Johnson County Master Gardener Thymes

Transcription

1 Johnson County Master Gardener Thymes April 2017 MG Steering Committee Meeting Wednesday, March 8, 7:00 pm; Johnson County Extension Office. All are invited to attend! Thymes Deadline Thymes information should be sent to Jan Denehy at Please send news, volunteer opportunities, stories, pictures, etc., for the March issue by Monday, March 27. Petals to Parasols Reiman Gardens, ISU, Ames, IA Through April 23, 2017 Colorful umbrellas are paired with vibrant blossoms in the Conservatory. See orchids and other colorful flowers with perfect forms for attracting pollinators positioned amongst umbrellas, giving us the ability to enjoy exotic blooms under cover from rain or sun! This exhibit began at the front desk of the entryway, and extended through the hallway to the magnificent garden arrangement in the conservatory. I visited this exhibit on a rainy weekend which made the parasol theme even more timely as we approach April, the month of rain showers. Only photos can describe the beauty of the orchids lining the hallway to the conservatory exhibit. If you have time before the end of this exhibit, make an effort to attend. Also, this building is next to the butterfly garden and other butterflyrelated exhibits as well as the gift shop. Jan Denehy Colorful Flower Parasols in hall to Conservatory Conservatory Flower Exhibit 1

2 Orchids integrated throughout exhibit After a short presentation emphasizing photos, there was an opportunity for questions. Although the presentations were short, I was able to pick up a number of new facts about insects. Of particular interest to me was the research being done by a student and faculty member from Luther College on different milkweed plants, as well as the ISU research on the growth and development of monarchs eating each of the four main milkweed species found in Iowa. Another interesting presentation was about Light up the Night, a program encouraging communities to have an evening where moths are attracted at midnight on a lighted white sheet. The presentation included information about how to set up the sheet and lighting system for this community event! My favorite presentation was titled, Social Insects Rule the World, illustrating how cooperation and a hierarchy of work tasks promotes the survival of various insect species. A new source of information about bug identification and characteristics is BugGuide.com, a taxonomically organized website with information on all things related to bugs. Individuals can look up information about bugs in their garden, or they can contribute photos of unknown insects to help in identification. This year The Day of Insects had a record 155 registered participants. The program is offered yearly in March and is a fun way to increase your information on insects. Jan Denehy Miniature parasols in Conservatory garden Day of Insects, Reiman Gardens My husband and I attended the annual Day of Insects at Reiman Gardens on the campus of ISU Saturday, March 25 th. He is taking the Iowa Master Naturalist program offered at Kent Park, and this program was a class field trip. The day consisted of fifteen 25-minute presentations about various insects found in Iowa, such as grasshoppers, moths, Monarch Butterflies and other pollinators. In addition, there were exhibits by various groups of interest. Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium Exhibit Raptor Center Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardens clean-up, Saturday April 15, 2017, 9-12 This year we ve been asked to clean up the gardens on Saturday, April 15, from 9 until 11 or 12. We ll have a short meeting to go over how we organize the volunteering and have sign up sheets for weeding and watering throughout the summer. In May we schedule a 2

3 day to plant more flowers. The clean up and planting day are the only days we all get together until the end of the season gathering in October. Our summer work sessions to weed and water both gardens are set up in one-week intervals, and you can come out whenever it s convenient for you during the week you sign up for. We schedule 2 people per week, and you can work together or independently. The Raptor Center is a great way to get volunteer hours based on your schedule since you can work whenever the Raptor Center is open. Also remember you can count your travel time for work sessions. Bring gloves, rakes, clippers, etc. See you April 15. Alice Linhart, April Birthdays 1 Reid Lander 3 Kat Munson 4 Steve Vincent 5 John Saxton 6 Sandy Keller 7 Gina Snyder 10 Candy Barnhill 12 Betty Alfaro 13 Joni Jones 22 Rod Kuenster 24 Laura Bowers 24 