tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10400943062066016212024-02-17T00:29:34.706-08:00Sacramento Vegetable GardeningA blog for those who love vegetable gardening, and the trials and tribulations of growing their own.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger405125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-12301111808507518462022-07-05T19:01:00.000-07:002022-07-05T19:01:10.472-07:00The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month (July Edition)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <b>Grow Tomatoes My Friends...</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfsjBFusu2-31UG9Ho8F0vRGjg8e6cq1WANVgUO6gJ1v5FISsif8a12C4mqvhumszm9zZaNmsZloB3p91VQ2o2Dd8c-KpZEAzk-Tif1jsf8W1PL1V3DZPxcOAkt7hSpmrQYaESq336lmeaJap8GC9SYGXdInjtFh8EqCT34y57hOqYnd6u0agQceJ/s2016/IMG_0448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfsjBFusu2-31UG9Ho8F0vRGjg8e6cq1WANVgUO6gJ1v5FISsif8a12C4mqvhumszm9zZaNmsZloB3p91VQ2o2Dd8c-KpZEAzk-Tif1jsf8W1PL1V3DZPxcOAkt7hSpmrQYaESq336lmeaJap8GC9SYGXdInjtFh8EqCT34y57hOqYnd6u0agQceJ/w240-h320/IMG_0448.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Streaky Mystery Tomato</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The most interesting tomato plant growing in the garden during the month of July has absolutely nothing to do with the famous Dos Equis beer advertising campaign. Except that is interesting for one very specific reason: I have exactly no idea what this tomato variety is, nor the type of tomato it will deliver. This plant and the tomatoes on it is pictured to your immediate right. Notice those streaks? That is what makes it interesting.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I can guess, from looking at pictures of tomatoes, and I think I've got it figured out. But, until the tomatoes on this plant reach a stage to where they actually ripen, the true identity will be unknown. This is the result from an accident involving numerous tomato starter plants that were knocked askew during a home remodeling project. As a result, the starter plants that my tomato growing friend delivered earlier this year came with a giant question mark.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKaTBhRDJFnxKyQbFWOLehFs6NVbJGl1LeNDZUa1ehHxNLBAgwDHFUOHBlHWJPtLjRY-0C-uTHFqfdbTRUIRHWw4GxI-1dmqpbzu0wfi2_iUx0n-yALTSFeD0xbzNUexIwQ2h94PNILrfvHqsjPmJXNgsbySh9waaLsSUzXOeZ_ynNBY4ySmngwZ0/s300/IMG_1975-bell%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKaTBhRDJFnxKyQbFWOLehFs6NVbJGl1LeNDZUa1ehHxNLBAgwDHFUOHBlHWJPtLjRY-0C-uTHFqfdbTRUIRHWw4GxI-1dmqpbzu0wfi2_iUx0n-yALTSFeD0xbzNUexIwQ2h94PNILrfvHqsjPmJXNgsbySh9waaLsSUzXOeZ_ynNBY4ySmngwZ0/s1600/IMG_1975-bell%20(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nels Christensen-USS Kitty Hawk</i></td></tr></tbody></table>I know it would be convenient to blame this little problem on the friend who provided the vast majority of my garden starter plants this year. But, seriously, you can't blame Nels Christensen for this problem. That's Nels pictured to the left. Forgive the blurry image if you will. It was taken some time ago, while Nels was serving his country onboard the <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/k/kitty-hawk-cva-63-ii.html" target="_blank">USS Kitty Hawk</a> (CV-63) supercarrier during the Vietnam War. Nels survived the conflict, came home and now provides starter plants for my Citrus Heights vegetable garden.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But this little garden starter plant mixup was not his fault. Even if it was, you can forgive a guy who served his country in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin" target="_blank">Gulf of Tonkin</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As a result of the tomato starter plant mishap that took place earlier this year, I really do not have any idea of what is growing in the garden this July. I can tell you the garden is home to 22 tomato plants. But that's about it. The tomatoes that these 22-plants hold, and they are holding quite a bit this year, are an absolute mystery.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkdajlZYxxUGG2CQqLQXK1vytdVNZvlKfsAalqmZuYezg-WiAjMoTrm4T3DZk9adIHS2x4psJClViQvL0hcoPbOnb2csKnj2r1-_jm5onwrnBSO3FhtLeOh1LvfVGvUEk4vNNLq4pUaUDzP6zPyf_vrypHgn8qE7DDK-_mOaFDIrHeuOj2tGmyRRf/s2016/IMG_0447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkdajlZYxxUGG2CQqLQXK1vytdVNZvlKfsAalqmZuYezg-WiAjMoTrm4T3DZk9adIHS2x4psJClViQvL0hcoPbOnb2csKnj2r1-_jm5onwrnBSO3FhtLeOh1LvfVGvUEk4vNNLq4pUaUDzP6zPyf_vrypHgn8qE7DDK-_mOaFDIrHeuOj2tGmyRRf/s320/IMG_0447.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Interesting Plant of the Month</i></td></tr></tbody></table>In some strange way, this makes gardening a bit more fun. I may ask Nels to perform another remodeling project, and suffer through another accident, at his house next spring.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This particular plant is developing new tomatoes at a rather rapid clip. The way they are clustered together would lead me to believe that this could possibly be a cherry tomato variety. Not just any cherry tomato variety, but something rather special. How many cherry tomato varieties develop streaks? As someone who has grown a vast number of cherry varieties, I can tell you from experience that the answer is: Not Many.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It is true that cherry tomato varieties come in a vast number of shapes, sizes and colors. Although I'm partial to a variety called Black Cherry, that doesn't mean I won't grow anything else. My summer vegetable gardens have been home to a great many cherry varieties. There is no greater joy in life than harvesting a late summer bowl of vine-ripened cherry tomatoes. A bowl of that late season color is striking to say the least. These cherry tomato types are great for snacking. It's probably one of the healthiest summer snacks you could choose.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZehLylgQ8HrW9xVnjCt-wS4iT36mhTJ2FoQPqhBWGsQbtcVh5Ysgxf3_kpJTQV_uznP9eBFNrfMO4gTnvmf1K_SdXLaYO1MvlmlaiOOaWaJdwC8qcwZBemhxAC3PrbAV6vdrCyPJbK97IbRTqYyOzXOg-4sWSpu_f3DDk5GMVn18n_1aXyHLnVTS/s2016/IMG_0451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZehLylgQ8HrW9xVnjCt-wS4iT36mhTJ2FoQPqhBWGsQbtcVh5Ysgxf3_kpJTQV_uznP9eBFNrfMO4gTnvmf1K_SdXLaYO1MvlmlaiOOaWaJdwC8qcwZBemhxAC3PrbAV6vdrCyPJbK97IbRTqYyOzXOg-4sWSpu_f3DDk5GMVn18n_1aXyHLnVTS/s320/IMG_0451.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mysterious Stripes</i></td></tr></tbody></table>While the identities of the plants that I was provided with this year are unknown, the news isn't exactly all bad. The seed list that my garden friend created survived this horrible early season accident. That list gives me something to check. Thanks to Google images, numerous pictures of each variety on this seed list do pop up. Nels and I have deduced that the Most Interesting Tomato Plant for the month of July could be one be one of two choices: Patty's Striped Beefsteak OR the Black Strawberry Tomato from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">While I would be absolutely thrilled to report that one single tomato plant in my garden has developed 50-75 beefsteak tomatoes so far, and appears ready to develop far more, my guess is this isn't a beefsteak variety. A check with the Baker Creek Seed <a href="https://www.rareseeds.com/black-strawberry-tomato" target="_blank">website</a> however, provides photos that indicate my "most interesting tomato plant of the month" is, in fact, the Black Strawberry.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerjDuGxfF-hP6AVDJdtXzVKrQMiBr30LjPp9Wu0EfcwZoEsNi4-BGZdDm1dfuuDpYgrokv-kD_5WpbHjll-EUIZJQwDib6BF34GIb9iUYH7KPUbNHg_JHOGBaxeJLcAlWe-ZUvOU85q0_BB0cC2LwuAeaVsY_KdSmQNV_FgQZW90M6phQZY38E_Cm/s1500/Baker%20Creek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerjDuGxfF-hP6AVDJdtXzVKrQMiBr30LjPp9Wu0EfcwZoEsNi4-BGZdDm1dfuuDpYgrokv-kD_5WpbHjll-EUIZJQwDib6BF34GIb9iUYH7KPUbNHg_JHOGBaxeJLcAlWe-ZUvOU85q0_BB0cC2LwuAeaVsY_KdSmQNV_FgQZW90M6phQZY38E_Cm/w320-h320/Baker%20Creek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This isn't a horrible development, by the way. Not by a longshot. If you were to believe, or buy into, the marketing language from our friends at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, the Black Strawberry produces a lip-smacking result: <i>"<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;">A bowl full resembles a luminous and luxurious bunch of gems, and indeed the flavor is decadent and indulgent, with perfectly sweet and tart balanced flavor!"</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;">From this colorful language I guess one could infer that this is a good cherry tomato.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;">Customer reviews, however, are a bit more honest. I must admit, those reviews aren't half bad. Of the 18 people who have taken the time out of their day to review the product, most indicate that it's a keeper. Jill from San Diego wrote the following: <i>"</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;"><i>Not only are they beautiful but they are good! They have a deep, complex flavor and are better when they are soft and the bottoms turn red."</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXRqmNpj6AQ8Qzlaz0lFhoMQRtCTp8ovZuk-eHqfie8wRSGjADpz-mtq-z3H0BKd3s_iBiHUUeDUEAsDvM437abPc5z_L_2nNSC-4WGoMR8CccADZqoQEjvCRn_BooVa4ZRbY9j-yv6E-xR7AWgyVU0ketxOTeG8z7OR7yfhqiTOwYAeoojbYwibm/s2016/IMG_0452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXRqmNpj6AQ8Qzlaz0lFhoMQRtCTp8ovZuk-eHqfie8wRSGjADpz-mtq-z3H0BKd3s_iBiHUUeDUEAsDvM437abPc5z_L_2nNSC-4WGoMR8CccADZqoQEjvCRn_BooVa4ZRbY9j-yv6E-xR7AWgyVU0ketxOTeG8z7OR7yfhqiTOwYAeoojbYwibm/s320/IMG_0452.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month (July Edition) has grown to a height of five feet so far, which means it's growing faster than other plants in this year's garden. It's developed an extraordinary amount of fruit so far, and seems destined to develop a lot more as the summer moves forward. Which means, hopefully, a large bowl or two of cherry tomato varieties in my kitchen as the summer growing season moves forward.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.07px; text-align: left;">Grow Tomatoes, My Friends.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-58381439873408248922022-06-22T15:23:00.000-07:002022-06-22T15:23:53.617-07:00The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmc_im85Aunm8pKsmnBYeroXSHkIJI4hwUYA53jB1yV44xV9W7SuPgTIQ-goBapovKgruC_o0rYBrYhmU7ZO9z__Bftj498vVBv2-J28QL9jI0Nfl97Gqw3ALJdghgexojZ-pDYKJCH22uSPAEda7qOBJ_CayvX1LFFUy33lpPTv0FbU1ywhG8iOc5/s2016/IMG_0430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmc_im85Aunm8pKsmnBYeroXSHkIJI4hwUYA53jB1yV44xV9W7SuPgTIQ-goBapovKgruC_o0rYBrYhmU7ZO9z__Bftj498vVBv2-J28QL9jI0Nfl97Gqw3ALJdghgexojZ-pDYKJCH22uSPAEda7qOBJ_CayvX1LFFUy33lpPTv0FbU1ywhG8iOc5/w240-h320/IMG_0430.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Most Interesting Tomato Plant</i></td></tr></tbody></table>It's got nothing on the Most Interesting Man in the World advertising campaign
run by Dos Equis Beer. It's not smooth. It's anything but suave. However, it may leave you with the lasting image of "grow tomatoes, my friends."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month is featured to your immediate right. What makes it the most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month? Take a close look at that photo. Does that tomato plant look normal? If it looks like it needs a good drink of water, or it's about to up and <b><u><i>DIE</i></u></b> on me, congratulations! You too have noticed something odd. There's something not quite right here.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Believe it or not, this plant gets the same amount of water and care that other healthy looking plants in the 2022 garden get. So, you may be asking, why in <b><i>HADES</i></b> does it <b><i>WILT</i></b> like that? Tomato plants that show signs of severe wilt are not something a tomato grower wants to see. It means something isn't quite right in Dodge City, or <b>"Houston, we have a problem."</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3hdEnzSKjDWXhRLwcxZ89ZCG5vMi3CXbWBOsKvVPO6RwgzbqpWr3_2Q2K--8ooLqNLq9xgQlEYBBAbjMCtz0PplxC53YUTMLpZbZGFfvmmvbyc0CiM8ZuXZ--jBD4exAby72D-ka-W7Hh_1Gvc9RVkktKv-sw3_AWpC_cEO-xnssfzGJkxKb812P/s2016/IMG_0426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3hdEnzSKjDWXhRLwcxZ89ZCG5vMi3CXbWBOsKvVPO6RwgzbqpWr3_2Q2K--8ooLqNLq9xgQlEYBBAbjMCtz0PplxC53YUTMLpZbZGFfvmmvbyc0CiM8ZuXZ--jBD4exAby72D-ka-W7Hh_1Gvc9RVkktKv-sw3_AWpC_cEO-xnssfzGJkxKb812P/w240-h320/IMG_0426.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Help Me! I'm Dying!</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month is a gift from my tomato growing friend, Nels Christensen. We have deduced that the name of this particular variety is called the Korean Long. Now, don't get me wrong, but I know what you're thinking. A name like that automatically induces the thought of <i>"OH, THAT MUST BE A REALLY GOOD TOMATO!!!!" </i>Not so fast, my friends.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As it turns out, the Korean Long plant in the Christensen garden is exhibiting the same characteristics. It's wilting. Badly wilting. Like my Korean Long plant, the Christensen plant looks like it could keel off and die at any moment. Which leads the both of us to believe that the plant is SUPPPOSED to look like this. The wilt is normal. Nothing to see here, folks.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That leads us back to the name: Korean Long. Does this, perchance, mean this variety hails from Korea? It might. Nobody really knows the history behind this plant. Plenty of growers are searching for it. Nobody has come up with anything yet, other than the conclusion that this variety must hail from somewhere in Korea. Which could be right. It could also be wrong. This could be a case of wonderful marketing.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9YdJYds9Pr-NW9NOXHfmof4gTt0bXcVIKLgOSHTpEMWk9RGpqg6KJNhHEaS0Y2tjsbgfFm25_4h89Q3Sx-jjoX0JVJKNcRj9pMH9YL6eqIzlOiH1V2-sS4B6bNsQ0g3GnUoUje9KGzj6QL8p-GW6oDElnX6vHJ6LVnJBNDx0DDVoJNt27Bbg0rUF/s2016/IMG_0428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9YdJYds9Pr-NW9NOXHfmof4gTt0bXcVIKLgOSHTpEMWk9RGpqg6KJNhHEaS0Y2tjsbgfFm25_4h89Q3Sx-jjoX0JVJKNcRj9pMH9YL6eqIzlOiH1V2-sS4B6bNsQ0g3GnUoUje9KGzj6QL8p-GW6oDElnX6vHJ6LVnJBNDx0DDVoJNt27Bbg0rUF/w240-h320/IMG_0428.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paste Tomato. Meh.</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Short and sweet? The Korean Long is a <u>PASTE TOMATO</u>. Don't get me wrong here, but I normally do not swoon over paste tomatoes. It's the same thing that commercial farmers grow by the tens of thousands in the six-county, Sacramento region. All of these paste tomatoes have a date with cannery operations located north and south. They will eventually wind up in grocery stores across the nation as cans of tomato paste, tomato sauce or tomato chunks.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Call me a tomato snob, but paste varieties really don't excite me much as an heirloom tomato grower. Given a choice, I'd much rather have slices or chunks of vine-ripened Brandywine, Black Krim or Mariana's Peace tomatoes. I have a feeling that most tomato snobs (or snots, if you prefer), would make the exact same choice. It's not like paste tomatoes are the tomato of choice in your high end restaurants either. <b><i>"Give me a salad featuring your finest paste tomatoes,"</i></b> said no tomato snob (snot), ever.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjYaI4JZzh3dlhJPAz6LXBXHiPmHmkDb_9RojAIdEiukMHVOYXxau0Zrf6fhzWeA_jyhZ3jrxFqBIAr1oHkv_SFedwk6XblLGAE4H3YiJGS3OdlQyfLd1jFt9GFFkalXr2sdR6Z1kqB52odQAJIMoySAye-g_R6ReKxELuV5YSLf7QGt2PjcJN73L/s1500/Baker%20Creek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjYaI4JZzh3dlhJPAz6LXBXHiPmHmkDb_9RojAIdEiukMHVOYXxau0Zrf6fhzWeA_jyhZ3jrxFqBIAr1oHkv_SFedwk6XblLGAE4H3YiJGS3OdlQyfLd1jFt9GFFkalXr2sdR6Z1kqB52odQAJIMoySAye-g_R6ReKxELuV5YSLf7QGt2PjcJN73L/w320-h320/Baker%20Creek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I do have a strong suspicion that the name of Korean Long may have resulted from a marketing brainstorm session at one of many seed suppliers in the good ol' USA. I've attended many meetings like this. It could have gone a little like this:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Marketing Guru #1</u>: <i>"Boss, we've got this new tomato seed that just came in from Korea!"</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Sales Manager</u>: <i>"It's a paste tomato. We've got a million seeds in stock that are also paste tomatoes. Everyone grows paste tomatoes. What makes this one so special?"</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Marketing Guru #2</u>: <i>"Well, it is from Korea. I think. Instead of calling it a common paste tomato, how about the name of Korean Long?"</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Sales Manager:</u> <i>"Brilliant idea! You've earned a promotion! Stick it with the name of Korean Long and add another $1 surcharge to the seed price!"</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgbRT_qvM_NdxLvjW4T8uhdFSw5-xIXFtzWVsj5p6_YWF6pDajUk4nIaIV6sdEV5oyCnxEs-RMEyp5U_u-9_MxdXLgH49JWXJWIult-ASbcGUCaRwT55qvCeWvAqb17tr0q6gh3vWz9TeNCJF4GdJM_M9NdJO9LYD_ZVBbGOAOA_rqD-vIwhKMAPO/s2016/IMG_0425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgbRT_qvM_NdxLvjW4T8uhdFSw5-xIXFtzWVsj5p6_YWF6pDajUk4nIaIV6sdEV5oyCnxEs-RMEyp5U_u-9_MxdXLgH49JWXJWIult-ASbcGUCaRwT55qvCeWvAqb17tr0q6gh3vWz9TeNCJF4GdJM_M9NdJO9LYD_ZVBbGOAOA_rqD-vIwhKMAPO/w240-h320/IMG_0425.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Korean Long</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Before you dismiss this idea as far-fetched, be advised that it's the same brilliant kind of thinking that resulted in the marketing campaign of: <b>Garden Plants That Deter Mosquitoes</b>. If you forked over $5 for any plant that supposedly deters mosquitoes, you've been duped my friends. No plant deters mosquitoes. Plants attract mosquitoes, and other fine friends.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But this does give me a really good idea. How about a tomato plant that deters mosquitoes? Would you shell out a few extra $$ for that? Or, better yet, a tomato plant that deters midnight raids by rats and other garden pests?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I think I'm onto something here!</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-9936571811453071362021-08-26T18:20:00.000-07:002021-08-26T18:20:18.536-07:00The Ballad of Frick and Frack<div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7MYjiFAAd5h_bg2G0ijlxcOZ0hjWtAx4XdSNDDh0lYrriBG_nIGNT3Mub_wOeT3HL1VkLMKUf1HK7iycqf1hzB6VPTtJ1fFocK79V501WNpZ8L7pivwoU1DfImSZPysZF7U4uGoawww/s2048/Bandi+and+Lenny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7MYjiFAAd5h_bg2G0ijlxcOZ0hjWtAx4XdSNDDh0lYrriBG_nIGNT3Mub_wOeT3HL1VkLMKUf1HK7iycqf1hzB6VPTtJ1fFocK79V501WNpZ8L7pivwoU1DfImSZPysZF7U4uGoawww/w400-h225/Bandi+and+Lenny.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Frick and Frack</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Warning! Cuteness Overload! And, perhaps a bit of sadness.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I write the following today to remember a great love and friendship before it has time to pass from my mind, as most things do as we move on in life. Pictured to the right are Frick and Frack. It really doesn't matter who "Frick" or "Frack" is. What is important is that tender, and rare, relationship between cat and dog who find each other at the right time.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5zI41eb1ThdvsfzASq_BRYrqg6Yrk8zCKFWEVLU2oLEWTYIufXFLh0S1Xz9F60pTepe5oKD4kED5ZNudLJcQ7yss82zM6vnMTY4NwEEB0Cqq6eZii1A96UajQW_wk-ctZqLX-_naCI8/s960/Sleep+Pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5zI41eb1ThdvsfzASq_BRYrqg6Yrk8zCKFWEVLU2oLEWTYIufXFLh0S1Xz9F60pTepe5oKD4kED5ZNudLJcQ7yss82zM6vnMTY4NwEEB0Cqq6eZii1A96UajQW_wk-ctZqLX-_naCI8/w320-h320/Sleep+Pose.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Frick and Frack at rest. A rare moment.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">We didn't do this by design. That would have been far too easy and somewhat impossible. This relationship was completely by chance. It just worked. Somehow, it just worked. The decade that followed was pure magic.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The dog, Bandana, a "Heinz 57" mix of herding breeds, was discovered on a working horse ranch in Southern Oregon. His owner, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EEMILLLIIOOOOO" target="_blank">Tenaya Yager</a>, made the painful decision to part with him during our 2010 visit. Lenny, the Maine Coon cat, was a gift from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mary.beth.barber" target="_blank">Mary Beth Barber</a>. She discovered a litter of feral kittens in the sub-basment beneath her Sacramento home in 2011. She rescued them and bottle-fed and cared for each one before presenting Lenny as a gift.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenfPiZfPyYb5AQJelRMhQZT7L7t5nsuLT_uM5cYCOw-0KEUoyaC6CYUH5nmRr7vXYDVJZ9Cd-jQZZH-A7lEgWOTZxrqku5oTP5Qghj_hiGw0iyZWfFTk6btvjw-P8zt2rJSDqGZG9u_g/s1600/Bandi-Lenny-First+Meeting+2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenfPiZfPyYb5AQJelRMhQZT7L7t5nsuLT_uM5cYCOw-0KEUoyaC6CYUH5nmRr7vXYDVJZ9Cd-jQZZH-A7lEgWOTZxrqku5oTP5Qghj_hiGw0iyZWfFTk6btvjw-P8zt2rJSDqGZG9u_g/w320-h240/Bandi-Lenny-First+Meeting+2011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Kiss</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The cats that my ex-wife, Venus, and I had at home never did care for Bandana after we brought her home. That is a kind way of describing it. Outright revolt, revulsion and disowning us as cat owners would be a more correct description. But all of that changed a year after adopting Bandana when we opened our home to Lenny. One lick from Bandana was all it took, and the legend of Frick and Frack was born. The two immediately fell in love with one another and were constant companions and partners in crime. They never left each other's side.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AoGHIms9EtqLzoh-wp8eE1U9J3xVZlxnody4Q5LaGCc9Jq4x88zPFDYr2a7JvrhAsKLfomZkfib73AKhmjBV7jeMiChEHX8A72QDLIuJxTyAAVshgoJ4MtthS_9TfEb6RWyWfIa1xxI/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AoGHIms9EtqLzoh-wp8eE1U9J3xVZlxnody4Q5LaGCc9Jq4x88zPFDYr2a7JvrhAsKLfomZkfib73AKhmjBV7jeMiChEHX8A72QDLIuJxTyAAVshgoJ4MtthS_9TfEb6RWyWfIa1xxI/w320-h240/P1040781.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I thank the Good Lord that digital photography came into vogue by 2011. Otherwise, we would have enriched the makers of Kodak or Polaroid film by another million bucks or two. Frick and Frack would come to dominate photos and social media postings over the next decade. Who could possibly ignore that cuteness overload? The two would get into one adorable pose after another, usually around dinner or snack time. Or, if they wanted something we were eating at the dinner table. Which is usually what Frick and Frack did at dinner time 365 days a year. These two had discovered a couple of human <b><i><u>SUCKERS</u></i></b>, and took full advantage of it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrBpRtEMuuEfj7EPLiP8BF0_gb4-RaJywFJEfSeuQ5vQKa_V2jEUDFp9kp6TdWQbAMapvyyfKyWBEE4K__Htndmk27Ixpelg3sFORIlFW3RVQQuBdb15FqREAnmY7buXiANzRIPHfUqc/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrBpRtEMuuEfj7EPLiP8BF0_gb4-RaJywFJEfSeuQ5vQKa_V2jEUDFp9kp6TdWQbAMapvyyfKyWBEE4K__Htndmk27Ixpelg3sFORIlFW3RVQQuBdb15FqREAnmY7buXiANzRIPHfUqc/w320-h240/Lying+on+Lenny.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Frack on Frick</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Here is a photo of Frick and Frack on the couch. Or a photo of Frick and Frack on the floor. Oh look! Frick and Frack are curled up on the bed together! Here are Frick and Frack outside, checking out the garden. <i><b>"Is that dog lying on top of that cat???"</b></i> This is a common question we received on Facebook, Twitter, Google or any other place we deposited multitudes of pet photos. <b><i>"Why yes she is,"</i></b> came our response. <b><i>"Pay no mind,"</i></b> we would respond. <b><i>"They just want snacks."</i></b> What we didn't say is that most of the time Frick and Frack were rewarded with any snack they wanted.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVl4n6JJ9tcBEKQrmSEXlf91Q6WRi6HBQhwzeH3woAMkzqAo3CDM1NHwKLrfRADJjbG5lCzD-we1A8YlAnR0JyiLG8Sk7EC9pbtxYTH-ajpQIQPYaLIEqRcPwvTxqtXHsHrp6eW0fCrmc/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVl4n6JJ9tcBEKQrmSEXlf91Q6WRi6HBQhwzeH3woAMkzqAo3CDM1NHwKLrfRADJjbG5lCzD-we1A8YlAnR0JyiLG8Sk7EC9pbtxYTH-ajpQIQPYaLIEqRcPwvTxqtXHsHrp6eW0fCrmc/w320-h240/P1040573.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Did You Say Snacks?</i></td></tr></tbody></table>If these two partners in pet crime weren't in one adorable pose or another, they were usually putting on one of their typical Battle Royale rumbles in the living or dining room. It would start when Frack would chomp on Frick's fuzzy tail and pull on it like a tug toy, which ultimately resulted in a massive, full-claw return swat from Frick. The battle was on. Or, sometimes it was Frick who put on his best Tiger Tank Surprise Attack from the rear, hitting Frack full-force when she wasn't looking or was peacefully sleeping. The battle, which never really ended between the two, was on again. The two proceeded to roll around on the floor for the next 5-10 minutes, usually knocking over whatever was in their path. Many chairs and even one Christmas tree met its demise when these two decided it was time for non-stop action.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-zpLV2qJrCgYfSh7gu1fUVTtUyC_C5i0VWU8pyugT2Pb27mGjGb4Kjie4gWVbT0g_ur44_7IE8wWY0NLkvMxfNU7T40wjdcMeg4JUWzOmlRV8NZ7Vsy42v68lE1k_jj6x24Zfgi36OM/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-zpLV2qJrCgYfSh7gu1fUVTtUyC_C5i0VWU8pyugT2Pb27mGjGb4Kjie4gWVbT0g_ur44_7IE8wWY0NLkvMxfNU7T40wjdcMeg4JUWzOmlRV8NZ7Vsy42v68lE1k_jj6x24Zfgi36OM/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wandering the Garden</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The battle took on a new form whenever we took Frack (the dog) for a walk. Frick would follow for awhile, but never lose sight of his home. It wasn't that he was scared, he just preferred to stay behind and plan his attack after Frack returned 30 minutes later. Frack always suspected that Frick would be up to something, waiting to unleash a surprise attack. Frick would never disappoint Frack, launching himself from underneath a bush, a parked car, from behind a pillar of bricks and, at least one time, with a flying leap from the roof. I have to admit, I was surprised with that mode of attack myself.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">No matter how brutal the previous play session had been, Frick and Frack always made sure to position themselves into the most ridiculous and adorable pose possible after play time subsided and dinner time arrived. That's just who they were. They spent a lifetime irritating and loving one another. They were never apart. They were always by each other's side.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgZEWOZ7BKkvrVklFJlqZoWGOzODeS7osCrjfeTvTO5VmKVRkcQMvgTwL3TJ6_0nhvbE36_b0g0d6bezY5LOs9uSnJqdtaE-tPu-tHFqvx29WEm7kpBvKSJTYRbeo7dqaFbb3TAQxeAY/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgZEWOZ7BKkvrVklFJlqZoWGOzODeS7osCrjfeTvTO5VmKVRkcQMvgTwL3TJ6_0nhvbE36_b0g0d6bezY5LOs9uSnJqdtaE-tPu-tHFqvx29WEm7kpBvKSJTYRbeo7dqaFbb3TAQxeAY/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chairs are for Frick and Frack</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Did I mention how carefully they planned an assault on the vegetable garden <b><i><u>AFTER</u></i></b> Venus and I had carefully planted tomato plant starters on top of smelly fish heads? On the best garden advice available at the time? We came home the next day to find 16-tomato plants dug out of raised beds and a few paltry bits of those fish heads that we thought we had buried deeply enough to guard against theft. The culprits had dirty paws and full bellies. Frick and Frack had struck again. It was a team effort.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Stop here. Don't read any further. Because all good things do eventually come to a tragic end. I will keep this as short as I can.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpPHCkCWAzaJ-hbIMoAQeQYLzneGATSFIeIlsYJFSDi7tEz8DSKKyzCIEznrn-u1aQiPSAPD6J3RGyKA7Q5Mb1jfiMKSFpNJa0IXPd_UtV7AMEtKZOsRAHonCmwitUhIdKOixXlryg5U/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpPHCkCWAzaJ-hbIMoAQeQYLzneGATSFIeIlsYJFSDi7tEz8DSKKyzCIEznrn-u1aQiPSAPD6J3RGyKA7Q5Mb1jfiMKSFpNJa0IXPd_UtV7AMEtKZOsRAHonCmwitUhIdKOixXlryg5U/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Your bed? Not anymore!</i></td></tr></tbody></table>As the years flew by, the play and antics subsided somewhat. Play time morphed into a lot of nap time for the both of them. But, they were still together. There came a point, however, where Bandana, the Frack, grew tired. A limp that developed after she had stumbled into a gopher hole worsened. Herding dogs like Border Collies, McNab Shepherds and Aussie Shepherds are very hyperactive as young adults. But when they begin to slide downhill, the end seems to take place very quickly. Bandana was no different. Frack passed in February of this year. I held her close as she took her last breath. I promised I would never forget the "Blonde Bombshell." The neighborhood children simply adored her.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although I gave Frick all the love and attention I possibly could after losing his Frack, he followed a short time later. His last act was to crawl underneath my bed, where Frack had spent part of her final year. It's where he drew his last breath. That was yesterday. I'm a still a bit emotional at the moment, so please forgive me. I'm not going to bore you with all the visits to the veterinarian that took place and all the solutions that were prescribed over the last six months. Needless to say, none of them worked. It's tough to heal a broken heart.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHpWYCTE0Q8Ccn5dqsiAN2Z1d5tQLMrVJFopp_XtO7EWC1WBSF6KvasaBdwT6B028ozh4r7qtqsX4psNDyaCtwA1wwJTdt7556zYTkgxaA6wvxwR9AT9nvHEkl-E8Y_oDxup8_6u_SqI/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHpWYCTE0Q8Ccn5dqsiAN2Z1d5tQLMrVJFopp_XtO7EWC1WBSF6KvasaBdwT6B028ozh4r7qtqsX4psNDyaCtwA1wwJTdt7556zYTkgxaA6wvxwR9AT9nvHEkl-E8Y_oDxup8_6u_SqI/w240-h320/Bandit+and+Lenny.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Frick with his new Frack</i></td></tr></tbody></table>I can only say that I tried my best to engage Frick. At one point I even adopted another Frack from the <a href="https://animalcare.saccounty.net/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Bradshaw Animal Shelter</a> in Sacramento County. It stopped Frick's slide. For a little while. But it wasn't enough. It wasn't the answer. I don't know if there was a solution. If there was one, I didn't find it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We never forgot the kindness of both Tenaya and Mary Beth. They were reminded of the gifts they had bestowed every time a picture was posted on any social media account, which must have numbered in the hundreds through the years. We made sure that both saw each ridiculous Frick and Frack pose and moment.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"I talk about Bandana a lot," Tenaya admitted after calling to console me following Frack's passing last February. "The decision I made to give her to you was a validation of what I would become. I unite pets with people."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Marybeth also checked in to thank me for being a good cat "papa."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This relationship between dog and cat is not unique. Perhaps you have been graced by a Frick and Frack in your lifetime. It is my sincere hope that you have. I have had no greather joy in life than to witness the love and joy that Frick and Frack demonstrated time and again. They are just memories now. Memories that I will never forget. I have to move on now. I will move on. But I will never forget.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-68395335735145601562019-09-17T14:46:00.000-07:002019-09-27T19:17:16.677-07:00(Let the) Good Times Roll<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ric Ocasek: The Cars</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I suppose the deaths of long-time rock n' roll icons <a href="https://www.iheart.com/content/2019-09-16-eddie-money-died-from-complications-from-heart-valve-replacement/" target="_blank">Eddie Money</a> and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ric-ocasek-the-cars-cause-of-death-revealed" target="_blank">Ric Ocasek</a> of <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/cars-ric-ocasek-essential-songs-884841/" target="_blank">The Cars</a> have me feeling a bit melancholy. Maybe even a bit scared. I suppose it makes me think of my own mortality. I was a young man and very much a fan during the heyday music stardom of both music-making stars and now that they're gone, I have this story to share.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I must warn you before you invest too much time into this that I have nothing earth-shaking or dramatic to reveal. You won't learn anything new other than a few musings about a time long-ago and perhaps a bit of bad behavior on my part. I never met Mr. Ocasek or Mr. Money, and this blog post is really nothing more than a long post you might find on a social media page like Facebook.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beyer High School: Modesto, CA</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's just the memory of one man from a time and place long ago that no longer exists except in my memory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am a 1981 graduate of <a href="https://beyer.monet.k12.ca.us/" target="_blank">Fred C. Beyer High School</a> in Modesto and a later (much later) graduate of <a href="http://www.csufresno.edu/" target="_blank">CSU-Fresno</a> in Fresno. This story covers both cities and a time that becomes more special as it ages into obscurity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My sister <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mary.bird3" target="_blank">Mary Bird</a> had blazed a trail the size of an Interstate by the time I first entered the hallowed halls at Beyer in 1977. Mary had since taken her act and fame to the University of Southern California, but not before instructing her younger brother on the ways of high school life and the path that she insisted I must follow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That path would lead me to the classroom of legendary Forensics instructor <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ron.underwood.35" target="_blank">Ron Underwood</a>, a high school radio station called KBHI (Beyer High School), an up and coming Program Director by the name of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fastlane.clark" target="_blank">Lane Clark</a> and the super cool and devastatingly pretty DJ chick: Cindy Webb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ron, who has since retired to Fresno, was a fan of radio. He left that radio imprint wherever he went. He was one the founders of CSU-Fresno's KFSR (Fresno State Radio), put KDHS (Downey High School) on the air during his first stop as a high school forensics instructor in Modesto and later took that act to the newly minted halls of Beyer High School in 1972. One of his earliest moves was to put KBHI on the air, a massive ten-watt flamethrower at 88.9 on the FM dial that had a listening raidus of about one block around the high school campus. We didn't have many fans, but we had our fair share.