North Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Association

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1 Summer 2009 North Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Association Helping North Carolina Grow NOT YET A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION? JOIN US AND SUPPORT MASTER GARDENERS STATEWIDE Application on the back page and at: From the Membership Chair: I thought that now would be a good time to thank you all for having sent in your membership dues. We are growing every year! So many people ask what they are going to get out of a membership that I would like to take this opportunity to answer that question from my perspective as Treasurer and Membership Chair. From a financial perspective, about 25 cents of your dues dollar goes to support the annual statewide MG conferences through loans to the hosting counties, promotional materials, liability insurance, the NCMGVA hospitality suite, and the members registration discount. 40 cents is earmarked for the printing and distribution of the quarterly newsletter. Roughly 20 cents is reserved for the Outstanding Master Gardener Awards, prize money for the Landscape Garden Design Competition, and funding of the Competitive Grants program. The remaining 15 cents is required for administrative needs: membership card expenses, incorporation and audit costs, Board meetings and mailings, website maintenance and other printing. Importantly, it is the membership of NCMGVA that guides the organization. In addition to the elected officers, the Board of Directors is made up of delegates chosen from within each county (or group of counties) that has a MG program. If your county does not have a delegate attending the meetings of the Board, you are missing out on someone to represent your views, wishes and concerns. If you know of someone who is not yet a member of NCMGVA, please share the newsletter with them and encourage them to join and become part of an organization which can make a difference. - Barbara Walters 2009 Conference Update by Aloma Lemasters Iredell County The 2009 Master Gardener conference, sponsored by NCMGVA and North Carolina Cooperative Extension and hosted by the Master Gardeners of Burke, Cabarrus, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, and Mecklenburg Counties, will be held October 4-7, 2009 in the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville, NC. With nationally known speakers, Extension experts, and local professionals, this year s conference promises to be both interesting and educational. Environmental Stewardship was chosen as the theme for 2009 and the agenda includes presentations on topics ranging from xeriscaping and attracting birds and butterflies, to beekeeping and bio-diesel processing. Prior to the training sessions which begin on Tuesday, early arrivals can take advantage of a Sunday dinner cruise on Lake Norman aboard the Lady of the Lake. On Monday there will be opportunities to tour the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, McGill Rose Garden, and Van Landingham Estate. An optional tour is also available for the nearby NASCAR/Lowe s Motor Speedway. Other conference activities include a vendor area, silent auction, the Madeline Collier Landscape Gar- den Design Competition, and annual Master Gardener banquet. Additional information on the 2009 conference (fees, lodging, etc.) is available at the NCMGVA website: A conference registration form is also included at the end of this issue. NCMGVA and NCSU Partner to Design MG License Plate by Bob Kellam, Wake County Included in the bill submitted this past spring to the NC legislature which lists the specialized license plates that will be available in North Carolina in the coming year, was a request by NCMGVA and NC State for a plate for the NC Master Gardeners. The plate, if produced, will cost $20 annually, $10 of which goes to the DOT and $10 to the Master Gardener Endowment which is maintained by the Agricultural Foundation at NC State. When (continued on Page 2) Inside This Issue: Page 1 - From the Membership Chair, Conference Update, MG License Plate Page 2 - Remembering Bill Adams, Burke County Taps Cisterns, Newsletter Staff Page 3 - President s Report Pages District Reports Pages Conference Registration Form

