I have received 3 mailers with seeds in the past week and a half. I will try to get the zip codes posted. We have had some major family issues, and I am about a week behind right now. I hope to catch up over the weekend, and post what I have received on Monday. Just to be compliant, I am willing to trade. Thanks, Robin

I had incredible yields of Khing Yai - there's still some in the ground so I haven't counted it all yet, but looks like at least 10:1. Yellow Hawaiian was only 3:1, Bubba Blue was 4:1. Big Kahuna was a flop, 1:1. It rotted in the trays and didn't sprout. I can't sell frozen ginger without having an approved kitchen. I've candied a lot of ginger and started making ginger chews and hard candy. Both of these freeze well, make nice gifts and are good for cold and flu season. I get about a cup of juice from a pound of ginger. I puree it in a food processor and strain with a sieve. I use 1.5 cups white sugar, 3/4 cup corn syrup and 1 cup of ginger juice. I use a candy thermometer and heat it to 250 degrees for the chews, 300 degrees for hard candy. Makes a very spicy candy. I managed to find a grocery store to sell some of my ginger to. I got $10/lb, and they sold it at $15/lb in the store. The could only sell around 10 lbs a week tho. I can easily sell that much at even a moderately busy farmers' market, and was surprised they couldn't move it more quickly. The "baby" part of it doesn't seem to be as important as local and organic. I cut back on the amount of ginger I'm growing next year, but am growing more turmeric. I've talked to a few produce buyers who are very interested in turmeric, even if they don't want ginger. I think I'm going to lower my prices next year, maybe $8/lb wholesale for ginger and $10-$12/lb at the farmers' market. Maybe higher for turmeric, depending on my yields. I made a mistake in not covering my ginger inside my high tunnel when it got into the 20's. The stems and leaves froze, but it took a few weeks for them to completely die off. It's been about a month now and the ginger that's still in the ground looks great. Some of my ginger had developed a skin, but I think those plants had dried out; it doesn't seem to be from freezing.

Aloha all, my surgery went very well, so TY very much if you prayed for me. :) The surgical staff were only expecting one problem and they found 2. They did a great job, everything considered. I am still healing up and sore in spots, but despite this I already feel tons better than I did before I had the operation. :) I'm very grateful my health is turning around. About water chestnuts- I don't have a water garden (or water chestnuts) right now but I used to grow them when I lived in Calif. Some large cities such as San Francisco, CA and Houston, TX have a Chinatown. In Chinatown there are Asian veggie markets that sell fresh, unpeeled water chestnuts when they are in season. If you put an unpeeled fresh water chestnut in a water garden it can grow and multiply. Also, water chestnut is sold by a website that specializes in water plants. If you want the specific info please email me, so I can avoid spamming everyone with a merchant URL.

Fran - Are the elephant ears you sent me in the last swap hardy? I just don't want to take a chance on looseing them if they are not? illusris black magic (i think) and a couple others from some other people. I am in zone 7 and have heard they are but others say nope? Do you overwinter them or leave them in the ground? cannadoit - I like your greenhouse. Yours is much more orgainzed than mine. LOL. I just have too much stuff in there. fran - My garden is going well. I planted a ton. But now that all my lettuce is gone I am not sure what to put in its spot. (This is my first big garden and I am a little overwhelmed) I didn't fill it enough because I was scared I was going to overfill. LOL. Anyway. Any tips on fall gardening as usually I only do cukes and tomatoes so what would be good to plant now? My goal is next year to grow as much of our own food as possible this year was a tester and boy did I do a lot wrong! I didn't plant near enough potatoes, or cukes, but had PLENTY of lettuce and am going to be overloaded with tomatoes and peppers... but yeah! thats better than not enough! Worms ate my cabbage.. not sure what to do about them as I don't use chemicals on anything... I have been picking them every morning but they seem to multiply like rabbits. So anyone have a tip on how to keep them off naturally? Does anyone have a bannana plant? I have been wanting one. Please?? And two red or red/white clematis really wanting this also.. I am spying more things I may be able to offer in a day or two. So keep your eyes posted. Tammy