Hi, I have about 6 inches of powder snow on my low grow tunnels thanks to this weekends snow storm in the North East. The snow sure changes the temperature profile in the tunnels. My wireless sending thermometers are still sending temperature info to the receivers in my house - Walmart $15 units. (Every several weeks I have to bring the sending units in the house and give them a shot with a hair dryer). I have one unit for outside air temperature in the garden, one inside a tunnel for tunnel air temperature, and another in the tunnel with the sensor about 1" deep in the soil. Prior to the snow, temperatures Farenhight were as follows on Jan 17th. Day Max (Outside, Tunnel Air, Tunnel Soil) = 32,35,37 Night Min (Outside, Tunnel Air, Tunnel Soil) = 14,17,35 Sometimes the air in the tunnels was 0-3 degrees warmer than the outside air at night, sometimes 0-3 degrees colder. After the snow, temperatures Farenhight were as follows 22 Jan: Day Max (Outside, Tunnel Air, Tunnel Soil) = 17,25,33 Night Min (Outside, Tunnel Air, Tunnel Soil) = -3,14,32 The snow is clearly acting as a good insulator. Of course, no sunlight is getting through. I suspect everything inside is in suspended animation. The radishes and Mache / Corn Salad looked fairly healthy prior to the snow. I think I will leave the snow on the tunnels unless they start collapsing. Its the least work approach, plus I don't think the little sunlight they would get would cause them to grow. Anyone have any thoughts - Leave Snow on - versus Remove it? Thanks.

Eam, He doesn't cook often...he does grill meats though. :).It's taken 20+ years to get him to this point. It's a lot of work. :) Pulled Pork is easy. Good sweet, smokey, spicy rub on a big ol shoulder. No water, foil, nothing but a big ol pan to catch the drippings... In the oven fat side up, 250 over night. You wake up with your stomach growling! It'll be about half the size you left it at, and the crispy fat...omg...but moist, flavorful and hard to keep it out of your mouth before serving. Freezes well too. I cook up both of the shoulders from Costco and freeze it for quick meals later. Sandwiches, tacos, nachos and sometimes just a big pile on your plate with mac n cheese. Please share what yours turns out like. Pork is well loved in this household.

I don't purchase much plastics but you can't avoid packaging. Most likely depends on the factory and how they deal with it off the run-rack. If they put the snug lid on to test the fit and package then ship it that way i bet some big off-gassing happens. That 'new car' smell. My Jeep was new off the lot but the top was down that summer. : ) All other cars recently have been a year or two old, new to us. A recent vacuum stunk out of box as parts were in bags. New lids for my pyrex containers did not stink but were not in sealed packaging. (so glad they offer replacement lids). I ran them through the dishwasher as i do any new arrival for the kitchen. I lives for a while near a small factory that made rubber/plastic tubs, the cheap ones with the rope handles. Bright colors. That stunk passing by. A bleach rinse is a great solution. I don't use much of it but always have it. I do a usual daily spray with vinegar and a big one with bleach when needed... Charcoal, the natural chunks for the grill, is in the truck right now behind the seats on the floor. Gets that 'doggy' scent out in no time.

Update Xpost: I had checked back with my mother about all the possibilities. She had washed her hands and hadn't used a different dish soap. She is a very basic cook, so she had no cilantro/coriander in her kitchen. (I don't like the taste of cilantro, so I'd considered the possibility that she picked up the wrong spice tin.) I'd placed a few soda crackers in the pie taker, after I'd washed it and let it air out for a few days, just to see if they absorbed any odor or taste, but other than being stale I couldn't detect a difference. Yesterday was again family dinner Sunday, and the pies were back to normal (delicious). I had leftover cherry pie for breakfast this morning, and the apple pie must have been equally as good, because it disappeared before I had any. She brought the pies in her wooden tote, and I kept the cherry pie under a glass cover. If she uses the pie takers again, it will be for transport only, not for storage. Thanks again to all who replied.