2 Newsletter Staff Editor: Bob Kellam (interim) Wake County MG Ph: District Reporters: West District: Betty Lockwood Henderson County MG Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Cherokee Resv., Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Yancey West Central District: Lynn Lawton Iredell County MG Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin North Central District: Edna Gaston Kerr Lake MG Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Vance, Wake, Warren South Central District: Sandy Ritter MG License Plate (continued from Page 1) the Endowment reaches a total of $15,000, the interest will become available to support Master Gardener programs across the State. In order for the plate to be produced, at least 300 individuals must apply for one. The plan is to have an approved design in time to begin accepting applications at the Master Gardener conference in October. Remembering Bill Adams By Eloise Adams, Johnston County In 1989 Johnston County joined forces with Wake County to start a Master Gardener program. Bill Adams was one of six in the first class. Through the years he was a very dedicated volunteer; working phone duty, plant clinics, trial gardens and speaking to groups on whatever subject they requested pertaining to home horticulture. He was very knowledgeable in all aspects. His first love in gardening was attracting wildlife to his garden. Bill was always the person staffing the booth on butterflies and birds. In his eulogy it was noted that Bill asked the youth from his church not to prune the overgrown azaleas because they provided shelter for the birds. He took many horticulture classes at the community college and usually attended classes for new master gardeners - always trying to learn more, which he so generously shared with the citizens of Johnston County. Bill was on the State Master Gardener Volunteer Association board and attended the regional conferences when he could. He was involved in many civic groups, including the Audubon Society. Bill was an avid supporter of Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center and attended all their bird workshops. Cumberland County MG Ph: rshellseeker@aol.com Bill resigned as an active Master Gardener in early 2008 due to failing health. He volunteered over 5,000 hours during his 19 years of Anson, Bladen, Cabarrus, Columbus, service. Bill passed away on November 18, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Mont We sorely miss him. gomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Stanly, Union Northeast District: Ruth Uecker Pasquotank County MG Ph: sunflr@inteliport.com Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrel, Washington Southeast District: Carol Wilson Brunswick County MG orchidlady333@aol.com Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson PAGE 2 Burke County MGVA Taps New Cisterns By Jo Ann Crooks, Burke County Daffodil shoots and forsythia buds mean one thing to gardeners - it s time to get out the seeds, hoes and trowels and head outdoors. This year, the Burke County MGVA community gardeners will use recycled run-off water to irrigate their vegetables and flowers. Avid gardeners gathered on Monday, February 23, 2009, to watch Soil and Water Agent Kevin Clark and Master Gardener Jay Turner open the spigot at the new community garden cisterns for the first time. The two cisterns are expected to provide a substantial part of the moisture needed to keep the community garden plants healthy during the long, hot summer. The rainwater collection tanks, installed with funding from a grant secured by the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWC), signify the culmination of a year of planning and organization. T HE NO R T H C A R O LI NA MA S T E R G A R D E NE R V O LU N T E E R A S S O C I A T I O N

3 President s Report by Shirley Waggoner-Eisenman I would like to thank Onslow and Nash Counties for hosting our two Board of Directors meetings this year. Our next Board of Directors meeting will held in Iredell County, August 11th. We re saddened by the loss of Bill Adams, a longstanding Master Gardener and delegate to the Board from Johnston County, See Eloise Adams article about Bill elsewhere in this issue. I d also like to welcome our new delegate and alternates. Anita Lawson will join the Board as delegate from Guliford County, the new alternate from Durham County will be Carol Holman, and Julie Dayvault will be alternate for Davidson County. Thanks to all the delegates and officers for the work you do for NCMGVA. Applications are still available for the NCMGVA Outstanding Master Gardener Award. The award will be presented at the state conference in the fall. Deadlines for the Madeline Collier Landscape Garden Design Competition and Competitive Grant program have been extended to September 1. You can find more information on our website. The Board has been discussing the possibility of a membership directory either in hard copy or available through our NCMGVA web site. If you are interested in either, let us know. For a hard copy version, there would probably have to be a small charge to cover the printing expense. - Shirley Burke County Taps New Cisterns (continued from Page 2) Shortly after the grand opening of their new community gardens in the spring of 2008, MGVA members decided to apply for the state grant. The opportunity was of great interest to us because of drought conditions and resulting water restrictions, says Jay Turner, project coordinator. Our community gardens will really benefit from irrigation