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Jul 04 2011
I love growing all kinds of vegetables, but potatoes are among my favorites. They're easy to plant and require very little attention.
The fun comes in when it's time to dig 'em up. I usually let the kids do this (they've been doing it this morning) because it's nothing short of a treasure hunt. You just dig and dig and dig, and potatoes just keep coming. Just when you think you've combed through all the dirt, another surprise will pop up. And the sizes are so much fun: you get great big mamas and cute little babies. And no shape is alike.
Gardening is such a blast.
Off to make potato salad,
Pioneer Woman
110 Comments and 16 Replies
Sheila On Monday, July 4 at 9:04 am
I have chard and kale coming all over, and my brocolli and cauliflower are doing great! I wish, however, that I had planted potatos this year! They look great!!
Teslaca On Monday, July 4 at 9:04 am
Potatoes are great fun to grow! A real treasure hunt for sure. I like All Blue the best.
CeskyIrish On Monday, July 4 at 9:08 am
Wish *I* had that many potatoes. We have one raised bed and 6 potato plants.It's kinda sad.
Grandma Cindy On Monday, July 4 at 9:13 am
I love me some "new" potatoes!
patricia On Monday, July 4 at 10:05 am
Me too!!!
Julie On Monday, July 4 at 9:14 am
I hope you share your receipe for that potato salad with us. I have lots of red potatoes.
Cyndi Stevens On Monday, July 4 at 9:20 am
I love fresh potatoes! My parents and son and myself dug up all of our potatoes this last week.
Now that I have a whole mess of them, I want to cook them at every meal! LOL
Clayvessel On Monday, July 4 at 9:35 am
We are a looong way from harvesting potatoes. The garden got such a late start with our cold spring! But I am making potato salad. I discovered an easier way! Instead of boiling the taters, I cut them up, skins on (another step skipped- *peeling*), tossed them with some oil and roasted them in the oven. They are done in twenty minutes, then cooled in another twenty. The potato salad is a bit different from the boiled tater kind but still delicious and so EASY and less time consuming! Have a great party!
Natalie V2 On Monday, July 4 at 9:36 am
May I suggest? Crashed potatoes!!
Your recipe is a favorite around here.
Janie VR On Tuesday, July 5 at 10:15 am
Lu On Monday, July 4 at 9:36 am
May I suggest a lovely grilled new potato salad with a little red onion and some fresh dill!
Homeschool on the Croft On Tuesday, July 5 at 5:50 am
Mmmm – sounds good …
Mahza On Monday, July 4 at 9:42 am
I can smell the dirt clinging to those babies
TexasMagz On Monday, July 4 at 9:48 am
I've never grown potatoes. Do you start with seeds or plants?
Teachingcotton On Monday, July 4 at 10:26 am
You start with "seed potatoes"… Untreated (most supermarket potatoes have been treated to discourage growth of eyes) potatoes which have stated to grow eyes. Simply cut the potatoes apart so that each piece has an eye, and plant. As the potatoes grown you can "hill" them by pulling more dirt up around them so that soon, they have lots of room to produce lovely treasures underground!
Marya On Monday, July 4 at 10:59 am
You actually start with little potatoes that you can buy in any garden center store in May. Kennebeck and Yellow Yukon are favorites in the Midwest.
Shasta Ranae On Monday, July 4 at 9:49 am
Thank you for posting this picture of your harvest! My Great Grandma passed away in May, 84 days shy of her 100th birthday. She used to have a large garden of various things including red potatoes that she loved harvesting with kids, grand kids and great grand kids. One year she only planted the potatoes so she could spend time harvesting with everyone! We'd go out and collect potato bugs in jars as kids which I think was just a way of the adults getting us out of their hair for a bit! We'd also bring the potatoes in, wash em, put them in some boiling water just to soften up a bit, quarter them and fry them in butter and some seasoning then serve them with more butter!!
Bobby Sue Taylor On Monday, July 4 at 9:54 am
God, I wish we lived in a place where I could have a garden. I love potatoes freshly dug up from the ground. The taste is phenomenal. Red potatoes make the BEST potato salad because they are less starchy and have better flavor. I always leave the skins on and it makes the salad look extra pretty.
Hope you are posting your recipe for these.
I had a great-uncle who raised potatoes to sell and would sit on the front porch with him and watch him cut the potatoes into pieces to plant. Then spend a long summer waiting for the results. It was fun to go out and dig around to see if we could find any big enough to use.
Jessie : Improved On Friday, July 8 at 12:06 pm
Bobby you can still grow stuff even if you don't have the space! Potatoes grow great in a 5 gallon bucket – I did it a few years ago and had a nice crop of Yukon Golds. Start a container garden!
Cynthia Heber On Friday, July 15 at 11:36 am
You can grow potatoes in large garbage cans. Look on you tube they have many suggetions.
Paula On Monday, July 4 at 10:10 am
I wish I could grow some potatoes but I think it would take a miracle to get them to grow in a planter!
aharmony On Tuesday, July 5 at 8:56 am
Actually Paula, Gardeners' Supply company sells potato grow bags that take up about as much room as a planter. It holds an average bag of soil and creates the depth you need to encourage your little babies to grow. I've got white and sweet potatoes growing in them in about a 2′ footprint http://www.gardeners.com
Michele On Tuesday, July 5 at 9:47 am
Actually, potatoes grow great in a container. When we have lived in apartments I've grown them in garbage cans. It's simple. Take a medium sized plastic trash can. Poke lots of holes in it, from bottom to top. Put an inch of rocks, shipping peanuts, or crushed water bottles in the bottom. Layer about 8 inches of dirt on top of the drainage material. Plant your seed potatoes. As they grow cover with soil or straw so that only the top 4 to 6 leaves show at the top. Continue doing this until harvest time or you get to the top of the container. To harvest tip the container over. Voila! Fresh potatoes.
Donna W On Monday, July 4 at 10:13 am
I love growing potatoes too, and almost always have a good harvest. Last year, for some reason, was the exception. But this year is making up for it.
Linda On Monday, July 4 at 10:14 am
Wowee! Nice crop. I'd better trot out to our garden and see how ours are doing. We had to plant twice because of the rains, and now I sure wish we could get a sprinkle. How are you having time to post today with your celebration today? I'd be a basket case.
This Farm Family's Life On Monday, July 4 at 10:18 am
Yum! I love fresh potatoes and potatoe salad sound soo good right now!
Pam D On Monday, July 4 at 10:23 am
Looking at this post as a sign from God that I AM supposed to make potato salad today. I woke up thinking that I needed to do something and "make potato salad and deviled eggs" has been stuck in my brain. Just got that "nod" of confirmation; off to the store I go!
Beachgirl in GA On Monday, July 4 at 10:23 am
Those potatoes are awesome! I think I will try and grow some. I'd love to see more pictures of your garden. How about a photo assignment on vegetable gardens? It would be great fun to see other's veggie gardens. Have a great 4th with family and friends!
Linda G. On Tuesday, July 5 at 9:07 am
Great idea!
shannon o On Monday, July 4 at 10:29 am
Potatoes are my favorite as well…especially this year…it's the only thing barely surviving the slugs
Carol F On Monday, July 4 at 10:43 am
This makes me want to grow potatoes! Maybe next year.
Happy 4th!
Shirley On Monday, July 4 at 10:45 am
Yes, finally someone who understands my favorite childhood garden memory…digging up the potatoes. My dad did the digging…my job was plucking those treasures out from the dirt…loved it!!!
Louise E. On Monday, July 4 at 10:53 am
Your gardening posts make me want to move to the country. I don't have much room in my small backyard, but I do have a small vegetable and herb garden, It's so great to be able to cook up something that came from the backyard garden.
Mary O. On Monday, July 4 at 11:29 am
We dug new potatoes this past Easter at my Mom and Dad's place near Hallettsville, Texas, and were they ever good. It was as much fun as the Easter Egg hunt!
Have a wonderful 4th!
Abby H On Monday, July 4 at 11:59 am
I love growing potatoes! This yard my kids kept saying that my potato plants looked like small trees because they got so HUGE! They started blocking out light to anything closer to the ground near them. It was all very exciting. Then when it came time to harvest something weird had happened to the actual potatoes (some disease or something, I guess) and there were less than a handful that we could actually eat. It was a bit depressing at the end but we had weeks and weeks of excitement and fun before that while watching them grow, so I'd like to think it was still a little bit of a success. =) Congrats on yours being entirely edible! lol
rere On Wednesday, July 6 at 7:42 am
thanks for that lesson of what's really important, the fun and the time you all enjoyed together!
Danna On Monday, July 4 at 12:08 pm
Gardens got a late start here. No potatoes yet. Your pictures make me very anxious for fresh new potatoes.
AlishaJaybird On Monday, July 4 at 12:27 pm
Mmmmmm…. taters. Mmmmm,,,, tater salad. Yaaaaaay…. dirty kids. Ewwwwwww…. dirty bathtub afterwards.
magnolia On Monday, July 4 at 12:30 pm
Happy Fourth of July.
Happy potato salad.
PonyFla On Tuesday, July 5 at 9:22 am
I love potato salad. And everyone else one loves my potato salad! People are always asking for my recipe but the thing is, I don't have one! I cook by taste, which proved to be very inconvenient this year since I'm recovering from an upper respiratory infection and still can't taste a thing! i made potato salad for yesterday's dinner and I swear I used the same ingredients I always use but it was practically tasteless. So disappointing!
Trish On Monday, July 4 at 12:31 pm
What a great picture! I can smell Mother Earth (and potatoes) by just looking at it. Yum!!
Susan On Monday, July 4 at 12:41 pm
Your potatoes are beautiful. Happy 4th to all.
The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh On Monday, July 4 at 2:10 pm
So jealous! I would love to have a space big enough to plant rows of taters! For now I just have to settle for our miniscule strawberries, herbs and the beans that are desperately trying to come up.
AGinTO On Monday, July 4 at 3:22 pm
Who knew that potatoes came up so early in the summer? I thought they would be ready later on in the summer… or maybe I'm thinking of Tomatoes…
Cant wait to see what you make with all this!
MAYBELLINE On Monday, July 4 at 4:04 pm
Happy Birthday, America.
Great way to celebrate the day by enjoying something grown in American soil.