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is where Bill Bird got his training to be a not-a-very-good Disc Jockey. But, most importantly, this is where he would discover and up-and-coming band out of Boston called The Cars and a very special first album effort. In 1978 Program Director (PD) Lane Clark received an advance copy of the debut album <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cars_(album)" target="_blank">The Cars</a> from Elektra Records. It featured the charting singles of "Just What I Needed," "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Good Times Roll." The album was electric to say the least. Nobody had ever heard anything like it before. The Cars would help lay the foundation for the 1980's New Wave style still to come.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cars Debut Album</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The debut album, featuring the obscure Russian model <a href="http://exiledonline.com/the-medvedeva-woman/" target="_blank">Natalya Georgievna Medvedeva</a> on the album cover, would spend the next 139 weeks on the charts which is probably due to the fact that I wouldn't stop playing it. KBHI followed a "free form" type of format. This meant you might hear me saying (screaming) something not too terribly witty or good into the station microphone along the lines of: <i>"if you liked that Cars song, you'll love this one"</i> before allowing the album to move right into the next song on the disc. Which probably drove PD Lane Clark crazy, provided he was listening. He lived more than a block away from the Beyer High campus. On Sunday nights, as I recall, KBHI would play an entire album from start to finish with no commericial or DJ interruptions. My memory isn't that great, but I would swear that the album choice during 1978 was almost always The Cars during those Sunday night shows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That poor promotional album Lane received was positively abused. But, just when you might think we played that album until the grooves wore off (we did), Ric Ocasek and his band-mates rewarded us in 1979 with their followup album: <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy-O" target="_blank">Candy-O</a></b>. It featured the followup hits "Let's Go," "It's All I Can Do" and the now famous cover art by the legendary pin-up artist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Vargas" target="_blank">Alberto Vargas</a>.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cynthia Ann Webb</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was about this time when the super cool and devastatingly pretty DJ chick Cindy (Cynthia Ann) Webb used to hang out with me at the KBHI studios (which was essentially a closet located next door to Ron Underwood's office). To this day I cannot tell you why any super cool or devastatingly pretty chick was hanging out with me, especially the likes of Cindy Webb. But I don't recall being bothered by her presence one bit. It was during this time where I flipped the now famous Candy-O cover art around for her and inquired when she had the time to pose for the album pictured below. Super cool and devastatingly pretty DJ chick Cindy Webb proceeded to turn three shades of devastatingly pretty pink.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has since been revealed that Candy Moore, an actress from Maplewood, New Jersey, was the inspiration for Vargas' most famous work. But, to this day, I'm still convinced that the super cool DJ chick Cindy Webb may have also been on Alberto's mind.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_-Yx6Rx4V3zf3WRzy7VUWTla53ns9sT_TMXujRo1fsXGuJMoxmwpoclofJ17OwT8S4lRlIis73KmenCJ_VTUdP7xstYb9DYlln37WUJU56PbwUMovBJbkam7BE9_07G-NHH3XMn_qG0/s1600/Candy+O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_-Yx6Rx4V3zf3WRzy7VUWTla53ns9sT_TMXujRo1fsXGuJMoxmwpoclofJ17OwT8S4lRlIis73KmenCJ_VTUdP7xstYb9DYlln37WUJU56PbwUMovBJbkam7BE9_07G-NHH3XMn_qG0/s320/Candy+O.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cars: Candy-O</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cindy, as it turned out, was just as enthralled as I was when it came to The Cars. Our association would eventually morph into a tandem DJ act where I would say (scream) not something too terribly witty or smart into the station microphone such as: "And Now, Cindy Webb!" And she would proceed to inform me that I was not too terribly witty or smart, to shut the Hell up and play the damn record.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wonder if Lane was listening?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">All good things, unfortunately, do come to an end. Changes in rules by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would put an end to many high school radio station efforts, including KBHI. The station signed off the air in 1980, the year before I graduated and moved onto CSU Fresno, where I brought my talents to KFSR and other commercial stations such as KYNO AM-FM, KJFX FM, KMPH FOX 26, KMPH NewsRadio and NewsTalk 1530 KFBK to name a few.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZx0onlA6SAtsO8HmvsQSTJKi5jD4NV-xCgYlI52XUyFCiTuY3jMYW7oByGNIzSRJtZ2PdmKhL7qKCWuJ-qGpH5FYQaFyzysxRCfNFpSNF7ZPA-0uSIrsoOsS0xqVk3ZnIHzOWPyQonqg/s1600/Lane+Clark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZx0onlA6SAtsO8HmvsQSTJKi5jD4NV-xCgYlI52XUyFCiTuY3jMYW7oByGNIzSRJtZ2PdmKhL7qKCWuJ-qGpH5FYQaFyzysxRCfNFpSNF7ZPA-0uSIrsoOsS0xqVk3ZnIHzOWPyQonqg/s320/Lane+Clark.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lane Clark</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lane and Cindy moved onto commercial radio station efforts themselves after graduation. Lane spent time at KDJK in Modesto before becoming a successful small business owner in the Sacramento, CA area. Cindy also moved into commercial radio. I never saw her after our high school days together. Sadly, she passed in 2010 at the age of 48. I will never forget her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rick Ocasek and The Cars, of course, would go on to churn out many more top-selling albums and become one of the biggest bands in the world. But they will always be so much more than that to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They are, as A.V. Club writer Erik Adams once described them, <i>"the type of band that put out a perfect debut record, and
then had the audacity to not pack it in after that."</i> The debut album, as he put it, left <i>"</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>little wonder that the members of The Cars have jokingly referred to it as </i>“</span><b><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; line-height: inherit; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">The Cars Greatest Hits</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.”</span></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyudbn_08C0vBWAF0o-GIAjCSbb4XdDS4btpGXbBOwHwvW34iKMWyZ3f2e6gl4zjWmfXQ6DI3AGfJqlBzlMFXLfhuP5EmKBkdutrNn7sdLznPLn6UInYMi1nCgc3L_FAI0aCOA0vxYVI/s1600/Webb+Yearbook+Signing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyudbn_08C0vBWAF0o-GIAjCSbb4XdDS4btpGXbBOwHwvW34iKMWyZ3f2e6gl4zjWmfXQ6DI3AGfJqlBzlMFXLfhuP5EmKBkdutrNn7sdLznPLn6UInYMi1nCgc3L_FAI0aCOA0vxYVI/s320/Webb+Yearbook+Signing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1978 Stars and Stripes Yearbook</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ric Ocasek and The Cars are a reminder of a time in my life that is bits and pieces of a misty memory now. It's a time of my life where I was growing up and discovering the person I would become. It was the gentle and wonderful tutleage of legendary forensics instructor Ron Underwood, the never-ending patience of Lane Clark and the sharp wit of the super cool and devastingly pretty DJ chick Cindy Webb.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-21839269445128292132019-02-10T16:51:00.000-08:002019-02-10T16:51:46.405-08:00Super Bore Or Super Bell?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekgYMDP22a1CJBkKxnt3REzwEACmXzY6CQdq_4xO8WBh0NPO7QTQ9_VOwd9AHl7ASY91uX9d4pJrLwI3KfnJJDHmgkexFjGjISsw0mESxN0s3H-9u0Rdjme4wzFh3ZX_Pu0mb179oQqs/s1600/Bud+Lite+jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1600" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekgYMDP22a1CJBkKxnt3REzwEACmXzY6CQdq_4xO8WBh0NPO7QTQ9_VOwd9AHl7ASY91uX9d4pJrLwI3KfnJJDHmgkexFjGjISsw0mESxN0s3H-9u0Rdjme4wzFh3ZX_Pu0mb179oQqs/s320/Bud+Lite+jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Best Super Bowl Ad EVER!</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With all due apologies to the fresh corn industry, I must admit, I thought the Bud Lite Corn Syrup commercial was the funniest thing I've seen on TV in quite some time. Don't get me wrong! I love me some corn. I personally believe corn grown in the Sloughhouse area of Sacramento County is, in fact, the best corn in the world. I wish no harm upon our fine corn farmers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But that Bud Lite Corn Syrup ad that ran during last Sunday's Super Bore was absolutely hilarious. I am still busting up over the line of: "would you please smoke outside?" However, Bud Lite's pun and knock against all thing corn syrup will not stop me from purchasing Sloughhouse corn. Additionally, you will not find any Bud Lite in the Bird refrigerator. However, if you look hard enough, you just might find a bottle of the High Life. But, enough of that already. I've strayed much too far.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dLd07U8EF6UNQYLxDvbrhattZyP6M87njhn6YZsrJr9Wm-VjZ1mRnKp-f7eEghW8mb7C97wZAlFKEfudzmeIvqThhAR5uXQTHSDGZeS228GRzxPLgCYoa-l9FlcDSIJsg57yUxzdLtg/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dLd07U8EF6UNQYLxDvbrhattZyP6M87njhn6YZsrJr9Wm-VjZ1mRnKp-f7eEghW8mb7C97wZAlFKEfudzmeIvqThhAR5uXQTHSDGZeS228GRzxPLgCYoa-l9FlcDSIJsg57yUxzdLtg/s320/IMG_1102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cat Bowling Pins?</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My friends, rather than watch the NFL bestow yet another title on Tom Brady last Sunday (<b><i>BORING</i></b>), my mind was positively fixated on the image that appears to your very left. Can you guess what those cups might represent? Bowling pins for the naughty Cat that is Lenny? That is a good guess, but NO. And although Lenny has already cast a rather envious glance at the cups placed on that bedroom window, I hope that cat knows better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those cups placed against yonder windowsill represent the start of my summer 2019 vegetable garden. Would they represent the 13 varieties of heirloom tomatoes I will be growing this summer? Good guess, but also wrong. It's still a bit too early for that activity, though some have already started. No, the seeds placed in those cups all contain the same variety: The California Wonder Bell Pepper.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYrsPdrXUpJkU6wRPC2VfXswWDLrX7Et25JOkigPEtYgTHkHGshyphenhyphenZdtcVdJ9GeWrXfcJ1RevDYrmSnUVKfQpSexmaJ_V8Jz_-pGr-TZOctJTrXPul6Kfm_G79Y8CiHwsq0TVIsL80SO4/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYrsPdrXUpJkU6wRPC2VfXswWDLrX7Et25JOkigPEtYgTHkHGshyphenhyphenZdtcVdJ9GeWrXfcJ1RevDYrmSnUVKfQpSexmaJ_V8Jz_-pGr-TZOctJTrXPul6Kfm_G79Y8CiHwsq0TVIsL80SO4/s320/IMG_1101.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peppers!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First introduced in 1928, the California Wonder is now a sweet staple in nearly every backyard garden. These are these big and blocky peppers that can be found in nearly every dish, ranging from salads, stir fry meals, fajitas or just brushed with olive oil and placed on a grill. You can also find them in home-canned items such as tomato sauces and SALSA. Roasted or fresh, the California Wonder represents one word: SUMMER.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Garden grown Bell Peppers are nearly as popular as home-grown tomatoes. According to the <a href="http://masterofhort.com/tag/california-wonder/" target="_blank">Masters of Horticulture</a> Blog, <i>"Bell peppers are the most commonly grown pepper in
the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region>. According to the National Nursery survey, 46-percent
of gardeners grow them every year.
Second, according to the same survey, bell peppers are the third most
popular vegetable grown in American gardens.
Third, the bell pepper is the most consumed pepper in <st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region>. According to the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Agricultural</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Marketing</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Resource</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
Americans eat 9.8 pounds of them per year.
And finally, bell peppers are the only peppers in the genus that do not
produce capsaicin. Capsaicin is the
compound that makes most members of the genus Capsicum hot."</i></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWr1jq1bCtBeqA5VB7alAhsLkRzGBFltTQWmW4F6Iw_pnW37WGNY5ACi4r_NmYFf9pmXPHCwcxqMVR7MhArSBn39K1z5OnNoTi7A91ywB1VHTOmhzLPdLtZoDSM_3uJja7Y58BxjFJ6cM/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWr1jq1bCtBeqA5VB7alAhsLkRzGBFltTQWmW4F6Iw_pnW37WGNY5ACi4r_NmYFf9pmXPHCwcxqMVR7MhArSBn39K1z5OnNoTi7A91ywB1VHTOmhzLPdLtZoDSM_3uJja7Y58BxjFJ6cM/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Perfect for Seed Starting Efforts</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The reaction from most of my pepper growing friends is going to be pretty typical, I think. People like Jake Seed and Dave Jesse are thinking along the lines of: <b>"PFFFT! ROOKIE!"</b> And you know what? They're right. To them? My pepper planting efforts are rather late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You see, while the vast majority of us are thinking about the Peppermint Wishes and Candy Cane Dreams of the Christmas Season, the pepper guys are thinking about peppers so hot they would melt Santa's tongue. There's a reason why Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer gives these homes a wide berth. These guys are serious. January 1st doesn't just signal the start of the new year. It means it's time to plant pepper seeds of all shapes and sizes for the upcoming summer gardening season.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlqSB0E_YwYKPyCZ9pyc075EHHw3pZQSRatU_vymAj6s5Gj0jZfA_lWrEdbBcbYAo4hVqh7N7FM-RPru-qjcmc0L4yo4QuPSvq9tbPTH1SHTLXlnCg5alZG8m5Gmli8CFweUU_W1MzCU/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlqSB0E_YwYKPyCZ9pyc075EHHw3pZQSRatU_vymAj6s5Gj0jZfA_lWrEdbBcbYAo4hVqh7N7FM-RPru-qjcmc0L4yo4QuPSvq9tbPTH1SHTLXlnCg5alZG8m5Gmli8CFweUU_W1MzCU/s320/IMG_1099.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Planting Seeds</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why start pepper seeds so early and why am I late? There's a good answer for that. Pepper seeds tend to grow much slowly than tomato seeds, which essentially sprout and grow like weeds until they are transplanted. As <a href="https://kfbk.iheart.com/featured/kfbk-garden-show/" target="_blank">KFBK NewsTalk 1530 Gardening Show Host Farmer Fred Hoffman</a> put it so eloquently to me once: <b>"PEPPERS NEED HEAT!"</b> Unfortunately, there's little heat to be found during the Northern California months of December, January and February. So, pepper growers get very inventive to creating the kind of heat they need to give seedlings the boost that they need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I recall that one of these growers, and I won't mention names (Dave Jesse), placed his seeds in sealed starter cups and placed them under a woodstove. Where his cat promptly found them. Great fun ensued.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What's the payoff for my seed starting efforts? 13 large and healthy California Wonder Bell Pepper starter plants. Do I intend to plant all 13 in my summer garden? Are you nuts? Gardeners do not live on bell peppers alone. This means I will have plenty to share, or trade, once the transplant season begins (provided it stops raining at some point).</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK-I4hLAR9cl4KEHtjF_ILfP4oC52xha0c2eEkr7ijwy3GFbizCuZIzJ2TeFP2rlbxQWo2KSh0sMHB878st90ym44oljK6pdQSb0XzsoV-cW64CucHopt0Ou7PyQLFnO9YNdnoQollns/s1600/57031420918__BBB34A10-A17A-400F-B74C-AE3FB30A75C3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK-I4hLAR9cl4KEHtjF_ILfP4oC52xha0c2eEkr7ijwy3GFbizCuZIzJ2TeFP2rlbxQWo2KSh0sMHB878st90ym44oljK6pdQSb0XzsoV-cW64CucHopt0Ou7PyQLFnO9YNdnoQollns/s320/57031420918__BBB34A10-A17A-400F-B74C-AE3FB30A75C3.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Danger Will Robinson! Danger!</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hopefully, the seedlings I have planted against my bedroom windowsill will sprout and start to grow (albeit slowly) in another day or two. Also, hopefully, the giant shade trees that dot this Citrus Heights neighborhood don't blot out the needed sunshine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, hopefully, here's hoping a certain Maine Coon cat can ignore the urge to start swatting what's been carefully placed on a windowsill that he can easily reach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope springs eternal.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-84306636389048328432018-05-08T14:43:00.001-07:002018-05-08T14:43:53.218-07:00Another Day of Sun<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODeUJvYYMk0gp3btm-GuzSE9_DNaP-DBhNYkKZVt09O9AyREoSRHCCAzuGCNnmWO_cNLeT6QgJV49gPM9UtS671DP9xtQWtuPcpLqpRZFO1uIu5pXB_j51yLBUr-mJqkTNcJte9507yw/s1600/31959145_10155754078003742_6987949405915578368_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODeUJvYYMk0gp3btm-GuzSE9_DNaP-DBhNYkKZVt09O9AyREoSRHCCAzuGCNnmWO_cNLeT6QgJV49gPM9UtS671DP9xtQWtuPcpLqpRZFO1uIu5pXB_j51yLBUr-mJqkTNcJte9507yw/s400/31959145_10155754078003742_6987949405915578368_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sam Aanestad and I at Frank's Pizza in Grass Valley</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To be brutally honest, I should be working right now. I should be hard at work at the moment looking at the Help Wanted sections of Capitol Morning Report, Senate Daybook, the State of California employment website and so many others. That unemployment clock continues to tick despite my best efforts to slow it down. I should be doing so many things at the moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I can't. I just can't. Not at the moment anyway. Today my thoughts are consumed by the memory of a boss, a leader, a father figure and, most of all, a friend. I can't help it. There are only so many special people that you run into during this game called life that you can count them with the fingers of one hand. He was one of them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I last saw Sam Aanestad about this time last year at the legendary <a href="https://www.facebook.com/frankspizzagrassvalley/" target="_blank">Frank's Pizza</a> restaurant in Grass Valley. I had just finished up with an interview with the Nevada County Fairgrounds (I didn't get that job), and Sam texted to inform me that he was "waiting for me to arrive."</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaXsTaBkTyLIvBqgtc_lqEvII7Pn8190bKXmxGHnYIHdBwTq-c3iYyzaMyFjGv2vbZBwNt4W4I_Lstq1Ad5qZBgEhTEJubrZ9Dg0cJ0MnN5wZ_3AmoepOa0P4alhVERE7vwyxIwXzJbc/s1600/Sam+and+Susan+at+the+Reagan+Ranch+Cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="972" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaXsTaBkTyLIvBqgtc_lqEvII7Pn8190bKXmxGHnYIHdBwTq-c3iYyzaMyFjGv2vbZBwNt4W4I_Lstq1Ad5qZBgEhTEJubrZ9Dg0cJ0MnN5wZ_3AmoepOa0P4alhVERE7vwyxIwXzJbc/s400/Sam+and+Susan+at+the+Reagan+Ranch+Cropped.jpg" width="383" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sam and Susan Aanestad</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Uh oh,"</i> I thought at the time. Making a State Senator wait -- even a former State Senator like Sam -- is never a good idea. Although I'd spoken with my former boss on occasion, I hadn't actually had the opportunity to see Sam in person for quite a long time. I had the fortune for working for him in his Senate office for six years, but when his term ended in 2010 we parted ways. That's life with term limits in the California State Legislature. By the time you really get to know someone, it's time to say goodbye.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sam <a href="https://www.theunion.com/news/local-news/former-state-senator-samuel-aanestad-dead-at-71/" target="_blank">passed away</a> just yesterday. I find that line a little hard to write. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to write it. Sam was just 71-years old. The last time I would see him -- at Frank's -- he seemed to be in the picture of health. He was also in great spirits and as he and his wife, Susan, would soon depart for their summer home in Sam's home state of Wisconsin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I remember that vacation home with a great deal of fondness as I would be reminded of it daily during Sam Aanestad's term in the State Senate. I remember when I interviewed for the position of Communications Director in his office early in 2005, following an all-to-brief term in the Office of Senator Rico Oller. <i>"You're not going to have as much fun in this office as you had with Rico,"</i> Sam would warn me sternly during that first interview.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWVYRpG7eO1T-PRNACTO5u9yr3X0AwwW5hb7LZX5L-6lwO3O98IsPUDSiG334IbsyMmnQtunhtAfAcqjJw6KmM2L8YfCpcqeF1Sa94PVw3bGNbnIKWRanyHSh-4v33YyR30BUHj2Vmoo/s1600/Sam+With+Tom+Sullivan+1+%2528Fantasmagorical%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWVYRpG7eO1T-PRNACTO5u9yr3X0AwwW5hb7LZX5L-6lwO3O98IsPUDSiG334IbsyMmnQtunhtAfAcqjJw6KmM2L8YfCpcqeF1Sa94PVw3bGNbnIKWRanyHSh-4v33YyR30BUHj2Vmoo/s400/Sam+With+Tom+Sullivan+1+%2528Fantasmagorical%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sam with Talk Show Host Tom Sullivan</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He was right. I had more fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was in this office where I would learn more about medical issues that I would ever want to know thanks to his background as an Oral Surgeon. As for his political leanings? Strictly conservative and without apologies, sir. Sam put the "C" in conservative thought, which fit his largely rural and very conservative Northern California Senate District to the perfect "T."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">New taxes and fees were the enemy that must be fought at all costs in the Aanestad office. <i>"Unless,"</i> he explained to me once, <i>"an organization had voted to raise its own membership fees."</i> It was then, and only then I might add, would he allow himself to punch that "yes" button covered with dust on his State Senate desk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But to describe the man as a conservative politician would be grossly unfair. Sam was far more than that. He was a family man first, speaking with pride often about his children and grandchildren. He was a physician second, relating story after story about his Grass Valley and Nevada City practice, as well as his time as Vice Chief of Surgery at <a href="https://locations.dignityhealth.org/sierra-nevada-memorial-hospital-grass-valley-ca" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital</a>. But, most of all, Sam Aanestad cared deeply about people. This was especially true about the people he had the honor of serving in the 4th Senate District.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nfv6IK3LSsRKs0AhPwhJybpBxv32kEwNK-QwQTUG46AiB2mheOLxLLyAtlKMIiX6HgHfatj1x3x-VfLJ8ei45bWtF_8xYHA4xrkgqrKWOCY50qveJ2JdPKgE0_VKwCSDdxlQJXiRWns/s1600/Nevada+Union+Football+Presentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nfv6IK3LSsRKs0AhPwhJybpBxv32kEwNK-QwQTUG46AiB2mheOLxLLyAtlKMIiX6HgHfatj1x3x-VfLJ8ei45bWtF_8xYHA4xrkgqrKWOCY50qveJ2JdPKgE0_VKwCSDdxlQJXiRWns/s400/Nevada+Union+Football+Presentation.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>CA State Senate Floor</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sam never let his care for children and families get in the way of his conservative political beliefs. I would come to learn this the hard way after Sam had been appointed to the highly coveted position of Vice Chair of the <a href="http://srul.senate.ca.gov/" target="_blank">Senate Rules Committee</a>. Serving in a committee such as this has its perks. It also makes you a bigger target.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the business of politics, communications people are often the <u>"last people to know."</u> This may be an unwritten rule. I would find out in the stairwell of the California State Capitol where I was approached by a long-time friend, who proceeded to inform me that Sam "had just voted" for a bill that would allow more women to receive testing for signs of cervical cancer in his Senate District.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"That sounds like something Sam would do,"</i> I reasoned at the time, knowing Sam's medical background. <i>"No, you don't understand,"</i> came the response. The careful explanation revealed that the conservative, pro-life Senator I worked for voted to approve a measure that provided additional funding for medical clinics to provide these screenings.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNIxZj-RFFcra5V9T5CQArvgR5bwX42oYwETzPEPMOWv71aMQqXTH8HlXoUfGp8SEw6VCwlRIRTcoSnT7OFbjjB8CjRJA3I1rF3sOQilTtaP63Sc4TfhZOSQaedep0XCUiMtXEdHFqU0/s1600/Sam+Holds+Sign+%2528Excellent%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNIxZj-RFFcra5V9T5CQArvgR5bwX42oYwETzPEPMOWv71aMQqXTH8HlXoUfGp8SEw6VCwlRIRTcoSnT7OFbjjB8CjRJA3I1rF3sOQilTtaP63Sc4TfhZOSQaedep0XCUiMtXEdHFqU0/s400/Sam+Holds+Sign+%2528Excellent%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still didn't <u>"get it."</u> Until I learned that many of the facilities that provided this kind of testing in the Northern California district Senator Aanestad represented were clinics run by Planned Parenthood. It was, about this time, that big, dark light bulb above my head suddenly flickered to life. Planned Parenthood clinics offer numerous services, some of which conservative, pro-life activists detest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">People in the business of communications, such as myself, do not involve themselves in policy decisions. However, they do ask for guidance on responding to media and constituent requests following a vote that could prove to be possibly contentious. Perhaps "contentious" isn't the right term to use. Earth shaking might be better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sam knew that his vote on this particular item would inflame many people in his district, many of whom had voted to put him into office. But it didn't matter -- not in this case as he would carefully explain to me from a physician's point of view. <i>"The best way to defeat cervical cancer in women is to catch it early,"</i> he patiently explained. <i>"Early detection is key. The earlier it's detected, the better chance at survival."</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNa7Ie1CHk8LkitL53kG4hW226OMpcUlaB9a8wO8YovOT51uT5aVl5PcHcqfMXa1E6EbKchVl2S8c5wOD2vLQz_SCMMuyfcDD8nT3PHhbSc8NpanOqIgN7jQQsNe-5zsim7XOOdLAlZY/s1600/2006_05030041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNa7Ie1CHk8LkitL53kG4hW226OMpcUlaB9a8wO8YovOT51uT5aVl5PcHcqfMXa1E6EbKchVl2S8c5wOD2vLQz_SCMMuyfcDD8nT3PHhbSc8NpanOqIgN7jQQsNe-5zsim7XOOdLAlZY/s400/2006_05030041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sam never wavered from this belief, despite the thousands of phone calls that poured into his Senate office from constituents outraged by his vote. He knew that his vote to provide funding for additional cervical cancer screenings would save lives. His care for children and families outweighed even his most strongest of political convictions: the rights of the unborn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It still didn't stop the protest phone calls, which rolled in like waves on an ocean. There were some days where it seemed like that phone never stopped ringing. I would imagine there are some activists who still haven't forgiven him for that vote.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet -- his support only went so far. When a commemorative plaque from Planned Parenthood arrived in the mail one day, thanking him for his vote, he handed it to me with careful instructions to place it behind my desk and to keep it well hidden from the light of day. It may still be buried behind that desk in that Senate Rules Committee office, covered with the dust of State Capitol history.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyhR77GrcKGsuNFJVcoXPTyKVCktKVsq2YCrx4EcnpbEsn1QFOZzH-2-Bqtar-cvxnKN1hVOdWDpVBthTfU5LPzLnLyV1O-CpANdmKKPyivkctuLUjgn_y0YTKY7UjGh-4h_uQi-Hlms/s1600/Aanestad+Photo+%2528Official%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="451" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyhR77GrcKGsuNFJVcoXPTyKVCktKVsq2YCrx4EcnpbEsn1QFOZzH-2-Bqtar-cvxnKN1hVOdWDpVBthTfU5LPzLnLyV1O-CpANdmKKPyivkctuLUjgn_y0YTKY7UjGh-4h_uQi-Hlms/s400/Aanestad+Photo+%2528Official%2529.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sam Aanestad</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although I have many countless memories of Sam Aanestad, it's this particular one that came to mind when I learned over the weekend that he was not doing well. The health problems that claimed his life started soon after the last time I saw him at Frank's in Grass Valley. I had been kept blissfully unaware, but that was the way Sam Aanestad operated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sam Aanestad was probably the only politician I ever had the honor of working for who steered clear of any attention placed on himself. His focus was always on the people around him, whether it be family, friends, former employees or his constituents. His first and foremost wish was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tjCOH0k75k" target="_blank">another day of sun</a> for all of those who surrounded him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And, although the sun shines today, for me at least, it's not as bright as it should be.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-62858226327588696022017-08-26T13:23:00.000-07:002017-08-26T13:23:14.511-07:00Chocolate Poetry<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRbsbrg4ZFtof-W3t5-GcTQxtouJVsoBwk-ORgbzbobATbNkD7qmzI7x0ra7ztPj8GQqDPK6IPlqOOA5hmQqIMMAulaNkdghbvfiNES-4-mQTMpuqlYpaEvVPt_7axVRimbYemPGyniU/s1600/P1080623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRbsbrg4ZFtof-W3t5-GcTQxtouJVsoBwk-ORgbzbobATbNkD7qmzI7x0ra7ztPj8GQqDPK6IPlqOOA5hmQqIMMAulaNkdghbvfiNES-4-mQTMpuqlYpaEvVPt_7axVRimbYemPGyniU/s200/P1080623.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chocolate Cherry Tomato</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I think that I shall never see</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A cherry tomato lovelier than thee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Chocolate Cherry that I planted here;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alms from a grower with vision clear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A cherry tomato that produces a gift;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Providing every tomato lover with a lift.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A taste so sweet, so undeniably tart;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It can only be classified as work of art.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s that special tomato in my garden;</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">A taste I will miss, when the season is done."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVfJYKiOuI11Ji7nbYaGMWESYyTfbKvg2hb8H7PXofAZd5VCCJC1cX9VfY0eGsiObILEhWeBuqAo7H7TNpRABS-UqMmrXHuQNZDIOpBARpFF-0dtNh2nauNuStB9d3TAP-hcu_gPzDy0/s1600/Stella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVfJYKiOuI11Ji7nbYaGMWESYyTfbKvg2hb8H7PXofAZd5VCCJC1cX9VfY0eGsiObILEhWeBuqAo7H7TNpRABS-UqMmrXHuQNZDIOpBARpFF-0dtNh2nauNuStB9d3TAP-hcu_gPzDy0/s320/Stella.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Modesto's 7th Poet Laureate</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Somewhere, <a href="http://www.modbee.com/news/article90085382.html">Stella Beratlis</a>, the City of Modesto's 7th Poet Laureate, is doing a face palm. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Kilmer">(Alfred) Joyce Kilmer</a>, meanwhile, a hero of World War I who penned the poem <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees">"Trees"</a> that I ripped off with no shame whatsoever, is probably spinning in his grave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why pick on Stella? Because she is an avid vegetable gardener, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Alkali-Sink-Stella-Beratlis/dp/1939639069">published author</a> I might add, who has also professed a love for cherry tomatoes. That, and we went to high school together (go Patriots!). As for Kilmer, I needed something even my simple brain could comprehend.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKIDLJCfpTG4QUe4nBnHD31j-BswuaKj1PETUGIcM8ZKpjda6Thy_hs4QoW4C6tFGoGWNOEYUVFaT6xRn9S6n1oSbIl29lx5RLckiuSZxBcjy56pywKXCOiMX0L0V8KsZTxiQfHw3mek/s1600/P1080627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKIDLJCfpTG4QUe4nBnHD31j-BswuaKj1PETUGIcM8ZKpjda6Thy_hs4QoW4C6tFGoGWNOEYUVFaT6xRn9S6n1oSbIl29lx5RLckiuSZxBcjy56pywKXCOiMX0L0V8KsZTxiQfHw3mek/s320/P1080627.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chocolate Cherry Tomato Plant-Citrus Heights</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My friends and tomato growing maniacs, I come to you with a message today: If there is room for only one cherry tomato in your garden next summer, I highly recommend the Chocolate Cherry. A close cousin to the treasured Black Cherry tomato, there are also subtle differences that set it apart. Both are black or deep purple in color. Both are cherry varieties. But the comparison ends there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My Chocolate Cherry tomato, which now stands at a height of roughly ten feet in front of this temporary rental home, resulted from a $1 investment into a starter plant grown by a Citrus Heights tomato maniac by the name of Melanie Steffens. Melanie had extra plants from her seed starting effort. I had room for one extra plant and a spare buck.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Call it a marriage made in heaven.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSRbsc3dR828txHletTJXyYF2fJYzR5BjCaNNGzWLHRhZNOTazJms9l7-q4m9fkTWFXsMtVlBaqgOYGBhIlDLhgWFJ5KlhVsTRoifAuX5cTmWBqi52D_RNpefh9YBIztguJbZcHi5gc0/s1600/P1080623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSRbsc3dR828txHletTJXyYF2fJYzR5BjCaNNGzWLHRhZNOTazJms9l7-q4m9fkTWFXsMtVlBaqgOYGBhIlDLhgWFJ5KlhVsTRoifAuX5cTmWBqi52D_RNpefh9YBIztguJbZcHi5gc0/s320/P1080623.