provided by harvesting rainwater runoff from the roof of the building. We are trying every way we can to minimize our use of county water resources. In addition to securing the grant, the MGVA needed approval from the Burke County Board of Commissioners, the NC County Extension Director (Spring Williams-Byrd), the Morganton Chief Building Inspector, and the Burke County Building Maintenance Supervisor. The NC Soil and Water Conservation District grant will reimburse approximately 75% of the cost of the huge tanks, made from 100% recycled plastic. A team of SWC engineers measured and calculated the dimensions of the Burke County Agricultural Building roof to determine how much water could be collected during an average rain event. They were pleased that just one inch of rainfall filled the two cisterns, capacity 2,400 gallons. That will provide 96 gallons of rainwater for each community garden Master Gardener Volunteers Hard At plot, says Turner. Work on the Cistern Installation The cisterns were buried near the Extension building and connected by a pipe to the building downspout. A licensed electrician from the Burke County Maintenance Department provided power to the aboveground pump and a local plumber was hired to install the pump system and lines that will bring the water from the cisterns to a hydrant in the garden. From there the water will flow through hoses to three central watering stations already in place. Gardeners can then irrigate their plots by hand when rainfall is not sufficient. When the cistern tanks are full, an overflow pipe will automatically carry the excess water down the hillside. Keith Ferris and the Burke County Maintenance crew provided the labor and equipment for excavating and backfilling the tank hole and ditches. Master Gardener Volunteers covered the pipeline and graded the landscape. The current Master Gardener class has plans to beautify the area around the excavated site with shrubs, perennials and benches. Project Coordinator Jay Turner Looks Over the Site The 4-foot x16-foot community garden plots, built by association volunteers in the fall of 2007, were fully planted in 2008 and have already been rented for the 2009 growing season. In addition to a stunning view of Morganton and the surrounding mountains, the 25 lucky gardeners enjoy having a full-sun, raised-bed plot with access to water and compost, plus they can get gardening advice from Donna Teasley, Consumer Horticulture Agent, and from Master Gardener Volunteers. WW W. N C MA S T E R G A R D E NE R S. O R G PAGE 3

4 The County Line: West District Report Betty Lockwood, District Reporter Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Cherokee Reservation, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Yancey Henderson County Submitted by Betty Lockwood Spring has come to the mountains in all its glory, and this finds Henderson County Master Gardeners busier than ever with projects new and continuing. A big project this past winter has been the preparation and publishing of The Henderson County Gardening Guide. With contributions from several of our MGVs and beautiful artwork by MGV Joanie Covell, the guide was put together by MGV Kathy Connors and edited by MGV Pierre Hart. We are very proud of this publication, and are happy to say that copies are flying off the shelves at $5 each. Another group, under the tireless leadership of MGV Janet Gardner, has worked on opening the first community garden in Henderson County. After several months of hard work, setbacks and sheer determination, the Bountiful Harvest Community Garden is up and running on a patch of ground in Hendersonville s Jackson Park. There are 23 plots for county residents, four half plots for the children of the adult gardeners and one large plot to be tended by the MGVs with the produce from the latter being donated to local food pantries. We received generous donations of materials from both Lowes and Home Depot. We were also lucky to acquire the aid of several strong young AmeriCorps volunteers to help erect a fence along two sides of the garden. We look forward to time spent in this garden during the summer, encouraging local gardeners in their efforts. Even the bird house Janet rescued from the nearby creek, and erected in the garden is now home to a bird family. A group of MGVs continue to work several days a week at the Bullington Center, where they take care of the Shade Garden, Herb Garden, Butterfly Garden and Perennial Garden. Others work with elementary school groups, or in the greenhouse preparing for the big spring plant sale at the end of April. Another group works twice a week, under the leadership of MGVs Tamsin Allpress and Donna Hastie, on the gardens of the Flat Rock Playhouse. This is the second year for this project, and the gardens are beginning to reflect all the TLC they have received. Plans are underway, under the leadership of MGV Betty Lockwood, for our booth at