Kirsten is Comfortably Domestic On Monday, July 4 at 4:17 pm
I just love the earthy smell of freshly dug up potatoes. That's going to be one awesome potato salad.
Amy On Monday, July 4 at 6:08 pm
I'm a Nebraska girl and my mother and grandmother would always make creamed peas and new potatoes… I think you should, too! Delish!
Kim in MD On Monday, July 4 at 6:33 pm
Wow…I am so jealous! The deer here in Maryland eat everything I plant!
Theresa in Alberta On Monday, July 4 at 7:15 pm
I just ate my first new potatoes yesterday,,,mmmmmmmmmmm
Lara On Monday, July 4 at 7:22 pm
Thanks for posting! I tossed peelings and taters-gone-bad into the compost heap last year and I guess it didn't get hot enough, so in my raised bed (thank-you-very-much for the how-to!) I have volunteer tater plants. I guess I'll go see what I've inadvertently grown!!
Louise On Monday, July 4 at 8:20 pm
Ree, your potatoes look terrific. My mom would make potatoes that were fried in a bacon fat and butter mixture. So good! So politically incorrect!
Urban Wife On Monday, July 4 at 8:28 pm
I haven't had the pleasure of growing potatoes…yet! These look wonderful. Can't wait to see what else you make with them, besides potato salad.
Lisa D. On Monday, July 4 at 8:30 pm
Last year, our entire potato crop could be held in the palm of my hand! No potato salad at our house!
indiansummer On Monday, July 4 at 8:48 pm
In the vegetable world, potatoes are like the nectar of the gods.
*patiently waiting for your potato salad recipe*
Jamie B On Monday, July 4 at 9:04 pm
If you love to pick potatoes, visit Northern Maine in late September when it is harvest time. There is one family that still hand picks after the rows are turned over. The local kids still get out of school for 2 weeks to work, hunt or just be lazy. It still amazes me that they still do this, even though 17 years ago I was the one picking. I used to make $0.35 for a 50 gallon barrel. Ironically enough, my mother picked also 40 some years ago and made about the same amount. Money is not the legacy of doing that job, but instead the reward of knowing that you had to work hard to get it.
JamieC On Monday, July 4 at 10:26 pm
I did great with taters a few years ago… They're fun to grow! My favorite thing to do is to half 'em (or quarter if they are bigger) boil them and depending on if I want a hot side dish, or a cold salad I'll cool them, or use 'em right away. I drizzle olive oil, add lots of fresh chopped parsley and dill, and then finely chop up onion, and a good sweet orange pepper, add salt and pepper, and bacon bits (I use the kind out of the jar so it's not greasy) Yum yum yum. It's my potluck potato salad… because I fear food poisoning, and it doesn't spoil as fast.
Denise On Monday, July 4 at 10:42 pm
Thanks for posting even on this very busy, full day! Hope you enjoyed a very good 4th of July.
Amanda On Monday, July 4 at 10:50 pm
I bet you got lots of grubby little boy hands to go along with those potatoes too. There's almost nothing better than grubby little boy hands.
Melissa On Tuesday, July 5 at 1:42 am
All I can say is WOW! Harvest is not a word I'm using around my house yet…I finally have baby plants poking their heads up! I'm weeding for the first time tomorrow (after I finish cleaning out the car…my daughter ate too many 4th of July goodies and threw up while we were waiting in the line to get out of the fireworks display…poor baby). I love watching your garden…gives me hope- haha
Homeschool on the Croft On Tuesday, July 5 at 5:52 am
Love it! Can't wait for our own…. I can nearly smell these ones
Becky @ From Ministry to Motherhood On Tuesday, July 5 at 6:36 am
I've never grown potatoes before! They look terrific. I've always been a little afraid to try growing them. I guess I thought it was difficult. I'll have to plant them one day. Until then I'm grateful for the farmer down the road!
bob On Sunday, July 10 at 1:02 pm
I had two 55 gallon potato barrels, lots of huge plants, looked like trees, not a single potato. NOT ONE. Whats going on, the plants looked so good.
Mary On Tuesday, July 5 at 7:08 am
Those potatoes look perfect for new potatoes and peas! My peas are ready but the potatoes are just starting to blossom. Spent part of the weekend weeding my garden so they'd have a chance to grow.
Mamadallama On Tuesday, July 5 at 7:46 am
This was always my favorite thing to do in our garden when I was a kid, too! I liked planting them even. The worst thing was picking green beans because that made my arms itch.
Dawn Kopac On Tuesday, July 5 at 7:53 am
It has been awhile since we planted potatoes, but they are very easy to grow and when we planted ours, we just used potatoes that had plenty of "eye's" on them… just planted a them very shallow, covered with very minimal dirt, just enough to barely cover them, but the cool thing as they grew about 6 inches at a time we covered them with straw, as the plants grew, more straw….then when it was time to harvest them after all the plant had turned brown we knew they were ready….just pulled away the straw, and there was very little cleanup of them….Sweetness!
Next year I think I will do them again!
Melissa On Tuesday, July 5 at 8:14 am
My son had a cabbage contest at school and his plant we just harvested was over 4 feet wide. The head of cabbage was 24 inches in diameter.
JamieC On Tuesday, July 5 at 10:24 am
do you live up in Alaska? my friend's kid lives in fairbanks and was doing the same thing.
Julie On Tuesday, July 5 at 8:53 am
I planted five varieties in grow-bags this year, because I didn't want to take all that room from the garden…and I just harvested two of the bags. So much fun! My daughter and I felt like we were searching for gems. I left the other three bags for a bit, because I think they still needed a bit more time…but new potatoes are so scrumptious, I'm not sure how much longer I can wait! Enjoy your little garden gems!
Alicia On Tuesday, July 5 at 9:19 am
Awesome! Cream those bad boys…we all know that's low-cal!
Lisa | Life in Green On Tuesday, July 5 at 9:51 am
Ahh love red garden potatoes! I've dug a few plants up so far for some new potato dishes. I think its the creamy texture of garden potatoes that I love the most.
Patti Rabbit On Tuesday, July 5 at 10:26 am
Nobody has mentioned potatoes in white sauce. You can wash the new potatoes and the peel will come off. Boil them in salted water until fork tender. Pour off most of the water. Drop in some butter. Whisk together flour and milk or cream and pour into the potatoes. Simmer until sauce is thickened. Add black pepper. Eat with cornbread. MMM!
winnie On Tuesday, July 5 at 10:28 am
Lovely! I've been eating tomatoes and blueberries from my garden, and have potatoes growing at the edge of the compost heap – I know weird, but they do well there. Pumpkins from discarded ones did great on the compost heap, too. Will have to put some seed out for Halloween!
Julie On Wednesday, July 6 at 8:27 am
Winnie, I have dozens of heirloom tomato plants growing in a new bed in our front yard–because of the compost I spread there when making the bed! They're actually incredibly healthy. We have a three-bin compost system that my hubby constructed, and I always love to see what volunteers I can find! Right now, we have more tomatoes and squash, and some flowers…but I was thinking about putting potatoes around the perimeter next year–thanks for letting us know it works!
Linda Lee On Tuesday, July 5 at 10:46 am
Awww . . . the good old days of digging potatoes! As a kid it was fun to dig them up. I wish I had a garden!
Sondra On Tuesday, July 5 at 11:43 am
My grandpa had a big garden and we would alway help with harvesting. When he'd find a big giant strawberry he'd always say "that's a mamma!". He had corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, strawberries, green beans etc. He lived close enough that we could ride our bikes over there. That's for reminding me of such fun memories.
Bobbie On Tuesday, July 5 at 11:46 am
Hope to see your potato salad, one of my favorite foods
Stephanie On Tuesday, July 5 at 11:59 am
My favorite "new potato recipe" is with green beans. of course you have to do this with fried up bacon pieces and onion. Let it slow cook a few hrs.. delicious.
Dee On Tuesday, July 5 at 12:33 pm
I have planted red and russet potatoes in my square foot garden. I can hardly wait until I am able to dig my up.
With red potatoes you can wash them up, quarter them and sprinkle olive oil on them and back them in the oven.
Charrie On Tuesday, July 5 at 2:09 pm
We love hunting for potato treasures too! How do you keep them from spoiling? We live in southern Oklahoma, and it's just too humid to keep them for long.
Kaylee Smith On Tuesday, July 5 at 2:09 pm
you should post a potato salad recipe my mom and keep attempting to make it and it never tastes very good PLEASE help!!!
Darinda On Tuesday, July 5 at 5:24 pm
I love red potatoes! YUM! Hey, speaking of potatoes – have you ever seen the movie called "Faith Like Potatoes"? Good one on faith. Some parts were harsh to watch (especially for a small child). But it's based on a true story in South Africa. GREAT movie!
Shari from Ohio On Tuesday, July 5 at 7:21 pm
I see those potatoes and I think………..green beans and potatoes.
now that's good eating
crash hot potatoes! I made them this year with our ribs at New Years! Big Hit all around
Rhonda On Tuesday, July 5 at 7:36 pm
I would help dig potatoes when I was child. It was so much fun. We were allowed to get as dirty as we could possibly get and boy did we ever. The reward for helping dig potatoes…homemade french fries that night for dinner. The best!
Dori On Tuesday, July 5 at 7:38 pm
Those are perfect for Crash Hot Potatoes!
Kelly On Tuesday, July 5 at 7:54 pm
This is reminding me that I need to pull up my potatoes! Time to make something delicious with them!
Soyon On Wednesday, July 6 at 6:34 am
Looks so cool… every time I see photos of your garden I get jealous. I hope to have a smaller scaled one one day, but we get so many critters that eat the produce before they can be harvested!
Jennifer On Wednesday, July 6 at 6:59 am
We're growing potatoes for the first time this year! We're using the tire method — three stacks for whites and three for reds — and get so excited each time those gorgeous leaves pop up through the soil. I only hope under-the-soil is doing as well as above! *laugh*
zoom On Wednesday, July 6 at 9:17 am
Why is is that fresh vegetables from the garden make me feel such a sense of peace?