Sara Maples 27 Susan Puhl 28 Jackie Wellborn Hydroponics: Agricultural experiment or food of the future? By Martha McClurg, Johnson County MG intern and registered dietitian We ve heard the word hydroponics or seen hydroponically-grown produce at the grocery store. Maybe you ve even tried some of these produce items and were left wondering why all the hype. There is now a growing field of aquaponics, where a hydroponicallygrowing system receives its water supply from a fish tank, with the plants being fed in turn by the fish effluent and the fish benefiting from the subsequently clean water (1). And so, what is hydroponics and how does produce grown in this manner compare to conventionally-grown produce? Hydroponics is the agricultural technique of growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs in an aqueous manner utilizing a soilless medium. These produce items can be grown with their roots in direct contact with water or with indirect water contact by being sown in a pearlite, coconut coir or other soil-less medium. One big advantage of hydroponics is that it is cost-effective, using less water and fewer pesticides and fertilizers than traditional farming. Hydroponic growing can also be used in areas unable to engage in conventional soilbased agriculture. Additionally, a diet high in fruits and vegetables is known to lower chronic disease risk, and thus having greater volumes of fruits and vegetables available could assist in achieving improved population health. What are the disadvantages of hydroponics? One risk would be that of possible Salmonella contamination (2). Salmonella is a bacterium that flourishes in the humid, damp environment hydroponics create, which could pose a public health risk due to foodborne illness. However, with proper produce handling, washing prior to eating, and cooking (as indicated), these bacteria pose minimal if any risk. When it comes to nutrition, how do hydroponic produce stack up to conventionally-grown produce? Interestingly, little research seems to have been conducted to date regarding the nutritional quality of these food items. Hydroponics are supplied with a regular, measured nutrient supply, meaning that these types of produce could, at least in theory, be of greater nutritional quality than their conventionally-grown counterparts. However, this has not been empirically demonstrated in research. In fact, some research suggests that growing vegetables in full or partial vermiculture is a good way to increase nutrient density of produce, which has been shown to be increased from that of hydroponically-grown produce (3,4). The take-home message is this: Hydroponically-grown or otherwise, we could all benefit from achieving greater fruit and vegetable intake. Hydroponics offers a sustainable and approachable agricultural medium for much of the United States and world, allowing many areas to grow produce where previously they could not. While more research should be conducted to ascertain nutrient density of hydroponically-grown produce, these types of produce provide a readily available and environmentally-friendly food supply that has the potential to play a large role in solving local and world hunger. References: 1. Burden, D., & Pattillo, D.A. (n.d.) Aquaponics. Retrieved from 2. Coila, B. (2015). Are hydroponic vegetables healthy? Retrieved from 3. Premuzic, Z., Bargiela, M., Garcia, A., Rendina, A., & Iorio, A. (1998). Calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin C content of organic and hydroponic tomatoes. Hort Science, 33(2), Weber, C. F. (2016). Nutrient content of cabbage and lettuce microgreens grown on vermicompost and hydroponic growing pads. Journal of Horticulture, 3(4), 1-5. doi: /

4 Iowa State University hydroponics lab and graduate student Hydroponics growing area at O'Hare Airport in Chicago. Vegetables and herbs are used in in airport's various restaurants Hydroponically-grown tomatoes (ISU hydoponics lab) Hydroponically-grown cucumbers (ISU hydroponics lab) Articles needed for the Thymes Newsletter I would like to encourage MGs to submit short feature articles ( words) of interest for the newsletter. These articles can be seasonal, something of special interest to you or a topic of interest to MGs. You might want to write an article related to a MG project you worked on or a topic you would like to learn more about. If possible, include a photo or two (jpg with at least 100 dpi) related to your article. 4