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Forest of Cherry Tomato Production</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of the six tomato plants that comprise the Bird tomato growing efforts this year, three have been Grand Slams in terms of tomato production. Yet another has been a steady, get on base producer and the other two, much like this year's San Francisco Giants team, struck out at ever opportunity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I bet you didn't know growing tomatoes and baseball had so much in common. But I'm getting way off topic here, plus I get depressed whenever I think about the Giants. So, back to tomatoes I go.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFx0yULczRNBkBqdtaFlwYOlggGVhjoeQtHCV3mb6mcg3eR_hFBt0CWRoY7nSFB5UitjlXKTMsvEvmbnrdRLD5hfos1KhypVyWEd7tx1t7CCBzgZQWMYlPSlnetdKy0PKdrwGIUSYnEk/s1600/Memorial+Stadium+Berkeley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="725" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFx0yULczRNBkBqdtaFlwYOlggGVhjoeQtHCV3mb6mcg3eR_hFBt0CWRoY7nSFB5UitjlXKTMsvEvmbnrdRLD5hfos1KhypVyWEd7tx1t7CCBzgZQWMYlPSlnetdKy0PKdrwGIUSYnEk/s320/Memorial+Stadium+Berkeley.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Memorial Stadium: Berkeley, CA</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I like cherry tomatoes because they represent a portable snack. You can pick them and take them everywhere. I saw a young lady produce a bag of cherry tomatoes at a Cal football game in Memorial Stadium several years ago and thought it to be a rather brilliant idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had been focused on somehow smuggling a flask of whiskey into that stadium -- so much so I didn't think about the three cherry tomato plants at home -- teeming with production I might add. While I'd sentenced myself to some overpriced, deep-fried snack from a stadium vendor, this rather brilliant young lady managed to produce something far more healthy and far more satisfying. And, I'll tell you this much, she didn't have to sneak it in either.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq15Myxspmb7X0465ak8D1PDwFD-VKwZ3P-VQ87bO56-hQHkh0JBaPXJ9eG4q693ZNiMehY85Ndm-oHfmC56RNERA8FtH5sQQqeq0nPrGnn0D6Gkm5KklDRrYnHa-qpYek4lMOV1bi7ew/s1600/P1080630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq15Myxspmb7X0465ak8D1PDwFD-VKwZ3P-VQ87bO56-hQHkh0JBaPXJ9eG4q693ZNiMehY85Ndm-oHfmC56RNERA8FtH5sQQqeq0nPrGnn0D6Gkm5KklDRrYnHa-qpYek4lMOV1bi7ew/s320/P1080630.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Transportable and Healthy Snack!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Taking a cue from this lady, I load up a plastic sandwich bag with Chocolate Cherry tomatoes before heading into work every morning. It is at a size now where's it's producing 10-20 ripe tomatoes nearly every single day. The numbers diminish somewhat late in the week, but by the time Monday morning rolls around again, there's my Chocolate Cherry, teeming with this week's breakfast and lunch snack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pros and cons: The Chocolate Cherry appears to be more disease resistant than the Black Cherry. Either that, or I'm just the recipient of dumb luck. But I can't begin to tell you how many times disease has either interrupted or curtailed Black Cherry production in my garden. That hasn't been a problem this year with the Chocolate Cherry, and it's resisted a leaf spot problem that struck the Thessaloniki tomato planted just a few feet away.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheExkN62Wo4s4btFrLGun3gwoiSRy-q8zPHb9oRCA9PwCdYyl0t8X9EmkdoFDBfPfLqBJH3rTSgglrEo2YOD-GvgCsrRHJVvtBI16aKnEtSt417BPWa_ubX2CaLE_5Rc0aKWXKo5pW_UQ/s1600/P1080619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheExkN62Wo4s4btFrLGun3gwoiSRy-q8zPHb9oRCA9PwCdYyl0t8X9EmkdoFDBfPfLqBJH3rTSgglrEo2YOD-GvgCsrRHJVvtBI16aKnEtSt417BPWa_ubX2CaLE_5Rc0aKWXKo5pW_UQ/s320/P1080619.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Chocolate Cherry</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unlike many cherry tomato varieties, Chocolate Cherry fruit does not split. They're portable over long distances. The skins are much tougher. Indeed, there's almost a slight crunch when one bites into an under-ripened Chocolate Cherry. You can dump a bunch of them into a sandwich bag and won't experience the problem of split, mushy cherry tomatoes when you arrive at your intended destination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, in terms of taste? I'll be honest. The Chocolate Cherry does not offer the zesty taste explosion that is the Black Cherry. It's a bit more mild. This isn't to tell you that Chocolate Cherry doesn't taste good. It does. This variety will find a home in next year's garden, that much I can tell you. But I'm not going to tell you it's the best cherry variety I've tried.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHLUnpUyjcR21FttVNfyC8Hbkck7MC08p-0EsmSsXE4FYeJYHx9a4JAYCc9-kFr-jxkhcWG6Cgu2lN2FwNZhnyx-9CV2Lamdxg7kQMO19RJT09fKTMY0CW2hXOFUimPzU9nIoi-CnABQ/s1600/P1080626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHLUnpUyjcR21FttVNfyC8Hbkck7MC08p-0EsmSsXE4FYeJYHx9a4JAYCc9-kFr-jxkhcWG6Cgu2lN2FwNZhnyx-9CV2Lamdxg7kQMO19RJT09fKTMY0CW2hXOFUimPzU9nIoi-CnABQ/s320/P1080626.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It will, however, rank among the best I've ever grown. It will join that pantheon list that includes <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2010/08/crack-is-back.html" target="_blank">West Sac Crack</a>, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnko9yNHt06NQa6FDtS125hjPx7srn9Y0-f4TkyHNmkA5WMYiOBV2otUqFlHS2GQ5lf1mN3OiDeGXp1U8kchpKqM9rOn3v0a_ndVh2MPAGmdM2Hjgl5Erjo6zPyyrAR9kHq7ow9D5n6DWb/s1600/P1030416.JPG" target="_blank">Pink Ping Pong</a>, <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2009/07/black-cherry-tomatoes-are-from-god.html" target="_blank">Black Cherry</a>, <a href="http://solanaseeds.netfirms.com/sungella2.jpg" target="_blank">Sungella</a> and countless others that have graced previous gardens in previous lifetimes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After all, a cherry tomato that drives a man to write really bad poetry can't be all that bad, can it?</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-5447039587189575042017-02-24T13:33:00.001-08:002017-02-24T13:33:32.676-08:00Blame, Properly Placed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknTpcHbtzsY1h40gWS3_pmtYmUNuDt4oWzViT_uWhwaN0MPDt6vYYfjDgf-sgTZaxtdjA2RRZhf0EyKY633dgo43YwXzVG2Ybv3XBxmKksxY9Hgwi0oh6KZihIww2-AulDInNqCt0onQ/s1600/Lennon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknTpcHbtzsY1h40gWS3_pmtYmUNuDt4oWzViT_uWhwaN0MPDt6vYYfjDgf-sgTZaxtdjA2RRZhf0EyKY633dgo43YwXzVG2Ybv3XBxmKksxY9Hgwi0oh6KZihIww2-AulDInNqCt0onQ/s200/Lennon.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>John Lennon</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A wise British-born philosopher and poet once stated the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Everyday we used to make it love</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Why can't we be making love nice and easy<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It's time to spread our wings and fly<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Don't let another day go by my love<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It'll be just like starting over<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Starting over"</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I'm not blaming John Lennon for my sudden burst of strange activity last weekend. Nope, that would be blame misplaced. The fault lies squarely upon the shoulders of a certain garden writer who toils for a certain daily newspaper that is printed and distributed in the Sacramento area.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0ya0AE4kis-WAwf870RUWnIAzrzCY6UwowwLjw-5tmySke0HIK5SQGfQmDew3DcqGM8LNNGoJEeP24YRWXzwzmFwmDLbjtgr6PTQ1AOkufexZaa3ldneCeniy4gkQpnQ0mcaDcXuJGw/s1600/P1080540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0ya0AE4kis-WAwf870RUWnIAzrzCY6UwowwLjw-5tmySke0HIK5SQGfQmDew3DcqGM8LNNGoJEeP24YRWXzwzmFwmDLbjtgr6PTQ1AOkufexZaa3ldneCeniy4gkQpnQ0mcaDcXuJGw/s320/P1080540.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Time to Plant!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The words written by Debbie Arrington in the Home and Garden section of the Sacramento Bee were quite simple really: "It's time to plant (BLANK)." And that's all Bill Bird really needed. Because the first thought that jolted through my gin-addled mind was, plant? <b><i>PLANT!</i></b> It's time to plant! <i><b><u>"TIME TO PLANT,"</u></b></i> the voices in my head suddenly screamed at the top of their lungs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which is why my new neighbors in a well seasoned subdivision of Citrus Heights were treated the sight of a strange man bundled up in a heavy coat, tearing up a planter area in the front yard of a rental home in a heavy rainstorm. If that activity didn't raise any suspicion, certainly my chase down neighborhood gutters for hundreds of worms that came out to enjoy the deluge certainly sparked discussion.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S069wyP930dWxp9O1R3vP8pqvlT7fNRRDoaa1Wn_xV704thJZMNK_P5SS1Kp-OP89zUbUGDEG_8HF-i6dOJsJ9Cwxrd__Tf0kVgfVWY8olGE3mqpsj2aEJm5InM_lDNEz7loT_0itnc/s1600/P1080553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S069wyP930dWxp9O1R3vP8pqvlT7fNRRDoaa1Wn_xV704thJZMNK_P5SS1Kp-OP89zUbUGDEG_8HF-i6dOJsJ9Cwxrd__Tf0kVgfVWY8olGE3mqpsj2aEJm5InM_lDNEz7loT_0itnc/s320/P1080553.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Free Worms! Free!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or perhaps they've been treated to somewhat crazy behavior before? Or perhaps they know that worms are good for the garden? And, yes, there is a garden. There will be a garden everywhere I go. I may be "Starting Over," as Lennon crooned, but the garden goes with me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's not much when compared to the massive garden efforts that consumed an entire quarter-acre in an area once known the Bird Back 40. But it's enough to plant a row or three of radishes, six broccoli plant starters and six red leaf lettuce starter plants.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp-Crj4_SEkmCn8WvB3Rrg_9VWTI5lUpOtftsZ4JkcwnoLZZZUv4oWQ5tYQ8g_57SgsUKvzdBB19eG_h2SXnw7J3cxkUAsjcZ1uy3Bos8U4YZ6R5X8JeaV6xxCHAGk-5UnQ2t8b4koh4/s1600/P1080549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp-Crj4_SEkmCn8WvB3Rrg_9VWTI5lUpOtftsZ4JkcwnoLZZZUv4oWQ5tYQ8g_57SgsUKvzdBB19eG_h2SXnw7J3cxkUAsjcZ1uy3Bos8U4YZ6R5X8JeaV6xxCHAGk-5UnQ2t8b4koh4/s320/P1080549.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Spring Garden</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And although Ms. Arrington's specific instructions didn't say so, my new/old planting area also contains rows set aside for green onions and carrots. Because you can't make Pam Farley's famous <a href="http://brownthumbmama.com/use-up-leftovers-with-loaded-fried-rice/" target="_blank">Loaded Fried Rice</a> meal without a proper helping of carrots and green onions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had wondered through the months if this desire to plant would ever return. The skies opened up and began to cry after I had just moved into the new neighborhood. In doing so, I left behind the remains of a garden and a home that hurt anytime I stepped near it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr75os89fOc4iFSTcfsVLt6zGLdXBW0HNJLv-aXeZAvNivqeiNNYoyzJeBEFiixjgR9Kv1lqP3Ch2eK83kdn6A9ReDnVErvT8ptIrGbi4-uahiJchvAcJbgjTIROhpZMxzcA4zkjYLZtY/s1600/P1080545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr75os89fOc4iFSTcfsVLt6zGLdXBW0HNJLv-aXeZAvNivqeiNNYoyzJeBEFiixjgR9Kv1lqP3Ch2eK83kdn6A9ReDnVErvT8ptIrGbi4-uahiJchvAcJbgjTIROhpZMxzcA4zkjYLZtY/s320/P1080545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Mantis Tills Again...</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But time in a new setting and time alone has a strange way of healing a broken heart. The Mantis Tiller that churned up countless raised beds in North Natomas found the soil to be more than adequate in the new Citrus Heights setting. The worms that I captured on their mad rush to the drainage gutters found the spot I'd amended to be quite acceptable and moved right in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But, more importantly, the love for digging in the dirt suddenly returned with a vengeance. I didn't lose that passion. It just took a short vacation. The only thing that's missing now is a gardening partner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Perhaps, in time, that will return as well.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-39368429152386125632017-02-05T12:31:00.000-08:002017-02-05T12:31:41.067-08:00Confessions of a Serial Abuser<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtFqbtUN1712nSaqzZrVTmM1e22azlbGuZUIIT1Jq_nGJdirQ8bj2bfWwbYhz2tZJgzJyPGRLKDolIVL_zEJPSi2Rcfi1p5bIvF5cV3kCY4ZEWkGxQXMGyRaGHEU32YAnP-GJFnrxP9A/s1600/P1080538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtFqbtUN1712nSaqzZrVTmM1e22azlbGuZUIIT1Jq_nGJdirQ8bj2bfWwbYhz2tZJgzJyPGRLKDolIVL_zEJPSi2Rcfi1p5bIvF5cV3kCY4ZEWkGxQXMGyRaGHEU32YAnP-GJFnrxP9A/s320/P1080538.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>YUM!</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The mental health professionals who fawn over me at nearly every turn these days tell me that the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem to begin with. What the Hell do they know? Seriously, however, this is my confession to you. On this Super Bowl Sunday, I'm here to admit that I am a serial abuser.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I abuse beans. I didn't mean too, of course, but I've been abusing beans for years. It's always been a goal of mine to make the perfect pot of home-cooked beans. But it really didn't matter what recipe I used as my beans would turn out more like a refried bean dish than anything else. Barbecue beans came out looking and tasting like barbecue refried beans. Boston Baked Beans? You guessed it, Boston Baked Refried Beans.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9da1DnuQqvMQZSYMT0aY9n54vG8SeQsEevoOe01uzkoj1eU51oCDDvwNSKvyjnkZchVf2XOdorOR0K3tcJT5heZAeg3fXwUSQA0lYyOZxkFwwBjTVupL2Z1MwYm5K2f99X9eLb23T9g/s1600/P1080529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9da1DnuQqvMQZSYMT0aY9n54vG8SeQsEevoOe01uzkoj1eU51oCDDvwNSKvyjnkZchVf2XOdorOR0K3tcJT5heZAeg3fXwUSQA0lYyOZxkFwwBjTVupL2Z1MwYm5K2f99X9eLb23T9g/s320/P1080529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ranch Style Beans Copycat</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh -- I tried all sorts of tricks to solve my little abuse problem. Additional ingredients? Check! Soaking the beans overnight? Check! Different types of beans? Check! But, in the end, it really didn't matter. My beans would fall apart into a sad looking mush.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What in Hades was I doing wrong?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But, thanks to this wonderful invention called the internets, I would find a solution to my problem. The internet, at some point, replaced grandmother and her fine advice. It was a simple problem with a simple answer:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF9r-4MlRs8cPxhImwvBzHVaHyAH4FBA_tQpo79vE-zrzdoY7q0mkRLgaW7YSQJIFOQH-kFrdQSHHj7FDrKkbL0FpO1xUWmzLko3-n9KtCkVzo5018wZm49Zwq69NWSEkkVzpjLCWbMM/s1600/P1080536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF9r-4MlRs8cPxhImwvBzHVaHyAH4FBA_tQpo79vE-zrzdoY7q0mkRLgaW7YSQJIFOQH-kFrdQSHHj7FDrKkbL0FpO1xUWmzLko3-n9KtCkVzo5018wZm49Zwq69NWSEkkVzpjLCWbMM/s320/P1080536.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Don't Abuse the Bean!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was abusing my beans. I had been for years. Beans are fragile things the man on the other side of the internet portal explained. Treat them like you would treat your own children. Not that I would drop my own kids into a vat of simmering water mind you, but I got the idea.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you are to believe the old Klingon poverb (Wrath of Khan) that "revenge is a dish best served cold," then one must also believe that "beans are to be treated with care." They are not to be boiled or placed on a hard simmer for many hours. That just results in a mush. Beans are to be brought to a boil and then allowed to simmer gently over a period of three to four hours. No bubbles! Bubbles are bad! Bubbles in your slow-cooked bean mixture mean BAD NEWS. Nope, the aim here is for a gentle, slow roil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNF7hDDrusWjK_AhHXGBIZ1LgqyGTGQvsDj8CZ5lI9We0scd2cVzLaECHxlMV2xY5IuiFvd2ik7ahDgCrMYhlYAODcbTdvDqXpI5I13zKSAYBJRb77Vdr_BJBRBhqpT5EAVu2ay6ehhQ/s1600/P1080534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNF7hDDrusWjK_AhHXGBIZ1LgqyGTGQvsDj8CZ5lI9We0scd2cVzLaECHxlMV2xY5IuiFvd2ik7ahDgCrMYhlYAODcbTdvDqXpI5I13zKSAYBJRb77Vdr_BJBRBhqpT5EAVu2ay6ehhQ/s320/P1080534.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Selected Spices</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This isn't as easy as it sounds -- especially for those of you to be stuck with electric stoves. Gas works best. And when it comes to my home-cooked bean creations, I'm an expert at gas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've always had a love affair with beans -- especially on Super Bowl Sunday. Those legendary Hamm's Scam (you think we're serving great beer, but it's really just Hamm's) parties of the past featuring deep fried chicken strips or wings plus a pot of home-cooked beans may be history for me now -- but they will never be forgotten.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My most recent goal has been trying to recreate one of my favorite canned bean dishes: Ranch Style Beans. Although there's a pretty good copycat recipe on a blog called <a href="http://www.homesicktexan.com/2010/03/ranch-style-beans-recipe.html" target="_blank">Homesick Texan</a>, it wasn't quite what I was looking for. It was close, but it was missing a key ingredient and I wasn't quite sure what.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2boFcoNbVGGiY0v5-83MO_epktufb0uNwuz-8rv0w7pkATa3qoOjPGn4pfmFLl16sS5WtdqGqUDqprJ_UT1_7KJRp9GUieSyNDaHqKYGl5GsasyEeeLQg9HlQHS07dHmtruAdAXkzVE/s1600/P1080537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2boFcoNbVGGiY0v5-83MO_epktufb0uNwuz-8rv0w7pkATa3qoOjPGn4pfmFLl16sS5WtdqGqUDqprJ_UT1_7KJRp9GUieSyNDaHqKYGl5GsasyEeeLQg9HlQHS07dHmtruAdAXkzVE/s320/P1080537.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Must Have" Ingredient</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm not here to tell you today that the recipe I've stumbled upon is by any means perfect. But it's a pretty good imitation in my fair opinion. To be honest and fair, it's not the healthiest meal on the planet. Which means you shouldn't be serving yourself this creation every week or every month for that matter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But for special occasions like Super Bowl Sunday? When you really don't give darn about the two teams in the big game? And the team you do root for is coming off a pathetically bad two win season? This makes for a good meal. And helps erase the pain of a 14-loss season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Ranch Style Beans Copycat Recipe</u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Three pieces of thick cut bacon (I usually get the peppered or honey-cured bacon from meat counter at Raley's or Bel-Air.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1-3 cups of Pinto beans (soaked overnight)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 teaspoons chili powder</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 teaspoons ground cumin</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 teaspoons dried oregano</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 teaspoons cocoa</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1-2 teaspoons garlic salt</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 12-ounce can tomato juice</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 32-ounce container beef broth, plus 3-4 additional cups as needed</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Directions:</b> Cut three pieces of bacon in half and fry in a skillet over medium-low heat until well browned. Remove bacon to drain and cool and pour bacon fat into the pot you will be using to cook your beans. Add container of beef broth, plus two additional cups of beef broth, leaving two in reserve. Add tomato juice, chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, cocoa and garlic salt.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rinse soaked beans and add them to pot. Place cooked and cooled bacon into a food processor or blender and chop into fine bits. Scrape bacon into pot and bring to a solid boil. Reduce heat to a slow roil. Cook beans at a low heat, stirring every 30 minutes, until tender. Beans should be ready in about 3.5 hours, but may need additional cooking to completely soften. Test taste and add additional garlic salt if needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Enjoy!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-28093331426525164222016-06-27T20:22:00.001-07:002016-11-01T17:08:55.627-07:00Henrí the Peach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Si3g7yumrKIBbFKr9OwJ5LGnD8EDHo23QU7rET8iD5iI2Xd0XEfjeZ5Wj3Y3S3zv8uO3b33VfPXqBhpnFnUdpV3Q7bb8VpiE0_VL-Rp1rq1TLQkhVSLkSx2w6c1MTxq20R7x5LD-bA8/s1600/P1080188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Si3g7yumrKIBbFKr9OwJ5LGnD8EDHo23QU7rET8iD5iI2Xd0XEfjeZ5Wj3Y3S3zv8uO3b33VfPXqBhpnFnUdpV3Q7bb8VpiE0_VL-Rp1rq1TLQkhVSLkSx2w6c1MTxq20R7x5LD-bA8/s320/P1080188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a small corner of a treed
city, paradise bloomed. It was one of those carefully tended gardens where
honeybees nourished themselves on a never ending supply of pollen from a
various supply of delicious sources, and where migrating Monarch butterflies,
dragonflies and hummingbird moths stopped off to dance and play among an
assortment of brightly colored blooms.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A tree grew near the center of
this glorious landscape. It stood near the top of a gently sloping ridge. Its
branches spread over and provided shade for the myriad of wildflowers and
insects below. But this was no ordinary tree. This was the territory of Henrí the
Peach. And there was no finer peach tree in the land than Henrí (pronounced "Ahn-Rhee").</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí fancied himself to be
French in origin, but he had been planted at that spot for so long that nobody
really knew. He had heard someone remark at one point during his life that all
peach trees hailed from France, which really wasn’t the truth, but Henrí the
Peach fancied himself as the finest French peach in the land.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZejAb9Pi9Y6BQIAoh3MRSWMXkj0nnR38MVFYMklMw4yznxrweemvRoU5Wg949UjeMObt0HJ5-MMIIVcDMrg31SC_e6pWDFeLgpFPqBH_eCM2Qbdp6hTWDjnwdaO-MIY3M25l5oMyfBQ/s1600/P1030317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZejAb9Pi9Y6BQIAoh3MRSWMXkj0nnR38MVFYMklMw4yznxrweemvRoU5Wg949UjeMObt0HJ5-MMIIVcDMrg31SC_e6pWDFeLgpFPqBH_eCM2Qbdp6hTWDjnwdaO-MIY3M25l5oMyfBQ/s320/P1030317.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He would greet visitors to his
garden with a healthy <i>“Bonjour.”</i>
Which was inevitably followed by <i>“Je
m'appelle, Henrí”</i> (Hello, my name is Henry). <i>“Comment vous appelezvous?”</i> (What is your name?). His accent, if
you could hear a peach tree speak the French language that is, bordered on the
comical Pepé Le Pew, a fictional character from the Warner Brothers Looney
Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of this, of course, was
rather ridiculous. But Henrí had his share of fans and visitors in the paradise
that had been created just for him. You see, Henrí was more than just a fine
specimen of a peach tree. Henrí produced the finest peaches anyone had ever
seen or tasted. Nobody was quite sure what variety they were, but he shared his
bounty willingly every summer from the dozens who came to sample his delicious
yellow freestone juice and texture.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s safe to say that Henrí wasn’t
just a peach tree. Henrí was the finest and most extraordinary peach that
anyone had ever tasted. His fruit went into a myriad of creations, including
pies, cobblers, jams, jellies, salsas, spreads and any concoction that fans
could dream of. Fruit tree growers from far and wide came every year to clip
branches and twigs from his wide canopy, which would be propagated with other
peach trees that grew nearby in the countryside. Everybody loved Henrí. And Henrí
loved them.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rCGmVG3A_RIBDn062eKbgFddz2vCh0dReoHvYFnEviJzthdkZu29sJIIlz5632OO98dxQVNr8DECxvfp92O_D16YyeyFcR53vA2QDSIl7RwxdA5llYLRs9kemJMdq9xVGwLR-qH_Qj4/s1600/P1060655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rCGmVG3A_RIBDn062eKbgFddz2vCh0dReoHvYFnEviJzthdkZu29sJIIlz5632OO98dxQVNr8DECxvfp92O_D16YyeyFcR53vA2QDSIl7RwxdA5llYLRs9kemJMdq9xVGwLR-qH_Qj4/s320/P1060655.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí the Peach was as happy as a
peach tree could possibly be. But it’s not just because Henrí was loved by so
many. Yes, that was important. But more important than anything else was, Henrí
was in love himself. His love, which he saw nearly every day, tended the garden
in which Henrí grew. And, although this garden was wide and diverse, she
devoted most of her attention to Henrí.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He received more attention and
care than any peach tree ever should. She made sure that Henrí always had a
plentiful supply of water. The food and nutrients that Henrí consumed on a
daily basis had been lovingly worked into the soil around his root system. Henrí
was never one to want anything. Yearly applications of sprays and herbicides
kept bugs and disease at bay. The minerals Henrí received created a strong and
vibrant root system. The water that Henrí received was the finest in the land,
originating from crystal clear streams that started in the high country and
weaved their way to his garden.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s safe to say that Henrí led
the charmed life – or as charmed as any peach tree could possibly imagine. His
love not only made sure he was well fed and protected; she would at times sit
underneath his impressive canopy and lean against the strong and powerful trunk
that she had helped to create and nourish. It is here where she would whisper
her love to Henrí and even sing his favorite songs.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOM56BSACD0-ZnujIWMxS0YNG-abdnoEwYjyIipSlr4ohPp3-GgZXEy8Xd_qZ09buNoFS5_p1dK_xNJhO3NZJvSXFxqdte8KhUQLCnBm3X8zCMH4Ls9W3l-6ovJ_ZY6dNXU9yjMHqi0/s1600/P1060656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOM56BSACD0-ZnujIWMxS0YNG-abdnoEwYjyIipSlr4ohPp3-GgZXEy8Xd_qZ09buNoFS5_p1dK_xNJhO3NZJvSXFxqdte8KhUQLCnBm3X8zCMH4Ls9W3l-6ovJ_ZY6dNXU9yjMHqi0/s320/P1060656.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí would fancy that he could
bend his powerful branches around her and protect her from any harm or disease
that might strike in her direction. His heart, if peach trees had such a thing,
sung with joy in her presence. <i>“Je veux
être avec toi,”</i> he would whisper to his love (I want to be with you). Henrí
was as happy as any peach tree could possibly be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is one reason why Henrí
would reward his love with the finest peaches in the land. The mother of his
love would sometimes stop off to visit during the August harvest season. Mrs. Willoughby
came for a purpose. Mrs. Willoughby’s pies were the stuff of legend. Nobody
baked a pie like Mrs. Willoughby. Nobody produced fresh peaches like Henrí the
Peach. Combined, the two produced a magical pie creation that would bring
joyous tears to the eyes of anyone who tasted near perfection.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was during this point in his
life where an excited Mrs. Willoughby visited the home of her daughter with the
most exciting of news. Although Henrí couldn’t overhear exactly what the two
were sharing with one another, he knew it involved him in some way. Henrí
noticed that Mrs. Willoughby clutched something very bright and shiny in one
hand as she moved in his direction and proceeded to pin the shiny object on one
his outstretched branches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQzm0Fr_uKXwL6sq7-ZfYJkqvCGAGW3XPf84DqmQvQfRvZiYU2PD3u6dFkuZOaledWhFcUAnCjVjmLM8zf4spTMQJ8gsMr5fM0xHqETX5nmG3Al4MyPcGMkUkBiNQFFjl4p9iIUsBllc/s1600/summers-best-peach-pie-34738-ss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQzm0Fr_uKXwL6sq7-ZfYJkqvCGAGW3XPf84DqmQvQfRvZiYU2PD3u6dFkuZOaledWhFcUAnCjVjmLM8zf4spTMQJ8gsMr5fM0xHqETX5nmG3Al4MyPcGMkUkBiNQFFjl4p9iIUsBllc/s320/summers-best-peach-pie-34738-ss.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As Henrí would come to learn from
the excitement shared between his love and Mrs. Willoughby, pies she created
featuring his peaches had captured first prize at the local county fair. The
reward for Henrí was a shiny first place ribbon and even more love and
adoration from those who prized his peaches. It was proof positive that Henrí
produced only the finest peaches in the land. He could not have been happier.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life continued much like this for
Henrí for as long as he could remember. <i>“La
vie ne pouvait pas être plus parfait,”</i> he would whisper to his love during
those warm summer nights (Life could not be more perfect). But as Henrí the
Peach was soon to learn, life does change, and sometimes it doesn’t always
change for the better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first inkling that something
was wrong in the life of his love came during the fall, when Henrí was
beginning to shed his impressive summer foliage and preparing for his long
winter sleep. He noticed his love standing on the porch of his garden. What
seemed like raindrops fell from her eyes. Henrí beckoned his love to move
closer. He wished to comfort her and wipe away her tears. But despite his
repeated calls, his love stood on the porch of the garden and cried like he had
never seen her cry before.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepCiKeVxpPQm7RaPbynRa4YBfuyCRfEuqaWVaWmFdqBG_kvFvzXCSsJnhzTsUeolYE3qw-q9iIeRkCm7nztj81Y-H2zwY_JUS7xvOSrrN1y0J-dpKxZ8ej-xdGgaVbVqKPjAPinWOSP0/s1600/P1040255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepCiKeVxpPQm7RaPbynRa4YBfuyCRfEuqaWVaWmFdqBG_kvFvzXCSsJnhzTsUeolYE3qw-q9iIeRkCm7nztj81Y-H2zwY_JUS7xvOSrrN1y0J-dpKxZ8ej-xdGgaVbVqKPjAPinWOSP0/s320/P1040255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí did his best to stay awake
and stave off the long winter slumber that so desperately called to him. But,
eventually, time and the gray skies of the winter season caught up to him. Henrí
fell into a deep winter slumber that all peach trees need to rest and recharge
themselves for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. All the while, he
noticed his love standing at the porch and staring at him with a sadness he did
not understand, nor could he possibly comprehend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It wasn’t until Henrí awoke next
spring did he finally begin to understand the events that had taken place the
previous year. The migrating warblers that perched on his branches informed him
that the mother of his love and the creator of those wonderful, lip-smacking
pies had passed. It was cancer they told him and Mrs. Willoughby slowly slipped
from this world while his love, powerless to stop what was happening, watched
and grieved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">His first reaction of course was
to reach out to his love to provide the comfort and understanding that only Henrí
the Peach could provide. They had been through so much together; he and his
love, and he vowed that they would make it through this. But fate had other
plans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWHTxqIsq-247S0yEHqhFhDM-fSWAdGItSdxM7gN7xI4iY2NibbRmoQ0fKYvZfbJkb2qy-C4jVLxHvq16aZXTK8iFk7gfKaPpD8Pqcmj-_SqdoKze0BfEV3pEDW4v5ajv6D_-6_qsFn8/s1600/P1050298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWHTxqIsq-247S0yEHqhFhDM-fSWAdGItSdxM7gN7xI4iY2NibbRmoQ0fKYvZfbJkb2qy-C4jVLxHvq16aZXTK8iFk7gfKaPpD8Pqcmj-_SqdoKze0BfEV3pEDW4v5ajv6D_-6_qsFn8/s320/P1050298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It started slowly at first, but
as time passed, Henrí noticed that his love spent fewer and fewer hours in the
garden they shared together. The wildflowers that once grew in abundance weren’t
as numerous as they had been in previous years. Honeybees and other insects
would soon migrate to other nearby areas. The water that had once been applied
in abundance no longer flowed. The minerals that sustained Henrí through the
growth spurt every spring season did not get applied. Worse yet, Henrí the Peach
had developed a nasty case of peach leaf curl. Though it would not affect fruit
production, it wasn’t long before Henrí went from beautiful specimen to
downright ugly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí, of course, noticed the
change immediately. During the windy season that normally came every March, he
allowed his branches to whip around too and fro, in hopes of getting the
attention of his love. But Henrí would soon come to realize that he didn’t see
his love nearly as much as he once did. She didn’t visit like she once did. She
no longer applied her love in a tender way. The long conversations he enjoyed became
fewer and fewer. Worse yet, his lover no longer sang to him in that silky,
beautiful way she once had.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmRo6jHu99C7zDgJIOylRj8Swckz6XyuCEqVvSjheyo9n9bJqrwLlRL9geEll-_VzDIo8cgQCroAapJXfLji2Glo1we9hyphenhyphen5FYBqjfo-k6nDLZaujF-qEUzaCU1Q6bNWUIoqH4K-AqJJU/s1600/P1080182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmRo6jHu99C7zDgJIOylRj8Swckz6XyuCEqVvSjheyo9n9bJqrwLlRL9geEll-_VzDIo8cgQCroAapJXfLji2Glo1we9hyphenhyphen5FYBqjfo-k6nDLZaujF-qEUzaCU1Q6bNWUIoqH4K-AqJJU/s320/P1080182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí could only stand helplessly
and watch from a distance as his love would appear and then disappear just as
quickly. He would immediately call out to her <i>“Je ne comprends pas”</i> (I don’t understand). But his love did not
hear him. For peach trees cannot speak. Not even the famous Henrí the Peach.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí could not begin to
comprehend at first why his love no longer seemed to care for him. If peach
trees had such things as feelings, Henrí would have been deeply hurt. His love,
for all intensive purposes, had slowly pulled away and abandoned him. Henrí had
been left behind in a garden now overgrown with weeds and vines that sapped the
moisture he so desperately needed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As spring slowly progressed into
summer and the weather began to warm, Henrí awoke one day parched with thirst.
