Annual Spring Banquet Recognizes Linn County Master Gardeners By Beth Roof

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1 Vol. 27, No. 5 Editors: Julie Stark/Lisa Slattery May 2017 LINN COUNTY MASTER GARDENER EVENTS Steering Committee Meeting Extension Office May 2 6:30 pm Noelridge Greenhouse Mother s Day Showcase Noelridge Park May 14 10:00 am 5:00 pm Charlene Woeste Plant Sale Linn County Extension Office Parking Lot Plant Sale Sign-up Forms Due May 12 Plants at Extension Conf. Rm May 19 3:00 pm Plant Sale May 20 8:00 am 12:00 pm Garden Walk Sign-up Forms Due May 26 Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed. ~Walt Whitman Annual Spring Banquet Recognizes Linn County Master Gardeners By Beth Roof A surprise visitor attended the Awards Banquet on March 30, Woman with Plant. Larry Dawson impersonated Grant Wood s painting in an entertaining skit with fellow Master of Ceremonies, Nancy Sutherland (photo right). 115 guests attended the annual spring event at The Flamingo. The banquet recognizes the individual and collective achievements of the Linn County Continued Page 2 What s Inside Spring Banquet Article and Photos Pages 1-3 Plant Sale Pages 4-6 Coordinator Comments Page 7 MG Events in the Area Page 7 Volunteer Spotlight Page 8 United Way Day of Caring Page 8 Garden Walk Plans Page 9 Search for Excellence Award Page 9 Easter and Mother s Day Showcases at Noelridge Page 10 Steering Committee/Project Reports Pages 9-10 May

2 Continued from Page 1 Master Gardeners for the prior year Coordinator, Shelly O Neal introduced RaeAnn Barnhart, new Extension Director and Jim Harken, new Regional Director for Linn, Jones and Benton counties. Several MG committees and projects were highlighted and awards were presented to the following: Silver Star to MGs completing volunteer hours in the past calendar year: Pam Brackey, Kathy Carew, Jo Dillon, Larry Edwards, Linda, Eggleston, Cindy Fagan, Peggy Green, Doris Hardt, Kate Kendall, Sam Krumbholz, Becki Lynch, Debbie Main, Kay McWhinney, Mary Mikkola, Zora Ronan, Beth Roof, Lisa Slattery, Julie Stark, Shirley Thornton, Bev Whitmore, Paula Wilson, and Karen Woeste. Gold Star to MGs completing 200 or more volunteer hours: Mike Anderson, Wil Carew, Devon Dietz, Beula Dvorak, Shelby Foley, Linda Hayward, Linda Hinzman, Kathy Hughes, Vicki Keegan, Sylvia Silver Star Awards (left to right): Sam Krumbholz, Kay McWhinney, Julie Stark, Kathy Carew, Jo Dillon, Bev Whitmore, Doris Hardt and Beth Roof. Gold Star Awards (front row): Diane Stevens, Wil Carew, Sylvia Kelley, Kathy Hughes, Coleen Kint, Linda Hayward and Doug Smith; (back row): Tina Patterson, Karla McGrail, Linda Hinzman, Shelby Foley, Sue Usher, Mike Anderson, Devon Dietz and Phil Pfister. Kelley, Coleen Kint, Karla McGrail, Rose Milden, Diana North, Tina Patterson, Phil Pfister, Fran Potratz, Doug Smith, Diane Stevens, Sue Usher, Diane Wiesenfeld, and Jean Wilson. Acknowledged for completing their first 500 accumulative hours were: Jo Dillon, Linda Eggleston, Peggy Green, Vicki Keegan, Gene Nassif, and Diane Stevens. 1,000 hours: Beula Dvorak, Coleen Kint and Linda Hinzman Hours: 500 Accumulative Hours (left to right): Vicki Keegan, Diane Stevens, Jo Dillon and Gene Nassif. Continued Page 3 2 Germi nator 2000 Accumulative Hours: Sue Usher (center) and Doris Hardt (far right); 4000 Hours: Wil Carew (second from left) and Doug Smith (second from right); 6000 Hours: Shelby Foley (far left). Devon Dietz was presented the Silver Trowel Award.

