Well, just tell the yellow jackets to GO BACK TO GEORGIA TECH where they belong!!!!! ;) Seriously, I don't know the answer to your question--I just planted sweet potatoes for the very first time this year. Should we be harvesting about them now? I don't think it will get cold enough tomorrow night to kill them, but you never know. I hope you don't get stung. :)

...and finally, a few terse paragraphs about the design and the thinking behind it. (I hadda write it up because an acquaintance insisted that I enter it in a garden contest, even though we're only half finished with the garden.) ===== Before the design process began we examined many types of traditional designs, including French box gardens, English cottage gardens and Renaissance gardens from around the world. We have incorporated many aspects of these traditional ideas into our edible landscape. In our opinion we have successfully captured the feel of meditation gardens, as well. When fully mature, the plantings in our landscape will be 'bio-intensive', as is often seen in traditional European and English cottage gardens. Our primary goal is to transform every square inch of the front yard into an edible landscape. In time, the sod will be replaced with edible ground covers. Other than concerns for soil compatibility and allowances for available sunlight, we are planting annual herbs and vegetables in concert with all of the edible perennials. The nutrients provided by each edible plant have been taken into consideration in the planning of this project. As a result of the design and installation, the result will be as maintenance free as is possible while remaining within our budgetary constraints. The overall design includes a labyrinth, which is more complex than it might seem at first glance. We have also incorporated a simplified rectangular mandala. A Celtic Cross, or Solar Cross, can be also be seen in the layout of the pathway. Some have asked why we chose persimmons as the centerpiece instead of the more traditional water feature. Persimmons are known as the 'food of the gods'. This concept fits with the imagery of the solar and Celtic cross(es) and reflects the overall themes and histories of labyrinths and mandalas. The longest part of the pathway lines up almost directly east/west, and conjoins with the autumnal equinox. That was a matter of happenstance, rather than planning, but it is incorporated into the design. These concepts were part of the original design and remained a part of every consideration during the process. Philosophically? (Offered as questions, of course.) Why do the green-ways in the garden narrow around the tree beds? Why did we bother with all of the straight lines, when the garden will be so 'bio-intensive' at maturity? Many of the mature plants will -eventually- constrain the walk through the garden, making it necessary to dodge branches and step around plantings as you 'dance the labyrinth' of this project. Why did we design it that way? How will the rise and fall (remember the grade and level mentioned above) of your path through the garden also reveal your path through life? In the design of this landscape, the ground is neither flat nor level. The four outer edges of the garden do allow enough grade to maintain the original drainage on the property. Each of the four 'rooms' of the garden tilts towards the center. This aspect of the design will hold and retain water and prevent excessive run-off during the region's normal rain showers. The plans include eight raised beds which provide five hundred square feet of space for 'square foot' vegetable gardening. The boxes around the raised beds will be leveled and plumbed. The shorter raised beds (fourteen feet in length) are each on the same level. The four beds that are twenty-two feet in length will sit approximately three inches lower than the shorter beds. In this fashion, by using straight lines and manipulating the grade and level, the space has become a three dimensional geometric sculpture. We kept the traditional circular tree beds in order to provide relief from (and contrast with) the straight lines. The major plantings will add contrast and beauty to that geometric sculpture with their naturally occurring 'fractal' growth habits. Although the fruit trees will be pruned and shaped, they, too, will form a component of this fractal contrast and beauty. We are pruning our young fruit trees using a combination of vase shape and espalier techniques. The exception will be the persimmon trees which will be maintained in a semi-open shape. We have double planted our fruit trees in order to provide a greater variety of fruits, vitamins and minerals in our diet. Double planting ensures cross pollination and offers more and better fruit than might otherwise be found in such a small space. The competition for resources will help to further reduce the size of the trees when they reach maturity. Budget and other considerations: This particular design is not a project for a novice gardener. We recommend that a novice utilize the services of a professional gardener and/or a landscape designer to achieve an edible landscape of this complexity. Thus far, we've invested $2,300 over two years. With our current budget and schedule, we plan to spend an additional $1,500 to $2,000 over the next two years. Costs include soil amendments, compost, peat moss, edging, stakes, sand, mulch, plants and seeds. In keeping with the idea of not breaking too many shoestrings, we provided our own labor and we used nothing but hand tools to implement this project. Most of the one thousand flower bulbs installed in the beds around the property lines were gifts. We saved money on the gravel for the walkways by re-grading and leveling the driveway, which was considerably above grade when we bought this property. We've used two tons of homemade compost in our beds, saving even more on our installation. ROI? Last year we filled two freezers with fresh fruits and vegetables and had dozens of meals of fresh produce from our garden. In short, over the last year and a half, the garden has returned our current investment. In addition, in a few short years, this garden will be valued at several tens of thousands of dollars. Increasing the equity in our homes seemed like a good idea when we began to plan and install our Formally, Informal English Garden. In view of the quick return on our investment, it seems like an even better idea, today. ===== Oh, yeah...pics... I call this series "fractals vs geometry."

