Yuck! Been a battle for me the past couple of years :( ============================================ Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Tospovirus Symptoms: Young leaves show symptoms as turning bronze and many small, dark spots. Tips may dieback and stems may be streaked. Stunting usually occurs with drooping leaves and wilting. If infected early, no fruit will be produced, and if fruit is produced, there will be symptoms of chlorotic ring spots (Figure 8). The concentric rings on green fruit are faint becoming more obvious as the fruit ripens. Favorable Conditions: Since this virus has over 800 hosts, the optimal conditions for TSWV are weedy fields with a high thrips population. ÃÂ (Thrips are an insect that carry the disease from plant to plant as they feed. ) Control: Once infection has occurred, plants must be removed. Control weed populations and use reflective mulches to repel thrips. Insecticides are ineffective against thrips. ============================================ http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1285.htm So this year, out of 115+ varieties, some with TSWV "resistance" are going in "bad" places and new ground is being broken elsewhere. Look for BHN 444, Amelia, Sophya, Mountain Glory etc ... I may end up with cardboard 'maters from this spot but I hope to end up with 'maters! I tilled the area up in the fall and planted winter wheat so hopefully that will help. ===================================================== In Georgia, TSWV and thrips vectors have had a tremendous negative impact on the yield of various crops including peanut, tobacco, tomato, and pepper, causing an estimated $100 million in losses annually across all of these crops. In tomato, TSWV can often reduce marketable yields by 50% besides greatly increasing the incidence of irregular-ripened tomatoes. The thrips species primarily responsible for transmitting this virus in tomatoes are western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca), and others (for example, Frankliniella bispinosa and onion thrips, Thrips tabaci). ======================================================= http://wiki.bugwood.org/Thrips_and_Spotted_Wilt_Management_in_Tomato Serious stuff :(

I get my bulk ingredients from a local feedmill, so start by searching for local co-ops, grain elevators, or feedmills. And yes, most store bought bags of "mixed seed" are filled with junk, which is a cheap way to add weight, so they can sack you for 20lbs, when they actually only have 5 to 10lbs of useful seed in it. As for those blackbirds and other regulars, I have them too. Here's how I have my feeders set up: First, I have my main area, where I feed only black oil sunflower seed, and suet for the woodpeckers. Then, about 20 feet away, I have a tray feeder with my homemade mixed seed, which equals 1 part sunflower, 1 part cracked corn, 2 parts white proso millet. This mix keep all the sparrows, blackbirds, and doves entertained, while allowing the neater birds like cardinals and various finches, to eat in peace, away from the more aggressive birds. On the the bluejays, my favorite bird. It's perfectly safe to feed them cat & dog food, although for me, the crows would just eat it all. I find that my bluejays like peanuts the most, especially in the shell. They also love cobbed corn, and also really like cheese nip crackers. Also, you said that your squirrels eat the cat food?? I can't seem to get them to eat anything but my sunflower seed. They'll do everything they can to get on my feeders, even though I give them corn and peanuts to eat. So yeah, try & find a source of bulk seed, and buy the big three. Don't get carried away on the cracked corn though, because it does spoil over time, so I limit it to 50lbs, which lasts a long time. The others can last 2 to 3 years, if you keep them stored in a dry place. I use metal trash cans, and keep them in my garage, and make sure to clean up ALL spilled seed to keep mice away. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how there is no more wasted seed when you feed the seed the birds want. The only time I got weeds was when I had feeders over mulched areas, because it would get under the mulch where the birds couldn't find it, then sprout. But, I moved my feeders to grass areas, so all the ground feeding birds eat the spilled seed. Good luck! Joe

Hello, been lurking a bit. Lots of good info here, thanks. FWIW, I agree that if the things you can't change are right and there is room in the price to do the rest ... thats a pretty good place to be. I knew the minute we walked into our current home, it would be ours, more than 20 yrs. ago. We had looked at a few dozen as I recall but the search was over when we got here. Since then we've added several investment props to the pile and since last fall have been looking for a new joint for us. Found an REO that is the only house of hundreds that can tick off every item on our list. Trying to convince the bank that they should stop holding on to it has been frustraiting, aggravating, stressfull etc. but now it is finally fun. They are offering counters in less than 24 hrs. and moving proposed closing dates up. Still not moving as much in price as they'll need to yet but it is vast improvement. Guess submitting the roofing bid and the well test did the trick :-) It kinda feels like I'm the lone bidder. Its got great bones and for us, a great loc. (acerage close to where we need to be). Its way more than we need but the lot, loc. and subdivision are pretty near perfect. Some minor damage from the eviction but I'm pricing that in and will order the full blown insp. once we have a deal. I was at the auction, I know the number ... they might get it but I'm thinkin not. There is a lot of inventory out there.

I lost my Dad 27 years ago. I found out I was pregnant with my daughter Amanda the next day. I was the closest to my Dad. Oh how he would have loved her! And she would have adored him. She has heard so many stories about him over the years I think she truly feels like she knows him. My Mom died in my arms 15 years ago. It was the single hardest thing I have ever had to endure. I can say now that I think I was truly traumatized. We were very close. I was the only one of 6 kids that didn't move away. We only lived about 2 miles apart. We talked or saw each other every single day. I miss her so much still that it can be a physical ache. We do understand your pain Laura. Only time eases this hole in your heart pain. We are all here for each other. I'm sorry for your loss.