Wood County Master Gardener Volunteers

Transcription

1 Wood County UW Extension Volume 19, Issue 11 Wood County Master Gardener Volunteers December 2015 From the President s Notebook... Wrapping Up 2015 We are close to the end of 2015 an amazing year, very unusual weather conditions and many success stories within our WCMGV Association. This is the last issue of the WCMGV newsletter for this year. I wish to thank the Board of Directors, committees, project leaders and teams, all WCMGV members regardless of what you did in support of our association in Your commitment made our year successful and helped me lead our association in a positive direction as president. The Annual Accomplishment Report for WCMGVs-2015 is included in this newsletter. (See full report on pages five and six. The report format sent to Madison changed this year; and you all received website instructions via to access the entire State of Wisconsin Accomplishment Report. Each county was limited to one page and one photo, plus the state picked out areas from all county reports to highlight within the report. The report is very interesting; you can read about what is going on in other county MGV groups. We receive support and guidance from the UW Extension Staff, Teri Lessig and Matt Lippert. The entire staff has done a great job supporting the WCMGVs and we thank them very much for being a part of our success in My 2015 notebook is full of ideas, suggestions, comments, pros and cons, even recipes and stories that have made their way to me! I truly enjoyed the year. It was very challenging as your new president; building a new retirement cottage, and finally cleaning out my family s old farmhouse which involved downsizing years of collected treasures. Warmest wishes to you and your family as you celebrate the holidays! See you in Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Ruth Cline Starting Out 2016 Mark Your Calendars January 7th, 1:00 PM. Project Approval Committee Courthouse - WR January 18th, 1:00 PM. Financial Committee Courthouse - WR January 25th, 5:30 PM. WCMGV Board of Directors Courthouse WR Inside this issue: President s Message Continuing Ed. Opportunities 1 November Minutes 3 3,7 News from Teri 4,5 Newly-elected Officers Special Points of Interest: Complete Accomplishment Report page 5 & 6 UW Extension University of Wisconsin, U.S Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating. UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA. Please make requests for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to educational programs as early as possible preceding the scheduled program, service or activity. The Wood County Master Gardener Volunteer newsletter is designed to inform you about the Master Gardener and University Extension activities as well as educational articles. Please let us know if there are any subjects you would like covered in future newsletters. Teri Lessig Matt Lippert

2 Continuing Education Opportunities While We re Not Gardening As we all are rushing and wrapping, cooking and baking, I believe many of us are still wishing we could be out in our gardens. Especially at this writing there is no snow on the ground and we re saturated with as much rain as we can safely handle in most places. If this keeps up, many of us will want to start seeds on New Year s day! On a more serious note, there are many wonderful opportunities to obtain most of our required continuing education hours while the weather is cold. We should take advantage of the fascinating programs offered by neighboring Master Gardener associations. Both Marathon and Portage counties recently announced programs and the information is included herein. Portage County MGV s Garden Dreams..... seminar on January 9, We hope you will join us again for a day of garden talk and a hot catered luncheon at the Lettie W. Jensen Community Center in Amherst, WI. This year s event features Mark Dwyer, Director of Horticulture at Rotary Gardens in Janesville, WI. He will talk to us about Creating a Pollinator s Paradise and Sensational Shrubbery. Diana Alfuth, a UW-Extension Horticulture Educator, will speak on Indoor Gardening and Houseplants. Our afternoon session, Pond Magic, is presented by Ray Campbell (aka Dr. Pond), a nationally-recognized and multiple award-winning water feature expert from Minnesota. The $30 cost is the same as last year. Please note the deadline for registration is Wednesday, January 6, Also attached is the poster in case you can help us get the word out to interested gardeners. We hope you will join us for another fun and educational day! Char Kolinski and Sally Prideaux Co-chairs Garden