Winnie On Wednesday, July 6 at 10:27 am
I tried growing potatoes the first year I had a garden after I was married. My hubby was doubtful of success, but since Long Island is known for potatoes, I thought we would try….Well, they grew and they did grow, but the size of quarters and half dollars. We couldn't figure out which were potatoes and which were rocks (due to their small size and color..) Hubby determined that we should bang them agains the metal shovel and the ones that CLANKED were rocks…It is a funny memory…After we "harvested them" we got them all cleaned and I roasted them..>The two of us ate them all in one sitting. It makes me laugh recalling that. My hubby is looking down on me now laughing with me from heaven. I would plant some fun stuff but really only had success with tomatoes, zucchini, beans and peas. Thanks for making me smile. Enjoy your loot!
AdriBarr On Wednesday, July 6 at 11:13 am
Growing is groovy, and I think it is great for the kids. It instills some respect and understanding for where their food comes from Your kids have a unique edge in that department, but still every bit helps. And the kids develop a respect for farmers. Rock on in the garden, Woman.
Brittney Lee On Wednesday, July 6 at 12:08 pm
We just got a big bag of potatoes that look just like those from my father-in-law. Not sure what to make with them…I'm thinking some yummy scalloped potatoes for dinner this week. Yummm.
Jan at love it On Wednesday, July 6 at 1:48 pm
I love, love, love the little red potatoes, Yum! Boil them up and add butter and parsley. Reminds me of my childhood days.
Tina C On Wednesday, July 6 at 5:46 pm
We are still eating our harvest from March. Sweet potatoes are next!
CottageGirl On Wednesday, July 6 at 8:20 pm
There is nothing better than a fresh potato. Our wonderful neighbors used to grow potatoes every year and we were lucky recipients of their harvest.
Bet your potato salad was yumm-o!
Amy On Wednesday, July 6 at 8:48 pm
Potatoes are one of my new favourite crops…last year is the first season I grew them in my garden and when I harvested them I vowed I would always have them in my plot. They are so rewarding for very little effort!
Doughball On Wednesday, July 6 at 9:16 pm
I predict a round of Crash Hot Potatoes coming up!
Eva On Wednesday, July 6 at 9:21 pm
They look lovely! I love gardening, only wish I had a backyard instead of a patio. BUT, that hasn't kept me from planting some gooseberries out in a pot. Fingers crossed they'll turn out as nicely as your potatoes
Angelina On Wednesday, July 6 at 9:35 pm
Why do the big ones have to be "great big mamas"? Why can't they big "big ol' daddies"? What's up with that Ree? ; )
Jeanne On Thursday, July 7 at 2:08 am
I love these photos….I can almost smell that wonder scent of freshly pulled potatoes – the dirt loveliness!
Melissa from the Blue House On Thursday, July 7 at 4:14 am
As a city girl living in an apartment, these are the kinds of posts I love.
Makes me want to move to the country and grow vegetables.
And then I remember the earthworms… nope, think I 'll stay right here, thanks.
Susan E On Thursday, July 7 at 7:14 am
I would love to grow tomatoes but my husband doesn't want me to make the whole back yard a garden. We have two raised beds that are a good size for our family of four and I know if I planted potatoes my boys would love to go "look and dig for them". Thanks for sharing.
Prairie Girl K On Thursday, July 7 at 9:50 am
Love planting potatoes myself. So much fun finding those earthy gems!
Carol (south of San Francisco) On Thursday, July 7 at 11:17 am
Wonderful potatoes! Nothing better than freshly harvested potatoes, sauteed with a little olive oil, seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper. Oh what wonderful comfort food!
I like finding the "buried treasure" too, but seems that I always miss a few, as seedlings show up a few months later…rarely do I need to re-plant. I do rotate the crops from time to time though. I also find seedlings in the compost pile! They are prolific!!
Hollyree On Thursday, July 7 at 11:51 am
Our potatoes this year consisted of Peruvian Purples and Pinks! Yummy!
Lisa R On Thursday, July 7 at 1:53 pm
How do you know when the potatoes are ready to harvest???
JamieC On Sunday, July 10 at 6:46 am
I usually would wait for the plant above ground to kinda croak… but really, once the plant has matured, I've been known to gently just dig around in the soil around the plant and pick out however many I needed for dinner that night
Kayla On Thursday, July 7 at 2:18 pm
When we were kids, all we got to harvest from the garden were the bugs – potato bugs, squash bugs, hornworms – ugghh, the list goes on and on!! Glad you're letting the punks do the "fun" part
Julie Elliott On Thursday, July 7 at 3:58 pm
My father-in-law planted potatoes this year and we took the kids out and dug potatoes on Saturday. What fun!
AliciaC On Friday, July 8 at 8:26 am
If I had a yard for a garden I would try potatoes. How about container garden potatoes?
Cathy Lortie On Friday, July 8 at 9:32 am
I may have to try potatoes next year. I am definitely going to try lettuce. This year I'm trying eggplant which I absolutley love. Can't wait to taste the results!
ptriez On Friday, July 8 at 11:44 am
I wish I would have planted as many plants as I planted last year, I was sooo late at placing my order that I only got one variety and then some of them were spoiled. Last year I started some plants in flower pots and had potatoes by July 4, maybe this year I will have potatoes by Labor Day!!
James O On Friday, July 8 at 3:03 pm
Anywhere I can just click on good deals! Target always has em (that's one of my spots)
Maggie Gareis On Friday, July 8 at 4:07 pm
I love to go to home depot just to wander around with my husband Helmut.
Inyureye On Saturday, July 9 at 1:00 am
My father-in-law always had a garden. Of course, planted potatoes. He didn't like the little one's, so he'd bring me bucket's full of them. I'd boil them in salted water and freeze them. The water was so full of salt they'd have a salty crust. Fried them in butter, bacon grease or roasted with olive oil in the oven. Yummy!!
Jen On Saturday, July 9 at 1:45 pm
Taters are a favorite to grow here, too. Such fun and yumminess.
kami On Monday, July 11 at 1:42 pm
I planted potatoes in the garden at my kids' school. The other parents and I were laughing hysterically while we were harvesting. It was such a blast!!!


text:
Takeaways from first day of NFL combine
FEB 22, 2013 10:59a ET
1. Darrelle Revis is a Jet ... unless Jim Brown's on the trading block
Jets GM John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan were both steadfast in their belief that star cornerback Darrelle Revis is a member of the Jets and very much a part of the team's future ... for now. Peppered with questions on Revis, who's been rumored to be on the trading block this offseason, Idzik said, "There's been rumors or stories published and it's really hard for me or anybody in our organization to speculate and answer to all the stories that we hear. In respect to Darrelle, we've always wanted him to be a part of the New York Jets." Asked if Revis is an "untouchable player," Idzik said, "Any player on our roster, we go forward with the assumption that they're New York Jets until we're given a situation we have to evaluate. Right now, Darrelle Revis is a New York Jet. We're proud to have him and we're happy to have him. He's a tremendous asset."
Rex Ryan, naturally, wasn't as politically correct in addressing the rumor mill.
"Plain and simple, it's not accurate. I told Darrelle that. If he was to be involved in a trade, I think he and his agents would know about it. As would the general manager and myself. I don't know where things like that get drummed up from. Maybe someone was a big fan of fantasy football and would like to have him on his team."
After a few laughs from reporters, Ryan was asked if there was any way Revis would be traded, "You want me to say 'absolutely not, we're not going to do it,' and I'm not going to say this player or that player, but if you've got Jim Brown in that trade, then you'd probably look into it."
Ryan, perhaps paying homage to the recently released linebacker Bart Scott, finished his presser by saying: "I'll tell you one thing. I'm going to coach my ass off. I can't wait."
2. Eagles QB Nick Foles isn't going anywhere ... yet
Chip Kelly had quite the press conference at the Combine in Indianapolis. After saying any January rumors linking him to the Cleveland Browns were "erroneous," then going the extra mile to note, "That's from 'Wedding Crashers,'" the gregarious first-year Eagles coach extolled the virtues of backup quarterback Nick Foles. "I wanna coach Nick (Foles). I wanna spend time with him and see him," Kelly said when asked if Philadelphia's second-year quarterback would be traded this offseason. Rumored to be on the trading block in the days after Michael Vick's contract was restructured and Dennis Dixon was signed last week, Foles isn't leaving the Eagles' nest just yet.
When pressed about a USA Today report last week indicating that the Kansas City Chiefs had interest in Foles, new Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, "He's not available. You just had (Philadelphia GM) Howie (Roseman) up here (on the podium), so I think you know that." Reid continued, "Listen, Nick is the property of the Philadelphia Eagles. I think they like him. … I drafted him along with Howie and Howie's still there. I know Howie likes him."
3. Peyton Manning: Healthier, stronger and better in 2013?
John Fox was effusive in his praise for Peyton Manning on Thursday, indicating that the best is yet to come for the 36-year-old Broncos quarterback.
"A lot was made of the neck and the surgeries. But in reality, it's a nerve situation and it takes a while for nerves to grow," Fox said from the podium. "He's getting better every day. I think he'll be, health-wise, he'll be even better this year."
Last year at this time, Manning was a free agent, still rehabbing from his September 2011 spinal fusion surgery. After an 11-game winning streak to end the 2012 regular season, Manning struggled in the Colorado cold during a five-quarter divisional round game with the Ravens. In the week after the loss, there were questions whether Manning was capable of playing in the elements.
"He'll have a full offseason for his whole body to get ready, not just the arm, the neck and some of those rehab things," Fox said. "He can actually work out now. I think he'll just get stronger and better."
4. Seattle GM John Schneider has no problems with Richard Sherman's big mouth
Seahawks All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman made news on Wednesday, jostling with Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis in a Twitter thumb war. On Thursday, Sherman told the NFL Network, "He came off disrespectful, so words need to be said. Apparently, he is going to disrespect my game. I don't know what he has done stats-wise to earn the right to talk down to people. He has never had more than six [interceptions] in a season so let's quiet down." John Schneider, his general manager in Seattle, has no problem with Sherman's bravado: "He feels he's the best corner in the league. God bless him."
5. Alex Smith's last supper in San Francisco? Not necessarily
Shortly after Super Bowl XLVII, San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke took Alex Smith and his wife Liz out to dinner. After handling his midseason demotion with class and grace, it's now time to look towards Smith's NFL future.