This was a new feeling for him. Henrí had never known want before. His love had
always attended to his every need and desire. But as his thirst grew from day
to day, he noticed that the irrigation system that once provided him with
abundant, clean, cool and crisp mountain spring water had broken down over the
winter months.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYS3rsC4ITVqcmrYAa7N6-gYm2-v2YcuA2VJbR85yPIzR5KlF4Ax2CYyqk5VPIIRarupe5cd_jzUYh0cfxMyl_N7RBWfp4U-23GtZBUxZqRu82s-gd3VFquxOhRwlaHsDrjNIt0BZQgIc/s1600/P1080183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYS3rsC4ITVqcmrYAa7N6-gYm2-v2YcuA2VJbR85yPIzR5KlF4Ax2CYyqk5VPIIRarupe5cd_jzUYh0cfxMyl_N7RBWfp4U-23GtZBUxZqRu82s-gd3VFquxOhRwlaHsDrjNIt0BZQgIc/s320/P1080183.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The ground around his impressive
canopy had gone from lush to brown, cracked and dry clay soil. Henrí had
produced an impressive crop of peaches that spring, but his dry branches now
began to bend and crack under the weight of a terrific crop. Henrí knew he
would be forced to sacrifice some of his fruit if he didn’t get water soon, but
he noticed his love didn’t seem to care about the fruit falling in worrisome
numbers to the ground below. Henrí simply could not understand. Worse yet, he
grew frustrated.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Like most lovers, Henrí wasn’t
ready to give up and move on, even though it seemed as if his love had done
exactly that. He would fight for the attention of his love, even though she now
seemed to treat him as nothing more than an afterthought. Henrí did everything
a peach tree could possibly do to gain the attention of his lover. He would
have stood on his head if a peach tree could do so. But not even Henrí the
Peach could pull something like that off.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Still, Henrí desperately wanted
to demonstrate his love and affection in the hope that his love would notice
and care for him once again. During a rare trip out to the garden, she walked
closely enough where he thought he could just reach out and caress her with a soft
branch and leaf. It would be his way of saying how much he still cared for her,
how much he missed her love and attention and how much he wanted her back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3Ctg3EGyB5TY0bs9adAsEqs-hDReOfVjXQqdvt10eEAP9XYpXzYJGzRtv4mKQ5M2fUWD9BLXhhVgkclfC_aJEPU9umyqsXj5k4Bx2E6xdkXqJJPpAv4qn4JpEuGQEM-BcZrOyV7jQsc/s1600/P1050296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3Ctg3EGyB5TY0bs9adAsEqs-hDReOfVjXQqdvt10eEAP9XYpXzYJGzRtv4mKQ5M2fUWD9BLXhhVgkclfC_aJEPU9umyqsXj5k4Bx2E6xdkXqJJPpAv4qn4JpEuGQEM-BcZrOyV7jQsc/s320/P1050296.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But Henrí didn’t realize that the
lack of care and water that season had turned his once soft and supple branches
into hardened and sharpened sticks. Instead of a caress, he managed to poke her
so hard with a sharpened branch that it tore the skin on her arm, leaving an
angry red welt. As she pulled her arm away in anger, her reaction wasn’t what
Henrí had hoped for, or the hurtful words that followed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“You stupid, ugly thing,” she
exclaimed in a nasty and angry tone that Henrí had never heard before. “I’m so
sick of you. I just can’t stand you anymore.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The words tore at his heart, had Henrí
had such a thing. Tears began to fall. Peach trees aren’t supposed to have
hearts, memories or even cry for that matter. They certainly aren’t supposed to
feel emotions like love either, but Henrí the Peach was one of those special
trees that did feel emotion and felt terrible about the pain he had caused. <i>“Je suis désolé mon amour,”</i> he exclaimed
(“I am sorry my love). But she could not hear him because peach trees cannot
speak. He only felt a great sorrow for the pain he had caused his one love in
life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time has a way of passing. His
love continued to spend less and less time in the garden. What had once brought
her happiness now seemed to only bring tears and pain. The visitors who once
fawned over him visited less and less. Henrí dealt with the loneliness and pain
of abandonment the best way he could, by delivering a crop of only the best
peaches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebAYpf_-maqoNegY4o_YYhxvbrtoRjHTSHeq8K9pp7-q6-1Mpk5xWu8zDhG39gRvuROe5xmCAZhFJLEbP6eX81_2tLMI9io8rD_1dep6fQ2CUJgjPw37YGRsfmdkfnymydfAF1CcJyRk/s1600/Tree+Ripened+June+Pride+Peaches.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebAYpf_-maqoNegY4o_YYhxvbrtoRjHTSHeq8K9pp7-q6-1Mpk5xWu8zDhG39gRvuROe5xmCAZhFJLEbP6eX81_2tLMI9io8rD_1dep6fQ2CUJgjPw37YGRsfmdkfnymydfAF1CcJyRk/s320/Tree+Ripened+June+Pride+Peaches.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He didn’t notice, of course, but
due to a lack of water and care, his peaches were much smaller than in previous
years. They were also pockmarked, bruised and beaten from numerous diseases and
pests that Henrí did his best to fight off. But when harvest time came, no one
came to visit. The peaches that were once desired by all, no longer commanded
an audience. Slowly, one by one, his peaches rotted on the branch and fell to
the cracked, brown clay soil below. There would be no more pies. There would be
no more cobbler. While Henrí could not understand why the love of his life had
changed in the way she did, he vowed to do even better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But, what Henrí failed to realize
is that his love had moved on in life. Life changes people, which can be both
good and bad. Henrí was doing his best to recapture the love, attention and
adoration he had once received. What Henrí failed to realize is that he could
only be Henrí the Peach. This wasn’t a bad thing. Henrí had spent the better
part of his life impressing those around him. But what he could not control is
change.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Change was coming. It was coming
in ways that he would not understand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As Henrí fell into his deep
winter slumber that fall, he vowed to do better. He would do his best to
conserve the rainfall that dropped over the cold winter months. He could do
without the best water. He would make do with what he received. He vowed to
fight off the pests and disease that had made such a mess of the previous year’s
crop. During the tears of sorrow and lost love that came more often now, he
vowed to do better and win back his love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjIpSVqnvyZeVayS3iTLq3xq3uLwfl94THEMB9gGn33HfREl1aj5kS9AEbLjC96n2UUm1Dfg_uLGjZdivgPOGxKov-L5tydndU4EuvzGcWHvgEuYJRc5boK0_02XTQiE54z3fD9KHjD8/s1600/w2y4m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjIpSVqnvyZeVayS3iTLq3xq3uLwfl94THEMB9gGn33HfREl1aj5kS9AEbLjC96n2UUm1Dfg_uLGjZdivgPOGxKov-L5tydndU4EuvzGcWHvgEuYJRc5boK0_02XTQiE54z3fD9KHjD8/s320/w2y4m.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When Henrí awoke that next spring
he immediately noticed a difference. The flowers, butterflies and honeybees had
returned. His watering system that had been hopelessly broken the year before
had been repaired. Most of all he noticed his love dancing about the garden
again, as happily as she had ever been.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí bloomed with a love that he
hadn’t felt for many years. His love had returned. His love once again danced
around him. The visitors who had stopped coming a year ago had returned. Henrí
felt life returning to normal. Everything was right in his world again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But what he failed to notice is
that he was sharing his space and water with another. And he slowly came to
realize that another peach tree sat patiently in a container nearby. Worse yet,
Henrí began to understand that the love who once whispered and sang her love
for him had found the love of another.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHWWMtVGFtzFfJf8Bxz5b2l7QKJzGaVVVsLGOO7sqnTH3nWIc3jYPUynI4qOuTA-09j47cL11edFlIDA6v3pGIwBUwmpwd2N8LOHxIMmPhrO6v85B96-5S0uvGHPg99Q4E-gEi6N8bkQ/s1600/P1050294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHWWMtVGFtzFfJf8Bxz5b2l7QKJzGaVVVsLGOO7sqnTH3nWIc3jYPUynI4qOuTA-09j47cL11edFlIDA6v3pGIwBUwmpwd2N8LOHxIMmPhrO6v85B96-5S0uvGHPg99Q4E-gEi6N8bkQ/s320/P1050294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Isn’t this the most beautiful
white peach you’ve ever seen,” she would croon to anyone who would listen. “White
donut peaches are the best peaches under the sun,” she would brag. It was
almost as if Henrí was invisible. Though he still dominated the garden he was
in, he was no longer the center of attention. If anything, Henrí was invisible. In the eyes of his love, he no longer mattered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">His love didn’t speak of him
much nor pay him much attention as she had in years past. But the few words he did hear were not encouraging. Henrí was “in the way” as
he would come to understand. Despite his magnificent production of years past, despite
his love for her, Henrí had been replaced. As he began to comprehend that his
love had eyes for another, the jealousy and anger began to grow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the worst injustice, at least
in the eyes of Henrí the Peach, was still to come.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The group of men with power tools
arrived in the garden one day without warning. They weren’t there for the
peaches. It was June you understand. The peaches that Henrí produced wouldn’t
ripen until August at the latest. But his rival, the white donut peach, was
already producing ripened fruit that the workers and many others had come to
sample.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Si3g7yumrKIBbFKr9OwJ5LGnD8EDHo23QU7rET8iD5iI2Xd0XEfjeZ5Wj3Y3S3zv8uO3b33VfPXqBhpnFnUdpV3Q7bb8VpiE0_VL-Rp1rq1TLQkhVSLkSx2w6c1MTxq20R7x5LD-bA8/s1600/P1080188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Si3g7yumrKIBbFKr9OwJ5LGnD8EDHo23QU7rET8iD5iI2Xd0XEfjeZ5Wj3Y3S3zv8uO3b33VfPXqBhpnFnUdpV3Q7bb8VpiE0_VL-Rp1rq1TLQkhVSLkSx2w6c1MTxq20R7x5LD-bA8/s320/P1080188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first cut is the deepest. Henrí
felt the pain but couldn’t understand what was happening to him. The loud noise
he heard blocked out just about everything. But something was happening to Henrí
the Peach that he couldn’t quite understand at first. It was only at the last
minute did he understand that the loud noise he heard was that of a chainsaw.
The pain he felt was the sharpened blade of a power saw cutting him down at the
stump.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At first he could not believe the
injustice he had been subjected too. This was his yard! This was his garden!
How could the love of his life allow this to happen? It was then that Henrí
noticed his love a short distance away, clapping with joy as he was slowly cut
down. It was then when all pretenses of the French language and origin dropped
and Henrí began to cry out in plain English: “But wait,” he silently cried! “I
am Henrí the Peach,” he exclaimed. “My peaches are award winners,” as he thrust
forward the branch that Mrs. Willoughby had pinned a first place county fair
medal on years earlier.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But what Henrí failed to realize
is that time and nature had done its damage to the first place prize ribbon
that had hung on his proud branches for so long. The wind and rain of multiple
winters had long ago washed away any wording or glitter that his award ribbon
once contained. All that remained were tattered remains of a dull and dirty
scrap of paper that nobody recognized as nothing more than trash.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rCGmVG3A_RIBDn062eKbgFddz2vCh0dReoHvYFnEviJzthdkZu29sJIIlz5632OO98dxQVNr8DECxvfp92O_D16YyeyFcR53vA2QDSIl7RwxdA5llYLRs9kemJMdq9xVGwLR-qH_Qj4/s1600/P1060655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rCGmVG3A_RIBDn062eKbgFddz2vCh0dReoHvYFnEviJzthdkZu29sJIIlz5632OO98dxQVNr8DECxvfp92O_D16YyeyFcR53vA2QDSIl7RwxdA5llYLRs9kemJMdq9xVGwLR-qH_Qj4/s320/P1060655.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The essence of Henrí barely had
time to rush into the trunk and root systems of a once proud tree that now fell
to the ground with a loud groan and crash. He watched as the men with power
tools proceeded to slice up and stack every last branch. Henrí knew his fate.
His once proud branches were stacked neatly near a fire pit in the corner of
the garden. He would be next summer’s fire pit fuel. The branches that once
produced the finest peaches in all the land, would soon roast over an open
flame.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As Henrí the Peach sunk lower
into the root system to ponder his fate, the men with power tools finished the
professional job they had started with a stump grinder. As they worked to
eradicate every last trace of Henrí, he realized that the wood chips from his
stump would serve as the compost that the fancy white donut peach would need to
not only survive, but thrive in its new setting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOM56BSACD0-ZnujIWMxS0YNG-abdnoEwYjyIipSlr4ohPp3-GgZXEy8Xd_qZ09buNoFS5_p1dK_xNJhO3NZJvSXFxqdte8KhUQLCnBm3X8zCMH4Ls9W3l-6ovJ_ZY6dNXU9yjMHqi0/s1600/P1060656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOM56BSACD0-ZnujIWMxS0YNG-abdnoEwYjyIipSlr4ohPp3-GgZXEy8Xd_qZ09buNoFS5_p1dK_xNJhO3NZJvSXFxqdte8KhUQLCnBm3X8zCMH4Ls9W3l-6ovJ_ZY6dNXU9yjMHqi0/s320/P1060656.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The men with power tools left
later that day. Dust and wood chips scattered the ground where the great Henrí
the Peach once grew. The fancy white donut peach stood in the same hole that
once contained the remains of his mighty stump – the same stump that his love
at one time leaned against as she sang her garden songs of love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí survived the initial
onslaught, but now came to fear the woman he once loved with all his heart, had
peach trees had such a thing. If he dared allowed his root system to send up
even a single leaf’s worth of growth, it was hacked into pieces and sprayed
with a substance that stung his remaining roots. Henrí knew to stay below the
surface and could only watch his love sing the praises of another. The fight to
stay alive for his love grew into a daily struggle, as the fancy white donut
peach grew to a size where it began to consume the water and nutrients that had
once been reserved for Henrí the Peach.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>THE END?</u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí isn’t sure when he died or
if he did die, but one day he realized that he was no longer in the garden that
once contained his very essence. As he slowly became aware of the conditions
around him, Henrí didn’t recognize the setting he was in nor the garden. Worse
yet, by the time Henrí did become aware of the environment around him, he would
fall into a deep slumber, only to reawaken in another strange place.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepCiKeVxpPQm7RaPbynRa4YBfuyCRfEuqaWVaWmFdqBG_kvFvzXCSsJnhzTsUeolYE3qw-q9iIeRkCm7nztj81Y-H2zwY_JUS7xvOSrrN1y0J-dpKxZ8ej-xdGgaVbVqKPjAPinWOSP0/s1600/P1040255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepCiKeVxpPQm7RaPbynRa4YBfuyCRfEuqaWVaWmFdqBG_kvFvzXCSsJnhzTsUeolYE3qw-q9iIeRkCm7nztj81Y-H2zwY_JUS7xvOSrrN1y0J-dpKxZ8ej-xdGgaVbVqKPjAPinWOSP0/s320/P1040255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At first, he could not understand
where he was. It felt like a peach tree but it wasn’t his tree. He shared it
with another or sometimes, several others. They were all peach varieties just
like Henrí, but also unlike him. After all, time may have passed, but the
peaches that Henrí bore were still unique.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí can’t remember how long it
took before he finally understood, but it must have been a period of several
years. His very essence was contained in a series of peach trees that were
planted on different farms or in different gardens. He survived in the cuttings
that growers had taken from his magnificent tree years earlier, which had been
grafted to other peach trees. Henrí was glad to discover that he had not been
forgotten. His fruit was just as prized now as it ever had been.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As for the love that sang to him
and nurtured his soul through the years, his memory had faded to the point
where he could no longer remember her name and not even her face. Henrí knew
that she never visited him again, but did remember her love with a fondness
that would never die. Because nobody ever forgets a true love or the joy and
pain that a true love can bring.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZejAb9Pi9Y6BQIAoh3MRSWMXkj0nnR38MVFYMklMw4yznxrweemvRoU5Wg949UjeMObt0HJ5-MMIIVcDMrg31SC_e6pWDFeLgpFPqBH_eCM2Qbdp6hTWDjnwdaO-MIY3M25l5oMyfBQ/s1600/P1030317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZejAb9Pi9Y6BQIAoh3MRSWMXkj0nnR38MVFYMklMw4yznxrweemvRoU5Wg949UjeMObt0HJ5-MMIIVcDMrg31SC_e6pWDFeLgpFPqBH_eCM2Qbdp6hTWDjnwdaO-MIY3M25l5oMyfBQ/s320/P1030317.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henrí could only realize that, at
one time, he was loved and he was cherished. He remembered the good times with
great relish, and tried not to dwell on the pain and tears of the past. His
only wish, had peach trees had such a thing, was to feel her caress on his
branches once again and hear her songs of love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A love like this comes but once
in a lifetime. While the tears and pain of loss did not come as often as they
once did, from time to time the old sorrow came to visit. For we all feel the
sorrow and tears for a deep love that comes to an abrupt end. That is
especially true for Henrí the Peach.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-57657784881779260492016-04-03T16:31:00.000-07:002016-04-03T16:31:12.423-07:00The Flowers of Spring<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0SYuDP-19x2s-dSnElnOcxhYgvODHrFAqWGwd9FyZ0U4N3OXVUYuDsMbTan-hHqDhGGypB9mJsY5TXD9myTURebvt41YnC0z1a_vikK0fNQFYHAdit4eVOGZ5kbGd9kUq1w7gPneP1c/s1600/P1080485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0SYuDP-19x2s-dSnElnOcxhYgvODHrFAqWGwd9FyZ0U4N3OXVUYuDsMbTan-hHqDhGGypB9mJsY5TXD9myTURebvt41YnC0z1a_vikK0fNQFYHAdit4eVOGZ5kbGd9kUq1w7gPneP1c/s320/P1080485.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Honey Crisp Apple Tree in Full Bloom</u></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"April Showers Bring May Flowers,"</b></i> my mother once crooned. She usually started screeching after a surprise rain storm wiped out whatever her youngest boy had planned for the day -- an event that was usually outside. Because, what boy wants to be stuck inside when the sun is shining outside?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank God our house had some thick walls -- because mom's singing was pretty brutal. Brutal enough to drive a boy into a garage in an attempt to find some auditory relief. Perhaps that's the way she wanted it. Perhaps I'm not giving mom enough credit...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2JLQpnn9Ch2OsUN0ycJwqSwosSV3pmWEVEskovR-39FTot0sv-iEQ0bGvwC2lKNidbp0H87EnR17lxDyh19uNMg81LokrnNRfs5l468gvqRRSWtBfTNBie9RMY2XrvoVNqv8U2spew0/s1600/P1080451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2JLQpnn9Ch2OsUN0ycJwqSwosSV3pmWEVEskovR-39FTot0sv-iEQ0bGvwC2lKNidbp0H87EnR17lxDyh19uNMg81LokrnNRfs5l468gvqRRSWtBfTNBie9RMY2XrvoVNqv8U2spew0/s320/P1080451.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Granny Smith Apple in Bloom</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Spring is special because it brings a bounty of flowers to the Bird Back 40. And, in our case, every single tiny flower brings the promise of a fruit payoff later this summer. I've come to that age (OLD), where I appreciate the finer things in life. And nothing brings greater joy than a Honey Crisp Apple tree doing it's best Granny Smith Apple imitation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2013/08/americas-first-designer-apple.html" target="_blank">This is year five for the Honey Crisp.</a> It's delivered exactly one eye-popping crop so far -- and that came in year two. The dreaded Fire Blight would strike in year three, wiping out an entire crop. And last year? Last year the Honey Crisp bloomed in exactly one spot. That's a crime, because the Honey Crisp Apple is that good.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh5U5btHYSq2pHsx6pObWUchIZGE8BDiT8ovDs5DFhyXaRtFkdiy7V9b0uzseRrWQ5RfQnKMrifmxV1yiSDB_3Bwz1BBP1pK8ax6WLvFAEvfuyzzO6n8nodBRjgy23rHZZNl5DJi2BpI/s1600/P1080465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh5U5btHYSq2pHsx6pObWUchIZGE8BDiT8ovDs5DFhyXaRtFkdiy7V9b0uzseRrWQ5RfQnKMrifmxV1yiSDB_3Bwz1BBP1pK8ax6WLvFAEvfuyzzO6n8nodBRjgy23rHZZNl5DJi2BpI/s320/P1080465.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Duke Avocado Tree in Bloom</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But this year is somewhat different. This year is somewhat exciting. The temperamental Honey Crisp is covered with blooms and honey bees. The Fuji Apple is also blooming heavily -- a first for this tree as well. And the Granny? The Granny Smith apple was meant to bloom. It always blooms. When doesn't a Granny bloom? If you're looking for a good pollinator tree, look no further than the Granny. That tree is rather ridiculous. It blooms early. It blooms mid-season. It blooms late. Even after you think the Granny is done blooming, surprise! There's another set of buttery pink blossoms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The story is pretty much the same across the Bird Back 40. The blossom period for the peaches and nectarines is just about over. The thorn less blackberry vines are in full bloom. The Shuksan strawberry plants are going to town. Even the Duke Avocado tree is covered with more blooms and bees than I can possibly count. Step anywhere near that tree and you'd swear there was a beehive hidden somewhere in there.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85HeURLHn_X_ZZzonaRKq0TCPbkYgrUjsNZP8vB_ZhwEOg8TIYDvmCmieH-BDOlUssAidLFf5mCmdq11T_w3opVUnA2AVJ3KzYKvK_rvnZN3jPNRpZnQUD_DxI5AHT3k524TjHEyLvVY/s1600/P1080469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85HeURLHn_X_ZZzonaRKq0TCPbkYgrUjsNZP8vB_ZhwEOg8TIYDvmCmieH-BDOlUssAidLFf5mCmdq11T_w3opVUnA2AVJ3KzYKvK_rvnZN3jPNRpZnQUD_DxI5AHT3k524TjHEyLvVY/s320/P1080469.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Duke Avocado Blooms</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the most surprising development isn't the surprisingly heavy crop of Royal Rainier Cherries. It's not the myriad of mandarins that are covered with a carpet of white. No -- the most surprising development was the number of blooms on the Harrow Delight Pear tree. I planted this tree three years ago. I dutifully chopped it in half to knee level to encourage low branch development. And I was told it could take 4-5 years before the Harrow Delight produced its first crop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Instead, the Harrow Delight bloomed in year three and set a nice crop of pears. This is important because I fell in love with the Harrow Delight at a <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2010/08/frutas.html" target="_blank">Dave Wilson Nursery fruit tasting event</a> held several years ago at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center. Even though the wife that is Venus were sampling a bevy of different fruits on this particular day, one item stood out among all the others. I kept going back for more. It was the Harrow Delight Pear.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvIaavvYFj8dHIar9p_V1QP9KNshTvtkXnnRXaST1BI6BDzPPxXAkCRijj3d2AjVIF2kT8SDFApcMS_60WuQcUAySJxIoD2qOPQisGEHvjc5jEhuLSwdSIi_hw-UucolIUbpFGdbKkMs/s1600/P1080461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvIaavvYFj8dHIar9p_V1QP9KNshTvtkXnnRXaST1BI6BDzPPxXAkCRijj3d2AjVIF2kT8SDFApcMS_60WuQcUAySJxIoD2qOPQisGEHvjc5jEhuLSwdSIi_hw-UucolIUbpFGdbKkMs/s320/P1080461.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Harrow Delight Pear in Bloom</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Harrow Delight is one of two varieties planted in a raised bed that are supposedly resistant to the scourge upon fruit kind known as Fire Blight. It was introduced in 1982 from the Harrow Agricultural station in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Ontario</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The Blake's Pride Pear, which is also billed as Fire Blight resistant, was developed by Richard Bell with the ARS
Appalachian Fruit Research Station in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Kearneysville</st1:city>,
<st1:state w:st="on">West Virginia in 1998.</st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><br /></st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Unfortunately, I will have to wait on the Blake's Pride as it did now flower this spring. The old-fashioned Bartlett Pear, which is not resistant to blight and is planted in the same raised bed as the other two varieties, flowered heavily this year.</st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><br /></st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAwf4pmjqE_p5HzRNuSB-TJjhQq-vVafqIuiUNdPt8gJ2xrKVPgQ-hYHljFnw0W17Ke98wOFelce2OT119NiVmjr5gV8kyRWQPH0z4rgX4yOgGFPcwuN9I2n62WL1MoXHLbesBafhvWY/s1600/P1080464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAwf4pmjqE_p5HzRNuSB-TJjhQq-vVafqIuiUNdPt8gJ2xrKVPgQ-hYHljFnw0W17Ke98wOFelce2OT119NiVmjr5gV8kyRWQPH0z4rgX4yOgGFPcwuN9I2n62WL1MoXHLbesBafhvWY/s320/P1080464.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Harrow Delight Pears</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">No sign of the dreaded blight yet this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and trying a new organic solution of water and apple cider vinegar to keep the blight at bay. I do have something stronger, BUT, I really don't like what this particular chemical did to the fruit composition last year. So it stays on the sideline.</st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><br /></st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Half the work of growing home-grown fruit takes place in the spring. Is the area clear of weeds (weeds steal water)? Has the appropriate fertilizer been applied? Is it getting enough water? Are the fruit trees protected from various ills, like blight, that can strike in the spring?</st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><br /></st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">If the answer to all four questions is "YES," congratulations. You should have a tree full of fruit. Of course, a million and one things could happen between now and harvest time that could spoil that tempting looking crop. As backyard fruit growers, this is the cross we bear.</st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><br /></st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">So -- congratulations. Springtime has arrived. The fruit trees are in full bloom. The honey bees are out in force. And, so far, mom hasn't been tempted to start crooning <i>"April Showers Bring May Flowers."</i></st1:state></st1:place></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-47750358079957894952016-03-06T13:25:00.000-08:002016-03-06T13:25:44.150-08:00Steaks in the Summer Garden<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eJptL4kog7ek5dZoSBdn5U5_YmoK1gr1Mqil90RM3JJMilnij1rZED20vTogZ_HZpx1m5lNLhUGdmHo4gTYnY6gJpMArnvdQWsDuWIW6FE7PJ_w6d3Zf1EUNePPYUqTYB07GGFIJVt0/s1600/P1080449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eJptL4kog7ek5dZoSBdn5U5_YmoK1gr1Mqil90RM3JJMilnij1rZED20vTogZ_HZpx1m5lNLhUGdmHo4gTYnY6gJpMArnvdQWsDuWIW6FE7PJ_w6d3Zf1EUNePPYUqTYB07GGFIJVt0/s320/P1080449.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Heirloom Tomato Seedlings</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We're planning to grow steaks in the Bird Back 40 summer garden this year. How about you? Can you spot the tiny steak starter plants in the photo to your right? They are right in front of your nose. They don't look all that special -- but come this summer -- hopefully the wife that is Venus will be digging into her favorite cut of prime rib.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How does one grow steaks in a garden you ask? Plant a moo-moo cow in the raised garden beds perchance? Set aside a portion of the Bird Back 40 for some moo-moo cows? They'd get along great with Lenny the Giant Maine Coon cat, wouldn't they? Probably not -- so perish the thought.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDa1-d7yNfBLKtX2kAwOWp6fZvrPBfYGJP1DB-bgZJ1i8PJivDCqCbDmnHrWc3uOJaSH0Sp0SHasnz9Z4OYAFQerqcJjy-G_tBY1zH9_YdL0wOVmjIfo_ffqvpOBZK7Ul1cy2PX6SFpMs/s1600/P1080434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDa1-d7yNfBLKtX2kAwOWp6fZvrPBfYGJP1DB-bgZJ1i8PJivDCqCbDmnHrWc3uOJaSH0Sp0SHasnz9Z4OYAFQerqcJjy-G_tBY1zH9_YdL0wOVmjIfo_ffqvpOBZK7Ul1cy2PX6SFpMs/s320/P1080434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Steak House Hybrid Tomato Seed</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No -- the steaks we're growing this year -- a first for us by the way -- are of the vegetable or fruit variety. It's called the Steak House Hybrid. It's the latest introduction from <a href="http://www.burpee.com/" target="_blank">Burpee Seed</a>, and I must warn you, it's ridiculously expensive. How expensive? Stupid expensive. As someone has to be as stupid as yours truly to lay down $7 for a packet of magic beans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes -- I will admit -- I paid $7 for Burpee's latest creation. They promised a seed packet with 25 seeds. Yet -- someone has a serious math problem in that seed operation because when the package finally did arrive, it contained a total of six or seven seeds. That's right, a buck a seed. This better be worth it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30wUibqqArMozdpv2ffJqzMAeUTPaiUS70IAZ8eYyw6FXZwQRSF0k2fCMKllf8WNfx0LDgr4wYSmhfklpv7_Qh1OHcP5ynZqW_z0Apm_ehgD7Cdj__UGpZLftedSsOipjFgKDs2OjkF4/s1600/P1080442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30wUibqqArMozdpv2ffJqzMAeUTPaiUS70IAZ8eYyw6FXZwQRSF0k2fCMKllf8WNfx0LDgr4wYSmhfklpv7_Qh1OHcP5ynZqW_z0Apm_ehgD7Cdj__UGpZLftedSsOipjFgKDs2OjkF4/s320/P1080442.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tomato Seed Selections from Tomato Growers Supply</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Burpee claims that it is. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>"</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 22px;"><b>Meet the biggest tomato ever bred," </b>the advertising claims. <b>"And it’s not just bigger but better. Tipping the scales at up to three lbs. plus, broad-shouldered tomato titan is bigger than Big Daddy, and loaded with true heirloom tomato flavor and head-spinning fragrance. Indeterminate plants produce gorgeous, humongous fruits."</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With advertising like that, who can resist? The Steak House Hybrid is one of 40-50 varieties that we're growing from seed this year. Planted two weeks ago, most of everything has sprung to life. This includes numerous peppers, which should have been planted a month earlier, but, uh, I'm late. OK, so sue me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvRcFbwsWnvSwhy3z6-ds_5IrQK1OD-pQguQftNP8VY1X3Do-kRvCc8ClN471zrqpUrg_RzHfNOjKGK3arH5KHw-7Ds2SYFtUUqo8UYSukmT4ZZ3-8A2KED6icgEzXlpZN-s68bhU6Nc/s1600/P1080431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvRcFbwsWnvSwhy3z6-ds_5IrQK1OD-pQguQftNP8VY1X3Do-kRvCc8ClN471zrqpUrg_RzHfNOjKGK3arH5KHw-7Ds2SYFtUUqo8UYSukmT4ZZ3-8A2KED6icgEzXlpZN-s68bhU6Nc/s320/P1080431.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Solar Flare Tomato Seed: Wild Boar Farms</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of these varieties are new. Some are old favorites. Every tomato garden must now include a Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, the brainchild of Brad Gates of <a href="http://www.wildboarfarms.com/" target="_blank">Wild Boar Farms</a>. If that's not a gardening law, it should be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Other old-time gardening varieties include the always amazing, but sometimes tempermental, Azochka (tastes like bacon!). Look closely and you will find a Druzba, Green Zebra, Caspian Pink and Brandywine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ah -- but the Steak House Hybrid isn't the only "meat" feature in this year's summer garden. And no summer garden is complete without other tasty summer vegetables. Nope -- you've got to have a patch of basil here and there. Peppers are a must. And who can forget about tasty eggplant?</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmC7cGCUY6oX0hPaU8gXvZWSvt_C_dHqZP3O83tEJy3urCRvU7SJvQI84B90c2b1adlI22crtRx9nbOwqSdoi7seAgZSn6WEyS13qL7lgp86cppyzbTm8wME7c0rThcTPwhUThTXcles/s1600/P1080426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmC7cGCUY6oX0hPaU8gXvZWSvt_C_dHqZP3O83tEJy3urCRvU7SJvQI84B90c2b1adlI22crtRx9nbOwqSdoi7seAgZSn6WEyS13qL7lgp86cppyzbTm8wME7c0rThcTPwhUThTXcles/s320/P1080426.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Seed Starting Station</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So -- it's not just steaks -- but meatballs as well. This is yet another Burpee selection -- an eggplant they like to call "Meatball." So -- what's so special about "Meatball?" I have absolutely no clue. This is the first time I've grown it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But if you were to believe the fine folks at Burpee: <b>"Meet the mightiest, meatiest eggplant ever. Imagine fresh, home-grown, vine-ripened MEAT! That's Meatball."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do you believe them? Meh -- me too. We'll see what happens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our "seed rack" contains about 140 starter plants this year. That represents the most we've ever started from seed. Can we fit 140 starter plants into the Bird Back 40? Only if I knock down the neighbor's fence and take over his backyard -- something he probably wouldn't like.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytDnsJfBYYXD1187KjHs9ddzAGUG9bprB6qkLG7DwxtlVugM_AgWNOssHKtE1Ab3YMwvb95kjglN2-jqL4-yvX7NkHxvKll-ATrEZSihuVxTwPhLeaUh-OFec5z-npi8VdlFBvXe42EU/s1600/P1080438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytDnsJfBYYXD1187KjHs9ddzAGUG9bprB6qkLG7DwxtlVugM_AgWNOssHKtE1Ab3YMwvb95kjglN2-jqL4-yvX7NkHxvKll-ATrEZSihuVxTwPhLeaUh-OFec5z-npi8VdlFBvXe42EU/s320/P1080438.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But, starting too many plants is a tradition here. Besides, they always do find a home. If not in our garden, somewhere else. I mean, look, who can pass on a tomato named after a STEAK and even the hardiest eggplant hater would pause at something called a MEATBALL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's 2016 in the Bird Back 40. The carnivores are taking over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>2016 TOMATO VARIETIES (PARTIAL LIST):</u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Azoychka</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Big Pink</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Black</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Black Krim</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on">Campbell</st1:place>’s