Hendersonville s Garden Jubilee the weekend of May 23 rd and 24 th. MGV Barbara Patton and her team are once again gearing up to make and sell rain barrels, and we are already thinking about our presence at the Apple Festival in September and Farm City Day in October. While all this has been happening, a new group of 16 have taken the Master Gardener training and are beginning to work on our hotline, and gardens. Veteran MGVs have enjoyed an excellent series of advanced training talks. MGV Marion Donovan has arranged for us to take several day trips to gardens near and far, including Daniel Stowe and Biltmore and, coordinated by MGV Janet Chase, our Summer Social season is about to begin. Transylvania County - Submitted by Susan Quillman On March 28 th the Spring MGV Workshop was held at the Transylvania County Library. The theme was Growing Your Own Vegetables, with a variety of speakers. This event was led by MGV Kathy Johnson, and was attended by approximately 125 people - our best attendance ever. Our Monthly meetings continue, often featuring guest speakers. In March we had a hands-on pruning class from Richard Fry of Fry Nursery and Landscape Services, WTZQ radio weather man Paul Speranza talked to us in April, and our May meeting will be a sharing session with the topics of varmint control, roses and recommended tools and tool care. Under the leadership of MGV Karen Koelling, we enjoyed participating in the Earth Day plant sale on April 25. Finally, a new class of Master Gardeners just finished their formal training, and is now putting in time on our various projects. PAGE 4 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION

5 The County Line: West Central District Lynn Lawton, District Reporter Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin Mecklenburg County Submitted by Debbie Moore Clark Education and Marketing Committees: Chaired by Sandy Roork, the Education Committee is beginning to make a measurable difference in the community! For the first time, Mecklenburg County EMGs staffed a booth at Charlotte Clean and Green: An Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 18, Intern Margaret Genkins, served as Project Coordinator, leading her committee to put together a terrific booth for the Saturday event. Four brand new display boards containing pictures and tips on green gardening highlighted the effort, each addressing a different topic: soil, plant selection, lawns and vegetables. Beautiful, bright-colored planted pots added the finishing touch to catch the eye of passersby. A new series of educational Get Going programs are scheduled, and began with a presentation on Container Gardening by EMG volunteer Carol Carraux. Thanks to the work of the EMG Publicity Committee, chaired by Catherine Hawley, 17 attended the program, which was advertised in The Charlotte Observer. The second program, presented by EMG volunteer Nancy DeVries, covered Composting and drew a crowd of 21. Coming up May 7, EMG volunteer Sylvia Hindman will lead a program on Drought Tolerant Plants, the third in a series of six programs. On April 14, EMG volunteer Debbie Moore Clark spoke to the Colony Garden Club on Drought Tolerant Plants, drawing a crowd of 30 interested gardeners. For the first time ever, Mecklenburg County EMG volunteers are receiving more speaker requests than they have volunteers to speak. The group has worked hard over the past several years to put together a series of ready TO GO PowerPoint programs that anyone can present. The cache of TO GO programs numbers about 25 and each presentation has speaker notes, plus an informational handout for program participants. Educational articles are periodically distributed to county Recreation Centers for public consumption. Recent article topics included a May Garden Tips Calendar, Earth-Friendly Gardening and Container Vegetable Gardening. Additionally, these articles, and others, were ed to three Home Owners Associations in an effort to reach more county residents. All HOA contacts responded very positively to the articles received. The combined work of the EMG Education and Marketing Committees is helping EMGs make their mark with residents of Mecklenburg County! The County Line: North Central District Edna Gaston, District Reporter Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Vance, Wake, Warren Davidson County - Submitted by Julie Dayvault On February 26, a retirement reception was held for Robert Lopp, Davidson County Extension Director, who was with Davidson County Extension for 31 years. The Robert Lopp Building to Endowment Fund was established in his honor with the College of Agricultural and Life Science Foundation at NC State University. Our annual Recognition Dinner for Master Gardeners was held on March 16 at Yarborough s Restaurant, with ten members recognized as five-year Master Gardeners and five members recognized for performing 500 or more volunteer hours in the community. Twenty-one persons were accepted as Master Gardener Interns in April, and new officers were elected for the year: Doug Pearson, President; Joan Wright, Vice President; Julie Dayvault, Secretary; Frankie Mefford, Treasurer; and Sarah Draper, Historian. (continued on Page 6) PAGE 5

