Thanks for all of your support. our water has been cut off and so has the Fire Dept. hydrant which was installed with USDA grant money. This is due to the irrigation district refusing to honor our contract with the ex manager (whom they fired for no good reason). So on top of all of our previous losses we are now losing the rest of the container plants and field, including the few lilies left alive since we have very sandy soil. No mulch anymore since it is too expensive. We have no money left to fight this since we are out of resources - after years and years of losses we have no money to even fertilize this year. The land is worthless as it is illegal to live on your farm here and it is worse than worthless as farm land. Plus everything is for sale here and nothing is selling with the economy getting worse each year. I am trying to sell everything I can, trucks, equipment etc, but we just do not have much of value, just expensive farm equipment NOBODY is buying.

Nobody realizes that without farms, we have no food. Another farmer near you told me in June that nobody really values or farming out your way. In fact, she mentioned the fact that children rarely know where food is grown, they think it just arrives in the grocery store. Neighbors to farms complain about tractor noise, even though they were the ones that moved into the farming community AFTER (LONG AFTER) the farmers had been there. They also complain about farmers vehicles not going fast enough (and slowing them down) on roads. What a state we are in. Beyond sad.

My heart goes out to you Lisa. Losing you in the marketplace is such a great loss. Losing the best hurts.

Yeah they think we have it so great that we have no rights that we pay taxes for, like the right to peace and quiet and the right to have our property not vandalized and our crops not destroyed. But they can do what ever illegal things they want and are encouraged to do so by our public "servants".
You bet I am PO'ed. This took my entire life, my career, my health, my life's work (very few seedlings went to England), my beloved pets, my dreams and hopes. And do not forget ALL of my money.
Ditto for my husband, who has his own breeding work lost on unique forms of Camassia and Erythronium hybrids.

the worst pest at my place is the 'jehovas witness 'bug,.,.how do i get rid of them,.,.[play them at their own game]]-preach liliums,talk about pollination,crosses,ploidity,quality of potting mixes,germination time lengths-anything!eventually,they go!!

That cracks me up!!

Anthony, I had that pest quite bad a while back. After weekly visits (I was nice once...NEVER AGAIN), for months, we all would hide so they would go away, because answering the door only makes them return, no matter what you say to them. If lilium preach works, let me know. It was one of my worst pests for a very long time. The best thing, sadly , to happen was gas prices went up so high, 4 or 5 bucks, and then they couldn't afford the trip out here.

We had a friend who used to try to out preach them. Their voices would get louder and his would until finally they were yelling at each other. It was comical.

I think the price of gas is too high for them to come here, too. One good thing about gas prices, I guess.

It sure saved me.

If nothing else works keep a copy of the entire US tax code near the door and start reading it to them. Make sure you display the flag where it is proudly seen. If the tax code isn't enough to do it, start on the health care bill.

Unfortunately you may need some mental health help afterwards but hey, if it works it is worth it.

We have the jokes about 'em here too, but I've only encountered well mannered ones myself, even the ones that come to my door. I had a JW friend at my last job, and an acquaintance where I work now. He's going to San Diego on his mission in a couple weeks and is very excited. To be able to immerse yourself in anything so fully is a real experience. A few weeks ago, I had offered him my Spanish book of Mormon to get a head start, but he said he was getting his in a couple days, so he didn't need it. This kid, you would never expect would be Mormon.

--- Yes, I read all that stuff: the Book of Mormon, Hebrew texts (in English), books written by Christian saints, the Bhagavad Gita, Freemasonry, Krsna, etc. I have at least six versions of the Bible, including all the books that are no longer in it. My thought life is very important to me.

ive worked with them too.,since the 1st day of my apprenticeship,.,.no complaints,..,they think im not a too bad a bloke,for a roughie[who grows lilies],..,take me as i am,im getting old,surely i cant offend anybody,.,.and if i do''keep on walkin'',the only thing that changes on this dude,is underwear and haircuts[and appetite]

magnolialover said:It sure saved me.

I'm so glad you've been saved! ;)


The latest I've heard... Did you know that JWs that inverted nipples? It's from getting finger-poked in the chest with each "Get. Off. My. Porch".

Out of curosity I decided to review this thread. I'm looking forward to warm weather and getting out into my garden .... the pest I despise most .. SLUGS! My review of this thread has not provided me of any new procedures in regards of their erratication .... but I now realize how to cope with them .... maybe this year I can plant marigolds and zinnias in the ground and not have them devoured by slugs .... strangely, they leave my lilies alone.

Slugs are one of the most disgusting, I will give you that. My relatives in the Northwest swear by beer for their giant slugs. They fill containers 1/3 to 1/2 and the slugs come in to party They buy the cheapest beer. I'd worry about my neighbors getting into the beer so the slugs wouldn't have a chance to even gather.

Moby....you always have such special insight. Wouldn't be the same without it. Love ya!

i'll second that.,.,but on the 1st night,use a big container,.then next morning expect 80-100 slugs,.,.

Don't waste the beer as water, sugar and yeast works the same for the slugs. Rabbits are not my friends, though they are cute when not in my garden. Same with deer. I have zero use for anyone needing to "sell" their spiritual wares especially when they have the nerve to come onto my property uninvited. At least I can eat venison and rabbit. Patti

true!-venison is very expensive here,..,farmed rabbit is too!-bit scared to eat wild ones,because of mixomitosis[introduced]by knowledgable govt

Voles have decimated a bed...250+ tulips, 60 Lilies, a nice rosebush and a small tree.
So we got a system to kill them http://www.volecontrol.com
It's war!!

I've been noticing earwigs hanging out in some of the OT's. There's a NoID stem loaded with blooms I just cut. Many of the blooms have an earwig tucked in at the base and a gentle water spray doesn't dislodge most of them. Damage is very minimal to almost non to the blooms on this stem. There's definitely leaf damage.I wonder if this is a case of momma looking after her eggs?

Earwigs are must be our state bug, next to the mosquito. But the mosquitoes around here are do huge they might have moved into the bird category.

I have some issues with them. The neem oil and soap does a great job on getting their eggs smothered.