"We're going to look at all options available," Baalke said Thursday. "Are you going to trade him for sure? No, that hasn't been decided."
Colin Kaepernick, the 36th overall pick in 2011, is set to make just north of $800,000 in 2012, but due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed two summers ago, he can not renegotiate his deal. The 49ers also have 14 draft picks this year.
It sounds crazy, but in a quarterback-starved league, the 49ers don't have much incentive to get rid of Smith. As he heads into his ninth season, the 49ers backup is due $8.5 million in 2013, including $6.5 million guaranteed if he remains on San Francisco's roster after April 1. It's by no means a sure thing that they won't pay him in 2013.
6. The latest in the Titus Young saga
Ten years from now, a promising young director is going to do a dazzling documentary on Titus Young's tenure with the Detroit Lions. It'll be incredibly intriguing. Drafted in the second round and blessed with all the physical tools in the world, Young sabotaged his own football career with immaturity, off-the-field mishaps and on-the-field disobedience.
Sources told me earlier this month that Young intentionally ran the wrong routes in an NFL game.
Another source indicated that Young believed he deserved as many targets as his teammate, Calvin Johnson. Enough was enough, and after countless chances, the Lions released Young two weeks ago.
When I initially asked Lions head coach Jim Schwartz if he could offer any insight on the waived wideout on Thursday, he said, "Not really." He, then, took a moment and addressed Young's time in Detroit, "It's very disappointing," Schwartz said. "He's a guy we drafted in the second round. He's a guy that physically was very productive for us and looked like he was going to be a very important part of our offense. But in the grand scheme of things it wasn't all physically what you could do on the field. As a result, he's no longer with us. We've moved on."
Young was claimed by only one NFL team when put on waivers, the St. Louis Rams, and was released six days later. Less than two years after being drafted in the second round, Young is unemployed at 23. It doesn't appear as though anyone's knocking on his door anytime soon, either.
7. Greg Schiano has his quarterback
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano raised some eyebrows the day after the regular season, when he responded to a question on whether he was "all-in" on quarterback Josh Freeman by saying, "I'm not side-stepping you, but I need to evaluate."
Schiano addressed those comments Thursday, saying, "At the end of the season, the day after the final game, I probably said something that got a lot more attention than I meant for it to do," Schiano said. "Really, it was about, just what you said: Every year I've been a head coach, I step back and I evaluate every phase of our program. And it starts with me, so that takes a while. And I even said, 'I don't know if I'm the right guy. Let me figure this out.' And then I went through every assistant coach, and then, as a staff, we went through every single player — and a series of evaluations — but the one thing I believe in, as coaches or players, our whole life, we went through competitive athletics and that competition is healthy."
Asked to put his line in the sand on the Freeman issue, Schiano went even further, telling a group of reporters, "Josh Freeman is our quarterback. And I believe that Josh Freeman — with Josh Freeman, we'll be able to accomplish our goals."
So much for the Bucs trading Freeman this offseason.
8. Bruce Arians, despite the raspberry beret, is very much a traditionalist when it comes to running an NFL offense
In an era in which the read option and running quarterbacks seem to be all the rage, Bruce Arians — decked in an awesome piece of headgear — stood firm in his stance that he's old school when it comes to offense.
"Defensive coordinators will have time to study this new trend in the NFL," Arians said. "I'm not a believer in putting my quarterback in harm's way. I'm a traditionalist."
If there is a new trend in the NFL, Arians insisted, it involves pro coaches going to the college ranks to learn new ways to defend these offenses. Arians' dismissal of the new wave of NFL offenses conflicts with comments made by many others around the league, insisting that the game is changing after the success of running quarterbacks Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson in 2012.
He'll face the last two twice next year.
9. The Dolphins will likely use the franchise tag ... on someone ... we think
Coming into the combine, the Dolphins were a team I wanted to keep an eye on. Miami sent 55 people from the organization (GM Jeff Ireland joked, "the whole building") to Indianapolis this week. With several high-profile free agents on the roster, there's been a lot of buzz about the team's offseason moves. Defensive tackle Randy Starks, cornerback Sean Smith and offensive tackle Jake Long are all candidates to be given the franchise tag. "There's certainly a likelihood we could use it," Ireland said in talking about the issue. So there's that.
10. The Colts have money to burn this offseason
Indianapolis GM Ryan Grigson played host of sorts, holding court in the hallways of his team's stadium. With Dwight Freeney off the books and a team loaded with young talent from last year's draft, the Colts have one of the better cap situations in the NFL.
"It's nice to be able to go shopping a little bit," Grigson said of having about $44 million in cap space. "It's nice to know that if there is somebody I'm really pining for, I can least have a crack at him. He added, "Last year, in a way, it was still fun for me, with my scout roots, to go out there and dig and find guys that maybe other people may have overlooked, or maybe they didn't have to dig as hard because they had the money to go get the guys that were right there for the taking."
A year ago, Grigson was a first-year GM taking over for a team that went 2-14 in 2011. This year, he's King of the Combine.
What a difference 12 months — or Andrew Luck — can make.
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Posted at: 05/04/2013 9:22 AM
Filming will not take place in Rochester on Saturday for the upcoming Spider-man film, however a portion of Main Street will remain closed.
City officials said on Friday that no active filming will take place on Saturday, but Main Street will still be closed from Plymouth Avenue to State Street. No vehicles will be permitted in that area and pedestrians will still have limited access to buildings along that section of Main Street.
Those closures will remain in place until filming resumes Sunday morning. News10NBC will continue to track the daily street closures for you, the City of Rochester also says you can find all Spider-man related information online at: http://www.cityofrochester.gov/spiderman


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Good luck with it Lyn.
Hello again all. Our revamped pond is coming on a treat & is looking good. A friend of ours who lives app 5mls away had all his fish (19) taken by a heron whilst he was away for a short period, (forgot to lay his netting) We'd never seen one in our neck of the woods until last week when we spotted one sat atop a near neighbours roof. After watching it for some time it still hadn't moved a muscle. I have a very fine, black nylon net stretched taut across the pond to catch the falling leaves from the trees behind & it's hardly detectable, now of course it's serving a dual purpose with a heron around. Okay now the reason for the thread. Does anyone have an opinion on these pond vacs? Can't decide whether to invest in one or not. The UV filter that's running 24/7 does get a helluva lot of detritus in it's 2 sponge filters etc. & I'm removing & cleaning it maybe every 6 weeks or so. So thought about these vacs & am looking for some input, the only reviews I have seen have been from manufactures.
Thanks in advance.


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Jul 30 2015
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The new director will take office August 3.
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No one wants to be hunted down by a mob of mindless man-eaters. No, I'm not talking about a Vegas bachelorette party. I'm talking about the craze that'll be sweeping the nation: the zombie apocalypse. But if you have to be hunted down, wouldn't you want some rockin' tunes filling your eardrums (before they're filled with your own blood)?
Here's how to play…
Step B: Put your iTunes on shuffle
Step rrrrrrraaaaains!: For each question, press the next button to get your answer. (I found this list on the interwebs, but made a couple of my own additions)
1. The overall theme for the Apocalypse
2. The song that plays when you wake up from a coma in an abandoned hospital
3. The one that plays during your first zombie kill
4. While you're getting chased by a Horde of zombies
5. When you're forced to kill your loved one
6. When you Find your new love interest
7. When you make your final stand
8. When you think you've made it through it all
10. The song that plays under the extra scene after the credits that sets up the sequel
If that seems like too much work, grab a Twinkie, curl up with your shotgun, and listen to my apocalypse soundtrack from GVBRadio.com's My Top 10 Countdown.


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Photo Galleries: 2013 BBW FanFest Awards Show
Photographer: Lee Austin/EMMreport.com
Published: September 06, 2013
Photo Galleries: 2013 BBW FanFest Awards Red Carpet
Photographer: Lee Austin/EMMreport.com
Published: September 05, 2013
Photo Galleries: 'Evil BBW Gold 3'
Photographer: Joey Silvera/Evil Angel
Published: August 01, 2013
Event: BBW FanFest 2013
Movies: Evil BBW Gold 2
Photo Galleries: BBW FanFest 2012 (Gallery 2)
Photographer: Lee Austin/EMMreport.com
Published: July 29, 2012
Photo Galleries: BBW FanFest 2012 (Gallery 1)
Photographer: Lee Austin/EMMreport.com
Published: July 29, 2012
Event: BBW FanFest 2012
BBW FanFest, a weekend-long celebration of adult BBW performers, is slated for July 13-15 at the Tuscany Suites and Casino in Las Vegas.
Movies: Thick BBW Forum: The Movie
Movies: Sara Jay Likes Her Girls BBW
Article: Interview: 2015 BBW Performer of the Year April Flores
Published: March 12, 2015
Few performers can say they've won an AVN Award in the same category two years in a row. For April Flores, she accomplished just that by winning...
Company News: April Flores Wins AVN's BBW Performer of the Year for the 2nd Time
Published: February 11, 2015
"The most memorable moment was being on the red carpet among my fellow nominees moments before the show started," April Flores recalled. "We had...
Company News: BBW Cam House Teams Up With All BBW Cams
Published: November 03, 2014
BBW Cam House has announced a partnership with All BBW Cams to expand the fast growing BBW cam market. The union of the two companies reflects...
Company News: Kelly Shibari Named Best BBW Performer at NightMoves
Published: October 16, 2014
Kelly Shibari is celebrating a repeat win for Best BBW Performer at the 22nd Annual NightMoves Awards.
Article: BBW Model Southern Somer Passes Away
Published: October 15, 2014
On October 1, BBW model Southern Somer passed away in her sleep at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was 37.
Article: Digital Sin Releases 'Meet Kelly,' Its First BBW Star Showcase
Published: September 25, 2014
Digital Sin announces the release of Meet Kelly , a reintroduction to BBW superstar Kelly Shibari, and the first star showcase from a major...
Company News: Kelly Shibari Nominated for 'Best BBW Performer' at 2014 NightMoves Awards
Published: September 10, 2014
Plus size beauty's performance also featured in Best BBW Release-nominated Big Girls Are Sexy 4.
Article: Sportsheets Plus Intimate Accessories Target BBW Ladies
Published: August 07, 2014
Sportsheets is proud to introduce the first-ever line of plus-size intimate accessories designed to enhance the unique curves of big, beautiful...