3 Continued from Page 2 Doris Hardt and Sue Usher; 4,000 Hours: Wil Carew and Doug Smith; 6,000 Hours: Shelby Foley. The Silver Trowel Award was presented to Devin Dietz for volunteering the most hours of any MG in hours. Lifetime Master Gardener green badges were awarded to: Mike Anderson, Jo Dillon, Linda Hayward, Coleen Kint, Becki Lynch, Jean Minehart, and Tom Roe. Doris McElmeel s award was accepted posthumously by her husband Steve McElmeel. Phyllis Olson received her award prior the banquet. Project Team Award was given to Planting for Pollinators, chairperson Becki Lynch. Linda Hinzman and Karla McGrail accepted the award in Becki s absence. The Project Team Award was also given to the Community Outreach Gardens, chairperson Beula Dvorak. Jack-of-All-Trades honoree was Doug Smith. Friend of Linn County Master Gardeners was awarded to Chris Earl of KCRG. Outstanding New Master Gardener of the Year from the class just completed was presented to Larry Edwards and Tina Patterson. The Master Gardener of the Year was awarded to Beth Roof. Lifetime Master Gardener green badges were awarded to (left to right): Tom Roe, Steve McElmeel accepting award posthumously for his wife, Doris; Jean Minehart, Linda Hayward, Jo Dillon, Mike Anderson and Coleen Kint. Karla McGrail (left) and Linda Hinzman (right) accept one of the Project Team Awards for Planting for Pollinators on behalf of Becki Lynch, Chairperson. The Awards Selection Committee was chaired by Vicki Keegan and Larry Edwards and Tina Patterson shared honors for Outstanding New Master Gardener of the Year. Jock-of-All-Trades was awarded to Doug Smith. Beth Roof was presented with the Master Gardener of the Year Award. included Wil Carew, Thea Cole, Larry Dawson, Devon Dietz, Jane Schildroth, and Darrell Hennessy. Attendees enjoyed a pre-dinner social and buffet dinner. The room was decorated with coleus centerpieces designed by Tina Patterson, planted and nourished by the Lowe Park Greenhouse Team. Dessert cookies were made by Doris Hardt, Louise Harn, and Sue Usher. Sam Krumbholz volunteered as the photographer. Beth Roof served as chairperson for the banquet assisted by Shelly O Neal. May 3

4 Ready...Set...SELL! 2017 Charlene Woeste Plant Sale By: Phil Pfister The 17 h annual Linn County Master Gardener Charlene Woeste Plant Sale, in honor of our plant sale founder and long-time chair, Charlene Woeste, will be held on Saturday, May 20, at the ISU Extension and Outreach Linn County parking lot, 383 Collins Road NE, Cedar Rapids, IA. The plant sale is a major source of income for the Linn County Master Gardener programs. Its success depends on donations of high quality plants, named varieties, and unusual plants from the Master Gardeners. Please donate as many plants as you can. Please dig your plants as soon as possible, so they can adjust to the containers and look salable by the Pant Sale. We would like to have all the plants brought to the Extension Office by 3:00 PM Friday, May 19. If you are not able to bring the plants Friday, please contact Karen Woeste, , Hab319kiowa@gmail.com, Phil Pfister, , ppfister47@gmail.com, or Shelly O Neal, soneal@iastate.edu to arrange another drop-off time. Please be as generous as you can with plants for the sale. We need a good selection of many kinds and choices of plants. Please let us know of any unique and interesting plants so we can include them in the Plant Sale promotions. As Master Gardeners we want to be proud of the plants we are selling to the public, and our buyers look forward to, and expect to get really good plants from this sale. Please read and follow the instructions below. Perennials and other plants need to be planted in their pots at least 3 to 4 weeks before the sale. This will give them time to recover from transplant shock and they will put on some nice growth during this time. * Do not plant up plants the night before the sale. * Do not plant up plants that are too large. * Make divisions of daylilies with 2-4 fans in each pot. Daylilies should be planted in a one gallon pot. Put a label in each pot with the name of the daylily. * Make divisions of hosta with 2-3 plants in each pot. If you are sharing some of your more expensive hosta, one plant could be enough, but two would make it sell better. Put the name of the hosta in each pot. If the name is not known just put Name Unknown. If you know the growth habit, please add that information (height, width, etc.). Also if it is one of your more expensive hosta, please put a suggested selling price on label. * Other perennials should have large enough divisions that will make them attractive to our shoppers. Put the name of the perennial, and its cultivar if you know it, on the label in each pot. You can use an ice cream stick, white plastic knife or spoon, or a venetian blind as your label. There will be labels available at the Extension Office. * After planting up, water with a water-soluble fertilizer according to package directions. Water every 2 or 3 days, or as needed to encourage 4 Germi nator