Visions Wausau, WI January 22-23, 2016 Sponsored by the North Central Wisconsin MGA. A Slow Food dinner with Jim Nienhuis is on Friday night and keynote speaker, Kerry Mendez, is followed by a wide variety of breakout sessions on Saturday. At North Central Technical School in Wausau. For more information contact Carol Bray at (715) or see the Garden Visions website. Winnebago County Master Gardeners Saturday, February 6, 2016 Winter Escape Summer Dreams. Here are just some of the fantastic events planned. Featured Topics Include: Creative Vegetable Gardening, Bugs in the Backyard Threats to Migratory Birds Unique gifts and giveaways, fabulous Silent Auction items go to for more registration information. Call with questions. WPT's Garden Expo Madison, WI February 12-14, 2016 Sponsored by Wisconsin Public Television, Friends of WHA-TV, and the UW-Extension Horticulture Team, this event draws nearly 16,000 people to view 400 booths, provided by numerous exhibitors over 100,000 square feet. Certified MGVs will assist Agents and UW-Extension Specialists and by answering questions in the UW-Extension booth. Hours are Fri. 3:00-9:00 PM, Sat. 9:00-6:00 PM, and Sun. 10:00-4:00 PM. Visit WPT's Garden Expo website. WCMGV WEBSITE NEWS Our new website is up and running. Check it out: We have three people along with Teri able to add Content and keep things updated. Chris Grimes, Peg Klinkhammer, and Karen Tlachac. dśğt ŽŽĚŽƵŶƚLJD ĂƐƚĞƌ' ĂƌĚĞŶĞƌƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶŝƐĂŶŽŶ-ƉƌŽĮ ƚžƌőăŷŝnjăɵžŷǁ ŝƚśăŵŝɛɛŝžŷƚžğěƶđăƚğ ĂŶĚƐŚĂƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶǁ ŝƚśŝƚɛŵğŵďğƌɛăŷěƚśğđžŵŵƶŷŝƚljăůŝŭğ /ŶĂĚĚŝƟŽŶ ŝƚŝɛžƶƌđśăƌőğƚž promote the UW Extension from which we are founded. We are a diverse group interested in the latest research-ďăɛğěśžƌɵđƶůƚƶƌăůŝŷĩžƌŵăɵžŷ Wisconsin Master Gardener Website Wood County Extension Website MG Board of Directors President - Ruth Cline stonegate@tznet.com Vice President - Julie Carlsen carlsens_@hotmail.com Secretary - Famia Marx swilford@tds.net Treasurer - Barb Herreid bherreid@wctc.net Director - Lynn Bushmaker lmbushma@wctc.net Director - Mary Czaja dickandmary@tds.net Director - Jan Sabin sabinje@yahoo.com Director - Karen Houdek khoudek842@aol.com Communications Rep. - Chris Grimes chgrimes@wctc.net Historian No. - Roxanne Tomkowiak roxanne.tomkowiak@figis.com Historian So.- Michaeleen Erickson GaryMicky@charter.net Immediate Past President and WIMGA Rep. Barb Herreid bherreid@wctc.net Newsletter & Graphic Arts Chris Landowski mclandow@gmail.com 620 Ten Mile Ave Nekoosa, WI Please send newsletter bits and info by the 10th of the month for publication. Page 2 Wood County Master Gardener Volunteers

3 General Membership Meeting Minutes Wood County Master Gardener Volunteers MARS, Marshfield, WI Nov. 17, 2015 One hour Cont. Ed. Meeting was called to order at 8 p.m. after an hour presentation on care and cleaning tools by Craig Saxe, Agriculture Agent for Juneau County. Minutes were presented: Peg Harvey moved to accept the minutes as written, seconded by Bob Cline; motion carried. Financial report: Presented by Barb Herreid, motion made to accept as presented by Carol Tomke; seconded by Audrey Brundidge; motion carried. Old Business: Annual Dues form and checks were due at the time of the meeting. If forgotten, please send by November 19 th. December 1 st is the last day to submit receipts for reimbursement for projects. WCMGV required hours are due by November 19 th. Ruth stressed that even if members are not qualifying this year, to please turn your hours in anyway so that they can be counted, as this is important data forwarded to the WIMGA! Question was raised about whether anyone was having trouble printing the State newsletter. It was decided for any individuals to reply to the the newsletter came in and see if there was anything on the sender s end to help with that situation. No other old business. New Business: Extension Update: Teri had copies of the 2016 timesheets printed for anyone to pick up. The timesheet is also on the state website and will soon be updated on our website for those who keep track of their hours on a computer or would like to print it out themselves. All is quiet in the extension office. A question was raised about whether any more MGV pencils would be ordered as they are gone after four years. It was decided to contact Chris Landowski as it was remembered that she was the last one to order them. Another question was asked about having soil sample kits for the children s festival available. Teri said they were in the office or at the soil lab at MARS. WIMGA grant: Ruth thanked Karleen Remington