Company News: Karla Lane to Host BBW 'Voluptuous Nights' This Thursday
Published: July 22, 2014
Last month, Karla Lane did a one-night BBW strip club event at Vintage Industrial Strip. Since the night was so popular and the patrons of the...
Article: Marshmallow Girl: AVN's BBW Performer of the Year Keeps Busy
Published: July 15, 2014
Among her many achievements since April Flores debuted in adult films nearly a decade ago, being crowned BBW Performer of the Year at the AVN...


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Nah! I'd rather stay here and watch folks battle wits with the unarmed.
Yep - key phrase being "properly interpreted and applied". Too bad it's often not... especially in this state.
If you are expecting the 2/21 Dad's Club "gathering" to be a meeting to get to know some other fathers and discuss future Dad's Club opportunities, you might be disappointed. It is going to be a religion discussion by Coach Niblett (this is per the flyer parents were given). Just want to give a heads up to those who might not be followers of the locally dominant Christian denomination.
Dumb, dumb, dumb! The way the contribution changes are scaled in, any teacher with 20yrs of service would have to be a complete idiot to stay on the job. Which elected morons approved this lunacy??? Oh, yeah - that bunch of morons we elected and sent to Montgomery.
I can hear them now... "Let's give the experienced teachers an incentive to retire, we'll run them off and then we'll have to hire new teachers, pay them a salary and benefit, and still pay a pension and retiree medical benefits for life to the retired teachers, too - that'll save some money!"
Amen, murnerone!
sailboatman - I can attest that Christian messages are regularly displayed on clothing worn in Hoover schools (by students and teachers). And school administrators appear to be quite oblivious to it. Many, many teachers wear shirts w/ religious symbols, they display crucifixes on their desks, bible quotes on their desks or walls, it goes on and on. I have a child who knows that it is not always appropriate to push your personal beliefs on others (is it ever??), so I have lots of fun trying to explain why some authority figures do it anyway.
Um.... not! Sorry to burst your fantasy bubble there, Grease1. There is clear scientific evidence to the contrary. The brains of homosexual and heterosexual males have been show to function differently. Look it up!
People don't choose to be born homosexual any more than they choose to be born left-handed - actually it's much the same - both being a function of how the brain is wired.
This WILL BE discussed TONIGHT. The agenda doesn't have the school shuffling, but it will be discussed tonight.
They are waaaaay past the planning and talking stages - plans are very concrete (tho not well-though-out). The principals have been asked to attend tonight's meeting.
If you have concerns, show up and speak up!
Just found out that Mr. McBay RETIRED on Friday. Hmmm... does he not want to stay and deal with this mess?
The School Board meets tonight - Tuesday, February 15th at 5:30pm
Hearing that teachers were told at mandatory meetings Friday that it was happening. A magical done deal.
* Deer Valley, So. Shades Crest, & Trace Crossings 5th & Bumpus 6th at the current Freshman Center (which is supposed to be a middle school)
* 7th & 8th stay at Bumpus
* 9th at the High School (where they can miraculously now fit w/ the addition of just a few classrooms)
* Crossroads School to old Berry HS
Ridiculous - doesn't solve the underlying problem, just causes major upheaval and postpones the inevitable.
Amen, youngwhiteguy! ;)
Man made god
Humans didn't evolve FROM apes.
Who's having a contest? Not me. I'm simply reminding everyone that it's called FAITH for a reason.
And on a side note - Roll, Ducks, Roll! ;)
Wow! Reasonable, rational, logical, enlightened - can you even publish that here?
Anybody who 'claims' to KNOW that an all-powerful, magical, all-knowing, supernatural entity (aka, god) exists is being dishonest. There is NO WAY to KNOW while we live - that's why it's called 'faith'. You may 'believe' whatever superstitions you wish and, like it or not, you have to let me draw my own conclusions based on my own education, upbringing, life experiences and personal investigations.
Do a little research on your own - you will likely be surprised what you discover. There's a lot of information that biblical scholars agree on that many ministers are completely uninformed of (yes, I know I ended the sentence w/ a preposition - get over it). Go to the library, investigate the history of modern christianity, study older religions (yes, there are several), read the latest research by religious scholars - go into it with open eyes and an open mind. Some people come away from such investigations with stronger faith, but many come away better understanding the doubts that have plagued them their entire lives.
Many here believe that a magical being tells them, "Do as I want or I'll punish you for eternity."
And apparently that makes it OK for them to say, "Believe as I believe or I'll attack you." Really?? That's OK??
What good does all the vitriol being rabidly spewed here by the religionists do? If god exists and is all-powerful and all-knowing, why so upset by this article? What is so threatening? Won't that god take care of the non-believers in a particularly nasty way??
The intolerant, hate-filled messages being posted here by self-proclaimed believers are evidence that we humans have a long way to go.
I'll do the study for only $40K and give them the results today! ;)
They need to be wasting $75K on the inane. What a bunch of morons!
Thankfully, you are not correct. While her life was never the same after Judge Vance was killed, she refused to give Moody another victim. She lived almost 21 more years - she was able to meet and enjoy her grandchildren, she was very proud of sons' professional successes (and daughters-in-law), and she brightened the lives of her friends. Peace.
I'm so sorry to read this. Mrs. Vance's life was not defined by that one act of senseless violence, but by the difference she made in the lives of others. She was one of the nicest, friendliest people I've ever known. She was a warm, fun-loving, vibrant, down-to-earth woman - the world will be a little less bright without her.
Yes, you are missing something. A rooster is not needed for hens to produce eggs. Go research it.


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By Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2004 The third group of National Guard artillerymen is slated to begin retraining as military police at the Army's Military Police School at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Jan. 12 to support the war on terror.
Army Lt. Col. Henry R. Evans, commander of the Army Reserve unit conducting the training, said B and C companies of the Illinois National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, will undergo a four-week class in basic military police skills.
The soldiers are among the first of about 2,200 Army National Guard soldiers to be retrained as provisional military police to conduct patrols, control crowd and direct traffic at military installations in the United States and Germany.
The National Guard Bureau announced the decision last fall to help ease the burden placed on the Army's heavily tapped active and reserve military police corps, much of it deployed overseas in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
In addition, more than 12,000 of the National Guard's 15,000 military police soldiers have been mobilized since Sept. 11, 2001 -- some more than once, according to Col. Frank Grass, chief operations officer for the Army National Guard. Grass said nearly all of the Guard's 82 military police companies have been activated.
In response, the Guard will establish 18 new provisional military police units 14 from field artillery units, one from a transportation unit, and three from combat support units that had already been slated to convert to military police units, Grass said.
Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a Jan. 6 Pentagon briefing that the decision to convert units less likely to be called on in the current security environment and to convert them to much-needed military police "makes eminent sense."
Grass said it demonstrates the flexibility of the National Guard. He said that's something America's citizen soldiers have demonstrated repeatedly since the Minutemen first took up arms to protect their country during mid-1700s and continue to do as they respond to emergencies within their states.
"This shows that the Guard is relevant, viable and adaptable to a changing environment," Grass said. "It fits right in with what we've always done as a National Guard."
So far, four field artillery batteries from the Missouri National Guard have received the training: A and C companies, 1st Battalion, 128th Field Artillery; and A and D companies, 1st Battalion, 129th Field Artillery.
Troops from the 128th Field Artillery Regiment who made up the first class of artillerymen-turned-military police graduated Dec. 19 and are now serving in their new capacities at Fort Polk, La.
Evans said Army Reservists from the Nashville, Tenn.-based 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 100th Division, are teaching junior enlisted soldiers how to conduct patrols, route reconnaissance and crowd control, set up traffic control points, detain unauthorized persons and work with local law enforcement. The course lasts four weeks.
Noncommissioned officers and officers receive additional training that emphasizes leadership and management as well as military police skills.
At the end of the training, the enlisted soldiers receive the military police job classification, Evans said. Their unit designation changes as well, with "Military Police Provisional," in parentheses, following the unit name.
While the military police specialty involves "a whole different skill set" from those required of artillerymen, Evans said the training runs smoothly because the students "are already seasoned soldiers."
And although they take "great pride in being field artillery soldiers," Evans said most of the students have responded positively to their reclassifications into a new job specialty.
"It hasn't affected their motivation," Evans said. "They're highly motivated soldiers."


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2010-11: Rafert went 13-7 to advance to the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional. He went undefeated against Sacred Heart, UNC tiwice, NYU, and Brandeis.
2009-10: Rafert posted a 9-9 record in limited action.
2008-09: Rafert posted a 10-15 record in the saber last year as a part-time starter. He competed at Mid-Atlantic/South Regionals as well.
The Milwaukee, Wisc. native spent his pre-collegiate career fencing for the Caliburn Fencing Club, the Chicago Athletic Association Fencers Club, and the Oregon Fencing Alliance. Rafert has competed regionally and nationally since 2003. He plans on majoring in History at Penn State.


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The iridescent effect from the first antenna of Azygocypridina lowryi. © A Parker
Azygocypridina lowryi is a myodocopid ostracod, or 'seed shrimp' found off the east coast of Australia at depths of 100 to 500m.
Azygocypridina lowryi is common in this region and was named the "baked bean" by local fishermen.
This seed shrimp displays spectacular iridescence. Hairs on the first antennae of Azygocypridina lowryi show spectacular iridescence due to diffraction gratings, like those found on a CD or in holograms on credit cards. This varies from violet to red, as the eye moves around the antenna.The iridescence was the first diffraction grating found in nature.
The discovery of the diffraction grating phenomenon has led to major international projects to improve understanding of "optical devices" in nature, with implications for technology.
Professor Andrew Parker researches the evolution of the iridescence, and the possible uses of the diffraction gratings (which cause the colour effect) in technology.
Azygocypridina lowryi shrimp-like body is enclosed within an orange-red, oval, two-part shell of about 10-11mm length in the adult
The shell is flattened from side to side and is hard – the two halves are attached at a hinge at the top of the shell, and by muscles that run through the centre of the body from side to side.
Find out about the unique lateral eye of Azygocypridina lowryi, why it is considered a living fossil and the iridescence shown by the hairs on its antennae.