5 good root and top growth. Two weeks later, water with the same fertilizer at ½ strength. A day or two before the sale, groom each plant by removing any yellowed or dead leaves, or any weeds that have come up in the pot. Water each plant thoroughly. * Look at each plant, and decide if it looks like a plant you want to buy. If it doesn t, leave it at home and plant it out in your garden and bring it next year. * If you have plants that you would like to donate, but don t know what they are, let us know as soon as possible. We will help identify them. * To avoid confusion, if you use a pot that has a price written on it, please remove it or mark it out. Plants should be taken to the Extension Conference Room no later than 3:00 p.m., Friday, May 19. If you need pots please contact Phil Pfister at or by ppfister47@gmail.com. FAQ s for Master Gardeners Where & when is the sale? The sale is in the parking lot in front of the ISU Extension and Outreach Linn County, office at 383 Collins Road NE. from 8 AM to Noon on Saturday, May 20. Where do I park? Park behind the Extension Office or in the north east section of the lot. What are we doing on Friday? We will be receiving plants all day Friday. We will need volunteers to assist with moving the plants to the Large Conference Room, cleaning and pricing the plants to prepare them for sale on Saturday. What are the tasks from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM Saturday? That is when we will be setting up the plant sale. We will need volunteers to move tables from the conference rooms to the parking lot, and then move the plants from the Large Conference Room to the tables. The tables will be identified by the type of plant or growing conditions. What happens during the Plant Sale? From 8:00 to noon, volunteers will be assisting customers, watering plants, helping at checkout, stocking plants, etc. We would like the volunteers to assist the customers as much as possible to make this a very enjoyable experience for our customers. We want them to come away feeling very good about the quality of product, knowledge, service and value they received at our Plant Sale. What should I wear? Wear your MG name badge & prepare to dress for all weather- wind, rain, shine, hot or cold. Many MGs will be wearing their MG Polo if weather permits, but it is not required. I signed up to volunteer at the Plant Sale but have not yet received my assignment. Will I be needed? Yes. Plan to arrive ready May 5

6 to volunteer when you indicated you are available. Look for Karen Woeste or Phil Pfister for direction. What will be available at the Plant Sale? All sorts of plants! Also, there will be a dedicated space & cashier for sales of ISU Publications & our gardening handbook, Getting Your Hands Dirty & Your Feet Wet Again as well as free handouts. We will also offer garden art, tools, gardening books, and other items in good condition, donated by the MGs. Can MGs buy plants before the sale? No. We want the public to support this event because they look forward to quality and special plants, and that there is an adequate supply available. Are donations being accepted of plants and garden art? Yes. However, only plants that are healthy and that are recommended to plant in our zone. Tools, garden art, etc., should be in good condition and priced to sell. If it doesn t sell, plan on taking it back home. Are we going to carry the plants upstairs to the Large Conference Room then downstairs to the sale? Yes. Are we going to carry the tables downstairs to the parking lot then back upstairs to the Large Conference Room at the end of the sale? Yes. Can spouses and children of MGs help move plants & tables up and down the stairs on the day of the sale? Yes, by all means! What happens if it rains? Nothing. Sale continues. What do we do with the leftover plants? MGs will be able to buy them at a reduced rate. The rest will be donated or pitched. Donated garden art items will be returned to the donor, or used for other events. Will there be snacks and food for MGs? Snacks will be offered in the Kitchen off the Large Conference Room Friday mid-morning as well as Saturday Morning and throughout the sale. What happens at the end of the sale? We will need to carry all the tables and other items moved from the office and conference rooms back, vacuum the conference room, and generally clean up the parking, office and conference rooms. What if I have questions about how to prep plants for the sale? Ask the table lead or the chairs. The Chairs are Karen Woeste (phone: , or ; Hab319kiowa@gmail.com) & Phil Pfister (phone: ; ppfister47@gmail.com). Table leads are: Jay McWherter Hostas (jaybirddad@aol.com) JoEllen Funk Daylilies (jkinnefunk@gmail.com) Shelby Foley Succulents & greenhouse plants (diggingat451@yahoo.com) Doug Smith Wildflowers Doug Smith (ufulu@aol.com) Fran Potratz Ornamental grasses (potz23@hotmail.com) Karen Woeste Perennials (hab319kiowa@gmail.com) Devon Dietz Shade plants (evondietz5@aol.com) Gene Nassif Vegetables (snassif@mchsi.com) 6 Germi nator

