Rochester is the closest major city. And yes, 90+ F degree days are difficult for people here to take. Go to any summer event in that sort of heat and you are sure to see at least one ambulance come at some point because someone dropped over from the heat. I know that heat is baby stuff for folks in warmer climates. But we can get freezing temperatures for half the year (first frost is mid-Oct. and last frost is mid-May) plus we can have dismal grey weather with weeks of not seeing the sun. That would be just as much of a killer to warm-weather people as 90+ heat is to us. Folks that have lived here their whole lives have a hard enough time with our cold and sometimes sunless weather. Cold hardiness and not heat tolerance or low moisture needs is the biggest concern in choosing plants for my gardens. That is what has made this summer so difficult. I got heat and extended periods of little/no rain. So many established plants failed, didn't flower/fruit, or are barely limping along. They've suffered so much that I hope they get some reasonable weather this fall to help build their reserves back up because winter always kills off the marginally surviving plants here. FataMorgana

Hi All, I'm posting this again: I wrote the following for Mark and everyone over on another forum, but I know some people don't go there. Hopefully this answers a few questions and if makes a few questions arise, great. It is always good to work the kinks out in advance. The cottage is very easy to get to because it is the same exit and direction as Beaver Island State Park. The cottage has lots of space. People can park on the front yard as long as it stays fairly dry like it has been. There is a lot of street parking too. The back yard is huge. You can easily fit a few hundred people. There is a covered porch that accomodates quite a few people. The garage is also clean and normally is filled with tables for parties. There is also a wooden swingset and toys for kids. Beyond the backyard is woods with hiking paths which is still part of the property. There is a fire pit. The cottage is like a small ranch with full kitchen and a couple of bathrooms. There are lots of excess tables and chairs, a couple grills, most all supplies needed for a party. I was envisioning a party advertised here, on GW, and invite local friends we know, but not outside of that being that it is private property. So it would be a party for growers to celebrate their harvest with other gardeners, not people looking for an event to attend. I believe this is how CHOPTAG began. People would bring a dish to eat or other supplies like pop if they chose not to make food, and tomatoes they grew for a tasting. We could vote on them, maybe even by categories. Of course, I will be stealing any ideas I can from the CHOPTAG tasting.(I am going to their party.) Remy

I don't know what size of city you are wanting....but if you enjoy the four seasons, we have found a place we are planning to retire....Burlington, Kansas. It only has a population of about 3,500 of the most friendly, salt of the earth people we have ever met....crime is zero~~no need to ever lock your doors. Since Burlington is in the same county as the Nuclear plant, taxes are very low (example..our home taxes here are $5,000 and a house similar to ours there is about $1,800), they have no city taxes...nice country club/golf course, great medical facilities, top-notch FREE rec center, two large fishing lakes, top-notch schools, a city library that any college would envy, ....not a lot of shopping but certainly everything that we need. Burlington is just about an hour to Kansas City, Wichita or the capital in Topeka. We have purchased a very beautiful lot there on the edge of town located on a 5 acre lake for $24,000...such a peaceful setting...beautiful clear water and huge weeping willow trees around it...HOA dues only $20.00 mo. Can't wait to sell our present home so we can build there. Our weather is changable....it can get down pretty cold in the winter, but only lasts a few days and warms back up after the front has past....we get some snow, but usually only a few inches at at time.....and today in the middle of July it is 84 beautiful degrees. I wish you luck in finding your dream place.... Phoggie

I think it's a MacIntosh. It was here when I moved in two Autumns ago. The first year, 2013, there were hundreds of beautiful fruits. 2014, though, maybe a dozen apples in all, and each one was malformed. This year (2015) numbers are back up, though many are crooked on one side, and there's been some waste on almost each individual apple. BUT now something new is going on. It's been chilly this last week (I'm between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake, central NY) and this morning the apples still on the tree looked dark burgundy/almost black in color. I got home late, but tomorrow I'll be checking them close-up. Anybody got any idea what just happened? Anybody have experience applying miscible oil? I'd like to see if that helps for next year, but I'm 65 and I've never sprayed a tree before.