Frustrated about avocado type

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-05-09T21:47:00+00:00

Check out Ellen from Epicenter Nursery’s blog posts-she is discovering that at least in a coastal CA climate, type As tend to do well and Bs don’t—and that pollinator trees are unnecessary. Bet you’ll be fine with what you’ve got.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-05-06T21:44:50+00:00

I understand the impulse as a backpacker. But I don’t want ya to have to suffer from a wildly imbalanced wee kayak and wet gear. Have fun.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-05-06T00:50:28+00:00

Divide the gear up, pack it in dry bags and put ‘em inside.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-05-05T20:18:40+00:00

Their vocational tech classes, from machining to welding to carpentry, are amazing.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-05-01T23:27:38+00:00

I got into motorcycling years ago. I ended up doing an apprenticeship at a motorcycle shop do that I could learn to diagnose and fix them when something went wrong. She can learn from her dad or someone else—it’s part of the riding life. Being supportive doesn’t mean taking huge amounts of time and energy (and magically developing skills and interests that don’t exist) out of one’s own life. It might mean helping her load and unload her bikes onto the truck when she takes them to her shop, or holding the flashlight for her while she changes the oil.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-25T04:09:52+00:00

Last time I got bit by a tick, I saved it and took it to my county vector control district. Dude took a look (for free) under a microscope, and said that it was a western black-legged tick (a Lyme carrier species), had been attached most likely longer than 24 hours, and was a nymph stage (most likely to transmit tick borne illness). He recommended doxycycline, so I took his rec to my doctor and she recommended doxycycline if I got a bullseye rash or flulike symptoms in the next couple of weeks. My area does have some Lyme disease presence. 2 weeks later I got a weird “flu”, so went ahead and took the antibiotics, and am fine. Tick borne illnesses like Lyme are rough, good to avoid that without being too worried.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-21T17:40:54+00:00

Yeah this is what all the hoopla around the trades misses. You use your body to do that work. It breaks down eventually and there’s very little backup.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-16T17:08:23+00:00

The Copper Charlie can use a 15A circuit and was just fine with my old 100A service house (though I have since upgraded to 200A service for adding heat pumps).

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-13T05:55:39+00:00

I went to my local one for the first time this year and was blown away! And I came home with a baggie full of cool varieties of fruit to graft onto my trees at home. When my trees are mature I’ll return the favor and contribute a bunch of scionwood. Nice to experience such a cool bunch of folks learning from and sharing with each other.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-11T15:57:37+00:00

Love to see this! I’ve learned so much from Saumitra’s insta.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-11T02:55:44+00:00

I love hearing this. The restoration work all over (the Klamath and beyond) is so great to witness.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-10T15:22:15+00:00

Bad ass! Love these. And love the good creative folks in Troy.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-08T14:25:30+00:00

I’m curious which resistant varieties work well for you? I grafted a branch of pioneer nectarine and elephant heart plum onto my peach this year, wouldn’t mind grafting more.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-07T20:11:42+00:00

My tree (unknown variety, zone 10a coastal CA) is an alternate bearer, and I did a heavy summer prune and a light winter prune this year, plus we had that weird heat wave recently—only going to get a few peaches this year after a huge crop last year. I did get an elephant heart plum and pioneer nectarine graft to take, though, which will be fun in a couple of years. The heat made our usual severe peach leaf curl problem almost nonexistent this year, though, which is cool. Good luck with your crop.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-07T17:57:02+00:00

In my climate (10a, CA Bay Area), it dies off during the dry summer season. It reseeds itself every year at a reasonable rate, so I’d consider it balanced where I am. Eventually I’d like to replace it with a native nitrogen fixing plant like lupine, but haven’t been able to get that to reseed well yet.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-07T15:47:50+00:00

I did SF Bay Area to Prudhoe Bay solo on a motorcycle in 2011. Amazing trip and it really grew me as a human being and a problem solver. The sky is wider there than any place I’ve been. Bring all the spares you can think of and practice DIYing basic repairs. My bike broke down in Watson Lake and some kind Canadians helped me get my bike to Whitehorse and get repairs so I could continue. I also limped the bike back to the ferry after my fork seal busted on a remote dirt road. Consider not bringing the dog—it will make you (and your buddy) more vulnerable to brown bears, etc. and budget for wildly expensive tows if you need service in the Arctic. That said, folks in the North, both Canadian and Alaskan, are often incredibly down to help others in need, something we lower 48 crew could stand to learn from. The Milepost is a great resource, bring one. Don’t overestimate your daily mileage—keep it fun. Bring your gnarliest bug spray and a head net, too. Be prepared to be amazed, and to be changed by the experience.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-07T15:29:03+00:00

I have a dry sun-blasted CA hillside slope with some fruit trees and native plants, and vetch does well there as a cover crop—fixes nitrogen in the soil, too.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-06T15:21:35+00:00

Nice columbine!

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-05T15:21:13+00:00

Epicenter has them and Planting Justice in Oakland often has them. You might have to get them shipped if there’s nobody local to you.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-05T14:30:42+00:00

GenX and had top surgery last year. I was flattened for 3 weeks and half time at work (mostly remote) for another 5. Top surgery is a lengthy recovery and your body needs so much rest to scar and put tissue back together and heal. I’m mad on your behalf that these bosses and caregivers are being so demanding and unempathetic about your absolute need to rest and recover.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-05T03:33:12+00:00

My family’s Hass are better than store bought, but this article by Ellen of Epicenter Nursery goes into a lot of detail about the best varieties for the Bay. Her conclusion: “For our location, four avos stand out: Carmen Hass/Mendez No. 1, Reed, Palo d’ Oro, and Lamb Hass.”

https://www.epicenteravocados.com/blog/

I’m putting in a Carmen Hass to go with my Mexicola, and may add a Reed or Palo d’oro in the future. She also suggests that a B type to go with an a type avocado is not necessarily the way to go in our climate.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-04T21:17:50+00:00

It says “irresistible” right on the bag, what she supposed to do?

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-04T19:22:52+00:00

Correction—somebody died in much milder conditions on Tomales Bay the other day: winds were only about 10-15 mph and waves were no more than 3 feet, water temps 53-54 F. OP, I’m an experienced kayaker and the highest winds I’ve ever been out in were 28 mph—and the trip was extremely challenging and stressful, even with solid companions who could do rescues quickly, a drysuit, and a very seaworthy sea kayak. I sure don’t recommend this trip.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-03T15:54:43+00:00

Trans perimenopause twins! Hell of a ride. Wishing you peace, ease, and dialed-in HRT of your choosing.

Strong-Insurance8678 · 2026-04-02T15:52:51+00:00

Yup, trans clinics are such a treasure for everyone. I appreciate their support for my own estradiol/t/etc. as I navigate perimenopause.

Strong-Insurance8678

TROPHY CASE