago, we could have had a fifth burner and Frigidaire's convection feature (which then was just a fan in the oven cavity; one reason we passed on it). Aside from one installation-related issue (this was a Lowe's model scratch-n-dent) it has been problem-free for 14 years. Are there better ranges out there? Without a doubt. I'd like a wok burner, but I don't have the ventilation for it. We live among the regular folks, so a $2000+ stove would be nice but it far outstrips the neighborhood standard. But it looks like the current roughly-equivalent model at Lowe's -- or even a fancier five-burner convection model -- would fit handily into your budget.