1327</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Carbon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cascade Lava</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Caspian Pink</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chapman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Genuine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Green Tie Dye</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Green Zebra</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Italian Sweet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lemon Boy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marisol Purple</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mint Julep</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oaxacan Jewel</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pink <st1:place w:st="on">Berkeley</st1:place>
Tie Dye</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pink Boar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pork Chop</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rosalita</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">San Marzano</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Siletz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sky Reacher</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Solar Flare</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sweet 100</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>2016 BASIL VARIETIES:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dark Opal</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Genovese</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Large Leaf</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lemon</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Siam</st1:country-region></st1:place>
Queen</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-22524934756831538102016-02-05T13:41:00.000-08:002016-02-05T13:43:27.128-08:00Chillax Dude!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LbWmR7M68oGbF9ATTHTZRMMBc3DsaMQYgvVkWicw56rJmXIUv00zPhzpf4C6_o_2a1x5xPRIUjHsf9HfBzNEqhGzqUc1bW8smnO5yjw03ILZOATywIWCq8vGu5lO0oWsQBUDiikAX_Y/s1600/P1080418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LbWmR7M68oGbF9ATTHTZRMMBc3DsaMQYgvVkWicw56rJmXIUv00zPhzpf4C6_o_2a1x5xPRIUjHsf9HfBzNEqhGzqUc1bW8smnO5yjw03ILZOATywIWCq8vGu5lO0oWsQBUDiikAX_Y/s320/P1080418.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pride Peach Tree-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Chill! Chill out dude! Take a chill pill! Dude, just chill for a minute, will you?</i> It was the "cool" word of the day -- way back in the day when I was a young man. Back when horse drawn carriages plied pretty red brick lined streets of Old Sacramento, and...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh, who am I kidding. I'm old, yes. But ancient? Only in the eyes of someone half my age, say 26 or 27? But, seriously, I can remember this word. I can remember it because my friends and I used it often. Usually, we called upon the magic word to stop our friends from saying or doing something rather foolish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or, perhaps they'd already done something foolish. Like -- trying to appeal a member of the opposite sex by complimenting her on that very pretty undergarment she was wearing at that particular moment. At that point, we had to rush him off and drag the offender away from the highly-offended member of the opposite sex, while muttering the entire time, <i><b>"yo, dude, major error on your part! Just chill for a minute."</b></i></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7qv-p8nkQgRD4hmQhw1E04pEkEf0_CSVBh37_C39-keoIarAcvY3UFnu8L7WX1w15IB8_muklBTTEvrJu5WYwPoYQSKUpShvWSmLlsylu7O022pi4zVcke2wdMX0xEDHvRqwena6lks/s1600/P1080416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7qv-p8nkQgRD4hmQhw1E04pEkEf0_CSVBh37_C39-keoIarAcvY3UFnu8L7WX1w15IB8_muklBTTEvrJu5WYwPoYQSKUpShvWSmLlsylu7O022pi4zVcke2wdMX0xEDHvRqwena6lks/s320/P1080416.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eva's Pride Peach</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I sometimes wonder how teenage boys survive to become men. But I digress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those precocious teenage years are but a distant and now blurry dot on that rear view mirror we call life. I'm older now. With age comes the rewards of crankiness, grouchiness, grumpiness and a somewhat disturbing loss of bowel control. <b>Win!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But -- not everything changes. I'm still using that cool word we call "chill." Only now it has an entirely different, but still very important, meaning. Those of us who grow all sorts of delicious fruit for fun or profit also know the importance behind the magic word of "chill." But it's not "chill out dude," it's more like "check the chill hours, dude."</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_uK2euK3nxUW_16U2xwvN0gOM0j7VbNsFxOLsAGS7xvwMzrgWcQ0TQ9MjvmVUJZUrrywRUK6LHr1-QaGema4Y0azpWsaaBzoXLSgZ9jXobtCaRHLlyh1565S3HdW-XQixciFE18fZlw/s1600/P1080410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_uK2euK3nxUW_16U2xwvN0gOM0j7VbNsFxOLsAGS7xvwMzrgWcQ0TQ9MjvmVUJZUrrywRUK6LHr1-QaGema4Y0azpWsaaBzoXLSgZ9jXobtCaRHLlyh1565S3HdW-XQixciFE18fZlw/s320/P1080410.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Honeycrisp Apple-Requires 800 Chill Hours</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What are chill hours and why are they so important? Are you really <i><u>that</u></i> bored with life that you want to learn? Become a nerd like yours truly? Then, you're in luck. Because I am always willing to share the nerd germ with anyone who wants it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sleep is an important factor in our lives. Most of us don't get enough of it and yearn for more when that damn alarm starts going off, or the Maine Coon cat starts using a baseball bat against the sliding glass door. But it's not just important for people and pets. Fruit trees need a nap too -- and a long one at that.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In some ways fruit trees are a lot like that child that will not accept an 8:00 PM bedtime. They'll cry, they'll moan, they'll complain. And then -- after all that -- comes the fun of a childhood tantrum. Fruit trees follow much the same behavior. They will stubbornly stay awake until that very last possible moment and will resist the urge to lose every last leaf and fall into a deep, winter slumber.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvpqcMedt_bz-Tzb2naHnC9KLzLjUmNqDlWbTfg3dxPahS-rJkvnmvqGtFqx5UXPIWzSgScX3Tl_fm5oT8W8lOBypTbUqPLJkD8hblchjeB8KmZsYxpTOTM0LLRzeDjd3H15BWAN5wIk/s1600/P1080412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvpqcMedt_bz-Tzb2naHnC9KLzLjUmNqDlWbTfg3dxPahS-rJkvnmvqGtFqx5UXPIWzSgScX3Tl_fm5oT8W8lOBypTbUqPLJkD8hblchjeB8KmZsYxpTOTM0LLRzeDjd3H15BWAN5wIk/s320/P1080412.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Harrow Delight Pear-Requires 800 Chill Hours</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These are the chill hours I speak of. I've come to discover, through trial and error, that they are vitally important to the health of next summer's crop. Because a fruit tree that doesn't get enough chill hours is just as cranky as that child who stayed up far too long past that 8:00 PM mandatory bedtime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ah -- but not all fruit trees are created equal. That Pride Peach collection pictured above and now coming into bloom has a far different chill requirement than the Black Tartarian Cherry tree planted nearby. Some fruit trees require a lot of chill hours. Some, not as much. That's why it's always best to check the chill hour requirement <i>BEFORE</i> you make that fruit tree or bush purchase. Chill hour requirements are just as important as the gardening zones that determine what type of and when vegetables should be planted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The current drought that I hope and pray will come to a speedy end this winter means more than just a lack of water for fruit tree growers. When the rain stops falling and the storms move way, it tends to start warming up. And when it warms up early as it has for the past two to three years, fruit trees that require a lot of chill hours tend to suffer a great deal.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWeChI7fSLNK8CdR1xmidhXsuwiCQPPmk4rZaELnuHzLPX6yVt6uB2DKIwLb9p39_sWKDzgaL5GFJhpGIyJtHzVITailuHURmn17ficynqXwj1SP4j0oxVWifuArSnmdmf4ChYrreVUg/s1600/P1080423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWeChI7fSLNK8CdR1xmidhXsuwiCQPPmk4rZaELnuHzLPX6yVt6uB2DKIwLb9p39_sWKDzgaL5GFJhpGIyJtHzVITailuHURmn17ficynqXwj1SP4j0oxVWifuArSnmdmf4ChYrreVUg/s320/P1080423.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black Tartarian Cherry-800 Chill Hours</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Something simple like a lack of chill hours can result in a reduced harvest or no harvest at all. This is why prices for fresh cherries have been so high in some parts of the country. If that Black Tartarian cherry tree doesn't get the required 800 chill hours of slumber, it doesn't matter how much water or fertilizer it gets during the spring and summer months. It's just not going to produce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've learned the same hard lesson about other fruit trees that have long chill hour requirements -- like the best apple on God's Green Earth: The Honeycrisp Apple. If the Honeycrisp doesn't get that 800 hour chill hour nap during the winter, much like the Black Tartarian cherry, production is going to suffer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's not just production that can suffer. Sometimes a fruit tree that doesn't get enough chill hours will produce a lot of fruit. But that fruit will often be smaller, and in the case of last year's June Pride peach crop, lumpier. Lumpy peaches don't look appealing. They don't taste all that grand either.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEior2g-hLPTLVFVmRyumkydoP6hi4B29eURIcwchQleq0r0MVT-2udZlM7I8PwHpOMpmzzGp5foAc2H0QnKUanF2zTvAlG2Wt6HJTYvDcy2PERVjnnCEnM2KM5KSbAsXAZSx6EexvkwK-M/s1600/P1080420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEior2g-hLPTLVFVmRyumkydoP6hi4B29eURIcwchQleq0r0MVT-2udZlM7I8PwHpOMpmzzGp5foAc2H0QnKUanF2zTvAlG2Wt6HJTYvDcy2PERVjnnCEnM2KM5KSbAsXAZSx6EexvkwK-M/s320/P1080420.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Royal Rosa Apricot Preparing to Flower</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Commercial growers long ago learned the secret behind and the importance of chill hours. That's why the fine folks at the UC Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information Division long ago developed a very handy and dandy <a href="http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/Weather_Services/chilling_accumulation_models/Chill_Calculators/" target="_blank">chill calculator page</a>. By clicking on this page you can see the chill hours that are taking place in every county of California, and more importantly, the chill hours in your very own backyard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The nearest chill hour station to the Bird Back 40 is just over the Yolo County line, near Woodland. Like the true fruit nerd that I am -- I visit this page often during the all important winter months. The chill hours ranging between a high of 45 degrees and a low of 32 are the most important statistic. The Bird Back 40 is up to nearly 700 chill hours as I write this -- and that is the cause for a very wide smile on my part. I haven't seen this type of cold weather treatment for awhile and fruit production has suffered.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0tgwYD82Fv9naO988dcNX7O2GmRF-iXpc53gxIn93WoHNtcsURPzrkCQGzW9REHdPMhOIXb1L8pX1jNAUOODE9a9Zhqu_pRIuyumOx7D_tIKYUibDtHkQX94v6hiB_Vsupn9mo2lbBc/s1600/P1080419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0tgwYD82Fv9naO988dcNX7O2GmRF-iXpc53gxIn93WoHNtcsURPzrkCQGzW9REHdPMhOIXb1L8pX1jNAUOODE9a9Zhqu_pRIuyumOx7D_tIKYUibDtHkQX94v6hiB_Vsupn9mo2lbBc/s320/P1080419.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>5-in-1 Apricot Tree</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although most Sacramento County locations normally average about 1,000 chill hours during most years -- the last two winters have been anything but normal. It didn't rain or snow a lot -- and it didn't stay cold for nearly long enough. Our chill hours suffered. Instead of the expected and hoped for average of 1,000 chill hours -- some areas received less than 600. Fruit trees flowered weeks earlier than expected and production suffered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Short and sweet, there is absolutely nothing a grower can do if Mother Nature doesn't deliver on some extended cold weather. A lack of chill hours impacts just about every fresh fruit variety grown around here, from apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, pears and even grapes. Think that might impact the price of your favorite variety of wine in two to three years? It might.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Redwood Barn Nursery owner Don Shor recently wrote an impressive article on the <a href="http://www.davisenterprise.com/features/gardening/trouble-ahead-for-fruit-trees/" target="_blank">tremendous importance of chill hours</a> in the Davis Enterprise. He predicted that the 2015 fresh fruit year might be a bad one. For the most part, he was right on the money.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSV0Zz9tIWoq3X2DtVc9C7M6j_rY6vmfIHfDPxne_x29WOJgWbmkeq1yPDytWsOMHuH8GCosRzK8WhD6nh19eQl9nVviTXcggx1if55SV3n40x3LywcEiVWZeDuzH0kejus7s8ij_5SCE/s1600/P1080422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSV0Zz9tIWoq3X2DtVc9C7M6j_rY6vmfIHfDPxne_x29WOJgWbmkeq1yPDytWsOMHuH8GCosRzK8WhD6nh19eQl9nVviTXcggx1if55SV3n40x3LywcEiVWZeDuzH0kejus7s8ij_5SCE/s320/P1080422.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>June Pride Peach Tree</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What will 2016 bring us? That's a good question. The jury is still out. If the weather warms up and the storms stay away like they have for the past two to three years, most fruit tree owners are, in a word, screwed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If there is a silver lining, it's this. We are off to a very good start as far as chill hours are concerned. December started off with and ended with a cold winter's blast. January conditions were nearly as good. The $64 question is, what will February bring?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, sit back and chill out dude. Chillax for a moment. My Black Tartarian cherry tree will thank you.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-56097011206657907352016-01-16T12:01:00.001-08:002016-01-16T12:02:52.980-08:00Good Night Sweet Charlotte<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJN3gHJArDWCpRmgHurWqqRmmvWcXIE-QXQR3mUwUv4RaR4RY5C4OkWuIIpqju-y2DWCBqEX1S-cAWl9wc1K_wJVys_EJwfkMiAcZj6sZVFOY106kdy7ljF7qlnOkMSMXjeZ67i99mEE/s1600/After.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJN3gHJArDWCpRmgHurWqqRmmvWcXIE-QXQR3mUwUv4RaR4RY5C4OkWuIIpqju-y2DWCBqEX1S-cAWl9wc1K_wJVys_EJwfkMiAcZj6sZVFOY106kdy7ljF7qlnOkMSMXjeZ67i99mEE/s320/After.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flavor Finale Pluot Tree-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a serious hair cut. We all get them from time to time. In this particular case and this particular year -- the famed and favored Flavor Finale Pluot got the "big chop" as they say in fruit growing circles. What had been a mighty fine looking large and wonderfully productive tree now resembles an outdoor houseplant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope you didn't think I was talking about myself. It's been a few years since I had enough hair on my own head to qualify for a "big chop." Now, the instructions to the barber are more like, "can't you cover up that big bald spot at the top of my head?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Barbers can work wonders. But they can't make hair grow where it once grew in abundance.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiJ6UnI-Fi1aRoqRa9WJZShs-nHWraf20Edcu1Q_lAtNQJqtk5CnNq9caCHmZVxesAobV76lRDD_r1bPnO__erPjODQNQJHQ-p2ZNhLo8sWjgIGLQT-5WLXeQki4MqDKKneqxp_T2BeE/s1600/Before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiJ6UnI-Fi1aRoqRa9WJZShs-nHWraf20Edcu1Q_lAtNQJqtk5CnNq9caCHmZVxesAobV76lRDD_r1bPnO__erPjODQNQJHQ-p2ZNhLo8sWjgIGLQT-5WLXeQki4MqDKKneqxp_T2BeE/s320/Before.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flavor Finale Tree Before Haircut</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although my own hair won't be growing back anytime soon -- I have no doubt that the Flavor Finale Pluot <i>WILL</i> spring back to life when it wakes up from its long winter nap in a couple of months. Why on God's Green Earth did I cut this tree so far back to size? It's my own fault, really.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">See, I'm a glutton for pluots. I have been since I tasted my first one many moons ago during a former lifetime in Fresno. They were -- and still are -- amazing. I couldn't get enough of them back in the day -- which is why I set out several years ago to grow my own. I figured that -- with my own tree -- I would finally get more pluots than I bargained for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It took awhile -- about six years of growth and tender care. That first big crop that I'd dreamed up finally showed up two seasons ago. It nearly broke several branches on the tree -- but not quite. I should have learned my lesson then -- but didn't. I wasn't expecting the gigantic crop that finally appeared last season.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsO-9Oe9CK4-yohHYrwPKTEfNukdCMbMWbZE8ulN5cf6cCH9vBDgCYkUIx9xcWRFx7M-4AdQ9C57HnPDBqd3I4pexeOVHzBtZZ0cBx-ysDMcimA8IeadmN6Vz0oxycR0J6gVIFR63QnQ/s1600/P1080393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsO-9Oe9CK4-yohHYrwPKTEfNukdCMbMWbZE8ulN5cf6cCH9vBDgCYkUIx9xcWRFx7M-4AdQ9C57HnPDBqd3I4pexeOVHzBtZZ0cBx-ysDMcimA8IeadmN6Vz0oxycR0J6gVIFR63QnQ/s320/P1080393.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Busted Branches</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It appears the tree wasn't ready for it either.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The "damage" (if you want to call it that) started to show up in late summer about a month before Flavor Finale crop was due to ripen. Those strong branches suddenly laden with fruit didn't seem so strong and sturdy with hundreds of pounds of juicy pluots attached to them. I watched, rather hopelessly I might add, as those branches slowly sank under the weight of a terrific crop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can handle one branch loaded with fruit. The same goes with two. But when EVERY branch on the tree suddenly begins to bend in an alarming, downward fashion, you can guess what happened next. Much like a rice krispies treat, my Flavor Finale suffered a <b>"snap, crackle, pop"</b> treatment of one broken branch after another. And if the branch didn't snap in two, it bent so low that it eventually hit the ground.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1aCkyF4NW2g7RN96xrDXS5hZ_s52NDEdJJuYIw4ls8FpLEAFooY2NKl9ywHY2IwRpxU6D8FbALUCbgiGYXkXQZA6wiPQ1Mzqux9794tll8ENey-b0pxE3vjqr6xPNodKKIGBakqnj80/s1600/P1080402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1aCkyF4NW2g7RN96xrDXS5hZ_s52NDEdJJuYIw4ls8FpLEAFooY2NKl9ywHY2IwRpxU6D8FbALUCbgiGYXkXQZA6wiPQ1Mzqux9794tll8ENey-b0pxE3vjqr6xPNodKKIGBakqnj80/s320/P1080402.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pluot Limbs Removed During Haircut</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This wasn't what I was expecting. But I should have known better. Because it's exactly what I got.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pretty soon, my pretty and well trimmed Flavor Finale tree resembled some sort of failed bush. The wife swears it actually fell over at one point. A visual inspection would reveal that the tree was still standing tall alright. It's just another branch had busted under the weight of a terrific crop. And then another followed by yet another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I won't lie to you. Last year's harvest was truly something special. I lived on pluots for as long as I could stand them. I would pack heavy, 30 lb. sacks of them for family and friends. Yet at the end of this picking party project, the tree was so heavily laden with fruit, it didn't look like I'd even touched it. Despite my efforts to process as many pluots into jars of jam as I could, and give them away to anyone who asked or wanted them, I'd estimate about 30-40 percent of the crop went to waste.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18Jvejeu0fJOv48cJomy-8a-mM7Gt4yWoS1dS1aONonP3HWu8-ysLYcWnk_q_TlIOgVnwLmzfj8KCX4_s7PPa7fmql7LsU29rMf_lhVU5ue-tKA2M9ZfQMg5rr8iN2VWPyiHI3HeQABM/s1600/P1080397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18Jvejeu0fJOv48cJomy-8a-mM7Gt4yWoS1dS1aONonP3HWu8-ysLYcWnk_q_TlIOgVnwLmzfj8KCX4_s7PPa7fmql7LsU29rMf_lhVU5ue-tKA2M9ZfQMg5rr8iN2VWPyiHI3HeQABM/s320/P1080397.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>More Broken Branches</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is also despite the presence of family of marauding mockingbirds who also shared a love for everything pluots. At the end of the season I had a family of fat mockingbirds hanging out in the Bird Back 40. And despite the heavy raids of both man and beast -- hundreds of pluots still went to waste.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The damage -- oh there was plenty of it -- wasn't easy to look at after the onset of rain and cold put the tree into a deep slumber and removed every last leaf. <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-tree-that-bethany-built.html" target="_blank">The Tree That Bethany Built</a> -- a collection of many different varieties of pluots thanks to exhaustive grafting efforts -- looked like a child's toy that had been abused far too often. What was once well shaped and majestic looked bent, busted, tired and worn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what happens next? Oh -- the tree will eventually recover soon enough. Fruit trees can take fantastic amounts of abuse once established and spring back again and again and again. I don't know if I will ever get as large as it did the first time, because I'm no fan of fruit going to waste. But I will take special care now to carefully trim this tree in a way that will result in strong branches that can hold a big crop -- rather than those long and slender sticks that are nothing more than a distant memory now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So -- it will be awhile before I see another pluot crop like the one I had last year. And that's fine in my opinion. The mockingbirds who live in that tree during harvest season may not like it too much -- but I could use a small break!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-87672366342136107662015-05-23T12:37:00.000-07:002015-05-23T12:41:18.979-07:00Berries Are for the Birds!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1JC9QvgUjN9i9Rd3f0WVpohod8oyjrFKnBGQ9CUox_kFQH9lQGNSttNkBQE42NkmOiEZ1RAiItlyZfc4PuewF2LUgBoIwRuhcvtt_MRE__khZU8OFqq8SPfyDJ0hPg8BWU9zeb_nnWs/s1600/P1080158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1JC9QvgUjN9i9Rd3f0WVpohod8oyjrFKnBGQ9CUox_kFQH9lQGNSttNkBQE42NkmOiEZ1RAiItlyZfc4PuewF2LUgBoIwRuhcvtt_MRE__khZU8OFqq8SPfyDJ0hPg8BWU9zeb_nnWs/s320/P1080158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Arapaho Thornless Blackberry Vine</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You bet they are! And Bill and the wife that is Venus Bird like it that way! Welcome to May 2015 -- and one of the coolest spring weather patterns I think I've ever experienced in the Sacramento area. That doesn't help much when it comes to summer producing vegetable plants like tomatoes and cucumbers, but the Bird berry patch likes it just fine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The big winner in this year's berry battle in the Bird Back 40? It should come as no surprise by now. For the second straight year and the fourth year since I brought it home and planted it, the Arapaho Thornless Blackberry is sporting a massive crop of berries that are, in some cases, three inches long and an inch thick. I wrote about this particular variety <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2014/06/but-will-there-be-enough-for-pie.html" target="_blank">last year</a>.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLVMVsn412IFEAYpl9FiDKYvXG3FlwTSb957XFOPf7WEM1AHcAuChuhOyhCAc6XnomLdJR9JY5nFDN0JFHMObyCtPaGKrj8ZGVYeu6QfVKH00lt2AmTcz5TYAoWX2_lu3JAPOUwmMAvs/s1600/P1080161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLVMVsn412IFEAYpl9FiDKYvXG3FlwTSb957XFOPf7WEM1AHcAuChuhOyhCAc6XnomLdJR9JY5nFDN0JFHMObyCtPaGKrj8ZGVYeu6QfVKH00lt2AmTcz5TYAoWX2_lu3JAPOUwmMAvs/s320/P1080161.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Arapaho Blackberries</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Arapaho continues to defy zone logic. The plant professionals claim it's not supposed to do well in this climate. It's more suited for cooler climates not found in my Zone 9A. It's supposed to do better on the coast and up north where it doesn't get quite as hot. But berry plants are funny customers. Arapaho berries grown on a commercial basis on the coast, where it is cooler, suffer from <a href="http://ucanr.edu/sites/sacmg/berries/?blogpost=8030&blogasset=24938" target="_blank">tip dieback</a>. But here in the more inland, hotter, area? The Arapaho does just fine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time and study will determine just how well the Arapaho will do in California. Although it's not the most recent introduction from the University of Arkansas breeding program, it's still fairly new to our area and climate. Although it may eventually prove to be a bust on a commercial basis, it seems to do just fine in your ordinary home backyard setting.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uUoiuSbL3riHUXmyeWxMzG87xLMRoB-FFGIXw-RaB-4wfOfio0GW2s4XWOxzRsEABUCcsU83gO4EZNLq7uvUByBupN1iiLDHiKgKzyhYW7gHFIDwCKpGYVwgFrCRdB3dz4NWjGS_Big/s1600/P1080151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uUoiuSbL3riHUXmyeWxMzG87xLMRoB-FFGIXw-RaB-4wfOfio0GW2s4XWOxzRsEABUCcsU83gO4EZNLq7uvUByBupN1iiLDHiKgKzyhYW7gHFIDwCKpGYVwgFrCRdB3dz4NWjGS_Big/s320/P1080151.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shuksan Strawberry Patch</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If there is one big difference in the Bird Back 40 berry battle -- it's that the Arapaho isn't the only berry sporting a fat crop this year. Nope -- it's a tie. For in 2015 there are 20 second-year Shuksan strawberry plants putting on a big show in what will eventually prove to be the largest and most luscious strawberry harvest we've ever experienced in these parts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The introduction of the Shuksan strawberry has been a years long, trial and (mostly) error, attempt to grow strawberries in the Bird Back 40. I wasn't interested in those small, sweet berries that emerge from most backyard settings. Nope -- I wanted in on the action that comes out of our local strawberry fields: strawberries the size of a golf ball or larger.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpXzLBhXlSzmwXHUDFangnsjPDo8FYWKrCAsVPCMmNRkRcmFUzo0YtyEgtNSgk_CZf6C8nwsK3ErxHq4r_89hL2WpiC4aPLVE4PX87l-ejOGYUjjrZ1azdIsab5dbblulk4vZB5Tu-f0/s1600/P1080149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpXzLBhXlSzmwXHUDFangnsjPDo8FYWKrCAsVPCMmNRkRcmFUzo0YtyEgtNSgk_CZf6C8nwsK3ErxHq4r_89hL2WpiC4aPLVE4PX87l-ejOGYUjjrZ1azdIsab5dbblulk4vZB5Tu-f0/s320/P1080149.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shuksan Strawberries</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At first I thought the answer to my berry wishes would be the Chandler Strawberry. The production was, in a word: Meh. Then I thought a combination of Albion and Gaviota strawberries would be the answer. They should do well here, right? That's what the experts told me. It's the recommendation I found online <a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2010/10/strawberry-varieties-by-state/#CA" target="_blank">here</a>. In fact, they advised the following: <em style="background-color: white;">R</em><em style="background-color: white;">ecommended strawberry varieties for California</em><span style="background-color: white;">: </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#albion" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Albion</a><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#aromas" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Aromas</a><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#camarosa" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Camarosa</a><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#caminoreal" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Camino Real</a><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#chandler" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Chandler</a><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#diamante" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Diamante</a><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#gaviota" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Gaviota</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Oso Grande, Pacific, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#seascape" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Seascape</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Selva, </span><a href="http://strawberryplants.org/2011/03/buy-strawberry-plants/#ventana" style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Ventana</a><span style="background-color: white;">. (According to the California Strawberry Commission)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But guess what kids? Don't believe everything you read online. Yes -- these might be great strawberry selections for some regions of California. But not here in the heat of inland California. It wasn't until I started checking each and every strawberry plant selection offered <a href="http://www.usberryplants.com/strawberry-plants.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>, and checking the recommended zones very closely, did I stumble upon the Shuksan Strawberry. Recommended for Zones 4-10. That was my "Eureka" moment.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Sddu2h_WaNt5OuhQn9eCfIXEe8cCFGRVrt20oLKO5C9nVtuyteOjP1McyQzfy190dZuxCIAw0CKMZh6eZob3kS-jIboVM1T_Q18B1q1BoHUSK1FqhFVcwKOwu5WR7VyYL5hEE6tCfR0/s1600/P1080156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Sddu2h_WaNt5OuhQn9eCfIXEe8cCFGRVrt20oLKO5C9nVtuyteOjP1McyQzfy190dZuxCIAw0CKMZh6eZob3kS-jIboVM1T_Q18B1q1BoHUSK1FqhFVcwKOwu5WR7VyYL5hEE6tCfR0/s320/P1080156.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bird Back 40 Berry Patch</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If this is the kind of production I can expect from 20 second year plants, what happens next year when the additional 40 plants I ordered and planted this year swing into full production? 60 plants instead of 20? How about 80-100 plants? Strawberry overload anyone?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll take it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Despite the very berry success this year -- I'm just getting started. For where there is a bare patch of dirt in the Bird Back 40 -- there's room for another small raised bed and perhaps another berry plant or two. I've got my eye on another recent introduction from the University of Arkansas breeding program. This is one is also thornless. It is called the Ouachita Blackberry -- which does well in gardening zones 5-9.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because man does not live on blackberries alone. But, personally, I would if I could.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-8573198322064541532015-05-15T17:54:00.000-07:002015-05-15T17:54:41.964-07:00The Stain<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilx3e_nJMmLnoW8LCi8jBEaz0l-H9JLB1bcwYGHb965tx2TW4NuoyB6dFXprVtSoRUff4NZ9roGyKGFqV0w0HQPFCfhRfqKk0YCgE_oa2Emyv2VZjayGXR5YZro16pS4O1PlI-e5UWt4c/s1600/Pom+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilx3e_nJMmLnoW8LCi8jBEaz0l-H9JLB1bcwYGHb965tx2TW4NuoyB6dFXprVtSoRUff4NZ9roGyKGFqV0w0HQPFCfhRfqKk0YCgE_oa2Emyv2VZjayGXR5YZro16pS4O1PlI-e5UWt4c/s320/Pom+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wonderful Pomegranate-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There she goes again. The Wonderful Pomegranate putting on her usual springtime <b><i>"look at me, I'm pretty"</i></b> show. I should have put this tree in the front yard where everyone can enjoy the bonanza of bright red and yellow flowers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the one drawback to that idea is I wouldn't get any pomegranate fruit in the fall. Some thieving kid would probably steal it all -- just as I did back in the Modesto day. And who could blame a kid for emulating me? I certainly can't.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4lbGXaRB8vASoeQInjrC6sygKNAJinzgIu_5e-FeeuGydFAzVWbt8GeuOmReKsPAOZb7qBPHgdnIDesBaQZ7d6fuOGtmtDLN422R2BFAX4t0_6au3cqkUuvqVLHDFUI38-grojkjaqo/s1600/P1080133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4lbGXaRB8vASoeQInjrC6sygKNAJinzgIu_5e-FeeuGydFAzVWbt8GeuOmReKsPAOZb7qBPHgdnIDesBaQZ7d6fuOGtmtDLN422R2BFAX4t0_6au3cqkUuvqVLHDFUI38-grojkjaqo/s320/P1080133.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Emerging Pomegranate Fruit-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My passion for fresh fruit was forged by two factors -- neither of which I could control. Number one, I was the youngest of four kids growing up in a single-parent household. There wasn't much money when dad up and left. There wouldn't be much to go around for several years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What bacon mom did bring home didn't last for long. This was the day and age before "free school lunches," although I do remember on some days we did get a half-pint of milk. That was always a treat.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8_b7iAl3cgV6Rp0DDutQbDjhSOHpWtI2R-SGcjwUWGrM7O5gfVnaX-0wqrUV4AF_UUlggXltq4WL3vIcMeRudMbB7a5mmaWJcXMrqXzHQGe5pUaCSSOT6R4Pc6dx2qrWwjoL5hbfQEA/s1600/P1080127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8_b7iAl3cgV6Rp0DDutQbDjhSOHpWtI2R-SGcjwUWGrM7O5gfVnaX-0wqrUV4AF_UUlggXltq4WL3vIcMeRudMbB7a5mmaWJcXMrqXzHQGe5pUaCSSOT6R4Pc6dx2qrWwjoL5hbfQEA/s320/P1080127.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pretty Pomegranate Flowers</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What I didn't get at home was augmented by what I could scavenge from the fruit trees that dotted front and back yards in our Ribier Avenue neighborhood. Fortunately, they were both large and plentiful. Plums in the front yard, cherries in the backyard. If that peach wasn't in season, the Merritt orange tree most certainly was. This was the second factor I had no control over. The fruit trees were there and I couldn't control myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But it would be on a nearby street -- Norwegian Ave. very near McHenry -- where I would discover a fruit like no other. It wasn't the biggest of trees as I recall -- probably no more than six or seven feet. But it shined with bright pink, red and yellow blossoms in the spring and delivered an eye-popping harvest of glistening red, softball sized fruit in the fall.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sBC3hIh7TUROe36MY-y3L2l8axg53m1NokYcPy-iv-bAP1uS21EEJkeDJzH4JyAEwlCSdC97B4CJyxwvNlmNV8mwJqT2UahRgpvDdV4sRHpBmhUASXgErYGlzdYFru-bBz7s76I_L-o/s1600/P1080125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sBC3hIh7TUROe36MY-y3L2l8axg53m1NokYcPy-iv-bAP1uS21EEJkeDJzH4JyAEwlCSdC97B4CJyxwvNlmNV8mwJqT2UahRgpvDdV4sRHpBmhUASXgErYGlzdYFru-bBz7s76I_L-o/s320/P1080125.