6 Davidson County (continued from Page 5) On July 3, a memorial service was held for George Wetherill, who died after a brief illness. George was one of our most avid Master Gardeners and community volunteers. Davidson County Master Gardeners are looking forward to upcoming activities: Vegetable Gardening workshops by Scott Welborn, the new Davidson County Extension Agent, and a Propagation Workshop for Master Gardeners. A Crepe Myrtle Pruning Demonstration and a Tool Maintenance Workshop by Master Gardener Jonathan Wright. A plant sale to raise funds for the local Pastor s Pantry. Developing community gardens at the Davidson County Cooperative Extension Center, the American Children s Home in Lexington, and the Meadowlands Subdivision in Wallburg. These gardens offer teaching opportunities for our Master Gardeners. Providing monthly presentations at the Master Gardeners booth at both the Thomasville and Lexington Farmers Markets. Participating at Spring Daze in Thomasville, with the Extension Council Association in making herb gardens, in planting tomatoes with third graders at Wallburg Elementary School, at the Charles England Elementary School s Environmental Day, and with the Junior Master Gardeners Camp. Wake County Submitted by Bob Kellam The Wake Advisory Committee has decided to offer Master Gardener training annually rather than every two years. Interviews are underway to select the Class of Bob Kellam and Susan Wyatt hosted the program s May meeting on their 60 acre farm on the eastern edge of Raleigh. They operate an organic CSA (community supported agriculture) cooperative that provides more than 40 varieties of vegetables and fruit, as well as herbs and free-range eggs, to subscribers in the Research Triangle Park area. Wake Master Gardeners gather at Kellam-Wyatt Farm The County Line: South Central District Sandy Ritter, District Reporter Anson, Bladen, Cabarrus, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Stanly, Union Cumberland County - Submitted by Sandy Ritter The Cumberland Co. Master Gardeners had a booth at the annual Cape Fear Botanical Garden spring plant sale on April 25. MGs donated plants from their own gardens, a local nursery donated plants to the Master Gardeners to sell and many MGs worked the event. CCMGVs were able to donate over $1000 to the gardens for maintenance from the sale of plants, making it a very successful event. CCMGVA has a memory stone for deceased MGs. It has been moved to a location near the MG office that has a nice fountain but was in great need of beautification. Many volunteers cleaned, planted and beautified the area around the stone recently. The fountain was turned into a succulent container and a bench and an arbor were moved to the area. The MG class of 2009 has adopted the former "Inspiration Garden" and plans to clean and update that area beside the Extension office. PAGE 6 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION

7 Harnett County - Submitted by Barbara Pounds One of the projects for the Master Gardeners of Harnett County has involved putting out a publication we call a Resource Guide. This publication furnishes our community the opportunity to be aware of businesses in the county who provide sales and services for gardening and landscaping needs. Seven hundred fifty booklets have been printed so far, with approximately three hundred distributed already to garden clubs, chambers of commerce, libraries and individuals. We have plans to offer this gift at our community visits later this year, at the fall festivals, and to have them available at the Extension office. The County Line: Northeast District Ruth Uecker, District Reporter Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrel, Washington Dare County - Submitted by Julie Hamilton By the time this newsletter is received, Dare Extension Master Gardeners will have concluded another Coastal Gardening Festival. Our theme this year was Green Gardens/Green Planet, and we were proud to have a group of students from First Flight Elementary School demonstrate composting, among the many other activities enjoyed by visitors to the Festival. Stopping stones provide a self-guided tour at the Outer Banks Arboretum. We are all faced with State-wide budget cuts, but plans are on track for work with the 4-H SACC Program in July. Last summer the students came to our Arboretum for activities, and we hope to have similar programs this year. Our Speaker s Bureau has been busy with presentations to local civic groups, and we are working to have nine presentation selections available by the fall. If you are visiting the Outer Banks, please stop by our Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden. We are adjacent to the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center on Mustin Street in Kill Devil Hills. The Stopping Stone brochures will provide a self-guided tour. For more information, call Dare County Center of the NC Cooperative Extension Office at Pasquotank County - Submitted by Ruth V. Uecker Gardening is Growing in Pasquotank County this summer and the Extension MGV s have been busy getting their hands into a number of exciting projects. In May we held our annual Spring Plant Sale at Hide-In-Wood Gardens. As the customers lined up, we put the final touches on a huge display of annuals, perennials, shrubs, small trees, vegetables, and herbs. A little over a hundred people enjoyed a wonderful display of plants from which they selected their favorites. The Plant Sale gives us an opportunity to educate the public about all the wonderful plants than can be grown in this area, as well as providing us the funds with which to support our Scholarship Program. This sale was such a great success that we are now planning to hold a Fall Plant Sale in October. This year we were fortunate enough to be able to award two $500 Scholarships. They were presented to graduating seniors Miss Victoria Sawyer of Camden High School and Miss Jessica Moore of Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City. Both girls are planning to attend North Carolina colleges where they will pursue their education in the field of horticulture. We are very proud of our awardees, and pleased to be able to support these young citizens and future leaders. Although we do not have a formal speaker s program in our group, we are often called upon to present talks on various gardening subjects. In April we were invited to speak at the Cann Memorial Presbyterian Church annual garden program in Elizabeth City. Our members, Peggy Denison, Bob Pinkerton, and Ruth Uecker provided informative talks on Butterfly Gardening, Birds in the Garden, and Shade Gardening to a group of enthusiastic (continued on Page 8) PAGE 7

8 Pasquotank County (continued from Page 7) gardeners and would-be gardeners. Our program was very well received and we re sure we will be invited to speak before this group again next year. There were lots of questions from the audience and gatherings such as this give us a wonderful opportunity to teach the general public about gardening and horticulture. One of the subjects that are often discussed at these group meetings concerns composting. With so much emphasis now being put on going green, recycling, reusing, and reducing waste, composting has become a hot subject. One method for small urban gardens is trash can composting. Ruth Uecker has adopted this method for her own gardening and recently shared the process with a group who are involved with community gardening. It s a very simple method clean and compact and can be adopted in just about any space. If anyone is interested in applying the trash can composting method, contact Ruth at sunflr@inteliport.com, or phone Community Gardening has come to Elizabeth City and is thriving! A private citizen, Mrs. Robin Kelly-Goss, arrived in this area about four years ago. With her interest in community gardening, she started the program two years ago at our local Food Bank of the Albemarle. The idea was to provide a garden where volunteers would grow vegetables and the produce would be donated to the Food Bank program. Robin s efforts, called Project Grow, have produced four larg sites which provide fresh vegetables for the Food Bank, a church shelter food program for women and men, as well as plots for private citizens who may not have space to garden. Recently, the MGV s of Pasquotank County adopted a plot at one of the sites where we will provide a demonstration garden for others who share the area. Project Grow is an exciting program and we are delighted to be part of it. Anyone who may be interested in starting such a program in their community can contact Robin Kelly-Goss in Elizabeth City at for more information. Two more new programs/projects have been established with MGV s of Pasquotank County participation. The first is an award program sponsored by the Elizabeth City Historic Neighborhood Association (ECHNA). Each month from June through October, a group of volunteers (MGV s and other members of the community) will select an outstanding yard from one of the many historic homes in Elizabeth City. This Yard of the Month program was established to give prominence to a home owner in the Historic District who has worked hard to maintain a beautiful garden surrounding their historic home. The award for June 2009 was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Calliotte at 400 West Main Street. If visiting Elizabeth City, be sure to take a self-guided tour of the Elizabeth City Historic District and look for the Yard of the Month sign and