I'm always an early bird when it comes to seed starting. I've got peppers, tomatoes, and all my brassicas started, along with some herbs. I've found that keeping good lights on them really helps with the spindliness. (I think I just made up a word. :D) I always figure, if they don't work...
It's been the strangest thing since we moved across the field to our new house - the nuthatch and wren that I used to see before haven't made the move! I guess it's because I don't have a nice oak to hang the feeder from, just a scrubby patch of honey locust. We've had a TON of cardinals, blue...
I just started my tomato seeds this morning. I'm trying to one in every color:
mortgage lifter, old German, emerald evergreen, ivory pear, Kelloggs (FAVORITE!!), black prince, San Marzano, golden jubilee. Except for the golden & Kelloggs, they're all new to me. We'll see how it goes!
Count me among the cast iron fans! In addition to the other things people have mentioned, I like cast iron because it's so durable. I got so sick of that *&^$ teflon flaking off and then I'd have to chuck the skillet. This is my new favorite cast iron recipe...
We like Peaches & Cream for our sweet corn out here on the Funny Farm. Hands down, my fave tomato is the Kellogg's Breakfast. For bush beans, I've found Jade to be very reliable and prolific. Also like the red Marconi sweet peppers and Minnesota midget cantaloupes.
Thank God for the internet! SmartRed: https://archive.org/details/PhantasmagoriaTheater-TheTingler1959246-2. At 1:21:33, it looks like it might be the whole thing.
Glad I'm not in Montana! They're calling for rain/snow/freezing rain/sleet here starting in the next few hours. We're right on the weather line, so they're not exactly sure what we're going to get, but I guess we're getting SOMETHING.