5 The newsletter is published 10 times a year (there are no issues in January and August) and is distributed via or USPS for those who prefer a hard copy. Each issue is about 7-8 pages in length and includes a variety of regular features such as announcements of upcoming MG events and meetings, special events of interest to MGs, a monthly birthday list, and a list of committee members and volunteer opportunities. If you are interested, please let me know. If you have an idea for an article or need help in putting an article together, contact me and we can discuss the topic and format. You will receive MG core volunteer hours for your work on the Thymes. Deadlines are listed in the Thymes. I look forward to hearing from you and working with you on the Thymes. Jan Denehy, Thymes Editor, Janice-denehy@uiowa.edu Master Gardeners with 15+ years of service gathered last month at the annual Winter Potluck 2017 Growing Together Mini-Grant The Johnson County Master Gardeners received a 2017 Growing Together Mini-Grant. JCMG will work with members to increase production of quality fresh garden produce that will be distributed via a partnership with area nonprofit organizations that serve low-income individuals and families living in Johnson County communities. Master Gardeners who participate in the Growing Together grant activities may track service hours at core locations including Demo Garden at the Fairgrounds; Plum Grove Vegetable Gardens, Mark Twain gardens; Grow Johnson County; JC Neighborhood Centers (Pheasant Ridge), North Liberty Community Pantry and Garden, and Shelterhouse projects. JCMG will be asked to complete worksheets to track produce donations; Shannon will send these out via , or you can pick up copies at the extension office. You may count up to 6 hours core time for volunteering at these additional non-profit sites for the grant; beyond 6 hours can still be counted but as non-core. Iowa State University increased the grant award based on the number of partners in our coalition. JCMG is providing $1,000 in-kind match for the Growing Together Mini Food Grant and also plans to apply for additional grant funds to purchase fruit trees and asparagus, rhubarb and raspberry plants at Grow Johnson County. JCMG who participate in the Growing Together grant activities, including their private vegetable gardens and track donation results may add 6 service hours for their efforts. Hours must be recorded online at Shannon is adding a line for the Grant. If you have questions please contact Lavon Yeggy or chairpersons for current JCMG core sites. Master Gardeners participate in Seed Share A new activity emerged just in time for gardeners. Dubbed Seed Share, the no-risk gardening opportunity encouraged gardening enthusiasts to drop-off and pickup seeds for spring planting. Just before the doors opened, gardeners lined-up eager to attend Seed Share, a new partnership between Johnson County Master Gardeners and the Iowa City Public Library. The project, a component of a Growing Together, a mini-grant from Iowa State University, hopes reduce food insecurity among individuals and families in Johnson County communities. Gardeners who participated in Seed Share were also encouraged to Plant a Row and donate excess produce to Johnson County food pantries and organizations that feed the hungry and those in need. Three popular, national seed companies, Baker Heirloom Seeds, Burpee and Seed Savers in Decorah, participated in the inaugural collaboration, donating more than 700 seed packets of nearly 30 varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Many gardening enthusiasts also contributed their saved seeds to share with others. JCMGs provided packaging, labeling and instructional materials allowing contributors to identify and package the seeds and provide planting instructions for others. Approximately 25 percent of those attending brought seeds to share. Planting guides and recipe cards were also provided to those participating. The early April date for the Seed Share was selected to allow gardeners time to start seedlings indoors before 5

6 temperatures warm sufficiently to transplant outside in mid-may. More than 10 Master Gardeners helped set up Seed Share; all promoted the benefits of gardening and the training they ve received through the Master Gardeners programs. Beth Fisher, ICPL Librarian and JCMG, was pleased with attendance at the maiden Seed Share with more than 70 people, calling the effort, Awesome! "Thanks to all for helping make Seed Share a success!" Linda Schreiber A listing of programs offered by organizations in our area that may be of interest to MGs. April 2017 Backyard Abundance Tuesday, April 4, :00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Design a Monarch Garden by Fred Meyer. Learn to design and establish gardens irresistible to Monarchs. Seed packets provided. Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center Social Hall. $5 fee. Registration limited to 50 people. Home. Wednesday, April 5, p.m. to 1 p.m. Eat Your Dirt. Learn how to foster microbes in the soil for healthy plants and healthy body. Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center Edible Classroom. $12 fee. Register now because class is limited to 20 people. Home. Wednesday, April 5, :30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Gardening with Spirit. Connect with the spiritual side of nature through playful gatherings the first Wednesday of each month at Gaia s Peace Garden, 2066 Bristol Dr., Iowa City. This month is a seed swap. Thursday, April 6 and April 20, :30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sustainable Living Conversations. Trumpet Blossom Café, 310 E Prentiss St., Iowa City. Students and community members with all levels of sustainability and environmental knowledge will gather, chat and enjoy dinner or appetizers. Friday, April 7, 2017 Weekend. Active Hope Retreat, Sponsored by Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center. Experience the healing power of gratitude, find compassion in honoring your pain for the world, embrace your connections with each other and all life on this planet and realize your potential to make a difference. Time outdoors. Facilitated by Kathleen Rude. Register at pw.retreatportal.com/calendar/viewevent.aspx. Saturday, April 8, p.m. to 4 p.m. The Garden as Your Classroom, Teaching the Next Generation. Part of the Farm to School/Field to Family program. This is a free class is open to teachers, district staff, parents and all those interested in using school gardens as outdoor classrooms. Presenters will showcase engaging lessons in the garden for Pre-K and K-12 students. Robert A. Lee Community Center upstairs Social Hall. Register soon. Class limited to 40 people. Tuesday, April 11, :00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Fruit Tree Companion plants. Learn how to choose and grow support plants around fruit trees to increase yields, enhance health, and reduce watering and weeding. Berry bushes, herbs and ground covers that thrive in the Midwest will be covered. Register soon at Parks and Recreation website, Home. Class limited to 30 people. $12 fee. Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center Edible Classroom. Thursday, April 13, :30 p.m. to 7;30 p.m. Green Drinks, a place to meet and exchange ideas with other green-minded folks in a cozy environment. Held the second Thursday of every month. Share Wine and Small Plate Bistro, 210 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Tuesday, April 18, :00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Grow a Backyard Medicine Chest. You will learn how to choose and grow popular herbs for wellness, ailments and injuries. Taught by Mandy Dickerson with Moon in June Herbs. Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center Social Hall and Edible Classroom. Register soon at Class limited to 25 people. $15 fee. Friday, April 21, :00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. Forest Bathing. Explore the ancient healing of shingrin yoku or forest bathing, a practice developed in Japan. In a gentle contemplative, guided walk at Hickory Hill Park you will experience the many benefits including relaxation, reduced stress, improved mood and increased energy. Info at ctivity_search/forest-bathing/7050. Saturday, April 22, a.m. to 11 a.m. Earth Day Run sponsored by Barbara Schlachter an Iowa City environmental leader. This Earth Day, help raise money to support the Red Cross and memorialize an Iowa City environmental leader. 4.1-mile run/walk (with a shorter 2-mile option) will take place in Lower City Park in Iowa City and end at the Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. Prizes and t-shirts. Register at runforvictimsofclimatechange.org/. 6

7 Saturday, April 29, :00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Edible Plant Sale Fundraiser at Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center. Get a jump on your spring plant shopping at the Backyard Abundance plant sale fundraiser. Herbs and vegetables. Info at Blue Zones Bur Oak Land Trust (formerly Johnson County Home) info@buroaklandtrust.org Wednesday, April 19, p.m. to 3 p.m. Pappy Dickens Workday Invasive Removal. Meet/park at the OLD Hy-Vee, which is now closed, on North Dodge. Contact Seth for more information at seth@buroaklandtrust.org or Wednesday, April 19, p.m. to 10 p.m. Share the Profit Night at Hudson s Southside Tap, 482 Hwy 1 W, Iowa City. Enjoy locally owned Hudson s