7 Coordinator Comments By: Shelly O'Neal Happy May MGs! The showers have certainly brought many flowers and foliage. It is so nice to be able to go for a walk after work with the sun shining and everything looking green. There are many MG projects that are in progress now that Spring is here. Which means plenty of opportunities to obtain your volunteer and education hours for the year. If you would like a list of the current projects and chair s, please send me an with your request. You can also check the Linn County Extension and Outreach website for the calendar of events. The handbook is going to be updated by mid-may and sent to each of you by . Please take the time to read the handbook thoroughly so you understand the expectations of the program along with the various guidelines for what constitutes a recordable volunteer or educational hours. If you go to the section on the front page of the web that states "Exclusive Information For Master Gardeners", you will be taken to the page which has the information for entering hours into the VRS system. The system has recently been updated by Wil Carew. He eliminated a lot of the extra categories to make the system easier to navigate. Please let me know if you have any questions or need assistance in entering your hours. Have a wonderful Spring! Shelly Upcoming Iowa Events of Interest Waterloo/Cedar Falls Library Talks (all talks begin at 7:00 pm) Cedar Falls Public Library, 524 Main Street, Cedar Falls Tuesday, May 2: Bees and Butterflies - Growing Great Pollinator Gardens Tuesday, May 16: Creating Beautiful Container Gardens Waterloo Public Library, 415 Commercial Street, Waterloo Thursday, May 4: Bees and Butterflies - Growing Great Pollinator Gardens Thursday, May 11: Year-Round Color in your Garden Thursday, May 18: Creating Beautiful Container Gardens 2017 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Ticks Friday, May 5 (1:00-2:00): Johnson County Master Gardener Plant Sale & Flea Market Saturday, May 13 (8-12:00 pm): Johnson County 4-H Fairgrounds, 4261 Oak Crest Hill Rd. SE Iowa City May 7

8 Volunteer Spotlight Linda Hinzman By: Linda Skvor Meet Linda Hinzman Linda pursued the MG program to learn more and volunteer. Her kids were all grown, and she had more time, although she was still working at the time. Linda has now since retired, after spending 38 years working for the City of Cedar Rapids, the majority of the time working as a financial analyst for the CR Police Department. Linda and her husband, Gary (who is running for Mayor of Cedar Rapids), have three grown daughters and three grandchildren. Their daughter, Lisa Lafler, is also a Linn County Master Gardener. Linda grew up in Cedar Rapids, her father having served in the Navy when she was born, but moved to Cedar Rapids when she was three, and Cedar Rapids is all she knows. Linda has been gardening as long as she can remember. My mom always had flowers and my dad always had a big vegetable garden. I've done the same. I have many flower beds and a small veggie garden (5 raised beds). My favorite flower would have to be Zinnia. I love it for its bright colors and that it is a favorite pollinator flower. As a MG, Linda has tried her hand at many projects to find her niche. I've been on the Winter Gardening Fair Committee several times, have been the chair of the Creative Gardening Series several times, I'm on the Pollinator Committee, and I'm currently on the Steering Committee as treasurer. Other places I've volunteered are Brucemore, Garden Walk, Noelridge, and the Monarch Research Station. When Linda isn t gardening, her other hobby is genealogy. One line of her family has been proven to go back to the Mayflower pilgrim, Thomas Rogers. Unfortunately, per Linda, Thomas was one of the unfortunates who died in the first winter. United Way Day of Caring - MG Volunteers Welcome By: Beula Dvorak Several Community Garden partners are participating in the United Way Day of Caring on Thursday, May 11. We are seeking a few good Master Gardeners or Interns who would be willing to also provide some assistance at some of the gardens on that day. You might find yourself assisting with building a raised bed, spreading compost or mulch, or another garden project as our garden partners are preparing for their 2017 growing season. If you would be interested in working for any amount of time, please let Beula Dvorak (bdvorak4@aol.com; or ) know and she will hook you up with one of our gardens. 8 Germi nator