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pomegranates Here-Pomegranates There</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can remember my mother's first horrific reaction when she discovered I was bringing a bounty of pomegranates into her house. <b><u>"DON'T EAT THOSE IN HERE,"</u></b> she positively screamed. "They'll leave behind a stain that will never go away!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But what do mothers know about pomegranates and messy kids anyway? Besides -- it was dusty, old furniture in a Modesto tract home -- not the Taj Mahal. So I did what any snot-nosed kid would do. I promptly ignored mom and cracked those babies open on her freshly polished living room coffee table.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoAksW2C39LCX-dGeXbyiXeYWi4rkza2yUY_kGL1WhLcQCu7K6sz1n34ZNLSWMeLyOYk_fxPxQnFk8g8nUXgbOQmlRMALjQxVkjjp0yhXVV7htfCn_kl5bsN9uuCG6QlyOeG1asI-FEY/s1600/P1080124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoAksW2C39LCX-dGeXbyiXeYWi4rkza2yUY_kGL1WhLcQCu7K6sz1n34ZNLSWMeLyOYk_fxPxQnFk8g8nUXgbOQmlRMALjQxVkjjp0yhXVV7htfCn_kl5bsN9uuCG6QlyOeG1asI-FEY/s320/P1080124.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ain't She Pretty?</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mom was right. Those stains never did quite go away. Thank God Almighty the carpet was a dark, chocolate colored brown. Otherwise those spots would have been plainly visible as well. I don't think the shirt I was wearing on this particular day also survived the onslaught of pomegranate juice. But I can tell you this much: It was on this day that my love for pomegranates was born.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I never did meet the family that owned this particular Norwegian Ave. tree. While I should have tried to knock on their door and at least ask -- I found it much easier to snatch as much as I could and run like the wind for the safety of home. This is a task and practice I repeated for many a year, until I acquired my first job as a newspaper delivery boy for the Modesto Bee. At that point I started to earn enough money to do what normal kids do: eat junk food.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPlZWlJVr0R4HFr0rqrFrClgsh-2DyIan_e4AmvPnycHkaUHXTwxj4Pk5hlOpEHSsUAz6mmiLfp-dB0ibgYf5Ov8q2kPCAibwWAaw4LCY337jz2g-FOu9_ikyjUb3pX7X8D5ZiVycRG0/s1600/P1080128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPlZWlJVr0R4HFr0rqrFrClgsh-2DyIan_e4AmvPnycHkaUHXTwxj4Pk5hlOpEHSsUAz6mmiLfp-dB0ibgYf5Ov8q2kPCAibwWAaw4LCY337jz2g-FOu9_ikyjUb3pX7X8D5ZiVycRG0/s320/P1080128.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Honey Bee Crack Cocaine</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I will never forget this tree. I hope you remember it too. Because it kept at least one small boy happy and fed when dollars were tight and good times were few and far between. While I could have chosen one of many pomegranate varieties to grow in the Bird Back 40 -- I chose the Wonderful -- which is the standard variety and the same tree that grew in front of that Norwegian Ave. home. And I think now you might understand why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's more than just a pretty tree. It's more than just fresh pomegranate juice (which is wonderful by the way). It's a connection to the past that I can never visit again. It's the thought of a mother, who is long since gone. It's a mystical connection that I feel. Because these flowers and this fruit remind me of a special time in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a stain actually. A stain on my soul.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-52610868584684884202015-04-25T11:09:00.000-07:002015-04-25T11:23:18.731-07:00Gold Nugget or Crazy Good Mandarin?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEpjDHRUiQEWSNGDhMNgGfsaH3OMv7cAiljtBn8CrcKeeM3fiyfHBDwZJTLff736STfMxL7tktVRxN4KTdZCrzCjTlJpDKIrMvDAU7wqGSjYN8lIx0Ot1LysqRJ397Qc4_w7_qkhXae4/s1600/P1070994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEpjDHRUiQEWSNGDhMNgGfsaH3OMv7cAiljtBn8CrcKeeM3fiyfHBDwZJTLff736STfMxL7tktVRxN4KTdZCrzCjTlJpDKIrMvDAU7wqGSjYN8lIx0Ot1LysqRJ397Qc4_w7_qkhXae4/s1600/P1070994.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gold Nugget Mandarin-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll be honest. This past winter restored my faith in citrus. I had one of the best citrus harvests ever on the Dancy Mandarin. And since Mr. Freeze steered clear of much of the Bird Back 40 this past winter, my citrus and avocado plantings sailed right through a mild winter and bloomed like something special this spring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Know what that means? It means a record harvest later this fall for the Bearss Lime, aka Gin and Tonic, tree. That's what it means! Because when it comes to a mean Gin and Tonic or a mean Tom Collins, a juicy Bearss Lime or three is absolutely essential. That my friends, is fresh drink heaven.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqJnLwxOHaLh2FqZ5bermo-6aOQ68Y2oCpr_xvzckRC7JMcDjjUqlJylBCVL3RDQIPki5FpSdk7KKzU9quHGD0QnvnU6eytFcIzB7q5W7yS_XnRk6oNUaSsSTjxiTOanNqFViFi2voVg/s1600/Snow+Miser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqJnLwxOHaLh2FqZ5bermo-6aOQ68Y2oCpr_xvzckRC7JMcDjjUqlJylBCVL3RDQIPki5FpSdk7KKzU9quHGD0QnvnU6eytFcIzB7q5W7yS_XnRk6oNUaSsSTjxiTOanNqFViFi2voVg/s1600/Snow+Miser.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mister Snow Miser (Not Kind to Citrus)</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last winter was also a far cry from the devastating winter of 2013. Yes -- 2013 was just as dry, if not more so, than 2014. But what 2013 had that 2014 didn't was a long and extended stay by Mister Snow Miser. Do you remember him from your ABC Holiday specials? He's got a thing or two for icicles, and unfortunately he stuck around for far too long in December 2013. By the time he finally departed, the lemons had shriveled into unappetizing black lumps. Oh -- and half of the Gin and Tonic tree decided to take a dirt nap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Good riddance to 2013!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Part of this past weekend was dedicated to restoring the damage that took place during 2013. The Clementine Mandarin that also checked out permanently that year was replaced this past weekend by something rather special. Say hello to the Gold Nugget Mandarin, plus a little something else extra special.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0dlYg9o2wTOH0HkE3oIsqRa4Ht9hD-KGBwW2OktugxJpH0-SW51zhm8CGH4whMD6SThMM90clzJkMYveVsT56dN647ku5MHyUZPlierFQYQ5FHxjWQl6iJrJ6-YRjjGRffMFxgRfdmo/s1600/IMG_1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0dlYg9o2wTOH0HkE3oIsqRa4Ht9hD-KGBwW2OktugxJpH0-SW51zhm8CGH4whMD6SThMM90clzJkMYveVsT56dN647ku5MHyUZPlierFQYQ5FHxjWQl6iJrJ6-YRjjGRffMFxgRfdmo/s1600/IMG_1026.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yours Truly With Gold Nugget Prize</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do you know how difficult it is to find and purchase a standard sized mandarin tree in this day and age? Try this one on for size: Extremely Difficult. The primary supplier for all things citrus in California, <a href="https://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/index.php" target="_blank">Four Winds Growers</a>, will provide you with plenty of dwarf citrus offerings. You want a dwarf lemon? No problem! Dwarf lime? Got them right here in spades! Dwarf mandarin? Take your pick! Standard size lemon, lime, orange or mandarin? Better luck next year, son.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why is the primary supplier of citrus in California focusing on dwarf selections? Good question! Ask! I've tried. It's tough to get a straight answer. So what's the problem with dwarf citrus offerings? Dwarf sizes often result in small harvests. The days of that 30 foot tall and 30 foot wide citrus tree are quickly disappearing. Say hello to citrus trees that grow no larger than six or seven feet -- and like it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8winB5_AlVQl24WLON2ivrX59f-zK8Bqk0DxV9luK1IODI0TEQLZ4E7nxTeHAnX5wdNVTf7PSxhdy2qjj_SUCWG02m16m0bMToWdmWvuAlNVEaztEpvG16QUw9y5xhR1HWCT-ObYhJ0/s1600/IMG_1029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8winB5_AlVQl24WLON2ivrX59f-zK8Bqk0DxV9luK1IODI0TEQLZ4E7nxTeHAnX5wdNVTf7PSxhdy2qjj_SUCWG02m16m0bMToWdmWvuAlNVEaztEpvG16QUw9y5xhR1HWCT-ObYhJ0/s1600/IMG_1029.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mandarin Trees-Green Acres Nursery</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This past weekend just happened to be that very special weekend that the Sacramento Chapter of the <a href="http://www.crfg.org/" target="_blank">California Rare Fruit Growers</a> (CRFG) held its annual citrus scion exchange. You want something special when it comes to all things citrus? Visit the CRFG exchange. You won't find everything under the sun there -- but it's pretty darn close.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'd heard some good feedback about the <a href="http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/goldnugget.html" target="_blank">Gold Nugget Mandarin</a>. A recently released mandarin developed within the University of California, Riverside citrus breeding program, the Gold Nugget holds up well against freezing conditions (a plus) and also ripens at a time (early March) when most mandarins in the Bird Back 40 have come and gone.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiBan5lIfHOW9MY-4idIMyD0kFDzh_sXg4cReup2Fl7O7Lmus0XHjchmIrqFjO9NwGIiYQVUv5eROCiID7fO6bXKhj7h6UGej_p3Oqx2NdwXO_1GbZ-r0oTp39mdt0nlCrRBabn7-RH0/s1600/Gold+Nugget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiBan5lIfHOW9MY-4idIMyD0kFDzh_sXg4cReup2Fl7O7Lmus0XHjchmIrqFjO9NwGIiYQVUv5eROCiID7fO6bXKhj7h6UGej_p3Oqx2NdwXO_1GbZ-r0oTp39mdt0nlCrRBabn7-RH0/s1600/Gold+Nugget.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gold Nugget Mandarins</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I tried to find a standard sized Gold Nugget tree. I failed. Miserably. Although the Bird Back 40 is studded with standard sized citrus trees of every shape and variety -- finding a standard sized Gold Nugget was proving to be rather impossible. So, I settled for what was available that day at Green Acres Nursery: a Gold Nugget mandarin tree on dwarf root stock.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">BUT -- obtaining that Gold Nugget mandarin tree was just the first part of the battle. You see, that tree would become the root stock that I would use for other varieties offered through the CRFG citrus exchange. I was particularly interested in obtaining scions for two different varieties: the Minneola Tangelo and another variety offered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It's so new that it doesn't even have a name yet -- and may never have one. It's known only by number: The <a href="http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/usda_6-15-150.html" target="_blank">6-15-150</a>.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuD7EbbO1S7L2jnQf-dgxzwK96gcsRNOo36LYe5_jw9hJrvQswTpv0A4be0yxy3K00nLJKGN1QlAE8sppr3Bs-DpBN-WRxnGu_-cCn6ersy699wdZ3CDKltrtrpNan3ijSJ61lDU11UM/s1600/515-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuD7EbbO1S7L2jnQf-dgxzwK96gcsRNOo36LYe5_jw9hJrvQswTpv0A4be0yxy3K00nLJKGN1QlAE8sppr3Bs-DpBN-WRxnGu_-cCn6ersy699wdZ3CDKltrtrpNan3ijSJ61lDU11UM/s1600/515-.jpg" height="320" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>6-15-150 Mandarin</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As soon as the wife that is Venus spotted the scions marked with the number of "15-150," she broke into a wide grin and blurted out <i><b>"the 5150 mandarin? That's crazy good stuff."</b></i> That's all she had to say. Consider us sold. Before we departed Maddox Park on this particular weekend, the Gold Nugget Mandarin had been outfitted with a graft of what promises to be a "crazy good mandarin."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The newest mandarin tree to grace the Bird Back 40 has already found it's permanent home. It sits in the spot once occupied by the long-gone Clementine. It's not that I've given up on the Clementine. That's also a right fine mandarin. But all mandarins are not the same. Some have a little more trouble standing up to deep freezes. The Clementine, unfortunately, isn't as cold tolerant as I would like. And since Mr.Snow Miser does like to pay a visit every once in awhile, it's probably best to stick with mandarin varieties that can survive an icicle-challenged night or two.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg-Xs9Hvf2JHsy7s6XlISTE7F5UEacKC5A7OA270G0p1QKc5Ebmg9IxFXhiz2BPw880MpSYor3jXu3HsWDUzFEvcMi2ySrjJDyqsImQ9No-LTTy9IehO525JOYk2o8koff11vcEzTwis/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg-Xs9Hvf2JHsy7s6XlISTE7F5UEacKC5A7OA270G0p1QKc5Ebmg9IxFXhiz2BPw880MpSYor3jXu3HsWDUzFEvcMi2ySrjJDyqsImQ9No-LTTy9IehO525JOYk2o8koff11vcEzTwis/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dwarf Mandarin Trees-Green Acres Nursery</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The graft, which is completely wrapped in grafting tape to keep it safe from water intrusion, hasn't sprouted yet. It may never sprout. Grafting isn't 100 percent foolproof. I know this to be true because my success with citrus grafting is nothing to write home about, unless the piece appears in "Failure Magazine." That's why I had someone with a more experienced hand do the grafting work for me. That's the advantage of membership in a group like the CRFG. That's where you find the really special scion wood -- and someone who knows what they are doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will it turn out to be our favorite mandarin, provided the graft sprouts to life? Good question. I can't tell you. As one CRFG member is fond of saying, <i>"my favorite mandarin happens to be the one I'm eating at that particular moment."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wise words indeed.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-13516671065156537222015-03-31T14:53:00.000-07:002015-03-31T14:57:02.111-07:00Meet Katie Amaral<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sBF-9Felz-5Qv4zC_VMtFTwjB2SOX7GuhC2bfzGbHpYx9c8H_jzAvTTjnKxpxsK1zgRiOSoJ62GXUNMhcNGRPqKfKE_cuOqa2puXkc5LTrP5D3sTA7Uv3uWpUQAtiQXoQSR5ZKK_2nY/s1600/Katie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sBF-9Felz-5Qv4zC_VMtFTwjB2SOX7GuhC2bfzGbHpYx9c8H_jzAvTTjnKxpxsK1zgRiOSoJ62GXUNMhcNGRPqKfKE_cuOqa2puXkc5LTrP5D3sTA7Uv3uWpUQAtiQXoQSR5ZKK_2nY/s1600/Katie.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Katie Amaral (right) of Dave Wilson Nursery</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There she is. To your right. That, my friends, is Miss Katie Amaral. And that is your's truly to the left of Katie. This photo was snapped about two weeks ago. For the people that I work with day in and day out at the California State Capitol, you might recognize this as the entry room to the Governor's Office on the first floor of the State Capitol Annex.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's where I would find Katie Amaral on this fine day. And, although we've known each other for years, this was the first time we actually met in person. Katie and I have been corresponding with one another via email for years. Oh -- nothing to worry about. Nothing insidious here. Yes, the wife that is Venus knows all about Miss Katie. As it turns out -- all three of us share a love for fruit trees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And, if you love fruit trees as much as we do, Katie happens to hold down the dream job of Marketing Manager for <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/" target="_blank">Dave Wilson Nursery</a> in Hickman, CA. They just happen to be the largest provider of fruit trees on the planet. Want to parlay about pluots? Talk to Katie. In pursuit of peaches? You need to see Katie. Compare notes about Nectaplums? See Katie Amaral.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJCOrE8NmKfPE25GDPmqMYIR0jHM2Zzf_BCnkqs2MyKeZ5XlmzVEPr4yy8oPdmz8PoMXtgclpFUKx0RGwuLUFX1I0zxOKaTMMzt6kxQN0n2z-XBI7iA2in9ewxn3mwDOs-OjH-_c-xqg/s1600/Mark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJCOrE8NmKfPE25GDPmqMYIR0jHM2Zzf_BCnkqs2MyKeZ5XlmzVEPr4yy8oPdmz8PoMXtgclpFUKx0RGwuLUFX1I0zxOKaTMMzt6kxQN0n2z-XBI7iA2in9ewxn3mwDOs-OjH-_c-xqg/s1600/Mark.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mark Stromberg</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Katie's visit came at an opportune time. That was a rather tough week two weeks ago when this photo was taken. It's been a rough couple of weeks since then. I suppose this reaction is quite normal when a brother-in-law suddenly and surprisingly passes away. And that's exactly what Mark Stromberg did on March 12th. He had just turned 42 years old. He died from triple organ failure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know what you're probably thinking. How does an otherwise healthy 42-year old man suddenly and unexpectedly pass from triple organ failure? It's the same question the family is asking. You see, we don't know. We're not doctors. But we are hoping the Sacramento County Coroner can find the answer. Yet -- these types of investigations take time. Autopsy results are still pending.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGBsiECoEiZSRjgUJCZPpFpewS_uBIEHOIRUArBU5Y9NuR7OLSgERMcOTs9YkedfshStdIxTJ2gJKkJFoRsrDWn207Eq5QycIR0UA6j-XMNfqp1oAHb_8gIvMMwPgiae-6tTsqSZ5Mts/s1600/Mark+and+Venus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGBsiECoEiZSRjgUJCZPpFpewS_uBIEHOIRUArBU5Y9NuR7OLSgERMcOTs9YkedfshStdIxTJ2gJKkJFoRsrDWn207Eq5QycIR0UA6j-XMNfqp1oAHb_8gIvMMwPgiae-6tTsqSZ5Mts/s1600/Mark+and+Venus.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Venus and Barky</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still don't know how Venus has managed to maintain the strength she has. She was the first one with her brother when they brought him into the Sutter General emergency room, very much unresponsive. Although I would join her later as we sat outside the room Mark was in, there wasn't much we could do other than hold one another after Mark's heart stopped beating again and again. We could hear the monitor code. We saw emergency room physicians and nurses rushing in and out. There was little else we could do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The wife that is Venus is now the last surviving member of a family of four. She lost both her mother and father to cancer. And now she's lost her baby brother -- Barky she would sometimes call him. Somehow she has to deal with his. The only thing I can do at this point is be here to support her, in whatever she may need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So you can imagine how I felt that day when Katie Amaral messaged me to say she was in the Governor's Office. I couldn't get out of my State Senate chair quickly enough. I needed the distraction from the thoughts going through my mind about my brother-in-law and how things could have gone so horribly wrong. Katie offered that distraction -- and I can't thank her enough for it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W1zIpLbIhj9PH_UMhvUJY9xa1_IEGIv7l3z1iiknwni6a9-cEwqAMfkjR2ej-a_t_CLXC8EwSQBULvBqtUFcOKx-1MalM0N35nMcBxlZeLqj-07JbKxnttEU0p4JwYsQWrWKXAINqnI/s1600/Pears-Bartlett-Harrow+Delight+and+Blakes+Pride.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W1zIpLbIhj9PH_UMhvUJY9xa1_IEGIv7l3z1iiknwni6a9-cEwqAMfkjR2ej-a_t_CLXC8EwSQBULvBqtUFcOKx-1MalM0N35nMcBxlZeLqj-07JbKxnttEU0p4JwYsQWrWKXAINqnI/s1600/Pears-Bartlett-Harrow+Delight+and+Blakes+Pride.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Backyard Orchard Culture Pear Trees</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You see, Katie is responsible for many of the fruit trees growing in the Bird Back 40. There wouldn't be a five-in-one Pride Peach Collection without her help. The Harrow Delight and Blake's Pride pear trees also found their way into a raised bed thanks to her efforts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To be honest -- I haven't felt like doing a whole lot since Mark's passing. Working in the yard does provide some relief, but it's just an escape from the reality of this thing called life. At some point I have to get back to living life. That's been a tough assignment. How can I possibly blog about heirloom tomatoes when this is hanging over my head?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRE30hxaQhmciGRyEGAALmRzBmWv0LhwGYMOduMC56ENdMSa2QE_rV16SxaHAysQRjnjZAsubjeHdKekzG0jdcdS0b6ittGjDgjgH9JKvZD4HN8UDfDfWuoAZBLDnkmtIfnJUUc1R8OD0/s1600/Celina+Marie+and+Marquitos.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRE30hxaQhmciGRyEGAALmRzBmWv0LhwGYMOduMC56ENdMSa2QE_rV16SxaHAysQRjnjZAsubjeHdKekzG0jdcdS0b6ittGjDgjgH9JKvZD4HN8UDfDfWuoAZBLDnkmtIfnJUUc1R8OD0/s1600/Celina+Marie+and+Marquitos.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Celina Marie and Marquitos Stromberg</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mark leaves behind a wife and two children. Our niece and nephew now have to face the reality of growing up without a father. That's not easy. I remember how I felt when my mother told me that my father had passed away in the hospital. I was nine years old. I grew up without a father. You can grow up without one. I'm living proof of that. But it was anything but easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Perhaps that is the answer then? Be there for the kids? We can't be a father to them, but we can sure do everything we possibly can to be the best and most attentive uncle and aunt (or Tio and Tia). I suppose that is the answer then. Be strong for the children. Be strong because strength and mentoring is what they need the most right now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It isn't easy. But we're up to the task. So long, Mark Stromberg. And thanks for the visit, Katie Amaral. It came at an opportune time.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-32058151715322128622015-03-07T16:31:00.001-08:002015-03-08T10:55:35.967-07:00China Garden<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHm2vV99g_4oB5P1z7ky2bILhFZ6KFdCX7c_-YG8Tq5NBTh_ElC3eTEDRlxMOU_2JvVW2SYIM5B-rdcuzhpNdDTlwN6Qy_TX1kIN_sDZP0RSXGJ3EBn4qCvqmIU4ysE6LTrX6N9ohJck/s1600/P1070897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHm2vV99g_4oB5P1z7ky2bILhFZ6KFdCX7c_-YG8Tq5NBTh_ElC3eTEDRlxMOU_2JvVW2SYIM5B-rdcuzhpNdDTlwN6Qy_TX1kIN_sDZP0RSXGJ3EBn4qCvqmIU4ysE6LTrX6N9ohJck/s1600/P1070897.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>China Garden-Malakoff Diggins State Park</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One gets an almost spiritual feeling when entering this place. This is China Garden, located in the Nevada County Gold Rush Community of North Bloomfield, also known as Humbug, in the Malakoff Diggins State Park. It has remained untouched since Humbug was designated a state historic park in the mid 1960's. But at one time, this place bustled with the activity of gold miners and families who practiced a real "Farm to Fork" movement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They had too. Corner grocery stores didn't exist. If you wanted good and nutritious food in a gold mining camp like Malakoff Diggins, families either took action to feed themselves or they went hungry during the winter. Faced with that nuclear option in the early days of the gold rush, the Chinese miners that populated Malakoff Diggins set aside this nearly flat and wide property to grow all sorts of tasty summer and fall produce that was absolutely essential to keeping families well fed and healthy.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCdjOvjS_HyVzCaz6pmotrTmmnCmSMJ9Pe5e-VSfOVIEHIG5eOwPfGPRg11n3kd1x7FGpl5RACNgQKwagkMb2a7tdOu5Fd2OA28kUP-onxBKcm99tRWaH-Aig-NYqsJ3BcVy5jP1Wl3Q/s1600/P1070898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCdjOvjS_HyVzCaz6pmotrTmmnCmSMJ9Pe5e-VSfOVIEHIG5eOwPfGPRg11n3kd1x7FGpl5RACNgQKwagkMb2a7tdOu5Fd2OA28kUP-onxBKcm99tRWaH-Aig-NYqsJ3BcVy5jP1Wl3Q/s1600/P1070898.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Entrance to China Garden Located in Humbug</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In my <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2015/03/gold-gold-in-bird-back-40.html" target="_blank">last posting</a>, I introduced you to a little known character by the name of Felix Gillet. Felix is responsible for importing thousands of fruit and nut tree offerings to Nevada County from his native France, where he essentially helped jump-start and lay the groundwork for the agricultural bounty that California is known for today. For the vast number of fruit and nut trees in both commercial and home orchards today are related to the groundbreaking work of a one Felix Gillet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gillet died in 1908. But the fruit and nut offerings he offered through his Barren Hill Nursery in Nevada County from the late 1860's up until the day he died bear witness to the impact he had on the West Coast agricultural industry. If you get a chance to speak to "Amigo" Bob Cantisano, who I introduced in my <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2015/03/gold-gold-in-bird-back-40.html" target="_blank">previous posting</a>, he'll bend your ear for hours about Gillet's work and contributions. There are thousands of fruit trees that Gillet sold to gold miners and provided to gold mining camps during the great California Gold Rush, and those trees, despite their ancient age, are alive to this very day.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriJX08RPbS9CuqsReeYeuYPKolLgzUfyVUGKPQJ02a557FVW0vBAM3WREboYnwvxwstvA6RDdkBTLBeI9lhZnMchoS1mqH-kHyH7tCaym_ehURe0A0S7s3eJFUP6ZCaGTWvkDZTzdpz4/s1600/felix-gillet-pic21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriJX08RPbS9CuqsReeYeuYPKolLgzUfyVUGKPQJ02a557FVW0vBAM3WREboYnwvxwstvA6RDdkBTLBeI9lhZnMchoS1mqH-kHyH7tCaym_ehURe0A0S7s3eJFUP6ZCaGTWvkDZTzdpz4/s1600/felix-gillet-pic21.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Felix Gillet</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That Twenty Ounce Apple Tree that Cantisano discovered on the grounds of the old Buck's Ranch delivered a bounty of apples to gold miners during the height of the gold rush. It's still alive and still delivering a bounty of apples today. That White Adriatic fig tree on the banks of the Yuba River that served miners during the height of the gold rush, is still delivering figs to this very day. The men and women who planted Gillet trees by the thousands are long gone and mostly forgotten. And the fruit trees they planted now provide a nice meal for the bears and other wild creatures that roam old, abandoned, gold rush mining encampments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But Gillet -- for all his marvelous accomplishments and work -- is not well remembered. You won't find a statue of him anywhere, although there is a memorial plaque located outside the former grounds of the Barren Hill Nursery. There's precious little mention of Gillet and his groundbreaking work. Other fruit tree breeders of the period, like Luther Burbank for example, are far better known and remembered for their work.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQouBBGdTYJexWKTioKM2b6XSIqwNGZ39k-x67_Xg_O36wPMZtcVjUBZKmCNOyoRdKMHzxKUhKB2qbDvXXxtV4q5Wuad4vEoOV1kUcjQHvB0BikwwCkPe3fXv39ME3v404Bh614tH-mw4/s1600/Amigo+Bob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQouBBGdTYJexWKTioKM2b6XSIqwNGZ39k-x67_Xg_O36wPMZtcVjUBZKmCNOyoRdKMHzxKUhKB2qbDvXXxtV4q5Wuad4vEoOV1kUcjQHvB0BikwwCkPe3fXv39ME3v404Bh614tH-mw4/s1600/Amigo+Bob.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Amigo" Bob Cantisano</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Burbank, by the way, received most of his original fruit tree stock from, you guessed it, Felix Gillet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So why isn't Gillet's memory preserved? Why has he been pushed off the pages of horticulture history? Why does it take a man like Amigo Cantisano to remind us of Gillet's contributions?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There might be one reason.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Before I go any further, I need to be honest with you. I approached a great number of people about this question, about my suspicions, and offered to include these observations in this blog posting. Not one was willing to respond. A Nevada County historian who has extensively studied the history of Chinese miners and mining camps was so unnerved by my request that he pushed it off to Amigo Cantisano. But he wasn't the only one. There were four of five others who declined comment. And I can't blame them.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRm1wFGTCfg3ramsZNSr-EDcGU2yIHUiIDwvcobjsmezS_qNXOGbYr-Npiw8i37Bqf4s5Bv5xrdEk6T8O8DczMggoabcNn5G_auKEa7I_gM6AC1LNLBfq_ToUtlIsJyYkzhNp6Jur-VI/s1600/P1070907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRm1wFGTCfg3ramsZNSr-EDcGU2yIHUiIDwvcobjsmezS_qNXOGbYr-Npiw8i37Bqf4s5Bv5xrdEk6T8O8DczMggoabcNn5G_auKEa7I_gM6AC1LNLBfq_ToUtlIsJyYkzhNp6Jur-VI/s1600/P1070907.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Venus at Malakoff Diggins State Park</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a touchy subject. I'm asking historians and others to delve into the minds of people who are no longer here. They are no longer around to defend themselves or explain the puzzling actions they took. How can you look into the mind of someone who died in 1908 and derive a reasonable answer to the question of: <i>"What was this man thinking?"</i> To those that I did contact, and chose not to respond, I do understand. No hard feelings. This is a blog dedicated to fruit and vegetable gardening and nothing more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Felix Gillet was more than just a horticulturist -- a lot more. He was a prolific writer. He was also a leading citizen of Nevada County. He was so well respected by his peers that he was twice elected to the Nevada
City Town Trustees. From 1878 to 1881, he helped make the city government more effective and
progressive and reportedly never missed a session. He was a trustee during
construction of a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">new city</st1:place></st1:city>
hall.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVyjIyGDtoXtwyFbCwnW1yA98IJPKAWC8d6RF4n7W84nEbgiXJyWYaePugAOWk89nfsRz6FVoTpHiA7mVpG-mRR-Xz2noCkk9o8NY0JmlQog_lMBnb1wSM9YOtlEDWNsxjHxocfNzBnw/s1600/wp1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVyjIyGDtoXtwyFbCwnW1yA98IJPKAWC8d6RF4n7W84nEbgiXJyWYaePugAOWk89nfsRz6FVoTpHiA7mVpG-mRR-Xz2noCkk9o8NY0JmlQog_lMBnb1wSM9YOtlEDWNsxjHxocfNzBnw/s1600/wp1.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Workingmen's Party of California</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gillet was also a leading member of the Workingmen's Party of California.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hold the phone a minute. Step on the brakes. Cue up the record scratch sound effects. Did he just write that Gillet was a leading member of the Workingmen's Party? Yes, I did. Do you remember your history of California? The Workingmen's Party had a very short date with California history, but they are responsible for one very special and dubious accomplishment. They helped craft and pass the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, one of the most racist actions ever taken by the United States government.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Chinese Exclusion Act, which wasn't formally repealed until we were in the depths of World War II, essentially singled out one race of people, Chinese immigrants in California, and told them to "get lost." The law carried a clear message to people of Chinese descent: "pack up and get out." Not only did it outlaw Chinese immigration to the United States, it led to racist segregation policies that banned Chinese-Americans from living in certain communities.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrLm2TUr8ok3fnTrzIu-b0A_wt7TxkIqJE3amJYeVKTB8oUTApKhDDHPiNgMvhyphenhyphen0WNZRCk9DFCKuXkta04-K3UmBxf70Ka2rgfyUEpGFR_rKh4r4ftaGQ6kx3McahSJ8Rt6jphb4grKA/s1600/The_only_one_barred_out_cph.3b48680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrLm2TUr8ok3fnTrzIu-b0A_wt7TxkIqJE3amJYeVKTB8oUTApKhDDHPiNgMvhyphenhyphen0WNZRCk9DFCKuXkta04-K3UmBxf70Ka2rgfyUEpGFR_rKh4r4ftaGQ6kx3McahSJ8Rt6jphb4grKA/s1600/The_only_one_barred_out_cph.3b48680.jpg" height="320" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Political Cartoon of the Period</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever wondered why so many cities and communities in California had or still have areas that are referred to as "<b><u>China</u></b> <b><u>Town</u></b>?" It's because, for the longest time, these were the only parts of towns and communities that Chinese-Americans were allowed to live in. And, what's more, this racial harassment was allowed to continue unabated for decade after decade after decade. That's more than sixty long years if you're counting -- a lifetime for some people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's right. Felix Gillet was a legendary fruit and nut tree breeder, horticulturist and a leading citizen of Nevada County. <b><i>He was also a racist son of a bitch</i></b>. Next to slavery and the internment of U.S. citizens of Japanese descent during World War II, the Chinese Exclusion Act is a stain on our proud history.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ6DnippADB_E0GCwjV-nxLGi7VMUPDkusSNVUR_Azf5ElxG1tjnCNmH_XkPvyr1iOvcHSy1mAUPJec9xPt5qGcXIBm0_sv97XaQ5r9BO1TR-q9hf6msl_wSJ56RhqDuN1AWDFI5SuDQ/s1600/P1070886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ6DnippADB_E0GCwjV-nxLGi7VMUPDkusSNVUR_Azf5ElxG1tjnCNmH_XkPvyr1iOvcHSy1mAUPJec9xPt5qGcXIBm0_sv97XaQ5r9BO1TR-q9hf6msl_wSJ56RhqDuN1AWDFI5SuDQ/s1600/P1070886.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chinese Miner-Malakoff Diggins State Park Museum</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did Gillet play a role in this racial hatred? There's no doubt. For in April 1881, <st1:placename w:st="on">Nevada</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype> passed an ordinance that stated the following: <b><i>“all
Chinese shall be removed from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Nevada</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place> within 60 days."</i></b> I haven't found any evidence to suggest this removal actually took place. But I can tell you there were no Chinese miners living in Humbug when it became a state park in the mid 1960's. They had all departed, leaving only their proud history behind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But this is just the start of these mental conundrum that has consumed a part of me. The fact that Gillet hated the Chinese is well documented. This doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me is this: If you walk on the grounds of China Garden today, Amigo Cantisano will point out about 50-60 Gillet fruit trees that the Chinese miners purchased and planted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fruit trees propagated by Gillet<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCYBPWsfK9VTv376sSK_JhlUyfpCQCqAX3Xq29mnkKyTLw7Q5KiXLZ3YB7gty0mM6-5qfdu9hCCzC7Sg44b2ssBthbqOdVCjHn7_862Xw0FvH9OeZzsLFNMjpLKsKqHGnRqTYTUwHRAU/s1600/P1070901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCYBPWsfK9VTv376sSK_JhlUyfpCQCqAX3Xq29mnkKyTLw7Q5KiXLZ3YB7gty0mM6-5qfdu9hCCzC7Sg44b2ssBthbqOdVCjHn7_862Xw0FvH9OeZzsLFNMjpLKsKqHGnRqTYTUwHRAU/s1600/P1070901.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>China Garden-Gillet Pear Tree</i></td></tr>