Find out where in Australia that Azygocypridina lowryi is known from and the type of habitat it is found in.
Discover what was observed during the only experiment in which Azygocypridina lowryi was kept alive in an aquarium and learn about other known behaviour of the species as well as its life cycle.
Get reference material for Azygocypridina lowryi.
Azygocypridina lowryi a myodocopid ostracod, or 'seed shrimp'.© A Parker
The iridescent effect from the first antenna of the seed-shrimp Azygocypridina lowryi.© A Parker
A scanning electron micrograph shows the diffraction grating on a single hair of Azygocypridina lowryi, with a ridge spacing of 600nm.© A Parker
Under water in the Great Barrier Reef, on the east coast of Australia.© R Ling
Research Leader in the Crustacea Group specialising in biomimetics, particuarly optical devices, water management structures and strong composite materials found in animals and plants.


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Haier Innovate
Explore a generated Box2D labyrinth on this Flash AS3 Facebook app, developed with La Fille agency.See
A strong background of PHP / Zend Framework developer. Clear exchanges with technical teams.
Well structured, optimised, future proof and compatible code. Interactivity, fluid transitions and responsive designs.
Flowing user journey.
Precise mockups, feedbacks and interactions.
Simple, sharp and efficient user interfaces.
Accessible & user-centered, with good-looking little details.


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Clocking In
You have clocked in to MySA.com's business news blog about San Antonio and South Texas businesses and business people.
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City shines in Final Four
Kansas fans weren't the only ones high-fiving each other after Monday's Final Four overtime victory. Event sponsors and NCAA officials also were in a celebratory mood after a four-day championship weekend that produced massive crowds, hefty profits and few problems. "People just had a lot of fun," said Tom O'Connor, chairman of the NCAA basketball […] [Read More]
Is the Final Four worth it?
There is no doubt that the Men's Final Four is worth it to the city of San Antonio. We are cashing in on thousands of fans and media, not to mention the attention that is part of hosting an event like this. (The marketing folks call it "impressions.") But what about to the four schools […] [Read More]
Crank up the hype machine
Make sure your stalking shoes are laced up and ready to go as the teams playing in the Men's Final Four arrive today. (They're arriving today because the Final Four is here, in case we haven't told you enough times.) Here's their scheduled arrival time at San Antonio International Airport and their hotel information: • […] [Read More]
Rolling out the hardwood
In a couple of hours, the floor will start going down at the Alamodome for next weekend's Final Four games. Here are some "fun" Final Four floor facts courtesy the PR machine that is Mary Japhet of the local organizing committee. • Constructed by Connor Sport Court in Amasa, Mich. and painted in Appleton, Wis., […] [Read More]
Timmy ranks 10th
Clocking In's eye was caught this morning by the sight of CNBC's Darren Rovell wearing a Tim Duncan jersey. He was doing a countdown of the top 10 selling jerseys at the NBA Store in Manhattan which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. So over 10 years, the Big Fundamental ranks 10th. You can […] [Read More]
Set your TiVo
The 2008 Valero Alamo Bowl will be played on Monday night, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. The tingle of anticipation just went shooting through Clocking In Tower. The best news is the game will be broadcast without any other games overlapping. So you won't have to make that tough decision between the Alamo Bowl and […] [Read More]
Kia, Spurs form bond
The San Antonio Spurs have a new "official partner," – the Kia car company. The Spurs and Kia Motors America Inc. announced the two-year deal Thursday, with both sides saying they looked forward to a rewarding relationship, or a smooth ride if you prefer. Kia officials said they are still developing community outreach programs under […] [Read More]
Games score economic victories
The drama they produced for football fans was considerable. The economic impact the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship football game and the Valero Alamo Bowl generated for the city was probably more impressive – a record $73.1 million in economic punch delivered by local fans and almost 106,000 out-of-town visitors. "From a tourism standpoint, these […] [Read More]
Eva in Super Bowl ad
(otlooseballs.com) This is probably the tamest Eva photo I could find. San Antonio's favorite desperate housewife is slated to star this weekend in a Super Bowl ad for H-E-B. You can probably figure she won't be dressed like she is on the right. Word is the ad will be a film noir takeoff with Eva […] [Read More]
Sports foundation elects new chairman
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The Orioles are one of the more interesting teams in baseball. They're generally media friendly. Their manager, Buck Showalter, spent several years at ESPN in his years not managing. His quotes are enjoyable, and many of the players are good quotes, too.
As 2013 ends, let's look back at some of the most poignant quotes of the season.
April 21-Showalter consoled family members of armed forces members who had been killed in action.
"It's an honor to be asked to go out there. It's an honor to be in their presence, but I can't imagine how families feel when a sacrifice like that has been made. Reminds you in the whole scheme of things what we're doing out there for three hours or whatever is not really that important. One of them pointing out to me where their son sat to watch our games."
On June 30, Brian Roberts played his first home game in more than a year after being sidelined with hip and hamstring injuries. He'd play the rest of the season without incident, but left to sign with the Yankees earlier this month.
"My first at-bat was definitely special for me. To be here as long as I have and go through so many ups and downs, you don't really know sometimes if people are just tired of you. Or they really want you out there still."
The Orioles were trailing the Yankees 1-0 on July 7 when Adam Jones connected with a two-run home run off Mariano Rivera.
[RELATED: Blair's death comes at end of sad year for Baltimore sports fans]
"It's off the greatest closer in the history of the game. I'll always remember it."
Jason Hammel had a good start last season. On May 27, he was 7-2, but never won another game. Hammel was always a go-to guy in the clubhouse, and on July 13 after he gave up six runs on 10 hits in six innings, he ripped into himself.
"Unacceptable. Far too many baserunners. Getting behind hitters. Fastball-hitting club that I'm feeding fastballs. It's easy to hit when you know what is coming. I'm not throwing sliders for strikes, not throwing curveballs where I want them. Changeup is non-existent. I'm beating myself right now. Very frustrating."
Hammel is unsigned, and whatever club gets him will be acquiring a stand-up guy. Another player who fit into that category was Nate McLouth, who left the Orioles after the season for the Washington Nationals.
On July 31, the sad-sack Houston Astros beat the Orioles 11-0. McLouth analyzed it well.
"That was kind of baffling. Pretty safe to say that was our worst game of the year, just all-around. It was embarrassing, actually. I'm glad it's over."
For most of the season, Jim Johnson was a lightning rod. Even though he had 50 saves, he blew nine. After one of the blown saves, on Aug. 14 in Arizona, Showalter defended him.
"The world's full of those guys who come in after the war's over and shoot the wounded. I'm not one of those guys. I'll leave that to the guys who are outside the arena."
The Orioles didn't change closers during the season, and executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette tried to reassure reporters that the team would offer Johnson a contract.
[RELATED: Five reasons for Orioles fans to be optimistic]
"Jim Johnson is one of our core players," Duquette said on Sept. 27.
The biggest story of the season was Chris Davis. He broke the team's single-season record for home runs with 53. When he was announced as the team's most valuable player, Davis said he hoped that the Orioles would offer him a contract extension.
"I couldn't think of a better place to hit for the rest of my career," Davis said on Sept. 29.
Davis' agent is Scott Boras, who also represents catcher Matt Wieters. Duquette said he would like to sign both players to contract extensions.
Boras said he would talk with the Orioles about them, and said he has good relations with Duquette. At his annual media scrum at the winter meetings on Dec. 11, Boras dropped this gem about Duquette.
"He's got great hair, too."
After the Orioles traded Johnson on Dec. 2, Duquette said the move was part of a reallocation of resources. The team agreed to a contract with Grant Balfour, but they didn't sign it after a physical exam found some issues with his shoulder.
On Dec. 20, Duquette indicated that the Orioles would not attempt to renegotiate with Balfour.
"The Orioles are moving on from this situation."


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Created: 04/10/2013 12:11 PM KSTP.com By: Jennie Olson
Minneapolis' 2025 Vision: More People, More Jobs — Every Person, Every Place
2025 State of the City: Introduction
Welcome to Minneapolis' 2025 State of the City address, my 24th and final State of the City.
Thank you to Olga Viso and her staff for welcoming me back to the place where I gave my 2013 State of the City 12 years ago.
I want t jump right into the controversy that has, rightfully, attracted so much attention these last few months:
As you know, the issue is where, and how fast, we build a third Northside high school. Patrick Henry and North High are bursting at the seams, in large part because they are at the top of every national ranking. It's clear that first generation of students who grew up in the Northside Achievement Zone have achieved even beyond our dreams. But Henry and North are also full because of simple math: more people are living in North Minneapolis than we could have imagined a decade ago.
Why are so many families living in North Minneapolis? We started planting the seeds for the population explosion a decade and a half ago. First, we dramatically lowered crime, especially among young people. Our decade-long strategy of moving cops out of cars and onto the street helped us build deep partnerships with neighbors. That was even more effective because — through aggressive recruiting efforts — our police force now finally looks like our city.
Second, we reclaimed neighborhoods that had been devastated by the Great Recession more than a decade ago. During that terrible time, we executed an aggressive strategy to prevent foreclosures and reinvest tens of millions of dollars. We got homes out of the hands of absentee owners and used creative homeownership programs like CityLiving and Minneapolis Advantage to reposition North Minneapolis as one of the most desirable communities and best housing bargains in the metro area.
This work helped keep residents in the neighborhood and brought in new families, who told others, who in turn added tens of millions in new private equity.
Green Homes North brought in the 100 families that bought the houses but also spurred hundreds of others to build nearby with their own funds. This includes the well-paid, green-construction workers who built the Green Homes.
No one can forget that just as we were starting to recover from the Great Recession, which hit the Northside harder than any other part of town, we were rocked with a devastating tornado. Yes, it set us back, but it also steeled our resolve to rebuild an even better Northside.
All that tornado devastation along Penn Avenue inspired us to partner with Hennepin County to create Penn Parkway, that grand boulevard, with walking and bike trails and state-of-the-art bus service to the Bottineau LRT stop on Olson Highway.
In 2012, we started planting flowering trees along Penn and across the Northside, and never let up. Now every spring, tourists from across the Midwest come to North Minneapolis on the anniversary of the tornado when hundreds of flowering trees are at their peak. It's a beautiful reminder of this remarkable part of town's fighting spirit of renewal.