for taking the time to submit for a grant application which was awarded and will be used for all the projects. The community education team will meet and review plans and details to use this grant. Nominees to the 2016 Board of Directors were announced. There were no other candidates since those nominated last month. A motion to close the nomination for North Wood County Board Member was made by Bob Cline, seconded by Barb Herreid; motion carried. Vote taken orally. Karleen Remington is the new board member for North Wood County. Nominations for secretary was put forth. Sue Wilford and Mike Datka were the nominees. A motion to close nominations for Secretary was made by Barb Moes-Kleifgen, seconded by Mary Czaja; motion carried. Vote was taken by secret ballot. Majority vote went to Sue Wilford. Thank you gifts were presented to outgoing board members Famia Marx and Lynn Bushmaker. They both were thanked for their support to the WCMGV organization. Marshfield Children s Festival chair Karleen Remington is looking for a committee and waiting for the renewal form with names so she can get a committee formed. Christmas Event/South Wood County Micky Erickson has everything organized. The various organizations sponsoring the event have enough help and all is in order. Scheduled for December 5 th and 6 th between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM at the South Wood County Historical Museum. Chris Landowski asked that more people submit to the newsletter. Items such as meetings, work dates, news that may be of interest to the membership would be helpful. Announcements: Bob Cline thanked everyone for the letters received about his honor flight as well as the concerns for his health when he was in the hospital. There was no other new business. Motion to adjourn at 8:30 PM made by Lynn Bushmaker, seconded by Bob Cline. Motion carried. The next meeting will be announced the January/February newsletter. Members enjoyed a fun gift exchange, holiday treats and warm/friendly garden talk during the social that followed meeting! Respectfully submitted, Famia Marx, Secretary Members Attending: Nancy Lee Alger, Shirley Anderson, Annette Bowden, Debby Brown, Audrey Brundidge, Lynn Bushmaker, Julie Carlsen, Bob Cline, Ruth Cline, Mary Czaja, Mike Datka, Liz Erdmann, Michaeleen Erickson, Joyce Fischer, Fern Fregien, Chris Grimes, Peg Harvey, Barb Herreid, Paula Klevene, Mary Jane Lipinski, Famia Marx, Barb Moes-Kleifgen, Tammera Neumann, Kay O Shasky, Jeanne Osgood, Patricia Paulus, Kathryn Poehnelt, Karleen Remington, Jean Rockwood, Gail Snortheim, Judy Sternitzky, Roberta Stolt, Donna Streiff, Carol Tomke, Margaret Weister, Sue Wilford, Penn Wilkes and Teri Lessig. Guests were Joy Mareder and Anne Ambroziak. Volume 19, Issue 10 Page 3

4 News from Teri Planning for 2016 and beyond... UW-Extension is currently going through a lot of changes because of the next budget cycle. Instead of sitting on our hands and worrying about these changes, many of the staff are forming new teams and work groups to drive them and embrace this new future. This will include a re-structuring of the offices around the state, new responsibilities for employees, and potentially changes that will affect Master Gardeners. Over the course of the past year, the Community Education Team, along with several other consulted volunteers, has been working on activities that will be an alternative to digging in the dirt. These activities will provide an option for members who are not able to or do not want to do the physical labor aspect of many of the projects, to accumulate volunteer hours. Throughout our discussions we have explored ideas and themes of all types. I have also had personal discussions with members and taken their comments into consideration. The nuts and bolts come down to this: I am not sure how the UWEX restructuring is going to affect my position in the office as a UWEX employee or the Master Gardener advisor. The Master Gardeners are a valuable resource to the community for their horticultural knowledge, ambition, resources, and desire to share. The Master Gardeners are known in the community for these things. I would like to build on this wonderful reputation. After working with the Community Education Team, I compiled the results of our discussion into a list of teams that members can participate in. Some of these teams have existed in the association for many years, and I wanted to include them so volunteers looking for alternatives to digging will know what is available. Some of these teams are new and some are expanded. Optimally, each team will have a coordinator that will be the lead contact