9 Garden Walk Plans in Full Swing By: Beula Dvorak and Kathy Hughes, Co-chairs Be sure to add the 2017 Master Gardener Garden Walk to your list of summer activities. Five gardens are featured for the walk on Saturday, July 8. These gardens represent a diverse array of styles from community gardens to more formal gardens. As always, volunteers will be needed to help our hosts prep their landscaping as well as greet our guests as they attend the Garden Walk event. Typically, the Garden Walk volunteers are scheduled in two shifts, morning and early afternoon. Please complete the volunteer form attached to this Germinator issue and return it electronically to: soneal@iastate.edu or drop off/mail to the Extension Office by Friday, May Garden Walk Hosts include: Wellington Heights Community Gardens: th Ave SE Catherine McAuley Community Garden: th Ave SE Carol Elliott Garden: th Ave SE Diane Wiesenfeld Garden: 4325 Pioneer Trail SE Larry Nelson Garden: 6313 Berry Road SE Refer to next month s Germinator issue for full descriptions and photos of each of the gardens on the Walk. Announcing the Iowa Master Gardener 2017 Search for Excellence Award Winner! Each year, the State Master Gardener Advisory Committee recognizes outstanding contributions by groups of Iowa Master Gardeners by presenting Search for Excellence (SFE) awards for those projects which have had measurable impact in their communities. This year, a group of Linn County Master Gardeners was selected for their Planting for Pollinators project. Linn County Master Gardeners set out with a goal to provide education and awareness to the public about pollinators' roles and teach how gardeners could provide a proper environment for all pollinators. The winning team estimated that they reached more than 18,000 people by the end of the project. Congratulations! May 9

10 Easter and Mother s Day Showcases at Noelridge By: Diane Stevens and Kathy Rhodes, Noelridge Co-Chairs The annual Easter weekend Noelridge Showcase & Open House brought approximately 1550 people to the greenhouse to celebrate spring. The beautiful weather outside and family obligations kept the numbers lower this year, but those who attended were treated to displays by the Eastern Iowa Aquarium Association, the Eastern Iowa Orchid Society, the Harshbarger Hosta Society, Cook's Honey, and Master Gardener Larry Spina's bee display. Larry is a member of the East Central Iowa Beekeepers Master Gardeners, Kathy Rhodes and Coleen Kint, take a turn at the informational table. and Iowa Honey Producers. Vendors included Z-D Crafts and Sharon's Visions. Attendees had the opportunity to purchase indoor house & tropical plants along with coleus and New Guinea impatiens grown in the greenhouse. Children under the age of 12 were given a free marigold. Over the course of the weekend, Master Gardeners interacted with the public by answering questions, addressing concerns, handing out publications and save-the-date reminders of upcoming events. Twenty Master Gardeners and Interns volunteered their time for the weekend. Thank You to each and every one of you, and to Debbie Main for the selection of information and publications that always makes our opportunity to interact with the public that much easier. Visitors to the Noelridge Easter Showcase and Open House were treated to a beautiful and impressive display of color. Mark your calendars for the 45th annual Mother's Day Showcase and Open House on Sunday, May 14 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. To commemorate this milestone to the exact date of the first event, planning is under way for displays and door prizes to be given away. Admission is free. There will be exhibitors, vendors, and hundreds of blooming plants to be enjoyed. There will be perennials, annuals, hanging baskets, and planters for sale. The Master Gardeners will have an informational table, and anyone wishing to volunteer is asked to contact one of the Noelridge co-chairs or sign up at the greenhouse. Each attendee to this event will receive a free tropical milkweed plant. 10 Germi nator