In our restaurant we cooked 50 pounds a day, the vast majority for potato salad. I would heep them high in a BIG pot that had a strainer insert almost the same size (about three inches between the bottom of the strainer to the bottom of the pot). That left enough room for about 20 pounds of washed but not peeled russetts. I'd heap them high and cover the top with foil. I don't remember the timing now but it seems to have been between 20 and 40 minutes. I played hot potato hand laying them in a single layer on a couple full size sheet pans to cool a little. It had to be hand done as pouring them out would damage them. The reason I didn't peel first is because of how fast one can peel a hot potato- 3 or 4 times faster than raw. Towel over one hand holding the potato, using a serrated staeak knife, it's amazing how fast a person can peel a big batch of spuds. The crucial point was to let them cool completely (cold) before dicing them, to keep shape without crumbling. The final step was using a hand held dicer(a metal frame with tennis racket style wire weaving.) This technique works great for the huge batches, and a couple generations of customers kept coming back for more. michaelp

I have a bully. They are the sweetest cuddle bugs. Lets start with the bad first. They are very expensive. I recommend not getting one from a pet store because although they might be cheaper, they will usually have many many medical problems. If you decide to buy go to a reputable dealer. You can find reputable dealers from the AKC. The other option is to adopt from a rescue. My next bully will come from a rescue. The downside to a rescue is that they usually have medical problems. Thats not to say that buying one from a breeder will be hassle free, but you are more likely to get a quality bully from a bully who breeds for health as well as looks. Okay so you heard me say medical problems alot already. English Bulldogs are one of the most medically problematic dogs. They can have breathing problems, skin issues, eye problems, hips and shoulder problems. Many of them also snore and pass gas quite often. They also can drool quite a bit. They are stubborn and are totally inside dogs. An english bulldog cannot spend its life outside. They can not take the heat or cold for very long. Because of the way their face is mushed in, it is very hard for them to breathe when they get overexcited or hot. A bully can get quite expensive because of their medical issues. On the other hand they are very sweet dogs and love to be loved. If you are looking for a dog to take nice long walks with a bulldog is not for you. They would much rather lay on the couch or in your bed. Because bulldogs have short hair their maintainance in that respect is better than long haired dogs who require trimming and grooming. However because of the folds on their face you must clean their face every day to avoid smelly yeast growing. You should also clean their tail pockets to avoid infection there as well....we clean our dog every time she goes to the bathroom with baby wipes. Bulldogs can also be highly allergic. My last bully was not allergic to anything...my current one so far is allergic to bannanas and mango. We feed her a high quality food (Orijen) to avoid other skin issues and her snacks are raw fruits and veggies....this is to avoid chicken and grain in her diet...which some dogs are allergic to. As I've previously mentioned bulldogs drool. My current one does not drool as badly as my old one, however we still wipe her mouth everytime she drinks water as it has a tendency to get very wet by her jowls. We keep drool rags in everyroom of the house. Both my bullies love to cuddle. They feel they are lap dogs no matter how much they weigh. They are stubborn and tend to listen much better when food or toys are involved. Otherwise they will look at you and decide if they want to obey or not. It may take some time but they will usually obey with proper training. They are hard to train. On the other hand they are major clowns. There is never a dull moments with a bully. They are my breed of choice and I will never own another breed. They fit my lifestyle perfectly. They do not need much room, they do not shed as bad as some other dogs, but they do shed. They are very friendly and I've never had a problem with my bulldog hurting people. My old bulldog did not like other animals...she was spoiled rotten as my only child and did not particularly like the idea of a sibling. My new dog is fine with both people and other animals...it all depends on training. As I write this at 12:24....my bully is still sleeping in my bed...thats how lazy they can be. Their butts jiggle and wiggle when they walk or get excited. They are a fabulous companion. But like I've said they can get expensive so do not buy if you do not have money for vet bills. Vets love to see bulldog owners because they know you will be there quite often especially as the dog gets older. I have to go now, hope this helps.