person. They are not necessarily a chairperson, just someone who knows what is going on with that group and will coordinate efforts. None of this is set in stone, it is a working model. I wanted to get this information out to the members in hope of getting feedback and gauging interest. This is YOUR group. YOU are the VOLUNTEERS and ultimately it is up to YOU to steer the direction in which you want to go. If nobody seems to care about public education, then we are simply a garden club, no offense intended. I love garden clubs. But the Master Gardeners were developed with a purpose to give back to the community and use resource based, un-biased information. To educate and share information with its members and the community alike a quote from our mission statement. So, let me ask, what would happen if I (as your horticulture advisor) were gone? What if the one individual in charge of keeping all of the important documents were gone? What if there wasn t a team that working on the Garden Walk, but just one person who knew everything. That s a lot of eggs in one basket. We have been really lucky so far; the Garden Walk committee was very forward-thinking in putting together their bible so others could step in if necessary. Let me ask another question. What do you think the reputation of the Master Gardeners would be if there were regular newspaper articles appearing in the local papers covering timely topics? If volunteers were offering programming to adults and children at the local libraries? If there was a garden hotline that was advertised for people to call with their garden questions? If there was an occasional booth at the farmers market doing diagnostics? What do you suppose the attendance of the garden walk would be? How about sales at the plant sales? Attendance at the spring and fall garden seminars? The point is, the more the Master Gardeners are seen in the community, the better response the community will have to our events. The Master Gardeners will be seen as the go-to people for reliable horticultural information. Interest in the organization may increase and membership may rise. I can see a lot of potential. Here is the proposal for teams: Internal Opportunities: Project Support Team Plant ID label making Develop educational signage Newsletter Team Submit reviews of places, books, plants, etc. along with informational articles and upcoming events Design / layout Reviewers Printing and distribution Publicity Team Press releases for upcoming events and even for past events Posters and advertising Informational brochures Website and Facebook page Administrative Teams Hospitality / Refreshments committee Historian Team Plant sales north / south Garden Walk Garden Treasures north / south Project Approval Committee Program Committee Continuing Ed Committee Page 4 Wood County Master Gardener Volunteers

5 News from Teri (continued) Outreach Opportunities: Youth Education Children s Fest in WR and Marshfield Programs at Libraries Junior Fair Day Any programming targeted toward youth Newspaper Article Team Write timely articles Edit / review and submit to local papers Community Outreach and Education Garden Discussion Groups Formal Presentations Demos at local garden centers Demos at plant sales and garden walk Film Screenings Booth displays / information Garden Hotline Advertised as one morning or afternoon per week at UWEX office and MARS Garden Clinics Once per month at farmers markets At MG events such as plant sales and garden walk Horticulture Advisory Team Provide on-site garden advice to qualified locations Community Garden Advisors Provide guidance to community gardeners that are learning to grow their own food Community Work Day Team Use beautification project locations to host hands-on workshops teaching community members horticultural practices. This sounds like a lot, and it is. And I do not want one person taking on too much and burning out. If there are many interested people, it wouldn t be an overwhelming commitment. For example: a garden hotline that is advertised from 10:00 AM to noon on Tuesday mornings and noon till 2:00 PM on Friday afternoons. One location at the UWEX office and one at MARS. If there were four people interested from each end of the county, that would be a two -hour commitment from each person per month. Anyway, these are my thoughts. Please let me know your thoughts. I WILL be in touch over the winter! Teri A Major MG Conference in Our Own Backyard Sept , 2016 Midwest Regional MG Conference Wisconsin Dells, WI Helping Nature Thrive: Gardeners at the Dells. Join the Wisconsin Master Gardener Association at the Chula Vista Resort in scenic Wisconsin