the beautiful garden it adorns. The other new project is well on its way to becoming a reality. Carolina House is one of Elizabeth City s fine senior citizen care facilities. Several of the residents were gardeners in their younger years and still maintain a vital interest in growing flowers and vegetables. Although somewhat limited physically, the residents have never lost their love of gardening and have asked the MGV s of Pasquotank County to lend them some assistance. Our Carolina House Project will involve establishment of a gardening room at the facility where interested residents can start plants from seed, pot up various plants, and maintain plants they have been given as gifts. The room is being set up on a screened-in area and will be called the Carolina House Potting Porch. MGV s will provide potting tables and pots while the facility will provide such materials as potting soil, small hand tools, cleaning supplies, etc. The MGV s will also provide guidance and education on the use of fertilizers and pest controls. Working together with the facility administrators and the residents, the MGV s will lend a hand whenever we are needed, but step back and give the gardening residents their own space to enjoy their love of plants. We are very excited about this Project and are looking forward to a wonderful relationship with some of our very special senior citizens. And ONE MORE THING! FIRE ANTS! These destructive and dangerous pests are now a reality in Pasquotank County and are all over our State -- as they have rapidly moved northward from the deep South. Our Extension agents are working very hard to get the word out on control methods, and several seminars have been held to alert the general public in our area. On 7 June 2009, Mr. Tom Campbell, our Extension Sponsor and Extension Agent, presented a detailed PowerPoint program at the Elizabeth City Museum of the Albemarle. The event was well attended and it is hoped that by holding sessions such as this, more people will become aware of the problems caused by fire ants, and, more importantly, how to control them throughout the county. One of our members, Judy Lynn Hooser, has taken and active step to inform her neighbors about fire ants. Each week Judy Lynn walks through her neighborhood, identifies, treats, and marks (with a bit of granulated lime) where fire ant mounds are located. She provides information on control and has worked very hard to eradicate the pests in her area. Cheers to Judy Lynn for her efforts. For more information on fire ants and control methods, contact Tom Campbell at the Pasquotank County Extension, telephone PAGE 8 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION

9 Southeast District Carol Wilson, District Reporter Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson Brunswick County - Submitted by Carol Wilson A new activity being instituted by Brunswick County Master Gardeners is a container planting challenge. Contestants may be individuals or teams of up to three members. They are charged with creating a container entry featuring five plant varieties including plants that would not normally be used in containers. Included should be an annual, a perennial, a vegetable, an herb and an unusual plant seldom seen in a grouping. More than one of any of the five may be included, also. Judging will be done from photos submitted and prizes will be awarded. Craven County Submitted by ML Hynes Spring is a bloom and a buzz in Craven County. Monday work crews under Ethel Hess and Jeanne Bowditch have totally rehabbed the demonstration gardens in front of the Extension building. MGVs have added a path and replanted many daylilies and mulched the entire area. A new hydrangea garden is the highlight of their spring work. The summer heat will bring an end to this endeavor. The New Bern Farmers Market is open and MGV s are maintaining the demonstration butterfly garden next to the entrance. This work will continue throughout the summer months when the market is its busiest. The veggie garden crew led by Mike Price has been harvesting Bok Choy, green onions and cooking greens. Potatoes and cabbage plants are coming along well. Tomato and several varieties of pepper plants are being put in and mulched. Soon they will be planting winter squash in straw bales. This technique has worked well for them in the past. Another method espoused by the group is broadcasting lettuce seeds in the early spring and then after they are establish transferring them. Five weeks ago a seed bed was made of mixed Salad Greens. The plants are now being lifted and put in their final bed at a more proper distance where they can grow to full size. Bees have the attention of the demonstration vegetable garden crew and they have planted red clover along with their crops to make sure the Extension s hives have plenty of nectar sources. And, speaking of bees, CCMGVA s resident apiarist Harry Strand will be