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ring this property. They are easy to spot in the photos. Do you see the trees that are in a winter dormant stage? They look like they are dead? They're not. They are just taking a winter nap. Each and every one of the trees you see in China Garden is a Gillet fruit tree, purchased by Chinese miners who worked and lived in the Malakoff Diggins community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ah -- but China Garden wasn't the only Chinese mining camp in gold rush territory. There were <i>hundreds</i> of them. The remnants of these camps can be found as far north as Shasta and Siskiyou Counties and as far south as Tulare and Kings Counties. Amigo Cantisano hasn't had the chance to visit all of them. But of the camps he has literally stumbled across, he's found Gillet's fruit tree signature there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've found this signature too, although I didn't know it at the time. It's located on a 600 acre ranch just above Fiddletown in Amador County. This was once a Chinese mining camp, and the mines that Chinese miners dug underneath the lava caps covering prehistoric rivers and streams in their quest for gold are clearly visible. And -- located in the middle of this ranch -- is the largest pear tree I've ever seen in my life.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsLb8L9kr0tDlh1OO71j9TYXWcSuQ2W-aX0pvSzBlwFXfHmzgGbK1VcQzrHhDbN-CazXcn2joHLp-r9mZyU5z5yS5JUwum0tRCASH1ktscyphJo7SZ_IPhZzuRa1zn_XiAq6VOof7ts8/s1600/IMG_8867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsLb8L9kr0tDlh1OO71j9TYXWcSuQ2W-aX0pvSzBlwFXfHmzgGbK1VcQzrHhDbN-CazXcn2joHLp-r9mZyU5z5yS5JUwum0tRCASH1ktscyphJo7SZ_IPhZzuRa1zn_XiAq6VOof7ts8/s1600/IMG_8867.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fiddletown</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It had grown to immense proportions when I first saw it nearly a decade ago. Fifty feet high and loaded with pears, the roots of this gigantic fruit tree had managed to grow into an underground water table that sustained it. It had somehow managed to survive the massive wildfires that burn through these remote, largely unpopulated, canyons every 40-50 years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I saw entire flocks of birds populating every branch of this majestic fruit producer. And, as the birds pecked at the fruit this tree gave, much of it fell below to turkeys and other wild animals waiting for a fruit snack at the base of this tree.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As much as I wanted one of these pears -- I dared not tread there. Did you know rattlesnakes also like pears? They do. Trust me on this. As much as I wanted to take a piece of that agricultural history home with me on that day -- I wasn't up to battling an ornery rattlesnake.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWfY_pn4dstmp1ypUDrqL4R1rAKwQ2Nv-rl-YlI2_2xQ7E4270JGGr_KQgfTMEtx8dFFbb0OSMxoAhcSKCP8r3iwBpajmTzK5eIBhgfOWKITIahT1ZapsC9FIQL4eut1cEIwHXdrv9wI/s1600/P1070876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWfY_pn4dstmp1ypUDrqL4R1rAKwQ2Nv-rl-YlI2_2xQ7E4270JGGr_KQgfTMEtx8dFFbb0OSMxoAhcSKCP8r3iwBpajmTzK5eIBhgfOWKITIahT1ZapsC9FIQL4eut1cEIwHXdrv9wI/s1600/P1070876.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dormant Fruit Tree-Humbug</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is no doubt in my mind now that this tree, which had been planted by Chinese miners, is yet another remnant of Felix Gillet's Barren Hill Nursery. Although I've alerted Amigo Cantisano to the presence of this tree and he agrees that it probably came from Gillet's operation, he has no great urge to visit there. He's got a list of other places to visit first. Gillet's trees are planted everywhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that's the mystery. That's my personal mental conundrum. For it's clear that the Chinese miners were snapping up fruit trees from Gillet's Barren Hill Nursery by the thousands. They helped make him the legendary success that he was. But, in return, Gillet led a movement that led to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act? He voted on a resolution to remove all Chinese citizens from Nevada City?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06QfDIOy-gABtJvv09Np1ICgzWB2GAdyx15djD8Gh5HwVYxNw0QqMVZHvKGdcu_Bpq3V6dx8j0VADgTrqgRu3-V3iNQgz0TqXe8AwmcSTaqgGNj4gYfQsiDcIVxhNWDGgMqTWa7uwdK0/s1600/P1070882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06QfDIOy-gABtJvv09Np1ICgzWB2GAdyx15djD8Gh5HwVYxNw0QqMVZHvKGdcu_Bpq3V6dx8j0VADgTrqgRu3-V3iNQgz0TqXe8AwmcSTaqgGNj4gYfQsiDcIVxhNWDGgMqTWa7uwdK0/s1600/P1070882.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Museum at Malakoff Diggins State Park</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What in the world was this man thinking? This is part of a community that put his nursery business on the map! They bought his product. Without the Chinese mining community, Gillet would not have accomplished the measure of success that he did -- not even close.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet, his response was: "get out?" I still can't make sense of it. And those whom I've contacted regarding this mystery haven't felt the need to respond. I can't blame them. This is a tough nut to crack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Could this racial hatred be one reason why Gillet isn't remembered or celebrated for his contributions to the nut and fruit tree industries on the West Coast? I think that answer might quite possibly be yes, and I do have some recent history that might prove my suspicions to be correct.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnl6YPu_6GQma-p9VUXwHbxN6y57Wt6rukbYWGGrys3CDfSahWN84vfkbKuDG8vSGqbQWVdBakjv8NI2DJejb5_mIGnUBD8tQ2xhxcaWPiADOwZo5zUq-oWBHiT528LojeeB0fEKE98Q/s1600/River+Bend+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnl6YPu_6GQma-p9VUXwHbxN6y57Wt6rukbYWGGrys3CDfSahWN84vfkbKuDG8vSGqbQWVdBakjv8NI2DJejb5_mIGnUBD8tQ2xhxcaWPiADOwZo5zUq-oWBHiT528LojeeB0fEKE98Q/s1600/River+Bend+Park.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Formerly Known as "Goethe Park"</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In late 2007 or early 2008, Sacramento County Supervisors received troubling information that a popular river park used by generations of families was named after a man who openly praised the Nazi Party and supported a movement called "Eugenics."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not only did Charles M. Goethe openly praise the work of a one Adolph Hitler, he created the Eugenics Society of Northern California. He strongly believed in forced sterilization of those deemed "socially unfit," and was an open supporter of Hitler's efforts to </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">purify the Aryan race before the outbreak of World War II.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even though Goethe was a lifelong Sacramentan and is widely given credit for establishing California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), Supervisors couldn't move quickly enough to remove the Goethe name from every trace of county property. Charles M. Goethe park was quickly renamed "River Bend Park."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_-v1LQxMTlXMABLrbQmfeAo0odwi9x3XjeGxq-FdCR_7PlDUg4LPf5qdyCjL10Z7zJP54w2HLG7MY_q2TPrMZdTgiiLABcGqxxhg_qEuGSYot5xvTsrx9IfSV85DoT0o2YOeqDyY2O0/s1600/Charles+M.+Goethe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_-v1LQxMTlXMABLrbQmfeAo0odwi9x3XjeGxq-FdCR_7PlDUg4LPf5qdyCjL10Z7zJP54w2HLG7MY_q2TPrMZdTgiiLABcGqxxhg_qEuGSYot5xvTsrx9IfSV85DoT0o2YOeqDyY2O0/s1600/Charles+M.+Goethe.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Charles M. Goethe</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"It's a public park where everyone should feel welcome," said Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan, who spoke in support of the name change and was quoted by the Sacramento Bee.</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But Sacramento County Supervisors weren't alone in taking this kind of action. Although Goethe may be responsible for the creation of CSUS, his name cannot be found anywhere on campus. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On June 21, 2007, the Sacramento City
Unified School District Board voted to rename the “Charles M. Goethe Middle School”
to the “Rosa Parks Middle School.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But not everyone agreed with these changes. Opponents suggested that Goethe lived in another era of time where views such as his were more widely accepted. It was therefore "unfair" to expose and judge his views in this era of "political correctness."</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDtoXjjkeGlMJ5b1KK5liICwq-KsOQWpKY_IW16ez_Lfx9A52IDgykVciA0n5SV77Ww84YHxk5WzUpSv2UHQQkEKdbUr8gOqXF-tI8dL5rtvWdjY8-nXHQMC4eDmrN1q4-9ZmgktDpj4/s1600/Sacramento_City_NOTFORPRINT_2x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDtoXjjkeGlMJ5b1KK5liICwq-KsOQWpKY_IW16ez_Lfx9A52IDgykVciA0n5SV77Ww84YHxk5WzUpSv2UHQQkEKdbUr8gOqXF-tI8dL5rtvWdjY8-nXHQMC4eDmrN1q4-9ZmgktDpj4/s1600/Sacramento_City_NOTFORPRINT_2x.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm sorry, but I don't buy that. Not for a single, solitary second.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You see, my father was one of many who "lived" the Nazi experiment. He was just one of several thousand men who were captured by Nazi forces in the ill-fated "Raid on Dieppe," during World War II and would spend the next three years living the "Nazi experiment" in a Nazi-run prisoner of war camp.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">During his first year of captivity he was kept in shackles and routinely tortured. Although treatment of Allied prisoners improved somewhat as fortunes turned against the Nazi's in the later years of the war, my father suffered a brutal beating at one point for the crime of stealing a turnip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why did he steal a turnip? If you guessed that he might have been hungry due to mass food shortages during the war, that would probably be a good guess.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zoQleafU7HQC71V-a8dOLFHS0oVoLzHpgDoRIBHQ6-mI1h-2E4h4rkJPsRlp7Q8KLR5n9L6QSdJi2y9nyI2M3wsBSmZJ0ZRJcHobj982SZ55i1FTabBvn3k7ICERKf7e2f_0-j8i2HY/s1600/oroville_chinese_temple_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zoQleafU7HQC71V-a8dOLFHS0oVoLzHpgDoRIBHQ6-mI1h-2E4h4rkJPsRlp7Q8KLR5n9L6QSdJi2y9nyI2M3wsBSmZJ0ZRJcHobj982SZ55i1FTabBvn3k7ICERKf7e2f_0-j8i2HY/s1600/oroville_chinese_temple_thumb.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chinese Temple in Oroville CA</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If Mr. Goethe ever had the misfortune of running into my father at any point in time after the war, can you imagine how my father would have reacted to his "pro Nazi" views? Dad would have punched him in the nose. And he would have kept on punching until someone stopped him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The passage of time is no excuse for errors and mistakes in judgement. Refusing to learn from these mistakes and errors only dooms us to repeat them again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Should we then forget the contributions of legendary fruit and nut tree provider Felix Gillet for his racist views and actions against Chinese miners in California? No, I don't think that's right either. I don't think he should be forgotten. I don't think his work should be filed away in some forgotten filing cabinet. I think he should be remembered and celebrated for all his accomplishments.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58J2OUccK_UfFyNJ9uXurA5a-O1sf13gdmV_BIMfFry3J5q8YacjwW-ljsGvmrB2PbPIx0vxWmC4YYIJmWdBgo-GkFJwQDFEtltks1wGy98Y5eTn2JQzaF7HtP47IVhaBGGnYxjeyRUY/s1600/Barren+Hill+Nursery+Plaque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58J2OUccK_UfFyNJ9uXurA5a-O1sf13gdmV_BIMfFry3J5q8YacjwW-ljsGvmrB2PbPIx0vxWmC4YYIJmWdBgo-GkFJwQDFEtltks1wGy98Y5eTn2JQzaF7HtP47IVhaBGGnYxjeyRUY/s1600/Barren+Hill+Nursery+Plaque.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Outside the Former Barren Hill Nursery</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet at the same time, it should never be forgotten that he wasn't a perfect man. Most men aren't perfect. Gillet is just one of many. Both his accomplishments and his mistakes should be held in the same light of truth and transparency.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have we forgotten the names of our nation's founding fathers? Do school children still learn about the Declaration of Independence and the immortal words that Thomas Jefferson wrote? <b><u>"All Men are Created Equal."</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet Jefferson kept slaves. He kept hundreds of men and women in a lifetime of enslavement. Did those words in the Declaration of Independence apply to them as well? Or should that line have been rewritten to claim "Some Men are Created more Equal than Others?"</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2filXsoak0uP5GNCRx1W_iBfosv1Ya2xGW-YcGWaZSFovGaddTWvHVGn8scVNBSxgUg7iNB46VPGANzo7cEae-mruCJizgXN2TKNAJIfb211q2aEpHOhcCcssH5ESM9YX1giaiICV5rI/s1600/P1070874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2filXsoak0uP5GNCRx1W_iBfosv1Ya2xGW-YcGWaZSFovGaddTWvHVGn8scVNBSxgUg7iNB46VPGANzo7cEae-mruCJizgXN2TKNAJIfb211q2aEpHOhcCcssH5ESM9YX1giaiICV5rI/s1600/P1070874.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Humbug</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While it's been interesting to learn about Gillet's work and enjoyable to pay a visit to Malakoff Diggins State Park and the town of Humbug, I don't think I'll ever feel the same way about fruit trees again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then again, thinking isn't such a bad thing. See Amigo Cantisano lead a short tour of China Garden <a href="http://youtu.be/pRmtnu8KOUI" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Read more here: http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SB&p_theme=sb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=(River%20Bend%20Park)%20AND%20date(2008)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2008&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(%22River%20Bend%20Park%22)&xcal_numdocs=50&p_perpage=25&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no#storylink=cpy</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-25479714966691796052015-03-01T10:23:00.002-08:002015-03-03T15:46:17.418-08:00GOLD! Gold in the Bird Back 40!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzJW5S7AjxOQfqnkyNDbGtdzLDqUSlgCpK33P3aYYgiGOPt_5CubGj8MZ-7Lyez6uWnyJreSETqPEdRLV3cvsaCDczOj1573Jn-Svhv2T-Og6Y05pro3d__wUeeQVuMsUOi1bbT62ljo/s1600/P1070926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzJW5S7AjxOQfqnkyNDbGtdzLDqUSlgCpK33P3aYYgiGOPt_5CubGj8MZ-7Lyez6uWnyJreSETqPEdRLV3cvsaCDczOj1573Jn-Svhv2T-Og6Y05pro3d__wUeeQVuMsUOi1bbT62ljo/s1600/P1070926.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Twenty Ounce Apple Tree-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well -- not really gold per se. Sorry to get you excited. I did not unearth golden nuggets during the latest "Big Dig" in the Bird Back 40. But -- I will tell you this much. I brought some gold rush history back home and planted it. Soon, provided the wife that is Venus and I are lucky, we'll be munching on what the Gold Rush 49ers munched on more than a century ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is prime bare root fruit tree season in California and across the rest of the country. It's warming up fast outside in California, but there's still a little time left to head out to your favorite nursery and purchase the fruit tree of your choice. This happens to be a very good time for it! The nurseries are stocked to the gills with every fruit tree variety under the sun. Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, apples, you name it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5ngTHXlELgrjz9dJ_JNTW1I2LsPk1CsI18KyogvSPqav9CO3rgICr9SLeEguJN7C7d-pjuoPcvnBk23mKmMWE-9nfZ30sLx3hrYwLtrnF1m53BNsNbEIEtWGU6xV4TEry-kbUBhQe2E/s1600/P1070551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5ngTHXlELgrjz9dJ_JNTW1I2LsPk1CsI18KyogvSPqav9CO3rgICr9SLeEguJN7C7d-pjuoPcvnBk23mKmMWE-9nfZ30sLx3hrYwLtrnF1m53BNsNbEIEtWGU6xV4TEry-kbUBhQe2E/s1600/P1070551.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flavor Finale Pluots (Delicious)</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do you like fruit cocktail trees? One tree with three or four different varieties of fruit grafted to it? You'll find that as well. How about the new and exciting introductions from <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/" target="_blank">Dave Wilson Nursery?</a> The Pluot? Plumcot? Aprium? The Pride Peach Collection? Yes sir! You'll find that your local nursery has plenty of them in stock as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Bird Back 40 is stocked with DWN specialty trees -- from the Honey Crisp Apple to the Flavor Finale Pluot. Look closely enough and you'll spot the Pride Peach Collection (five Pride Peach selections grafted to one tree). You might even spot an Aprium. Maybe...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlwZu7ANSvHK4jK-tS9CFp1xMMPOhpjALIDO6i5ZtEDsb4rUQavYeRXVZmWHTXO5F4w761Fmkp9rppNOiu5oeQdFhwYE9Dp5dm1enH4ls2IGsrjq83GOlGYyYBVwwy3cIMdvMEPVZqf8/s1600/Amigo+Bob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlwZu7ANSvHK4jK-tS9CFp1xMMPOhpjALIDO6i5ZtEDsb4rUQavYeRXVZmWHTXO5F4w761Fmkp9rppNOiu5oeQdFhwYE9Dp5dm1enH4ls2IGsrjq83GOlGYyYBVwwy3cIMdvMEPVZqf8/s1600/Amigo+Bob.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Amigo" Bob Cantisano</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But this year we decided to do something a little differently. For, it was last year when I read a wonderful story in the <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/home-garden/debbie-arrington/article2594029.html" target="_blank">Home and Garden section of the Sacramento Bee</a> about a man by the name of "Amigo" Bob Cantisano. Bob is a Nevada County native who helped start the Heaven and Earth Nursery in North San Juan (<a href="http://felixgillet.org/" target="_blank">Felix Gillet Institute</a>), a magical place designed to preserve and protect the gold rush fruit tree history of a one Felix Gillet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who is Felix Gillet and why have you and I never heard of him? I could bore you with volumes of details that I've learned about this legendary character and his rightful place in California fruit and nut tree history, but I won't. Suffice to say, Felix was an original California pioneer. He immigrated to the United States from France, and some years later made his way out to the gold fields in California.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq3JWQz5a4AFcEeVKyL1AbjJHtp2FrJJEOOZC6-nX4hAvzFujQJXzwob0ZQwBhBgwYG7FbyxjOIn1kymVZjuqGPEMwRK5UQReKQi_-wY9yphw05oj0PdCoNOuh0Ljl_J_pYezkXkol3s/s1600/felix-gillet-pic21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq3JWQz5a4AFcEeVKyL1AbjJHtp2FrJJEOOZC6-nX4hAvzFujQJXzwob0ZQwBhBgwYG7FbyxjOIn1kymVZjuqGPEMwRK5UQReKQi_-wY9yphw05oj0PdCoNOuh0Ljl_J_pYezkXkol3s/s1600/felix-gillet-pic21.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Felix Gillet</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Felix, however, didn't come here to pan gold. Although he did have some mining claims, nobody is quite sure what Felix did with them. Nope -- Felix was a barber by trade. He owned and operated a barbershop in Nevada City, where he also sold "French Finery" such as pens, stationary and toys. But his biggest contribution to California agricultural history was yet to come.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gillet returned to France in 1864 to learn the nursery trade, and upon his return to Nevada City, he purchased 16 acres of land that had been stripped clean and timbered by gold miners. He would name this his Barren Hill Nursery. And, it's on this tiny plot of land where Gillet helped jump start not only the California fruit and nut tree industry, but the nut tree industries in neighboring Oregon and Washington State as well.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aaOZ4EZiHSZlTxqfrS3S2bUc9ei0ikfUqa5m06henxvn4BAFSYSXLeQ266p7LGqm8Xjg4dWfqVkGQwIbw6TZsxVoIZp5qXV8HOaivJn3Xg8dPbbApb8u00XpWsIN-ssFMxqWMuk9-8U/s1600/Birchville+Beauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aaOZ4EZiHSZlTxqfrS3S2bUc9ei0ikfUqa5m06henxvn4BAFSYSXLeQ266p7LGqm8Xjg4dWfqVkGQwIbw6TZsxVoIZp5qXV8HOaivJn3Xg8dPbbApb8u00XpWsIN-ssFMxqWMuk9-8U/s1600/Birchville+Beauty.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Bigarreau de Mai Cherry</i></span><i> (Gillet Introduction)</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gillet spent thousands of dollars on importing fruit and nut trees from France via ship and then rail to Northern California, where he helped adapt his French offerings to the California climate. He is directly responsible for many of the fruit trees grown in California today, in not just backyards like ours but commercial orchards as well.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cantisano, who has been promoting Gillet's groundbreaking work for decades, has managed to find thousands of Gillet fruit trees in old gold rush mining camps and in gold rush communities like Nevada City. Surprisingly, these trees, which are more than 150 years old, are still alive and still very productive.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGRXPKEA-o5Z4Txxoze4hmLzgJVtckyYkjaszN7-pKQmfCKFtbK6XQX7bpRLQW6l6l6iFqrXJgFchqR2m27YEyKo0c49MQZvWlDDKPfqUx-kX5va-MQIx1HaaK8ltzaaRrFOv3eZfMC0/s1600/P1070873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGRXPKEA-o5Z4Txxoze4hmLzgJVtckyYkjaszN7-pKQmfCKFtbK6XQX7bpRLQW6l6l6iFqrXJgFchqR2m27YEyKo0c49MQZvWlDDKPfqUx-kX5va-MQIx1HaaK8ltzaaRrFOv3eZfMC0/s1600/P1070873.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Heaven and Earth Farm-North San Juan</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">During a recent presentation to the Nevada County Historical Society, Cantisano pointed out just one of dozens of cherry varieties that Gillet introduced to California. It's called the Bigarreau Gross de Mezel. Please don't ask me to pronounce that, because I'll fail miserably. Did you know this is still widely grown in California and elsewhere? It is, but the name of it has changed. Today we call it the Bing Cherry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever eaten a Bing Cherry before? Then Cantisano says "you've tasted Felix Gillet." But it didn't stop with fruit and nut trees. Gillet was also responsible for importing French wine grapes into California. Have you heard of varieties called Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sirah and Petite Sirah?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLopKiZK8A62NHLiIfXRJybI9-WYT1MAfx2zhYxrbnsMa1cL9g3snqcjMAJi2HCNub8UOuwrPH4B9-NlICbLIc7xT4DH8R4mqDVnbQeEICYJdHqYyjiT-6FeZhB6rTPxxPD32NaFi9xI/s1600/Twenty+Ounce+Apple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLopKiZK8A62NHLiIfXRJybI9-WYT1MAfx2zhYxrbnsMa1cL9g3snqcjMAJi2HCNub8UOuwrPH4B9-NlICbLIc7xT4DH8R4mqDVnbQeEICYJdHqYyjiT-6FeZhB6rTPxxPD32NaFi9xI/s1600/Twenty+Ounce+Apple.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Twenty Ounce Apple</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you've ever had a glass of any of these wines, Cantisano will tell you that "you've tasted Felix Gillet."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I began to learn more about Gillet and his work, it struck me that he laid the foundation for modern agriculture in California. Short and sweet, there would be no Dave Wilson Nursery without Gillet and his introductions. There would be no Floyd Zaiger and <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/product-information-general/about-zaiger-genetics" target="_blank">Zaiger Genetics</a>, the family that brought us the Pluot and many other recent introductions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gillet wasn't the only breeder introducing fruit trees to California during the Gold Rush. There were others. But he was the only large provider located in old gold rush territory. Today, if you find a fruit tree growing at an old mining camp somewhere in Butte, Nevada, Placer, Sierra, Plumas, El Dorado, Amador or Calaveras Counties, chances are it came from Gillet's Barren Hill Nursery. And, if you ask Cantisano, he will tell you that he's literally stumbled onto thousands of them. Yet, at the same time, he'll also admit that he's barely scratched the surface of how many Gillet fruit introductions are still out there -- waiting to discovered -- just as the gold nuggets were waiting for gold rush miners that flocked to California.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsT19yGM8NWf1OlaeAxz5mjaU0p-sEI1O7sktXXva6tDn_OHL5Bew7o5Zk1Qu95YAvu0SdSshG0wN4WffKAd10g7yir5RQlvit2LX8jGrWVVtVa7VhmZdQ225PylgkH0rnSv1_wnzKe4/s1600/Barren+Hill+Nursery+Plaque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsT19yGM8NWf1OlaeAxz5mjaU0p-sEI1O7sktXXva6tDn_OHL5Bew7o5Zk1Qu95YAvu0SdSshG0wN4WffKAd10g7yir5RQlvit2LX8jGrWVVtVa7VhmZdQ225PylgkH0rnSv1_wnzKe4/s1600/Barren+Hill+Nursery+Plaque.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Barren Hill Nursery Property</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So -- in honor of this man's unique history and Amigo Cantisano's work to preserve Gillet's contributions, Venus and I ordered two fruit tree selections from the Heaven and Earth Farm: the Twenty Ounce Apple and the Birchville Beauty (Update: I've recently learned the Birchville Beauty may, in fact, be the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Bigarreau de Maia</b> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">cherry. Roughly translated, that's May Sweet Cherry). Both mother trees were discovered at long-abandoned mining camps in Nevada County. Both are more than 150 years old. Both are still very productive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The drive to this nursery was an adventure in itself. Heaven and Earth Farm is located off Highway 49 above Nevada City. Highway 49 is in good enough shape, as are most of the connecting roads. But it's that second, third and fourth turns that are a little interesting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Soon, you find yourself turning left on something that should be called <b>"You Call This a Road?"</b> And then there's that right on <b>"This Looks More Like a Game Trail Than a Road." </b>It's one of them "white knuckle" type drives that you're not going forget anytime soon.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQVn5zLdG0t1GE94WZzShwN1kZvZBqeHpiCZHj30bZXPcwevG10gYNUKDo-Ysck7-Qd1BEklhrbsubgT-fGx_ypSZoiQvGjRwDv1-Z0JkF2Ccz6E53d3z9ROoCP8VM-fFDxoZtCEuYuI/s1600/P1070871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQVn5zLdG0t1GE94WZzShwN1kZvZBqeHpiCZHj30bZXPcwevG10gYNUKDo-Ysck7-Qd1BEklhrbsubgT-fGx_ypSZoiQvGjRwDv1-Z0JkF2Ccz6E53d3z9ROoCP8VM-fFDxoZtCEuYuI/s1600/P1070871.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Venus with Adam Nuber-Heaven and Earth Farm</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Both apple and cherry tree have found a home in the Bird Back 40, but that's not the end of this story. No, it's really just beginning. It would seem to me that someone who contributed as much as Gillet did to California agriculture would not only be remembered, but celebrated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But he's not. I'd never heard of Felix Gillet until I read Debbie Arrington's story about Amigo Cantisano and his Heaven and Earth Farm. Why isn't there a statue of this man in front of the headquarters of the California Department of Food and Agriculture? Why has Felix Gillet been forgotten? Pushed off the history pages of Horticulture?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have my feelings and suspicions as to why. It's a subject that I will tackle with my next blog posting. Until then, dear readers, I've got two new fruit trees to water and care for.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-34476552220197497862015-02-25T22:07:00.000-08:002015-04-26T15:46:04.280-07:00Come On Baby Light My Fire!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZV9jmw9NxfkfIT-4z4nwLqRTyzZq55Z8skXOGn7Tcii3-oXkKWnH2JO-qjI6tiUvS9kPpKx3IQaKm59J4EsTl9OR-txkvmNYv6wk3tbXHFxkYljHEPVbZfUCZoA1il2EpW2AcZbhiJM/s1600/P1070920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZV9jmw9NxfkfIT-4z4nwLqRTyzZq55Z8skXOGn7Tcii3-oXkKWnH2JO-qjI6tiUvS9kPpKx3IQaKm59J4EsTl9OR-txkvmNYv6wk3tbXHFxkYljHEPVbZfUCZoA1il2EpW2AcZbhiJM/s1600/P1070920.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Playing With Fire</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That great British poet once intoned: <b><i><u>"Don't Play With Me, Cause You're Playing With Fire."</u></i></b> And that's good advice. But what does Mick Jagger know about hot peppers anyhow? Hot women? Yeah, I guess he knows about them. He should. But hot peppers? Please, Mr. Jagger, move aside. Because Bill and the wife that is Venus are ready to "roll those tumblin' dice."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That picture to your immediate right is our latest foray into "playing with fire." This represents the really hot stuff that will be growing in the Bird Back 40 come this summer. We got an early start on these seeds -- mid January to be exact. Because if you want hot peppers in a summer garden? You need to start them in the dead of winter.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04GTY-JtOFJIx6CWt7smxgf-SgVi_vbzneXwtAypAGtA5_jnmJZu9Ht3XQI369pvUQG16bmCGLmCCwIAIE_e-EUqkMkxsK9oNuv17ZZtK6HtfV0hY1MyPzahUCpeRQkaDdVvWM3IbjPY/s1600/P1070545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04GTY-JtOFJIx6CWt7smxgf-SgVi_vbzneXwtAypAGtA5_jnmJZu9Ht3XQI369pvUQG16bmCGLmCCwIAIE_e-EUqkMkxsK9oNuv17ZZtK6HtfV0hY1MyPzahUCpeRQkaDdVvWM3IbjPY/s1600/P1070545.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Salsa</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Provided everything goes hunky dory in the summer garden, these seedlings should start delivering a bounty of the "fire hot" stuff by mid July. That's right about when the main crop of heirloom tomatoes will begin to ripen up. So what's the big deal? I'll tell you what the "big deal" is. Hot peppers and heirloom tomatoes are the essential ingredients in the moderately famous and always in demand Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Salsa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You've got to have a bounty of fresh tomatoes for salsa making in the summertime. And you can't go without a bounty of hotter than hot, burning hot peppers. Because salsa that rocks like Mick Jagger demands fire. And in the Bird Back 40, we play with that stuff (we also wear gloves).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxFgmkqP-7vV6gq_FYKvrXhUrQFMkA3viglDYfA_oT0kKh0PfUFCkxJYGxusMIfHUYudVxvyOkswgQNfa_MUEW2W8wxumjMGtu7FjFHxzOpGeYxGwECwDRbP8mSPDAqdQMs7hTrts2xE/s1600/Jagger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxFgmkqP-7vV6gq_FYKvrXhUrQFMkA3viglDYfA_oT0kKh0PfUFCkxJYGxusMIfHUYudVxvyOkswgQNfa_MUEW2W8wxumjMGtu7FjFHxzOpGeYxGwECwDRbP8mSPDAqdQMs7hTrts2xE/s1600/Jagger.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mick Jagger-Salsa Fanatic</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The varieties you see planted under our special grow lights in our home-office-turned-greenhouse include the following: The always popular Bhut Jolokia, also known as the "Ghost Pepper." If you guess that a Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper might be a part of this year's mix -- that would be one fine guess. Other varieties popping to the surface include the Caribbean Red Habanero and the Assam Hot Pepper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's also a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pasillo Bajio</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> thrown into this year's mix, which isn't really hot, but that smoky flavor adds a lot to the moderately famous and always in demand Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Heirloom Tomato Salsa.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGI9wryecNpjb1ZooIeP4xxf4BGs4QIc5ymriHahFIFcBaZYA7NYRNX3O50DdCtqmEpQXLi-oNqQ4mCNFtSJEt4h1-VsUYCT4PNMD8vbQ74Ot28Jg2ehnrN_njdRBQ4lmFT385DTP4YQ/s1600/Ghost+Pepper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGI9wryecNpjb1ZooIeP4xxf4BGs4QIc5ymriHahFIFcBaZYA7NYRNX3O50DdCtqmEpQXLi-oNqQ4mCNFtSJEt4h1-VsUYCT4PNMD8vbQ74Ot28Jg2ehnrN_njdRBQ4lmFT385DTP4YQ/s1600/Ghost+Pepper.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bhut Jolokia Peppers</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This will represent the third year of usage for the Ghost Pepper. These were originally a gift from South Natomas Gardening Zen Master Nels Christensen. Last year we graduated to growing our own, but made the mistake of starting seeds at the same time as the sweet peppers. But this year we followed the advice of hot pepper fanatic Dave Jessee up in Brownsville. Start those seeds early, son.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This photo below, to the right, is from his seed starting setup in early January. Notice the hot stove to provide heat? One of the first things I noticed is the cat located under the hot stove, boiling his brains. Any normal cat would have socked Dave's hot pepper starter plants to the moon and back. But Dave assured us that kitty was at that tender age where all he cared about was lying under the hot stove and boiling his brains.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXICOKnasyOnoYKRuRWdnP7rsfH-KmmlGUP6fIlkI6cJaSAouKTD3wLFQ_km627fwhedAkEzDqyE2X6fzy8ZwrrAGxh2S6g8CTOYxB7tYJ-cwDUVXhpbEw4xXchsTvsdezxg0XClfpO8/s1600/Jesse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXICOKnasyOnoYKRuRWdnP7rsfH-KmmlGUP6fIlkI6cJaSAouKTD3wLFQ_km627fwhedAkEzDqyE2X6fzy8ZwrrAGxh2S6g8CTOYxB7tYJ-cwDUVXhpbEw4xXchsTvsdezxg0XClfpO8/s1600/Jesse.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dave Jessee Hot Pepper Seed Starting Setup (plus cat)</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mental note: Cats are not the smartest of creatures. But they sure do like hot stoves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A big test still awaits. Will the Scorpion pepper hold up to the processing time our salsa demands? That processing time includes a steady boil for at least one hour, followed up by 30-35 minutes of time in a pressure canner. Many so-called "hot peppers" turn into absolute wimps when exposed to this kind of abuse -- and that includes the mighty Habanero. The Ghost Pepper held up well to this abuse, which is why we are growing the Ghost Pepper again. But will the Scorpion?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The owner of these Scorpion Pepper seeds assures us that his Scorpion pepper acts like a Timex Watch: It takes a licking and keeps on ticking. The seeds for this pepper came from Joseph Brophy, an attorney and gardening fanatic located in the great state of New York. How did I come into contact with someone like Joseph Brophy? It's called the internet children, and forums dedicated to all things related to growing heirloom tomatoes.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFq4kdgTGIYI89N2mSrTdRaU7S8GkLXja7gxm-0WI10L-41JSwWblT7_W921zTlYSQW5HXnUN6Ez8LX8te1NkP0MqjCrL1iBUdD8T6O9toDn0TDtIlmBjil_n4hTXq3woxV3VZD_LmvQ/s1600/Scorpion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFq4kdgTGIYI89N2mSrTdRaU7S8GkLXja7gxm-0WI10L-41JSwWblT7_W921zTlYSQW5HXnUN6Ez8LX8te1NkP0MqjCrL1iBUdD8T6O9toDn0TDtIlmBjil_n4hTXq3woxV3VZD_LmvQ/s1600/Scorpion.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Scorpion Pepper in a New York Garden</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I traded Mr. Brophy some seeds for a champion Black Cherry tomato plant and in return he shipped over his special Scorpion seeds. And if Mr. Brophy can get the Scorpion to not only grow and produce in a place with a shorter than short growing season like New York, can you imagine what this pepper might do in California? The land of nine month summer growing seasons?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">OK, so I'm being a tad facetious. But you get the idea. It's not like Sacramento gets covered with a blanket of snow in November. Not hardly. If the Scorpion can produce a bundle of hot peppers in some place like New York, it should absolutely go to town in gardening-friendly Sacramento.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time will tell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It might still be a touch cold outside -- but be assured of this: It's hot pepper season in Sacramento. Let the summer growing season commence!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-7877494034413253492015-02-14T10:03:00.001-08:002015-02-14T10:03:27.416-08:00The Treasure of "Ima Wiener"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKla6cz_JlZnpP7rOWnC_k6ye9v-7gMo9Zk3nV5gGO4pK92W0NtAf-RtJQr_vbJ92FqD7cVq4JyVMwqYZzHuOV4frFAu7xYKauxVX-2u1Xz-AbJVtqArGEJEfqLFgLej9jM_3yCHvNJRo/s1600/P1070794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKla6cz_JlZnpP7rOWnC_k6ye9v-7gMo9Zk3nV5gGO4pK92W0NtAf-RtJQr_vbJ92FqD7cVq4JyVMwqYZzHuOV4frFAu7xYKauxVX-2u1Xz-AbJVtqArGEJEfqLFgLej9jM_3yCHvNJRo/s1600/P1070794.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>X-Rated Radish</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And now -- just in time for Valentine's Day -- a little pornographic love from the vegetable garden adventures springing from the Bird Back 40. Because nothing spells "love" quite like the "treasure" that the wife unveiled from the Bird Back 40 raised gardening beds some days back. There it is -- pictured to the right -- a schlong sized radish. It's the Treasure of Ima Wiener.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't even take credit for the title of this blog posting. Those readers who are fans of "The Simpsons" must now realize that I ripped it off from one of the funniest parts of The Simpson's Movie. The lines from that movie go a little like this -- when antagonist Russ Cargill confronts Homer Simpson holding a shotgun:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6ZXPTDnwHIABcsORF4UVK-3PUDFd_9OdIl7A_qvOBVj9g9M8Y1fW83ryeQjrUhZOusCMOYx0zqIlF6TWG6pThLo__XzDMgm2Al7W8TM1aLRlldQGjBP42E6h4v-5u67nKGCVhoMpgww/s1600/300.simpsons.ls_.41012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6ZXPTDnwHIABcsORF4UVK-3PUDFd_9OdIl7A_qvOBVj9g9M8Y1fW83ryeQjrUhZOusCMOYx0zqIlF6TWG6pThLo__XzDMgm2Al7W8TM1aLRlldQGjBP42E6h4v-5u67nKGCVhoMpgww/s1600/300.simpsons.ls_.41012.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Simpsons</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bart: Wait! If you kill my dad, we'll never know where the