11 April 2017 Steering Committee Minutes DRAFT (Abridged for Germinator) Present: Steve Bartlett, Beula Dvorak, Cindy Fagan, Linda Hinzman, Sylvia Kelley, Jackie MacClaren, Kay McWhinney, Peggy Green, Glen Babinett, Jean Wilson, Kathy Carew. Absent: Sam Krumbholz, Linda Shepard, Diane Wiesenfeld. Guests: Shelly O Neal. Roll Call, quorum established, and Minutes approved from March. Financial Report: Linda reported $35.00 in revenue from sale of books and shirt. Budget Committee will meet and report next month. MG Coordinator Report: Tom Strait of Indian Creek Nature Center and Chair of Sugar Grove contacted us about partnering on a new project. This will be a working farm with a mission of education. Jim Harkin will represent MG s at organizational meeting. Laura Klavitter s presentation will be rescheduled for next month at 5:30. New format for fall training of Interns. Old Business: COG: New projects do not have to be approved by Steering Committee; there are several new projects that need MG volunteers to coordinate activities. Memorial for Doris McElmeel: Sylvia reported that she had met with Shelby Folby and Phil Pfister about a pergola at Lowe Park. They are very excited about moving forward with the memorial. Mike Anderson is working on plans for the pergola and once a site has been picked volunteers will be recruited to build and plant Hosta. Shelly has set up a fund and a check for $1,500 has been donated by the McElmeel family. MG Garden Viewing: Marcy Walker s idea about an event to view other MG gardens and socialize; Kay will contact Marcy an see if she is willing to get the project moving. Brucemore Garden and Art Show: Cancelation of this event was discussed. It was suggested that maybe the MG s should sponsor such an event. Kay will contact Prairie Woods and other organizations that might be interested in picking up this event. Project and Committee Reports Community Outreach Gardens (Beula Dvorak): Spring has sprung and community garden partners continue to grow. It looks like we could be working with 20 gardens this growing season. COG provides consultation, education and support in a variety of ways to these volunteer organizations or schools who maintain their own community garden. We need more MGs and/or Interns to join our COG team! If you would like to become involved in this growing project, contact Beula Dvorak (bdvorak4@aol.com/ ), or any other committee member and we will get you connected to a garden. Please see other article in the Germinator regarding these needs. Phil Pfister reported at the March 21 meeting that spinach is growing in the Marion Uptown Garden. Expert Ed. (Linda Hayward): Jason Evans made a presentation called The 4 th R Rot Thursday, March 16, 2017; 36 people attended. The presentation was excellent and attendees continued to ask questions after Jason was finished speaking. From the Ground Up (Pam Brackey): We just had a request from Echo Hill School for From the Ground Up. It's a big one! They have 5 classes. 3 May 11