The housing boom along Penn was soon followed with another along the Northern Greenway. Once we connected 26th Avenue North across the river to 18th Avenue Northeast on the railroad bridge north of Broadway, we had a greenway that dramatically reshaped the northern half of Minneapolis just as the Midtown Greenway reshaped south Minneapolis.
And just like Midtown, where the population explosion from 2012–2020 created so much new property value that we built the Midtown Streetcar, the housing boom in North Minneapolis continues to fuel the explosion in ridership on our North Washington/West Broadway streetcar.
And Nicollet–Central, the streetcar that started it all, set off a similar boom in Northeast. I especially like to ride the streetcar at evening rush hour when all the employees in the Shoreham Yards Brewing District leave their shifts by the hundreds and spread out to the restaurants and galleries along Central and into downtown.
The Nicollet Central streetcar also set off a development boom along Eat Street to Lake. It's really an extraordinary experience to ride the streetcar across the Greenway right through the back of what used to be the old K-Mart.
Closing Nicollet was one of the worst planning blunders in Minneapolis history, and reopening it has been one of the best. Now this is one of our hottest neighborhoods, where car-free residents can also take a streetcar down the Midtown Greenway or Bus Rapid Transit from the station on 35W at Lake.
Twelve years ago, few thought that someday a couple living near Powderhorn Park could walk to that 35W transit stop, with one taking bus rapid transit to their job at Best Buy headquarters, and the other a streetcar down Nicollet to their job at Target headquarters. It used to be a dream. Now it happens every day.
Transit has transformed our city. Because 60 percent of the downtown workforce uses transit, our traffic didn't get worse when Target added their third tower.
I love that new Target tower, and it has a great view of the always active Peavey Plaza on the southern gateway of Nicollet Green. (Remember when we used to call our main street "Nicollet Mall"? Sounds like something out of the classic show "Mad Men.")
Nicollet Green, of course, is now widely admired as one of the world's great urban boulevards. Sidewalk cafes and boutique retail come together with office workers, condo residents and bikers in a 10-block urban park that delivers on our vision of connecting the Chain of Lakes to the central riverfront.
The Nicollet–Central streetcar fits perfectly: East Bank condo residents ride to work across the Hennepin Avenue bridge while visitors leave the updated Convention Center and decide whether to have dinner on Eat Street or a drink at Nye's — or both.
We also want to thank Hennepin County for their innovative partnership that took previously unused steam from the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center to heat the sidewalks and planters on Nicollet Green. On the coldest days of winter, people can comfortably walk down the street.
As we said when we started this effort back in 2013, Minneapolis, a city in the center of a park, now has a park in the center of the city.
Nicollet Green, which emerged from that inspirational 2013 design competition, is one of many green parts of downtown envisioned in the Downtown Council's 2025 plan. Every downtown street now has more trees and our center city is filled with pocket parks, including the mobile pop-up green zones that we move around the city every day.
Armory Yard, connecting City Hall to the stadium, is just as influential. It has spawned a slew of copycats around the world, but no other public space anywhere has this level of four-season activity: a skate park with half-pipe shaped like a Viking ship, ropes courses that challenge scout troops and kids' birthday parties, a soccer and lacrosse field, a dog park, croquet pitch, concerts and outdoor movies, ice skating in summer, and snowboarding on mounds that grow each time we plow the streets.
Thousands of housing units have been built near The Yard in the Armory District on what only a decade ago was a bland sea of surface parking lots.
This demand for housing has of course been fueled by the availability of jobs. You can see that in the old Grain Exchange, now known worldwide as the "Brain Exchange." A building that once housed grain traders who turned Minneapolis into the World's Milling Capital now houses entrepreneurs who are leading Minneapolis into dominance in high tech, green chemistry and green building materials. Innovators move easily and quickly on bikes and LRT between the Exchange and the University.
Minneapolis is growing. Our population has hit 450,000, and is on track to top half a million by 2040, if not sooner.
We have been able to grow without sacrificing the livability of our strong single-family neighborhoods because we have spent 15 years focused on growing in key areas along transit corridors. I especially want to single out the West Bank, now the critical link between downtown and the U, and the Southwest Corridorstop in the Market District, around the 12-month-a-year Central Farmer's Market.
We did all this work in order to make Minneapolis more livable, prosperous and sustainable. It turns out this work was more necessary than we could have imagined as many northern cities accommodate growth beyond projections.
Last week's Census Bureau Report showed in stark numbers that climate change has set off a mass movement from the coasts. Today, Minneapolis is a leader in combating climate change, in adapting to it and accommodating all the people moving here because of it.
With more people in our city, we have been able to keep property taxes down.
Fifteen years ago, all the core services needed in our 60 square miles were paid for by fewer than 400,000 people; but today, those same costs are shared by 450,000 people. In short, more people cost us all less. And the building boom and rising property values in our expanded downtown has shifted more of the burden off neighborhoods.
The other reason we have been able to keep property taxes down is what for the last decade we have called the "Era of Stable Budgets." Though it now feels like a long time ago, you may remember that during the first 15 years of this century, we tackled one seemingly intractable financial crisis after another — debt, pensions, stadiums — finally knocking off a big one in 2013 when we helped the Legislature reform the State/City fiscal partnership called Local Government Aid.
It's important to not only note how many people we have, but how different we are now. There is no longer any racial group that dominates our city. Minneapolis has become what used to be called a "majority–minority" city — but today, of course, we just call that "America."
The waves of immigrants and refugees from East and West Africa, Southwest Asia, Latin America and other parts of the world have slowed because, thankfully, we are no longer a planet torn apart by war and economic injustice. The generations of children that came during those years are adults, contributing and raising families their own. They are joined by African American and Native American youth who once suffered the greatest educational disparities in our schools, gaps that we have closed.
Together, we call them the STEP-UP Generation, the first wave of youth of color that we brought into the workforce through America's most successful and longest-running summer-jobs program, which started right here in Minneapolis and is now widely imitated nation-wide. They have stepped up into leadership of every company, nonprofit and government office in our city.
The STEP-UP Generation has helped not only themselves, but transformed our whole community into what is now recognized as one of the world's great global cities. Their language and cultural skills are now being taught to our students in all of schools and to adults in community centers across Minneapolis.
More than two decades ago, Minneapolis faced a critical decision in the wake of 9/11. While many states and cities used that crisis to erect barriers to immigrants, this community built a new Minneapolis where everyone belongs. It was the right thing to do — and it was very, very good for our city's bottom line. Today, so many years later, cities that shut immigrants out can't recruit or grow export businesses, while Minneapolis dominates across the globe.
This was told so well in the recent story on the front page of the Economist's website: "How Minneapolis beat China to become Africa's best friend."
At this point it's probably important to reassure you that I haven't lost my marbles. I know it's not 2025.
But I began this way because I thought it would be more interesting to talk about the next 12 years than to get all nostalgic about the last 12. More important, almost everything I just talked about as our vision of the future is dependent on actions that we need to take this year.
If we are to build the Minneapolis in 2025 that I laid out here, we need to work hard in four areas this year:
• Running the City Well;
• Growing the City: More People, More Jobs; Every Person, Every Place;
• Strengthening the Common Ground;
• Building a Path for the Next Generation.
2013 State of the City: Run the City Well
The first thing we need to do this year is what we've done for the past decade: focus on the two pillars of running the city well: managing the public's money well, and making sure every part of Minneapolis is a safe place to call home.
Start with the money.
We should be proud that we are on entering an "era of stable budgets" because we spent more than a decade making tough decisions.
• We paid down $241 million of debt, cut spending — down 16 percent after inflation compared to 2002 — eliminated business lines, merged departments, and partnered with our employees to save healthcare costs without sacrificing quality.
• Against great political odds, we reformed the broken closed-pension system that had unfairly drained millions from taxpayers. This took great political courage, especially from Council Members Betsy Hodges, Elizabeth Glidden and Council President Barbara Johnson.
• We saved taxpayers $5 million a year because we passed a stadium funding package that got Target Center off the property tax rolls.
Had we not taken these steps, property taxes would be 35 percent higher today than they currently are.
Our last great challenge is the broken relationship with State of Minnesota, which from 2002 to 2013 cut a whopping $455 million in Local Government Aid to Minneapolis. This means Minneapolis property-tax payers are picking up a much greater share of our basic city functions.
• In 2003, LGA supplied 40% of General Fund revenue — but in 2013, LGA supplies just 17% of General Fund revenue.
• In 2003, property taxes supplied 29% of General Fund revenue — but in 2013, property taxes supply 45% of General Fund revenue.
Now the good news: Governor Dayton has proposed finally ending the roller-coaster of Local Government Aid cuts. The City Council and I strongly support Governor Dayton's plan and we will put the full weight our lobbying efforts behind it this session.
The second pillar of running the city well is making Minneapolis a Safe Place to Call Home.
In the past three decades, there was only one year when violent crime was lower than last year: the year before.
This is the result of hard work by our police and our community.
• Our partnership with neighborhoods like Phillips and Ventura Village has led to dramatic declines in violent crime at hot spots.
• Our police have become national leaders in "predictive policing," using data to head off crime before it occurs.
• And inspirational community leaders have set a national example by partnering with the City for six straight years on our ongoing youth-violence prevention efforts that have to a 59 percent drop in youth involved in violent crime.
Chief Harteau knows that neighborhoods are only truly safe if neighbors and police work closely together. She will continue to get officers out of cars and onto streets where they can build lasting partnerships with the people they serve.
We know also that our department must look like the city that it protects and serves. We are proud that for the first time ever, more than 20 percent of Minneapolis police officers are people of color. This is an important milestone, but nearly 40 percent of Minneapolis residents are now people of color. Chief Harteau and I will continue to aggressively recruit new officers who reflect the community.
A great way to start is our Police Explorers program, which pairs young people with mentoring officers to introduce them to police work and give back to the community. Please welcome one young cadet, Mohamud Jama who grew up in the city and is now in college. I look forward to the day you are sworn into the force, Mohamud.
Serious public safety challenges remain, especially gun violence. Our police are doing a lot but this state and national crisis needs state and national partners:
• We were honored to host President Obama in Minneapolis in February to highlight our success in reducing gun violence.