treasure is buried!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cargill: What treasure?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bart: The treasure of... Ima Wiener.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cargill: "Ima Weiner"?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">[Homer and Bart laugh]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Homer: Classic!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It would be Maggie who saved her father in that particular scene, by throwing a rather hefty sized stone that struck Cargill in the head. A development that left Homer to proclaim: <i>"Maggie! What a great little accident you turned out to be."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's bathroom humor at it's best -- which makes it a classic Simpsons moment in time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuv54aKih1Cw3XKmPTP4qIWXtJ3Afh1w9SzKkIaHQO8XzUKtB1KN2q_9t-Z65FgQU9QJ1-zoFjDJ0ukWCCPSY6E6l6cAgk1vIlvpWvi2EjORAR9huiBdOfvrqRZziO8SLG6HgS14BTiU/s1600/P1070796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuv54aKih1Cw3XKmPTP4qIWXtJ3Afh1w9SzKkIaHQO8XzUKtB1KN2q_9t-Z65FgQU9QJ1-zoFjDJ0ukWCCPSY6E6l6cAgk1vIlvpWvi2EjORAR9huiBdOfvrqRZziO8SLG6HgS14BTiU/s1600/P1070796.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>WHOA!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To be brutally honest -- gardeners aren't supposed to let radishes get quite this big. If they reach a size like this they tend to taste a bit (I kid you not) "woody." However, for some strange reason this one tasted just fine. It tasted just like -- well -- a French Breakfast radish is supposed to taste like: a radish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And what a radish it was!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, for us, the night that the wife pulled this monster out of the ground we were making the perfect meal: chicken salad. This is one of those quick "work night" meals when you don't have a whole lot of time to throw everything together. It involved grilled chicken breasts, some bagged salad to mix with what's left of the fall salad greens, a spare green onion or two from the leftover summer garden and -- oh -- did I mention the x-rated sized radish?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOOouMAYRE07FVTblNd_3GIBLpX7LuqETd4WfAUqXP-GR4sF0MLIzSH1L_2WZPXat-u_Ag0Go6bElNIm4On2A0LH4qhZo3dNCnzMEiVD7ADV0nzGW5x7QYbHeNeGfOQW7iRe58EPNN2s/s1600/P1070799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOOouMAYRE07FVTblNd_3GIBLpX7LuqETd4WfAUqXP-GR4sF0MLIzSH1L_2WZPXat-u_Ag0Go6bElNIm4On2A0LH4qhZo3dNCnzMEiVD7ADV0nzGW5x7QYbHeNeGfOQW7iRe58EPNN2s/s1600/P1070799.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grilled Chicken</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cut up the chicken -- throw it all together -- add in some dressing quickly prepared by my most excellent wife and you have a dinner like no other. Oh -- and a conversation piece that I can bring to you, dear readers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's not much left of the fall garden these days. And with the sudden onset of warm, almost spring-like weather -- the mind turns to spring and summer gardening opportunities. Unfortunately, the one arctic blast of cold weather we received in December managed to kill off most of the pea plants we started in October. And although it doesn't seem like it could possibly happen, a freeze in February and March isn't out of the question.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzU3HHzC-Zsv7oFofT0sDDG69njBLNs9Ewg54AxulUErLjEmK7wrfSZndfWW0DM9YP3iPMnuBdj7UL6LMa9lKbAoXkIPqwVJ9TsHV7aPD13-4MI7DKLL4QQkv4uCMM3LNH9FsqJ7aUbg/s1600/P1070797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzU3HHzC-Zsv7oFofT0sDDG69njBLNs9Ewg54AxulUErLjEmK7wrfSZndfWW0DM9YP3iPMnuBdj7UL6LMa9lKbAoXkIPqwVJ9TsHV7aPD13-4MI7DKLL4QQkv4uCMM3LNH9FsqJ7aUbg/s1600/P1070797.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Radish Meets its End</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's happened before. It can happen again. But the one item that we can plant in abundance right about now? That's right -- the radish. Which might lead to another treasured discovery sometime soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Valentine's Day! And remember -- it's not all about wieners. It's about radishes.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-47421008116866262392015-02-01T11:27:00.000-08:002015-02-01T11:48:22.051-08:00Conversation With a Young Man<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JjJocU54WEEthK8lDRi6ZV3MdiWALiodOTjIUw8wdDl9v-pvNOcKYzJdbkfrEbI_9QJCUM18mRn0DIHb0GZRVi_WO6zCK4m5o4Thpb-4-MM4ryE91llPewHO-jwp5bB3oVY5i7SgK7g/s1600/P1070856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JjJocU54WEEthK8lDRi6ZV3MdiWALiodOTjIUw8wdDl9v-pvNOcKYzJdbkfrEbI_9QJCUM18mRn0DIHb0GZRVi_WO6zCK4m5o4Thpb-4-MM4ryE91llPewHO-jwp5bB3oVY5i7SgK7g/s1600/P1070856.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Variegated Pink Lemon-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Come here young man. Let's plant a lemon bush before the start of the Super Bowl shall we? This just isn't any lemon bush by the way. This is called the Variegated Pink Lemon. And someday it will yield lemons that will deliver a batch of freshly squeezed pink lemonade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever planted a lemon tree before? Well, this will be a first for you then, won't it? The first task to accomplish is to find an appropriate spot for our Variegated Pink Lemon. We want a spot that will protect it from the harsh winter conditions that blow through the Bird Back 40. We can't just plant it and forget it. No, it needs protection.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_cwsf21h1ify775XPujUvpYIPuj1ucujkuwhBSx-Go_09bydEvUdj65TsYAWgIGtBB4harNiHW76g7Ju_-PIpnFvyY2Z7AnwcDUL_cjqNYQX8JGbpfrakmPxkV9dFw_DCNDUY-pWvQc/s1600/P1070818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_cwsf21h1ify775XPujUvpYIPuj1ucujkuwhBSx-Go_09bydEvUdj65TsYAWgIGtBB4harNiHW76g7Ju_-PIpnFvyY2Z7AnwcDUL_cjqNYQX8JGbpfrakmPxkV9dFw_DCNDUY-pWvQc/s1600/P1070818.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Protection for the Variegated Pink Lemon Bush</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Therefore, young man, I think the best spot for this lemon bush would be in this side yard. We can plant it next to the house, where it will be protected from northerly winds and freezing conditions, but still receive enough sunshine to grow and produce lemons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However -- there is one problem young man. This spot is already occupied by a rose bush named after John F. Kennedy. Have you learned about JFK in school yet? John F. Kennedy was one of our most famous Presidents, and served his country in World War II just as your grandfather did.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSwwIK1FIWXwboRWrtCulCovekvehsqwKmAqr4F7Spyt_zE07eZnZVBC_jVRXpRqtOU0ZH-K9C8U2ST_fD8XrySzuyG1b5InRs7f5lkaHiBx7wUwlGYguKb5Rro5xkczX5OMSUS6TaZk/s1600/P1070820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSwwIK1FIWXwboRWrtCulCovekvehsqwKmAqr4F7Spyt_zE07eZnZVBC_jVRXpRqtOU0ZH-K9C8U2ST_fD8XrySzuyG1b5InRs7f5lkaHiBx7wUwlGYguKb5Rro5xkczX5OMSUS6TaZk/s1600/P1070820.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Digging up the JFK Hybrid Tea Rose Bush</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas in 1963 and this rose was developed as a tribute to him. Did you know that? It produces beautiful and fragrant long-stemmed white roses, which you will someday begin to appreciate. The young ladies love long-stemmed roses, young man. Did you know that?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What's that? You don't like girls? That's OK. I didn't at your age either. But, trust me on this young man, someday <i><u>you will.</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, this rose bush is asleep right now because it's so cold. This makes it easier for us to trim this rose bush, dig it up, and move it to its new location. No -- don't worry. We won't hurt it. Rose bushes are fairly tough customers, young man. It takes a lot of effort and work to kill a rose bush. Lord knows, I've made enough mistakes around them to learn this fact. This rose bush will be just fine in its new home.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGC5CU3kbejAAcdvDAmPM1g0t_nqf0pF8qXTH9tKWaNJHP52p6pMMhZMNDOPO4ZZ4BGDwhWajvUEsHpXoaOvyJwA57ZveCpeGMgs0q6cFyhzBDJPeq25zvWPWFJr02CKr4qCQ6862nLGA/s1600/P1070823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGC5CU3kbejAAcdvDAmPM1g0t_nqf0pF8qXTH9tKWaNJHP52p6pMMhZMNDOPO4ZZ4BGDwhWajvUEsHpXoaOvyJwA57ZveCpeGMgs0q6cFyhzBDJPeq25zvWPWFJr02CKr4qCQ6862nLGA/s1600/P1070823.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Prepping the Lemon Bush for Planting</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next step, after digging up the JFK rose bush, is to dig a hole for our Variegated Pink Lemon Bush. Where do you think we should dig that hole? In the center of this patch of dirt against the house? Correct! Hey, you're a smart kid! How did you get to be so smart?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We need to dig a hole that is wider and deeper than the pot that this Variegated Pink Lemon is planted in. If we mix in loose planter mix soil with the original clay soil, this will give our lemon bush room to grow and expand this spring. What's that? Yes, it might produce a lemon or two next year. But it will definitely produce a lot more in the coming years.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_mjzk15TUYwGDUVupluWWW4Dl6Jr8QjIVdJQr15Cq3nfQx1LbFDnonuZxi15UIbd4w44eggYFyWpk3-aAKfTMPLHebyqfzarOnx_hwimLY0SnwktMKd_JOFtrTUl_D-5RDhKEtTAVGY/s1600/Var-lemon-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_mjzk15TUYwGDUVupluWWW4Dl6Jr8QjIVdJQr15Cq3nfQx1LbFDnonuZxi15UIbd4w44eggYFyWpk3-aAKfTMPLHebyqfzarOnx_hwimLY0SnwktMKd_JOFtrTUl_D-5RDhKEtTAVGY/s1600/Var-lemon-300x200.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Variegated Pink Lemon</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Planting a fruit tree or lemon bush is an exercise in patience, young man. It doesn't pay off with fresh fruit or citrus right away. But it eventually will. And by the time you're actually old enough to develop a taste for lemons, you will begin to appreciate your Variegated Pink Lemon bush.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What's that? You don't like lemons? Well, I didn't really enjoy them that much when I was your age either. But, you like lemonade, don't you young man? Well, where do you think lemonade comes from? That's right! Fresh lemons. And there is nothing like freshly squeezed lemonade, young man. It's a treat you will come to appreciate.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23K5aL-xkuCMovhAzeXq9P7qBpNcds0zCpaAVawiJDwA2V27393nCKFD5oQCW7nCeG93UQ4MeK_i_lcRXnIF5Y6bmcOoABp_zLzpkTClDXvEMvwZ4CbqMfm5M6gkHFyAgNlO09q5TIfc/s1600/EUREKA_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23K5aL-xkuCMovhAzeXq9P7qBpNcds0zCpaAVawiJDwA2V27393nCKFD5oQCW7nCeG93UQ4MeK_i_lcRXnIF5Y6bmcOoABp_zLzpkTClDXvEMvwZ4CbqMfm5M6gkHFyAgNlO09q5TIfc/s1600/EUREKA_4.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Variegated Pink Lemon Bush</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the most important part of your lemon experience is yet to come. Because, someday, in the not too distant future I might add, you will find that your freshly squeezed Variegated Pink Lemonade goes exceptionally well with an ingredient called tequila.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It will be at this point, young man, when you begin to really enjoy your Variegated Pink Lemon bush. Because this concoction of lemons, sugar, water and tequila will have an especially pleasant effect on you, as long as you mix these ingredients in moderation.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6wl9YpNnC2TOz0qDXmq3cOLswsgUb3eoF36Notq07VaBTcjufKVxXgJgZcE1Xf2DGguIV1D0pctY1CkFwFCQnPt_LlxGRqgVyatdurQx2hU8yXaBNNLAyH0gtVh_qtuutNRTSshkCcE/s1600/P1070858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6wl9YpNnC2TOz0qDXmq3cOLswsgUb3eoF36Notq07VaBTcjufKVxXgJgZcE1Xf2DGguIV1D0pctY1CkFwFCQnPt_LlxGRqgVyatdurQx2hU8yXaBNNLAyH0gtVh_qtuutNRTSshkCcE/s1600/P1070858.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Final Step: Drip Irrigation for the Variegated Pink Lemon</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But that's not the best part, young man. The best part is still to come. Because, at some point, you will discover that this concoction of lemons, sugar, water and tequila has a very special and pleasing effect on young ladies as well. This is a lesson you have yet to learn. But -- trust me on this young man -- it's an experience that you <i><b>will</b></i> enjoy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh -- the lessons you've yet to learn young man!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-72910993585905608022015-01-17T18:49:00.000-08:002015-01-17T18:59:32.647-08:00Five-Six-Pick Up Sticks!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MSG-XThnr6eCb28nP2jWA2ipNewLXkq7J7S8Ahkw9sDSWyLHTDbufllC6b6My7zm6MPdMzFq62EptqooYYMFgHpPCP7J6PmTxXGslb3NDwh9ZrOo-l95SVco1mKDzIwg2bojsy3YW7o/s1600/P1070805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MSG-XThnr6eCb28nP2jWA2ipNewLXkq7J7S8Ahkw9sDSWyLHTDbufllC6b6My7zm6MPdMzFq62EptqooYYMFgHpPCP7J6PmTxXGslb3NDwh9ZrOo-l95SVco1mKDzIwg2bojsy3YW7o/s1600/P1070805.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>STICKS!</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fun in a January garden setting anyone? Can you have fun in a January garden setting? Of course you can -- provided you like working outside in cold weather. If that's not quite your cup of tea -- well -- a hot cup of tea does help take the winter sting away somewhat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">January in the garden is a busy time. There are things to prune back. There are things to plant. There's always an annoying patch of weeds to take care of. And January happens to be the perfect time to add to your fruit tree collections.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr1cYhyphenhyphenGCZMYj1CZXrWpKvRMlGO9j_Sno72GfrA2yx3Uvm35igom-F5BeyIVllLsSiLVrrigaPMkobwhB8GrltkzzNhgcjysKFMc6X0P5zxodDWR41riKyVY0x9zEKyKHPz9hv28j7Is/s1600/P1070808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr1cYhyphenhyphenGCZMYj1CZXrWpKvRMlGO9j_Sno72GfrA2yx3Uvm35igom-F5BeyIVllLsSiLVrrigaPMkobwhB8GrltkzzNhgcjysKFMc6X0P5zxodDWR41riKyVY0x9zEKyKHPz9hv28j7Is/s1600/P1070808.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flavor Supreme Pluot Scion</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been planting fruit trees in the Bird Back 40 for seven plus years so far. Usually it's one or two trees. But sometimes -- like last year -- it was three pear trees in a <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/home-gardens/backyard-orchard-culture" target="_blank">Backyard Orchard Culture</a> setting. Point is? I'm starting to run out of room. I'm not quite there yet -- but there will come a day when it will be awfully tough to cram yet another fruit or citrus tree in the Bird Back 40.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what does a fruit fanatic do when he or she runs out of room? Plant them in the neighbor's yard without them knowing it!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD3WVtMaW-lOUpOT5VfWY6utqDHBmX2QDPXOH5MBUgdJF8s0PqFjRCwXiUA_DdrMYgeFePbzIJ3KmOHrdAR3A9XUpeFoMaeaGXn_tDJmQwZ-U6jcAuUsJT-4BUo-1ww2DtZqSYOwqZXY/s1600/P1070810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD3WVtMaW-lOUpOT5VfWY6utqDHBmX2QDPXOH5MBUgdJF8s0PqFjRCwXiUA_DdrMYgeFePbzIJ3KmOHrdAR3A9XUpeFoMaeaGXn_tDJmQwZ-U6jcAuUsJT-4BUo-1ww2DtZqSYOwqZXY/s1600/P1070810.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flavor Finale Pluot Tree-Bird Back 40</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No -- that's never a good idea. Especially if you want to keep your good neighbors on a "good neighbor" basis. The best way to add fruit to a yard already full of delicious fruit offerings is to graft different varieties of fruit onto trees that are already growing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been quite successful with the pluot tree -- as profiled last year with <a href="http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-tree-that-bethany-built.html" target="_blank">The Tree That Bethany Built</a>. And -- true to her word -- my work-friend came through again this year with a selection of pluot offerings that had not been added to my rather Frankensteinish Flavor Finale Pluot Tree.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNhpAu-gFfWZNEWKpHwmgOwMiydZnH1QfN4kHQMUoRoR_8H5oqQHtDJcuzyNjTRaJnsOpMz7wbnx4TwtuFakvGKw9Vu103c4LSp-b4drPWOmxEMeRjbuRZcBEDVaD9Ob82htqYN2bbk8/s1600/P1070811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNhpAu-gFfWZNEWKpHwmgOwMiydZnH1QfN4kHQMUoRoR_8H5oqQHtDJcuzyNjTRaJnsOpMz7wbnx4TwtuFakvGKw9Vu103c4LSp-b4drPWOmxEMeRjbuRZcBEDVaD9Ob82htqYN2bbk8/s1600/P1070811.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Last Year's Successful Grafting Results</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did you think the <a href="http://www.treeof40fruit.com/" target="_blank">Tree of 40 Fruit</a> was impressive? How about the Tree of 40 Pluots? Now -- I'll be honest. I'm not quite there yet. I may never be there. But thanks to Bethany's kind offering of scion wood -- the Flavor Finale now holds grafts for the Splash and Flavor Supreme pluots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If there's one thing I can brag about, it's this: Bill Bird can graft pluots. It's idiot proof. I can't graft a peach, cherry, apple or nectarine worth a hoot. But when it comes to pluots? I am the Flavor King of grafters. That's because it's really hard to screw up a pluot tree graft.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xlwHhhvKeIVDBa9xL6WuIKkV2G0CBm7Nd_oK15n1ddtB1BRiKcrWJ1ev2Gx4uAb7YICBsr-wFiUHlcAT_4x7fUep6Y-r5LiT77nMUoDrP9nWnqBRXL8OHLxj9mNyUAx8C_Vsw8O4E9A/s1600/P1070806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xlwHhhvKeIVDBa9xL6WuIKkV2G0CBm7Nd_oK15n1ddtB1BRiKcrWJ1ev2Gx4uAb7YICBsr-wFiUHlcAT_4x7fUep6Y-r5LiT77nMUoDrP9nWnqBRXL8OHLxj9mNyUAx8C_Vsw8O4E9A/s1600/P1070806.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Handy Dandy Grafting Tool</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As the author of numerous grafting failures -- just trust me on this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will get more experience with other grafting efforts -- and soon I might add. As luck would have it, the Sacramento Chapter of the <a href="http://www.crfg.org/" target="_blank">California Rare Fruit Growers</a> (CRFG) holds its annual scion exchange tomorrow at a new location in Carmichael.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What are scions? Scions are essentially nothing more than sticks that have been harvested from various fruit trees around California. You like peaches? Nectarines? Are cherries your bag? How about apricots? Do plums tempt you? Does the letter A make you think of apples?</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG0hV3J8-TNlUcdb-F0rCi6ZWkYzlLtflFa866iKBnJVy0wL95VAN-SxUJshQg1pcXp_aBWDbE9nbnJ-NfkEbN52lEBhLv7HMGXzg7VEREuT2OQXpBaIrq0Z2yaMAyv1uGIrljQZdNEM/s1600/P1040732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG0hV3J8-TNlUcdb-F0rCi6ZWkYzlLtflFa866iKBnJVy0wL95VAN-SxUJshQg1pcXp_aBWDbE9nbnJ-NfkEbN52lEBhLv7HMGXzg7VEREuT2OQXpBaIrq0Z2yaMAyv1uGIrljQZdNEM/s1600/P1040732.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sacramento CRFG Scion Exchange 2010</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the scion exchange you'll find hundreds of scion offerings featuring varieties that you've probably never heard of. Do you want a Tree of 40 Peaches? Tree of 40 Cherries? The scion exchange can make it happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The event has moved because it basically outgrew the old location on Branch Center Road. That room would get so crammed with fresh fruit enthusiasts that it could be a challenge to move from place to place. Although I haven't visited the new location yet, I'm told by "those in the know" that I'll like it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZk_ZhJIHuoWRH5uhAd0NFGEPXt_cFun9oRE8wKFGLQXhBMiCmkzhyphenhyphentWfb2qz-nef7Rygkm8T1yhdj6NCm6PLPmAU5pjSsHBhq_-JU04ORuYv0S3AqoO5hhyphenhyphenRTDc9foUg8ljFxCmdw93o/s1600/P1040740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZk_ZhJIHuoWRH5uhAd0NFGEPXt_cFun9oRE8wKFGLQXhBMiCmkzhyphenhyphentWfb2qz-nef7Rygkm8T1yhdj6NCm6PLPmAU5pjSsHBhq_-JU04ORuYv0S3AqoO5hhyphenhyphenRTDc9foUg8ljFxCmdw93o/s1600/P1040740.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nectarines Anyone?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That said -- this years Sacramento CRFG scion exchange will be held Sunday (TOMORROW), January 18th at the La Sierra Community Center, Smith Hall. It's located at 5325 Engle Road in Carmichael. Anyone and everyone with an interest in growing fruit is welcome. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Admission is $5. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Doors open to the public at 10:30 sharp -- which should get you home just in time for the start of the NFL Championship Games. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hey, we've got to keep the important stuff in perspective here -- even if my beloved San Francisco 49ers missed out on the dance this year (so long Jim Harbaugh).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-2278468790136104042015-01-01T13:59:00.000-08:002015-01-02T12:20:01.404-08:00Happy Gardening New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj5Q5S7v07b1Ed1-2IhZGJZcnv3JMsc8Ny4-Oes0SJbP88QUmjp9a9RunvANcGrP66y5lmztTFwnBjCiXpIbz_PhjlevT3IBkbANNl08rDrBEXyLMPhUwyaZyELkRndWr8Cgy0FyTwkw/s1600/2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj5Q5S7v07b1Ed1-2IhZGJZcnv3JMsc8Ny4-Oes0SJbP88QUmjp9a9RunvANcGrP66y5lmztTFwnBjCiXpIbz_PhjlevT3IBkbANNl08rDrBEXyLMPhUwyaZyELkRndWr8Cgy0FyTwkw/s1600/2015.jpg" height="188" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Good morning and welcome to 2015! Wait, the clock says 12:12 PM! Did I really sleep that long? I've got to stop watching those New Year's Eve broadcasts on Univision. That's right, I said Univision. Even though most of the programming flies right over my head (I don't speak the best Spanish), I do like the fact that they put live crews at Disneyland in Southern California to ring in the New Year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's much better than watching one of the major networks repeat a New York City ball drop that took place three hours earlier, don't you think? Univision also isn't afraid to highlight singers who are over the age of 30. Jeez, when did I get so old and crotchedy?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbhSjiEbH-UXwVaUSNirK8kNELPc1gBY6HJfGnp4gKU-KQ6nEkEBPF6yR8OEcjSfJeAt6Ik8u1LgzbhiJ0POsMUoYLMguJcMgu4nK1xZIyvYlWub-FfBk9E8_0pRVg-Q1w6iNNoDRKak/s1600/Disneyland+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbhSjiEbH-UXwVaUSNirK8kNELPc1gBY6HJfGnp4gKU-KQ6nEkEBPF6yR8OEcjSfJeAt6Ik8u1LgzbhiJ0POsMUoYLMguJcMgu4nK1xZIyvYlWub-FfBk9E8_0pRVg-Q1w6iNNoDRKak/s1600/Disneyland+2015.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Disneyland Rings in 2015</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The new year means a new start to gardening efforts. And you thought time slowed down for gardeners during those winter months? Perish the thought! Winter time is planning time. If you're into serious gardening like me and the wife that is Venus (plus countless others) -- winter is just as important as spring, summer and fall. For it's the steps we take right now that either assure our success, or spell our doom, come summertime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what is on Bill Bird's gardening agenda for the first day of 2015? More than one or two items actually. Here is just a smattering of some of garden planning that takes place during this non-slow period of the year.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP34GO-LLPUeuJ_6e08DPRRlccqNtonTjV6uOKyavQ7TCgY4-uDRaXmPOU_i5R8bWiutJEyPGoszoJCPsLylpbmFB0SqYb2iFA59nD5iATDgNEmqo7DNryMz5QYIwqkSVeIpswHBALAE/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP34GO-LLPUeuJ_6e08DPRRlccqNtonTjV6uOKyavQ7TCgY4-uDRaXmPOU_i5R8bWiutJEyPGoszoJCPsLylpbmFB0SqYb2iFA59nD5iATDgNEmqo7DNryMz5QYIwqkSVeIpswHBALAE/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Seeds from Lockhart Seed</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>SEEDS, SEEDS, SEEDS:</u></b> If you grow your garden from seeds, as we do, now is the time to start ordering seeds for the coming spring and summer. My work on this front actually started weeks ago. Our first stop was to the Mother of all seed stores in the San Joaquin Valley: Lockhart Seed in Stockton. There you will find most of everything you need for a full scale garden -- but not everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seed catalogs that arrive by the dozens during this time of year plus seed websites offer the selection you can't find at seed stores. Most of my heirloom tomato seed -- for example -- comes from two or three different sources. <a href="http://www.tomatogrowers.com/" target="_blank">Tomato Grower's Supply</a> offers a warehouse selection of many major heirloom and hybrid tomato offerings. I'm also a fan of the breeding efforts of Bradley Gates, who runs <a href="http://www.wildboarfarms.com/index.html" target="_blank">Wild Boar Farms </a>in the heart of the Napa Valley.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkyjLcIysajkn1I3la7H0P0t-LPyFX8a3RhCdAtcQajcw-Em5ip7YHpi57J1ZLp56la45BKFKN_v-kS_NrSRArgdJ5hy0sUxhPHNBopKa-ErfoMwV-hhGpQJjlD9uOtoNytMoPMOHN40/s1600/Wild+Boar+Farms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkyjLcIysajkn1I3la7H0P0t-LPyFX8a3RhCdAtcQajcw-Em5ip7YHpi57J1ZLp56la45BKFKN_v-kS_NrSRArgdJ5hy0sUxhPHNBopKa-ErfoMwV-hhGpQJjlD9uOtoNytMoPMOHN40/s1600/Wild+Boar+Farms.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tomato Selections from Wild Boar Farms</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Gates operation doesn't offer heirlooms. But he does offer selections that he's created on his own -- such as the Pink Berkeley Tie Dye and Cascade Lava. Other seeds come from other gardeners who save seed from the particular plants they liked in 2014. This is how I obtained seeds for the Ukrainian Heart tomato. They came as a trade that I engineered with Davis gardener and California Rare Fruit Grower (CRFG) member Marta Matvienko. Marta send me seeds for Ukrainian Heart. In return, I sent her seeds for Black Cherry -- a volunteer that sprang from the garden last year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I also owe Marta a smattering of Blue Lake Pole Bean Seeds. Why? Because I was dumb enough to buy a pound of these seeds from Lockhart Seed. And I won't be planting a pound of pole bean seeds. Ever.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj88irdfaSXzz6w4B8lDxJYY00KWkdGk20rIyVhn2lDUabrPYoqIoGTi1tOSF0sVLxIqtIktk-8g-bZu0xnRT0EZv43TJk7rj40U5Mzll_aNXKJ_vnRvIqTWtiHzkbciFBHKmP_Mvp7WA/s1600/Tomato+Growers+Supply.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj88irdfaSXzz6w4B8lDxJYY00KWkdGk20rIyVhn2lDUabrPYoqIoGTi1tOSF0sVLxIqtIktk-8g-bZu0xnRT0EZv43TJk7rj40U5Mzll_aNXKJ_vnRvIqTWtiHzkbciFBHKmP_Mvp7WA/s1600/Tomato+Growers+Supply.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ordering seeds is also the first step in the process. Tomato fanatics like me and the wife that is Venus will start planting these seeds indoors starting in February. Seed starting efforts for hot peppers, like the Ghost pepper for example, start even earlier. Some people have already started seeds for the Ghost and Scorpion peppers. This is because these types of varieties demand long growing seasons. Starting hot peppers in January means a nice harvest in July or August -- right when the tomatoes ripen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Salsa anyone?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>FRUIT TREES:</u></b> The next two months are premium months for bare root fruit tree season. Major fruit tree suppliers like <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/" target="_blank">Dave Wilson Nursery</a> in Hickman are already in the process of shipping tens of thousands of every fruit tree variety you can possible imagine to nurseries all over the West Coast and elsewhere. I'm not sure how big the DWN footprint actually is (I've never asked). But since they are the primary supplier for all things pluot, plumcot and other recent fruit tree introductions, I can imagine they get a lot of business.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJt4wJwvSZdsjnHmfDHw_DOadC6tqh_fF3oVi3tPPVEn_CBPYs8jHT9EHztPu5xmAYf6TBJ5N-k_n4nZEHlI0230ggmxqQLHznitXs6ptQvR96d_k1TH5-MMx_Ub_qtUUWr9VHo0Xgjo/s1600/Dave+Wilson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJt4wJwvSZdsjnHmfDHw_DOadC6tqh_fF3oVi3tPPVEn_CBPYs8jHT9EHztPu5xmAYf6TBJ5N-k_n4nZEHlI0230ggmxqQLHznitXs6ptQvR96d_k1TH5-MMx_Ub_qtUUWr9VHo0Xgjo/s1600/Dave+Wilson.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And you thought Christmas season was busy?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of my favorite activities is to browse the <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/product-information/category/fruit-trees" target="_blank">fruit tree selections</a> on the DWN website. There you will find photos and entries about every fruit tree they offer. Not sure if you want a plum or a pluot? Torn between apples and apricots? Should it be a pear or a pomegranate? The DWN website, plus planting recommendations might answer some of those nagging doubts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And there's nothing like a bit of fresh fruit pulled from a backyard or front yard tree during the summer. Bare root season is also the best time for planting because there's not as much stress placed on the tree as it's hauled from nursery site to that premium spot you've picked out for it in your yard.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flavor Finale Pluot Tree in Winter</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>FRUIT TREE CARE:</u></b> Now that the leaves are off the multitude of fruit trees I have scattered about the Bird Back 40 -- it's time to start thinking about winter care to prevent spring problems. There's a lot to worry about -- from peach leaf curl to the dreaded fire blight. Spraying early for insect control might erase or even lessen the expected bug invasion during the spring and summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've come to discover that there's a particular bug that enjoys my Flavor Finale pluot tree as much as I do. If I fail to do anything to control it -- this invading army will infect and destroy every leaf on the tree. The most effective control I've found against this bug is to treat the tree once in the winter and again in the spring -- <i><b>AFTER</b></i> it has stopped flowering (we don't want to be spraying the helpful pollinators -- now do we?).</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grapevines in Need of a Haircut</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Winter time is also pruning time -- especially for items such as wine or table grapes or fruit trees planted together in a <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/home-gardens/backyard-orchard-culture" target="_blank">Backyard Orchard Culture</a> setting. Some fruit trees -- like the Granny Smith apple for example -- need a little "convincing" to enter that needed winter slumber. While many apple tree selections gladly shed every last leaf during the first blast of arctic weather -- the Granny stubbornly holds out like a petulant child who isn't quite ready for bedtime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So how does one "convince" a Granny Smith apple tree to shed every last leaf? Yell at it? Call it bad names? Insult it? No, nothing that dire. Simply put on your winter gardening gloves and pick every last leaf off. Granny will get the message.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally -- winter time is a perfect time for fruit tree GRAFTING. This is why many CRFG Chapters hold scion exchanges during the months of January and February. The Sacramento Chapter is no different. This year's scion exchange will take place on Sunday, January 18 from 10:00 to 1:00 at La <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sierra</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Community
Center</st1:placetype></st1:place> (<st1:address w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on">5325
Engle Rd.</st1:street>, <st1:city w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:city> <st1:postalcode w:st="on">95608</st1:postalcode></st1:address>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And here you thought winter time was a "slow time" for us gardening fanatics. I'm tired already!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0