with a 100% made from scratch menu and 40 tap beers while supporting wildlife and your community. A portion of Hudson s profits will be donated to Bur Oak Land Trust. Sunday, April 23, a.m. to 12 p.m. Pappy Dickens Workday Trail Building and Invasive Removal. Meet/Park at the OLD Hy-Vee, which is now closed, North Dodge. Contact Seth for more information at seth@buroaklandtrust.org or Saturday, April 29, a.m. to 12 p.m. O Mara-Newport Workday at O Mara Newport, 320 St NE, Iowa City. Tree planting project. Meet at the end of 320 th St NE and park single file along the road. Led by at seth@buroaklandtrust.org or Sunday, April 30, p.m. to 4 p.m. O Mara-Newport Workday, invasive removal. Meet at the end of 320 th St. N.E. and park single file along the road. Led by Seth at seth@buroaklandtrust.org or Coralville Lake Nothing scheduled at press time. Eastern Iowa Bird Watchers/IC Birds Saturday, April 15, :45 a.m. Otter Creek Marsh joint field trip with Big Bluestem Audubon and led by Eric Ollie. Estimated return time about 1 p.m. Meet at Kohl s parking lot, 2795 Commerce Dr, Coralville or at 8 a.m. at the Otter Creek Marsh observation deck on Hwy E66. Information at ECO_Iowa City Check website for events. Iowa State Extension Nothing scheduled at press time. Iowa Water ers?sk=wall Iowa City Stormwater Volunteer Opportunities. Stormwater Volunteer dates are April 2, 9, 23, and 30, The 2017 registration will begin in February. If you have a group of volunteers that need a day or timespecific event, contact Carol Sweeting at carolsweeting@iowa-city.org or Johnson County Conservation salgreen@co.johnson.ia.us Nothing scheduled at press time Johnson County-ISU Extension Friends of Hickory Hill Park Spring Work Days: Saturday, April 1, 2017, 12 noon, Honeysuckle Control; Saturday, April 8, 2017, 9 a.m., Honeysuckle Control Saturday, April 22, 2017, 12 noon, Honeysuckle Control Sunday, April 23, 2017, 1 p.m., Garlic Mustard Control Sunday, April 29, 2017, 9 a.m., Garlic Mustard Control Register and get more details at Jim Walters at Thursday, April 27, :00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Plant Some Shade Tree Pick-up. Plant some Shade Tree Ordering. Order forms are now available online for MidAmerican Energy Company residential customers in the Iowa City area to purchase discounted trees. Customers can purchase up to two 3 to 8 foot landscape trees for $30 each. Trees available include Chinkapin Oak, Shingle Oak, River Birch, Tulip Tree, American Linden, Redbud, Edible Cherry Meteor, and White Pine. Linn County-ISU Extension Wednesday, April 5, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Everything Whymsical Library Talks with Lori Bailey, LCMG. How about putting a little whimsy in your Garden. Put your own personal style and artful fun into your garden. Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or to sign up. 7

8 Thursday, April 6, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Green with Envy Library Talk by Devon Dietz LCMG. Start a beautiful lawn, encourage it, maintain it and/or deal with invaders. Central City Library, th St., Suite 2, Central City. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Tuesday, April 11, p.m. to 8 p.m. Plants with Style by Kelly Norris, twenty something plantsman. Kelly calls for- out with the boring plants and in with stylish alternatives that captivate and enthrall. Cedar Rapids Public Library, Whipple Auditorium, 450 Fifth Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iowastate.edu or Tuesday, April 11, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Container Gardens by Deb Walser, LCMG. Container gardens do not have to be three geranium, asparagus fern and vinca vines. Deb s own containers will be featured along with planting instructions. Ely Public Library, 1595 Dows Street, Ely. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Wednesday, April 12, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Spring Garden Maintenance by Wil Carew, LCMG. Join Wil as he covers what you should do, when to do it and why. Lad Library, 3750 Williams Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iowastate.edu or Thursday, April 13, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Arranging your Own Bouquets Library Talk by Judy Stevens, LCMG. Learn tips to preserve and arrange your bouquets whether from your backyard or gathered from the roadside. Various devices available on the market to assist in creating professional bouquets will also be demonstrated. Central City Library, th Street, Suite 2, Central City. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iowastate.edu or Tuesday April 18, p.m. to 8 p.m. Gardening with History, A Living Collection, by David Morton, head gardener at the Brucemore Estate. Join David as he discusses how gardening on a historic site is different in terms of the historic significance of plant material and design. Learn about Brucemore and how it s gardening has evolved. Cedar Rapids Public Library, Whipple Auditorium, 450 Fifth Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Tuesday, April 18, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Moonlight Gardens Library Talk by Debbie Main, LCMG. Love your gardens from warm Summer evenings through snowy winter nights by choosing elements and plantings to take advantage of romantic moonlight. Ely Public Library, 1595 Dows Street, Ely. Contact Shelly O Neal at Wednesday, April 19, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. New Perennials 2017 Library Talk by Deb Walser, LCMG. Learn how to select the best new perennials for your garden many of which are available in nurseries near you. Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Thursday, April 20, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Organic Vegetable Gardening Library Talk by Phil Pfister, LCMG. Phil will discuss approved and proven organic gardening techniques and practices to help you achieve a productive vegetable garden without using harmful chemicals and spending a lot of time. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Tuesday, April 25, p.m. to 8 p.m. 40 Fast and Fabulous Ideas for Outdoor Décor. Get 40 great garden and outdoor décor ideas that you can put together yourself. See simple ways to repurpose household and hardware items, cool ways to use plants in pots, and ingenious ways for expressing your creative side outdoors. Cedar Rapids Public Library, Whipple Auditorium, 450 Fifth Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Tuesday, April 25, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Raised Bed/Square Foot Gardens Library Talk by Wil Carew, LCMG. Wil leads this class to get you started with raised beds, construction techniques, trellis/cloche use, and protecting crops from critters. Ely Public Library, 1595 Dows Street. Ely. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Wednesday, April 26, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Daylillies: A Most Misunderestimated Perennial Library talk by Zora Ronan, LCMG. Not just yellow, orange or Stellas. LCMG and American Hemerocallis Garden Judge Zora Ronan will explore the many forms, patterns, colors in the daylily world and how to incorporate them into your garden. Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or Thursday, April 27, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Spring Garden Maintenance Library Talk by Wil Carew, LCMG. Time to get your yard, landscape and gardens ready for another growing season. Wil covers what to do, when to do it, and why. Central City Library, th Street, Suite 2, Central City. Contact Shelly O Neal at soneal@iastate.edu or New Pioneer Coop Check the website for events and activities. Project Green and Nothing Scheduled at Press Time 8

9 Seed Savers Check the website for events and activities. Trees Forever Saturday, April 1, a.m. Creekfinding: A True Story - Cedar Rapids. Children s book signing and kids activities. Author Jaqueline Briggs Martin and illustrator Claudia McGehee will read and sign their new children s picture book at first floor gallery space in CSPS Hall. Contact Next Page Books at or npb.newbo@gmail.com for additional information. 100_Grannies Thursday, April 6, a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Green Iowa Americorps Roundtable at the Senior Center, 28 S. Linn Street, Iowa City. Green Iowa Americorps is a new organization focused on energy efficiency, sustainability, education and outreach. Topics will include the burden of invasive species, ways to reduce your carbon footprint, alternative energy options, the benefits of choosing locally sourced foods and more. Contact greeniowa@gmail.com or Thursday, April 6 and April 20, :30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sustainable Living Conversations at Trumpet Blossom Café, 310 Prentiss St, Iowa City. Students and community members with all levels of sustainability and environmental knowledge will gather, chat and enjoy dinner or appetizers. Wednesday, April 12, a.m. to 3 p.m. Reusable Bag Campaign at the Downtown Ped Mall. Annual bag give away with U of Iowa students. Bring any plastic bags you have and exchange them for reusable bag. Thursday, April 13, :30 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. Green Drinks at Share Wine Lounge & Small Plate Bistro, 210 S Dubuque St, Iowa City. Meet and exchange ideas with other green-minded folks in a cozy environment. Saturday, April 22, :00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Run/Walk for Climate Change. Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. Celebrate Earth Day at this fundraiser and memorial to 100 Grannies founder Barbara Schlacter. runforvictimsofclimatechange.org/ or call Linda Quinn at Tuesday, April 25, :00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Activism Committee at Trinity Episcopal Church, 320 E. College Street, Iowa City. Join our group in planning for upcoming activism events. It s easy since we meet just prior to 100 grannies meeting at the same place. Tuesday, April 25, :30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 5 th Annual 100Grannies Celebration at Carol Christianson s home, contact for address. Bring a dish to share. Saturday, April 29, p.m. to 2 p.m. Quad Cities People s Climate March at Schwiebert Park on the riverfront between 17 th and 20 th streets in Rock Island, Il. We will march across the Centennial Bridge to Modern Woodman Park in Davenport. Rally begins at 1 p.m. at Modern Woodman Park. Speakers and activities for children. Oaknoll-MG Volunteer Matching Program MG volunteers are matched with Oaknoll residents to assist with planting and maintaining their small garden spaces at Oaknoll. Please contact Marilou Gay at or rmlgay@aol.com or Vicki Siefers or vsiefers@mchsi.com if you have any questions or would like to volunteer. Solon School Gardens Solon School Gardens can use your help! We are in need of MG's that would like to work on this Core project on their own time schedule, Work in these gardens is primarily pruning, weeding and moving plants. There are periodic group work events. Please contact Tracy Hufford at or tracehuff@aol.com Speakers Bureau Master Gardeners, are you interested in earning hours being a speaker? If so, please contact Jackie Wellborn, or leave your name, number, and topics of interest and Jackie will contact you. Also, if you give presentations for the Speakers Bureau please contact Jackie to inform her of your work. She records the information for her annual report. Jackie Wellborn, , jackiewe@mchsi.com 9

10 Hortline: Esther Retish, , Joy TenEick, ; Hospice Garden at Willow Creek Park: Melanie Haupert, , Intern Class/Training: Nicole Pearson, (507) , Johnson County Fair / 4-H Buckets of Flowers, Scarecrow: Marilou Gay, , rmlgay@aol.com Lavon Yeggy, , lavon47@lcom.net Mark Twain People s Garden (Non-core): Julie Hegmann, , Julie@hegmann.net If you are interested in learning more about or helping with a project listed below, contact one of the chairperson(s) listed for that project. Thank you! Attended Displays: Sharon Rude, ; momrude@gmail.com Butterfly House at Fairgrounds Carolyn Murphy ; carolyn-murphy@uiowa.edu, Mike Murphy, Coralville Historical School House: Cindy Parsons, ; cparsons@icialaw.com Ecumenical Towers: Jane Zukin, ; Janezukin@aol.com Demo Garden: Sherlyn Flesher, ; khyber71@aol.com; Miechelle Weber, , miechelle.weber@gmail.com Downtown City Gardens (Newly-approved core) Linda Schreiber, , lnschreiber@gmail.com Fair Grounds Beautification: Rain Garden: Lavon Yeggy, , lavon47@lcom.net, Mardi Rasmussen, , martharasmussen@yahoo.com Fair Grounds Flower Beds: Joan Dinnel, , jdinel@aol.com, Barb Krug, , bkmg2004@yahoo.com Firefighters Memorial: Barb Schintler, , barbjschintler@hotmail.com Fundraising/Flea Market: Barb Krug, , bkmg2004@yahoo.com Oaknoll Garden Project (Newly-approved core): Marilou Gay, , rmlgay@aol.com Plum Grove: Betty Kelly, , blkiowa@gmail.com; Joanne Leach, , Jleach@Jlgardens.net; Lavon Yeggy, , lavon47@lcom.net; Carolyn Murphy, , candmmurphy@aol.com Raptor Center Gardens: Alice Linhart, , mikeandalice@southslope.net; Karole Fuller, , jnkfuller@live.com Speakers Bureau: Jackie Wellborn, , jackiewe@mchsi.com Social Events: Steering Committee, Beth Fischer, , scrabblegirl@gmail.com; Lavon Yeggy, , lavon47@lcom.net Solon High School: Tracy Hufford, , TraceHuff@aol.com Steering Committee Chair: Lavon Yeggy, ; lavon47@lcom.net, Sharon Jeter, , sharonjeter@gmail.com; Barb Krug, ; kbjfarm@yahoo.com Thymes: Jan Denehy, , janice-denehy@uiowa.edu Treasurer: Loren Leach, , lleach@jlgardens.net Volunteer Hours/Secretary: Shannon Bielicke, , bielicke@iastate.edu 10

11 The Johnson County Master Gardener Thymes is published monthly, except January and August. It is distributed under the auspices of Iowa State University. Mail can be sent to: Johnson County Extension Service Attn: Master Gardener Newsletter 4265 Oak Crest Hill Road SE Iowa City, IA Send to: 11