discussing Bees in the Garden at the next Saturday Public Program to emphasize the importance of the honeybee to home gardeners and farmers for crop pollination and the need to limit pesticides, one of the dangers threatening bees worldwide. Summer is traditionally a time for planning as CCMGVA members avoid the heat and humidity and focus on Eastern North Carolina s waterways, beaches and golf courses. Our September Bulb Sale under ML Hynes will move forward, as will plans for the 2010 convention with Betty Rovins coordinating our participation. As they say in the song, See you in September. Pender County Submitted by Gerri Mihoulides The last couple of years have seen the Pender Master Gardeners blossom. We have an enthusiastic, dedicated group of 48 people. Total volunteer hours for 2008 were We have been fortunate to have Charlotte Glen as our Cooperative Extension agent. She will be starting the next Master Gardener course for Pender County in August, Classes alternate locations between Pender Cooperative Extension Center in Burgaw and Poplar Grove Plantation in Hampstead. She is so knowledgeable and vivacious. We have all been encouraged by her dedication. The Herb & Garden Fair at Poplar Grove was held March 28 and 29. Bob Lorenz chaired the event which involved doing the heavy work. He set up the tent and made sure everything moved smoothly. Our booth was well received and we had a lot of people stop by for information and to pick up soil sample boxes. Bob received backup PAGE 9

10 Pender County (continued from Page 9) support from many of the members and there were at least 4 people at the booth at all times. We also have a booth set up every third Wednesday of each month, 9:00-noon at Poplar Grove Farmer s Market to pass out MG information and answer questions. The chairman of this venue is Diana McPadden, who has been doing this for two years now. We concluded out 4th annual Spring Plant sale, April 16-18, at the Extension office. It was ably chaired by Bird Bost, Cheryl Shuford, and Debbie Shackleford. It was a rousing success and just keeps getting better and better. There was also an initial Fall plant sale at Poplar Grove last year with plants propagated by our members which was very well received. Our membership just loves to talk plants We have two teaching gardens. One is at the Burgaw Extension office and the other at the Hampstead Library. There is a core of maintenance people and we have two clean ups a year, spring and fall with considerable support from many members. Current projects in the works include setting up a speaker s bureau and developing a school outreach program. Sandra Brown, Simone Bell, Ellen Bonzak, and Cheryl Shuford are the Pender representatives for the 2010 State Master Gardener Conference. Pender is responsible for vendors, exhibitors, and door prizes. Wayne County Submitted by Jessie Norris We re not a very large group but are a busy bunch. As 08 President I was pleased to hand over my gavel to Rachel Rawls for 09 at our Jan. Installation Banquet. We welcome our new executive four and wish them a fun, successful year. We took a fun, but very wet trip to Tryon Palace Gardens. So pretty, even in the all-day rain. Our guide said; Only Master Gardeners could truly appreciate all this beauty in the rain! The miniature tulips were my favorite. Ms. Rachel and I enjoyed presenting a topiary class to a local garden club. We were pleased with the turn out and enthusiasm sparked by our demo. Hopefully we encouraged newbies for our upcoming MGVA membership course. Last November we delighted in the assisted prepping & planting of over 400 tulip bulbs for a local Honorary Sr. Master Gardener, Mr. Ray Wyche ~ in memory of his beloved wife, also an MGV. In March we attended a lovely garden party at the Wyche home to share in the finished product. Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans. Was still the event of the season!! We d like to officially welcome Ms. Karen Bussey on board as our new Extension Agent, as of January. What a pure blessing she s been. Idle is not in her vocabulary! Among so many other projects, she recently helped present an informative presentation to our local Golden K Kiwanis Club on the WCMGVA, bulbs & her personal position as our new agent. We had a huge turn out and great feedback. I was proud to be included. Karen s very soon to be wed, so from all the WCMGV s, we wish her and Ryan the very best!! We ve been very busy with our plant clinic, fairground gardens, various local trips, guest speakers, n requested mgv talks. We amended a local school garden. This week, I held a two day talk to 3rd graders on soil & we kids planted bush beans. Not sure who had the most fun!? Everyone have a wonderful summer and don t forget the sunscreen! PAGE 10 T HE NO R T H C A R O LI NA MA S T E R G A R D E NE R V O LU N T E E R A S S O C I A T I O N

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