[Sunscape]

I like being able to go to the beach anytime to watch the sundown. Just spectacular..........

[freedomdove]

Originally Posted by City__Datarer

Yes, even though I'm not a "positive posts only, please" type of person, I did intend this to be a positive thread.

But not in the sense of unrealistically positive, just that this particular thread would be about people's taking a moment to list the things they love (and I've loved reading the responses--thank you everyone who posted!).

I think there's a place for a thread that is about appreciating and sharing the good things, things that can really brighten your day if you stop to notice them. I don't think this thread needs to include negatives (which exist but are not its topic) to be balanced because, as has been pointed out, there are other threads that balance this one by discussing those other topics. A thread that focuses on more negative/problematic things can be useful too, depending on what a reader is looking for at that moment, but fortunately we're not limited to one thread here.

To answer your question about how to search, I think searching for posts limited to Florida (using advanced search) with the terms you noted would work but would give you a lot of "misses" to sort through. I haven't found a way to do a Boolean search on this site (and am not sure if phrases in quotes work), but maybe someone else knows and will post. You'd still get some misses ("dislike" AND "Florida" or "dislike Florida" could yield "here's why I don't dislike Florida" etc.), but you'd get a better ratio of hits if Boolean and/or quotation mark search is possible.

And if you don't find what you're looking for, you can always start a new thread that will generate the type of discussion you're looking for.

Thank you very much for your well-thought-out response. And thanks to the others who responded. I definitely don't want to derail your thread. I'm going to guess that most of the negatives are: the heat/humidity, the mosquitoes and other critters, and the tendency towards snobbiness. I must say, though, that I've seen more snobs and argumentative people on the CA and TX boards than I have seen here on the FL board. So that's a good start. Lol.

[freedomdove]

What's the farmer's market scene like down there? Are most farmers growing organically? Are there some areas better than others for finding organically-grown produce?

[Griffis]

Very cool thread. Loved reading the responses. I have lived all over the US from North to South and East to West...right near the Mexican border, right near the Canadian border, near the Atlantic coast and near the Pacific coast, and I've lived many places in between. Only 4 states I have never been to, and Florida is one of them, which is a shame because I've always felt the pull of it.

A good friend of mine just moved his family to Panama City and they love it. My sister has lived in Ft. Walton beach for many years and says she'd never want to live anywhere else.

Lately, it has been on my mind a lot. I posted a thread asking for advice or suggestions about towns there to possibly move to. It's right here:

//www.city-data.com/forum/flori...-right-us.html

I've been around enough to realize no place is perfect and I don't really idealize places but just try to learn as much as I can before going and then expect to be surprised. Places are always somewhat different than you envision them before you go there.

But I love the idea of relocating to somewhere in Florida, and I think it is do-able, even if it takes us a year or so to plan everything out and make the move.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by freedomdove

What's the farmer's market scene like down there? Are most farmers growing organically? Are there some areas better than others for finding organically-grown produce?

I find A LOT out this way (NW of Orlando.) The farmer's markets are very active, and lots of products are locally-grown.

That said, in response to this thread, the beaches. They are simply unmatched anywhere in this country, and aside from some of the beaches in the Caribbean, I'd say in NA in general.
I was simply blown away by Captiva Island when I visited in February.

[freedomdove]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

I find A LOT out this way (NW of Orlando.) The farmer's markets are very active, and lots of products are locally-grown.

Thanks. So are the markets open year-round in the northern part of the state or do they close down for some of the winter months?

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by freedomdove

Thanks. So are the markets open year-round in the northern part of the state or do they close down for some of the winter months?

Open year-round/ Granted, I'm in Central FL, but I'm sure the Northern parts are the same. It doesn't freeze here. The Northern parts may "freeze" for an hour or so overnight, but that's about it. As a result, agriculture is a year-round thing.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by freedomdove

Thank you very much for your well-thought-out response. And thanks to the others who responded. I definitely don't want to derail your thread. I'm going to guess that most of the negatives are: the heat/humidity, the mosquitoes and other critters, and the tendency towards snobbiness. I must say, though, that I've seen more snobs and argumentative people on the CA and TX boards than I have seen here on the FL board. So that's a good start. Lol.

Mosquitoes and other critters are highly over rated. I havent seen a snake outside in years. Possums, raccoons, coyotes, foxes rats and mice are obviously out there as I live across the street from a huge dry lake. I've only seen alligators in the wild while on the Weeki Wachee river while canoeing. If you live in a metro area I think it would be rare to see much wildlife except rats and nice, maybe an occasional raccoon or possum.

Bugs are all over the place. Most of them reside on or under ground. Mosquitoes are most prominent in the dawn and dusk parts of the day and anything containing DEET does a great job at repelling them. Once in a while I find a dead Palmetto bug (American cockroach) on its back in the garage. I spay a insecticide ever couple of months that has a long residual life. Wasps and other nest building flying insects are easy to eliminate but they can be very helpful in eating plant and crop destroying bugs, such as grubs, caterpillars, and weevils. They are an all-natural pesticide. You can avoid Red Ants by not stepping on their mounds.

The latest Top 10 cities for mosquitoes is out. Chicago ranks No. 2 on list of top mosquito cities in America | WGN-TV


There arent any FL cities on it though

[freedomdove]

Thank you, Spring Hillian.

[freedomdove]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

Open year-round/ Granted, I'm in Central FL, but I'm sure the Northern parts are the same. It doesn't freeze here. The Northern parts may "freeze" for an hour or so overnight, but that's about it. As a result, agriculture is a year-round thing.

Very good. Thank you.