• We are building on the success of our Midwest Gun Summit in January to increase our cooperation across law enforcement agencies.
• I will also be in Chicago Monday to compare strategies for reducing gun violence with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and with the Joyce Foundation, a national leader in this effort.
We cannot give up this fight. Our nation is gripped by an epidemic of gun violence, and there are far too many illegal guns in our city. We have heard plenty of excuses not to act, but having stood with far too many grieving families for far too long, I say there is no excuse for our Legislature and our Congress to do nothing.
A final word about our police officers. Near the beginning of my time as mayor, we lost Officer Melissa Schmidt, a wonderful officer whose horrible death reminded us how dangerous this job can be.
Last September 27, our officers again put themselves in the line of danger when they responded to the mass murder at Accent Signage. They entered a building with a shooter they thought was at large; they saw horrible things but kept going. But as John Souter lay badly wounded on the floor, thinking he might be dying, he looked up and saw a uniform that read "Minneapolis Police," and knew he was safe.
John Souter is here today. So is Sami Rahamim, son of Accent founder Reuven Rahamim. Please join them in a big thank-you to our brave police and firefighters.
And join me in promising John, Sami and so many others that we will not stop fighting for a safer city, state and country.
We will keep running the city well. We will also:
2013 State of the City: Grow the City: More people, more jobs — every person, every place
By 2025, we want 450,000 people to live in Minneapolis — about 65,000 more than today. We want to do that without disrupting the character of our strong single-family-home neighborhoods, and without putting a single additional car on the street.
This isn't a fantasy. In fact the Minneapolis of the future sounds a like the Minneapolis of the past. Minneapolis in 1950 had 130,000 more people than today, and there were far fewer cars on the road because dense urban neighborhoods fanned out in every direction along streetcar lines.
We can dramatically grow our population, which in turn will improve services and lower property-tax burdens for everyone.
We aren't just waiting for growth to happen. We have a plan to get to the 450,000 residents that we want by 2025. We aren't planning to tear down a bunch of single family homes for towers. We will grow along targeted transits corridors to make it possible to live in Minneapolis without a car. We want to focus growth:
• Along Central Corridor, on the West Bank and in Prospect Park, where the Cornerstone Group is planning an innovative, mixed-income, mixed-use development project.
• Along the Hiawatha Corridor at the VA Hospital, at 38th St and at Lake Street, where a new mixed-use project will have a permanent home for the Midtown Farmers Market.
• At Lake and Nicollet, where Council Members Lilligren, Tuthill and Glidden join me in trying to finally reopen Nicollet Avenue.
• In the Market District; between the Farmer's Market and International Market Square around the planned stop on the Southwest LRT line.
If we bring all these people to Minneapolis, we must grow jobs, businesses and housing for them — and must attack disparities in all three areas.
Growing jobs
The motto of our Community Planning and Economic Development Department is "Grow a sustainable city: more people, more jobs."
To that very clear motto, I would add the following: "Every person, every place." That means we must eliminate the economic gaps that divide our neighborhoods and our communities — and in particular, the gap between white and African American unemployment, which is the largest of America's top 50 cities. We are number one on a lot of lists, but this is a list that we must get off of.
We didn't just wake up to this problem. Although most cities aren't actively involved in direct job training, we are, and you can expect my last budget to be just like every one of my budgets: we will continue to invest in putting people to work.
Since 2002, we have placed nearly 14,000 hard-to-employ and dislocated workers into good jobs. And in 2012, the trainees in our adult program were 81 percent people of color.
The City has continues to fund the RENEW program, which started with Obama stimulus dollars. RENEW takes people who have been hard to employ and trains them for specialized, high-paying, green jobs — and in 2012, our RENEW trainees were 93 percent people of color.
We also have two remarkable opportunities to get hundreds of Minneapolis residents who have been left behind working in good jobs: on the new stadium and the renovation of Target Center. Our construction workforce goals for these major projects are 32 percent people of color and 6 percent women. We have strong contracting goals as well: 9 percent minority-owned and 11 percent women-owned.
Yes, these are very aggressive targets. But I stood last year with Council President Johnson and Council member Samuels to deliver a very clear message to the State: We will only be involved in this project if there is a rock-solid commitment to put people of color to work. We've done that before on big projects like Midtown Exchange, we have set aggressive goals for the stadium and Target Center, and we will meet them. Period.
In addition, we have an exciting new initiative with Minnesota's Makers Coalition, which includes companies like J.W.Hulme leather goods and AirTex home textiles. The demand for these high-quality, Minnesota-made products is now so strong that the companies are desperate to hire industrial sewers. Minneapolis is helping fund training scholarships for students in Dunwoody's first sewing class, who will have high-paying jobs the day they graduate.
Today, I am also proposing a new tool in our toolbox to eliminate employment disparities. "Grow North" aims to attract new anchor employers specifically to North Minneapolis, by making available new and existing recruitment tools for businesses that:
• Bring at least 75 jobs to North Minneapolis;
• Offer a significant number of jobs to Northside residents, and
• Pursue a high level of green construction.
Growing businesses
To meet our needs in 2025, we need to grow more jobs for every person and every neighborhood. We also need to grow more businesses, particularly small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Since 2002, the city has made 702 loans to Minneapolis businesses, for a total investment of $43 million. That leveraged $238 million more private investment and created or retained 6,526 jobs.
We invested another $9 million in commercial corridors through our Great Streets program, which leveraged another $64 million in private dollars.
We know when to help — and we also know when to get out of the way. Like:
• Eliminating restrictions on beer sales. We now have six new taprooms and an explosion in the business and culture of beer in Minneapolis
• Eliminating restrictions has led to 57 new food trucks in Minneapolis, with some now bricks-and-mortar restaurants as well.
• Eliminating restrictions on something as arcane as spacing requirements for second-hand goods has led to a doubling in the number of licenses issued.
Just as in employment, we need to eliminate disparities in business ownership. Our new Small Business Technical Assistance Program helps local non-profit business consulting organizations deliver a wide variety of technical assistance to people who want to grow their business in Minneapolis. We expect to serve 650 business owners and entrepreneurs in 2013 alone, and because the majority of the organizations that we're partnering with are deeply rooted in communities of color, a very large number of the people we serve are entrepreneurs of color.
Growing housing
To meet our needs in 2025, we need to more grow more people, jobs and businesses — for every person in every place. We also need to grow more housing.
We know by 2030, the population of people aged 65 and older in our region will more than double.
This is why CPED is proposing a new Senior Citizen Housing Initiative that aims to build one senior-housing project of at least 35 units in each city ward between now and 2028. I see this as particularly helpful in spurring new development in areas like Camden, Standish Erickson and South Lyndale.
In housing, just like jobs and business ownership, we must close disparities, particularly in North Minneapolis. We will keep fighting: preventing foreclosures when we can, and reinvesting in our housing stock to reposition neighborhoods.
The worst of the foreclosure crisis, while still devastating, is past; now, North Minneapolis is now clearly the best housing value in the metro area. Now that we have brought down crime rates, more people are going to discover how much they can get for their money by moving to North Minneapolis.
Housing is a primarily private market, but it is clear that left to its own devices, the market will not close the Northside housing gap fast enough. We need intentional, aggressive stimulus to build confidence with both new buyers and existing homeowners who will invest more in their property if they know they aren't alone.
That was what was behind the Green Homes North announcement I made in last year's State of the City speech. This initiative will build 100 new green homes on City-owned vacant lots in North Minneapolis in the next five years. We are on track to build our first 13 homes this year.
Green Homes North provides buyers newly constructed homes on City-owned vacant lots in North Minneapolis, which are built to high standards for energy-efficient green design. It also:
• Raises the value of every other home on surrounding blocks, helping the families get out from under water, raising the tax base and creating wealth for everyone.
• Spurs private development of green homes in North Minneapolis — a demand that the Hawthorne Eco-Village proves already exists.
• Develops the green workforce and grows the green-product and -service industry.
I also want to reiterate the City's support for another effort to close disparities in housing: the Homeowner Bill of Rights. Currently at the Legislature, it is a common-sense measure that would end the harmful practice of dual tracking.
A city on the move means more people, more jobs, every person, every place. We will grow by 65,000 people, and we can do it without adding one more car on our streets. In fact, we must — because a city on the move can't be stuck in traffic. This is why growing the city goes hand in hand with …
Strengthening the Common Ground
Specifically, "strengthening the common ground" that helps us live full lives without be


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Pilot Club of Dallas Meetings
"Protecting the Brain for Life"
The mission of Pilot Club of Dallas is: To serve by furthering Pilot International's humanitarian efforts through charitable, educational and research programs in communities throughout the world.
Pilot began in 1921 when a small group of dedicated women wanted to make a difference. The name "Pilot" was taken from the riverboat captains on the Mississippi River who steered a "true course ever". Pilots' mantra was and is to promote friendship and service as primary goals. As the organization expanded, Pilot Club of Dallas was chartered in 1938. These brilliant local women focused on service and began their quest by purchasing the first refrigerated units at Baylor Hospital for what became Wadley Blood Bank that is now Carter Blood Centers. They founded the Pilot School for Deaf Children that evolved into today's Callier Center for Communications Disorders. Pilots moved on to found Dallas Pilot Home, a life-skills residence that served developmentally challenged women for 23 years. Pilot International adopted brain-related issues as the international club focus in the early 90's. (www.pilotinternational.org)
Pilot is now open to both men and women. The members of Pilot Club of Dallas are still committed to making a difference in our community by promoting awareness of brain-related disorders and working to educate and improve the lives of those affected. Pilots also support other programs focused on educational and social development of children, teens and families.
Above: Pilots attend Fall Coucil
Dallas Pilots support Pilot International's focus through Projects in our communities.
Each year, we participate in and support:
If you have the desire to give back to the community and would like to join an enthusiastic and dedicated group, then you should consider Pilot Club of Dallas.
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Elementary School Health Fair
Above: Sean Carter and mom, Jenny take a stroll at Pilot Club Spring Fundraiser on, the 5th anniversary survival day for Sean. Visit www.whenseanspeaks.com to learn the vision of these remarkable Dallas Pilot Club Members.
Pilot Club of Dallas Meetings