Dells for educational sessions, area garden tours, expert speakers, and more. All details and registration information are on the official Midwest MG Conference website Accomplishment Report By Ruth Cline Data used in this report represents information available at writing. We currently have 104 members; 83 of those members are certified. Several members have not sent in their renewal forms and dues for If you are a member and have not sent your 2016 dues/ renewal form to Barb Herreid, the December newsletter is the last information you will receive from WCMGV Association. We officially start over January 1st. We must collect all dues for 2016 prior to that date. We have a deadline to submit WCMGV data/dues to the WIMGA. Even if you do not have enough hours in 2015 to recertify you can still join and submit the hours that you did work. We hope you will join us in 2016, we have an exciting year planned; but we need you to make it all happen! WCMGV program started in In 2017 we will celebrate our 20 th anniversary. During 2016 a committee will form to start planning this milestone celebration. We have many exciting stories to tell about our first 20 years. For now, here s the 2015 story! January found the Board of Directors meeting to plan for the year (this board meets four times a year for three to four hours each meeting). The board addresses a variety of areas within the WCMGV association. For example: MGV requirements/guidelines, programs, project gardens, seminars, monthly meetings, projects, educational events, financial support, garden walk, plants sales, continued membership and much more. Teri Lessig, Horticulture Educator is our facilitator. During the first quarter of the year committees meet in their respective areas and plan the year. For example, the monthly meeting programs/garden tours that we enjoy each year are set up a year in advance by the Program Committee. This year we learned about tomato grafting, certified wildlife habitat, monarch butterfly, swans and ponds, garden tools, Farm Technology Days, gardening around a golf course and an unusual edible garden. The Finance Committee put their heads together to develop a budget that covers WCMGV needs for the year! The Audit Committee met to ensure that every penny is accounted for and that our finances are in proper order. The Project Approval Committee met to review project/grant requests and ensure goals are being completed and funds will cover our project needs. The Continuing Education Committee meets a year or more in advance of organizing two educational seminars each year for WCMGVs and the general public. The Community Educational Team is fairly new but it s moving right along with educational ideas and a whole new concept to unveil in March brought the volunteer service awards event where WCMGVs receive recognition for hours earned. This is the first monthly meeting of the year so a great time to introduce the Hospitality Committee which consists of members who love to make treats for monthly meetings plus the group does setup and cleanup. You will see them at the Garden Walk, organizing refreshments and they take care of the annual WCMGV picnic! They also arrange the elegant brunch at each educational seminar. (Continued on page 6) Volume 19, Issue 11 Page 5

6 2015 Accomplishment Report (continued) Fundraising is the backbone of our WCMGV association. We have three hard-working committees who never take a break. They are the Garden Walk and the two Plant Sale Committees. To be ready for the spring Plant Sale they plan while snow is on the ground. In spring 2015 the committee added many new items to their sale; garden art, worm castings, potting soil, homemade suet plus a great selection of plants for sale. These new ideas netted them the best year ever! The fall Plant Sale Committee came up with several unique ideas which involved the membership getting creative. Scarecrow skeletons were offered to members along with a challenge to design a scarecrow for the fall plant sale. Committee creativity didn t stop there the members put together one-of-a-kind arrangements from natural materials donated by WCMGV members. Creativity and beyond brought in more funds than ever before! Way to go! It is spring time that doesn t leave the kids out the fun -loving WR Children s Festival committee turn their thoughts to educating children in gardening... plus entertaining them and their parents as well! This creative committee had fun garden games, a question game and a special take home bag of garden related and fun activities. May is the membership plant exchange, a great way to share extra plants! A few leaves and some