12 classes meet from 1:15-2:00 and 2 meet from 2:00-2:45. I'm thinking that we will need at least 2 teams. One that will have 3 classes and will have to cover 2 days/wk and one that will have 2 classes and meet one day/ wk. The other option would be 3 teams. The days of the week are flexible, the times aren't. We will have another school starting in early April, so we will have to start later in the month (I'm thinking the 3rd week) in order to have enough materials to cover. The classes would take place over 4 weeks, so you would be finished mid-may. Please let me know if you will be able to help with this. New interns, no experience is necessary. We need lots of pairs of hands. Also, let me know what days of the week will work for you. I will be glad to answer any questions by or phone ( ). Thanks so much!!! Garden Walk (Beula Dvorak): Plans are progressing for Garden Walk Save the Date Saturday, July 8. Host Gardens and MG Leads are as follows: Wellington Heights Jane Schildroth; Catherine McAuley Sarah Neff; Diane Wiesenfeld Carrie Nilsson; Carol Elliott Karla Goettel; Larry Nelson Barb Wing. Watch for volunteer opportunities coming your way in the next couple of months Lowe Park Gardens (Phil Pfister/Shelby Foley): The Cedar Rapids Gazette published a very informative article on starting seeds in the Living section of The Gazette, Sunday, March 12, The article featured Shelby Foley, Coleen Kint and Gene Nassif. There is also a picture slideshow titled Seed planting - Lowe Park Greenhouse - Mar. 2, 2017, on The Gazette website: slideshowid=1701#11. Seven MG and interns have joined the growing team. They will each work one day of the week with another grower, watering and performing other growing activities. This brings our growing team to 15. Joining the team are: Barb Brown, Charlie Dudak, Victoria Fernandez, Kathy Hughes, Paula MacNider, and Linda Miller. Work sessions are scheduled for every Tuesday & Thursday 9:00 a.m. to noon, and are open to anyone interested in working in the greenhouse, learning about seeding/transplanting and socializing with people with like interests. Noelridge Greenhouse (Diane Stevens/Kathy Rhodes): Volunteer opportunities at the Noelridge Greenhouse the month of March continue with taking cuttings, potting, transplanting seedlings, and trimming back of plant material. Again this year, Noelridge is growing and propagating host and nectar plants for the Monarch Research Station with much higher numbers than last year. MG volunteers are helping with propagating and planting of seedlings into pots and cell packs. MRS has requested 15,400 tropical milkweed, 300 fennel, 2,200 curled parsley, 500 rue, and 20 Mexican Flamevine. February MG volunteer hours=33.5. Plant Exchange (Kay McWhinney): Save the date: 10:00 a.m. September 30, at Lowe Park. Plant Sale (Karen Woeste/Phil Pfister): The Charlene Woeste Plant Sale is Saturday, May 20, 2017 from 8 am-12 pm, at the Linn County Extension and Outreach Office parking lot. It s time to start planning the plants that you can contribute to help make this event interesting and successful. If 12 Germi nator

13 you need help with transplanting, please contact Karen Woeste Shelly O Neal (soneal@iastate.edu); or Phil Pfister (ppfister47@gmail.com).if you need containers, contact Phil Pfister. Pollinators (Becki Lynch): The committee participated in the Winter Garden Fair by distributing Milkweed and Zinnia seed to participants. We will be meeting as a committee in April to plan for the season activities. The first major activity in which we will be participating is EcoFest on April 22. Becki Lynch is a keynote speaker on Polliscaping, and Linda Hinzman, Karla McGrail, and Shelby Foley are coordinating 2 tables for pollinator information, a fun activity for children, and selling pollinator plants from the Lowe Greenhouse. We are also beginning the speaker season with pollinator presentations at Rockwell Collins on April 4, the Waterloo Women's Club on April 5, and Hope Lutheran Church on May 6. Winter Garden Fair (Phil Pfister/Larry Dawson): A total of 368 people attended the 2017 Winter Gardening Fair, held at Kirkwood Community College. Attendees could choose between two keynote speakers and 45 different classes/workshops, visit with experts from 13 different societies and shop at 8 different vendors. Lunch was provided with registration fee. Profit after deduction of all expenses was $7, Seventy-two Master Gardeners assisted with the event. Thanks to Larry Edwards and Sam Krumbholz for job shadowing this year, and taking on the co-chair positions for 2018 Winter Gardening Fair. Many thanks to everyone who served on the WGF committee and to our coordinator, Shelly O Neal. Respectfully submitted, Sylvia Kelly, Secretary Pro-Tem Next meeting is May 2; 5:30 Klaviter presentation; 6:30 Steering Cmte. Next Executive Meeting April 17,2017 9:30 AM Linn County Extension Master Gardeners 383 Collins Road NE, Suite 201 Cedar Rapids, IA ph (319) Hortline (319) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call May 13

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