garden soil are the only signs that anything happened at this meeting as members cradle their new plants and head home with yet another addition to their garden. The Garden Walk is by far our largest fundraiser. Planning for the Garden Walk begins the year before. This adventuresome committee not only changed the date in 2015 they moved the garden walk to Pittsville and beyond! The committee depends on the entire membership to help with this giant event a few can plan but it takes the entire membership to carry out a well-organized event. The gardens were very interesting and much different than in past years. On curving country roads there was a real prairie garden, a garden with hills, valleys, an orchard and a garden swing, a brook-side garden with iron sculptured plants and a garden gnome woodland. There was even a historical garden where I expected George Washington to walk by at any moment! The committee did an excellent job and the entire membership turned out to help on the Garden Walk day! Many positive comments led us to believe that change is good! Late July early August was evaluation time. Members of the board, membership, and the Project Approval Committee combined to visit garden projects located throughout Wood County and the membership area. Each group filled out an evaluation form and selected an award-winning garden from each group. Project awards for 2015 went to the following garden sites: Veterans Urns, Lester Public Library of Vesper, Upham Mansion, Wildwood Zoo and the Lowell Senior Center. The Community Education Team submitted a request for an educational grant from WIMGA. We received notice that we will receive the $400 grant which can be utilized by all projects in This grant will provide extra funds for each project leader and team to create an educational item for their project. WCMGV presented a $500 scholarship to a new Urban Forestry student at MSTC. Under the area of education, we update and distribute our WCMGV monthly programs brochure and project brochure that lists the garden sites maintained by WCMGV. Our MGVs have over 30 projects at public gardens throughout the membership areas. As a pilot for 2015, three of the projects; Lester Libraries in Rome and Vesper plus the Community Garden in Wisconsin Rapids tracked the number of people they had contact with and the general topic of conversation. Combined, they reported 166 adult and 107 youth contacts. There were 22 designated educational programs done in these gardens and many random questions. The Lester Public Library of Vesper MGV group partnered with the library to educate local youth by engaging them in various projects including garden stone art, building a simple path, taste testing farm-to-table foods, growing their own plants, and seed saving. The WCMGVs who maintain the Lowell Senior Center garden project organized a garden club for the senior gardeners at the center. Seniors are welcome to assist with gardening plus enjoy educational programs and take home fresh garden produce. At the South Wood County Museum garden project, WCMGVs participated in the museum s Christmas tree walk in December. They set up a unique goose feather tree adorned with various fruits and vegetable ornaments very suitable for a garden group s display! A new project this year is the Seed Lending Library located within the Lester Public Library of Vesper. WCMGVs held programs at the library introducing the public to this new project. Several people took advantage of the idea and learned how to grow their own plants from seed, properly plant and care for them and harvest the produce. They also learned about saving seeds from those plants for next year s garden. November s meeting is our last meeting of the year. Time for fun, exchange of gifts and special holiday treats as we socialize and talk gardening for one last time this year! The above accomplishments barely touch upon the number of hours all of you have put into the WCMGV association in You are truly a valuable asset to Wood County and surrounding borders. No matter where one travels in Wood County you will find activities by WCMGVs. Total Hours 7,393 x = $164,420 WCMGVs Volunteer Service Value for 2015! Congratulations in Order Results of the November Election Elected to the Board of Directors: Karleen Remington Karleen has been a member of WCMGV for many years She has incredible experience and has served on many committees. Welcome to the Board of Directors, Karleen! Elected to the office of Secretary: Sue Wilford Sue has been a Master Gardener Volunteer for only a few years but has made a big impact as a member of the Vesper Public Library Garden Committee. She s been active with their community education programs and has been a very involved member of the WCMGV Cookbook project. Congratulations, Sue! Karen Tlachac volunteered for appointment to the Chairman of WCMGV Public Relations. Karen will shadow Chris Landowski for a few months. Formerly a Wood Co. UWEX Admin. Assist., Karen has a long history with Master Gardeners and their community importance. Page 6 Wood County Master Gardener Volunteers

7 More Continuing Education at a Glance Jan. 6, 2016 Portage County Master Gardeners Present Garden Dreams Amherst, WI Description and invitation on page 2. Registration material attached to end of this newsletter. Jan 30, th Annual Toward Harmony with Nature Conference Oshkosh, WI A day-long seminar on native landscaping presented by Wild Ones Fox Valley featuring Dr. Darrell Morrison, one of the country s most distinguished native landscape designers and educators. His keynote address Rivers and Drifts: Natural Process in Designed Places will provide a wealth of information and inspiration for home gardeners. The conference features nine other speakers on the whole spectrum of native plants and natural landscaping topics will be present, as well as vendors, exhibitors and a silent auction. At the Oshkosh Convention Center, 2 N Main St, Oshkosh. For more information wildonesfoxvalley@gmail.com or go to the Wild Ones conference website. Jan 30-31, 2016 Orchid Quest 2015 Madison, WI This annual mid-winter show and sale of the Madison Orchid Growers Guild will be from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at Marriott West Conference Center, 1313 John Q. Hammons Dr., Middleton, WI. Educational seminars each day and many vendors. $9 one day entry/$14 two day pass. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Prearranged tour groups of 10 or more will receive discounts. For more information see the orchid guild website or call (608) February 6, 2016 Winnebago Co. Master Gardeners Present Winter Escape Summer Dreams Here are just some of the fantastic events planned: the fantastic events planned: Featured speakers on topics such as: Creative Vegetable Gardening, Bugs in the Backyard, Threats to Migratory Birds Unique gifts and giveaways, fabulous Silent Auction items. Registration material attached at end of this newsletter. Feb 12-14, 2016 WPT's Garden Expo Madison, WI Sponsored by Wisconsin Public Television, Friends of WHA-TV, and the UW-Extension Horticulture Team, this event draws nearly 16,000 people to view 400 booths, provided by numerous exhibitors over 100,000 square-feet. Certified MGVs will assist UW-Extension Specialists and Agents in answering questions in the UW-Extension booth. Numerous educational seminars, demonstrations, and workshops are offered on a variety of horticultural topics. Hours are Fri. 3:00-9:00 PM, Sat. 9:00-6:00PM, and Sun 10:00-4:00PM. In the Exhibition Hall, Alliant Energy Center. An admission fee is charged to this fundraiser to support WI Public TV programming. For more information visit WPT's Garden Expo website. Feb 21 - March 1, 2016 MG Educational Tour Costa Rica, Central America Join MG Program Coordinator Susan Mahr on this education 10-day trip that will focus on plants, nature and tropical ecosystems in one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world. Even though this tour has been designed with MGVs in mind (providing numerous educational opportunities that will count as continuing education) it is entirely appropriate for anyone with an interest in these topics. For more information about traveling to Costa Rica contact Susan Mahr at (608) For more information or to register, contact Mary Kroening, Hidden Treasures Tours, at (573) or download the registration brochure. July 19-21, 2016 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days Walworth Co., Wisconsin This premier exposition (previously called Farm Progress Days) the largest agricultural show in Wisconsin is also one of the largest in the nation. The three-day outdoor event showcases the latest improvements in production agriculture, including many practical applications of recent research findings and technological developments. For more information see the WI Farm Technology Days website Sept 14-17, 2016 Midwest Regional MG Conference Wisconsin Dells, WI Helping Nature Thrive: Gardeners at the Dells. Join the Wisconsin Master Gardener Association at the Chula Vista Resort in scenic Wisconsin Dells for educational sessions, area garden tours, expert speakers, and more. All details and registration information are on the official Midwest MG Conference website. Volume 19, Issue 10 Page 7

8 Portage County UW-Extension 1462 Strongs Avenue Stevens Point WI Directions 487 North Main Street Amherst, WI Garden Dreams From Hwy 10 take Exit B/Amherst Go East to KK (1 mile) Continue straight to Main St (1/2 mile) Turn Left/North on Main St The Center will be on your Left (1/2 mile) The Jensen Center A hearing loop is available at the Lettie W. Jensen Center University of Wisconsin, United States Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin Counties Cooperating. UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA requirements. A Saturday with the Portage County UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers January 9, 2016 Lettie W. Jensen Community Center Amherst, WI

9 Name Registration Garden Dreams A Saturday with the Portage County UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers January 9, 2016 Street Address City, State Zip Phone Public Welcome! Space is limited. Register soon! Registration Deadline Wednesday, January 6th Conference Fee ~ $30 Includes a hot lunch. Make checks payable to PCMGV No refunds, but registration is transferable. Mail Check & Registration Form to: Garden Dreams Union Street Stevens Point, WI Questions? mhrice@charter.net Call or text: :30 a.m. Registration 8:25 a.m. Welcome & Opening Remarks 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Creating A Pollinator s Paradise Your garden can be transformed into a beautiful and safe haven for attracting a wide range of beneficial pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Maximizing the appeal of the garden with appropriate plant selection and the incorporation of other elements can bring these vital creatures into your garden. Mark Dwyer is the Director of Horticulture at Rotary Gardens in Janesville WI. He has a degree in Landscape architecture from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and a Master s degree in Urban Forestry from UW-Stevens Point. 9:45 a.m. 10:45 a.m. Indoor Gardening and Houseplants Whether it s traditional houseplants, edible options, or something unusual, learn how to give indoor plants what they need to survive, revive, and thrive as they provide us with much-needed plant therapy throughout our Wisconsin winter. We ll cover fertilizing, watering, light and other cultural needs, as well as various growing methods and potential pests everything you need to be successful. Diana Alfuth is a UW-Extension Horticulture Educator in Pierce, Polk and St. Croix Counties. With Bachelors and Masters degrees in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota, she s been with UW- Extension for over 16 years. She also teaches Sustainable Landscape Design at UW-River Falls. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Sensational Shrubbery Our landscapes benefit from the addition of appropriate shrubs that add scale, texture, form, and color. However, durability should also coincide with high impact ornamental features such as colorful foliage, showy blooms, wildlife potential, fragrance, and other features of interest. We will examine a wide range of shrubbery for the entire landscape and share examples of how they have been successfully utilized in the entire landscape. Presented by Mark Dwyer 12:00 p.m. -- 1:00 p.m. Catered Lunch 1:00 p.m. 2:45 p.m. Pond Magic Learn simple design in detail as well as multiple uses for water features. Ray's naturally clean and chemical free builds are designed to work with nature. He will explain the necessity of plants, rock and bacteria in the feature. He will also explain the good, bad and ugly about Koi, goldfish and game fish. Ray Campbell is a Nationally Recognized and Multiple Award-Winning Water Feature Expert. Serving the Twin Cities and beyond since 1999 as Lost Eden Ponds/ Dr. Pond and now as Campbell's Signature Landscapes. Today s Conference brought to you by:

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12 September 14-17, 2016 Chula Vista Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI Keynote Speakers: Jerry Apps - born and raised on a Wisconsin farm, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of more than 30 books, many of them on rural history and country life. Dr. Stanley A. Temple - Beers-Bascom Professor Emeritus in Conservation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Senior Fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation. September 14 - Registration and welcome reception September 15 - Tour Day - Six tour options SAVE THE DATE Waterpark Prizes Raffles Silent Auction Vendor Showcase September 16 - Three educational breakout sessions, six choices per session September 17 - Educational breakout session with six choices and closing