Ascension Parish Master Gardener Association

Transcription

1 Ascension Parish Master Gardener Association JUNE 2015 NEWSLETTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING The 2015 Ascension Parish Master Gardener Association meetings are held at 9 am at the LSU AgCenter office at Lamar-Dixon. If you have an item for the agenda, please contact Jamie Trisler and please wear your name tag. July 21, September 16*, November 17 Ascension Parish Master Gardener Program 9039 St. Landry Road Bldg. C Gonzales, LA (225) AscensionMasterGardeners EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING The 2015 Executive Board of the Ascension Parish Master Gardener Association meets at 9 am at the LSU AgCenter office at Lamar-Dixon. The board looks forward to serving the association and welcomes suggestions and comments. July 14, September 9*, November 10 *In the event there is not a Master Gardener class this year, the association membership meeting will be 9/15 and the board meeting will be 9/8.

2 MASTER GARDENERS HONORED FOR THEIR SERVICE FLOWERS, FRIENDS & FOOD!!! Eleven Ascension Parish Master Gardeners, along with Craig Roussel, Horticulture Agent, Ascension/St. James parishes, gathered with nearly 250 other Louisiana Master Gardener volunteers for the annual Master Gardener Appreciation Day held at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Center on May 8, Allen Owings' garden tours and Dan Gill's spring wildflower presentation had everyone adding a few new plants to their 'MUST TRY' list. The AgCenter extension specialists identified weeds, bugs and other problems found in our landscapes, offered solutions and solved a few mysteries! We appreciate being appreciated!!! Read more about this event through this link: ons/news/headline_news/master Gardeners honored for service.htm

3 KIDZ KOVE GARDEN NEWS Thanks to a wonderful group effort, the Kidz Kove redesign and landscaping project has been completed! The new landscaping was made possible with dona ons from Louisiana Nursery, Sco s Miracle Grow, Naylor s, Janis Poche, Barbara McCormick and Mary Jo Pohlig. Thanks so much to all of the following people who gave their me and energy to help get all the work done! Craig Roussel Barbara McCormick Kat Hightower Janis Poche Harlan Poche Conchita Richey Eileen O Brien Terry Tripp Marilyn Rice Curt Rice Jamie Trisler Mary Jo Pohlig Chris Pohlig Bare bed Fall 2014 first plan ng a empt Spring 2015 completed new landscaping with sign Early Spring 2015 a er being trampled Spring 2015 first phase of new landscaping

4 FAST FOOD FARM APMGs buzzing about at the St. James Parish Ag Day held at the Fast Food Farm in Gramercy on May 12. More than 500 3rd and 4th grade students visited 24 interactive booths to learn the answers to "Where Does Your Food Come From?". Students learned about pollination and the crucial role bees play in our food development at our BUZZY BEES booth. Enjoy some of the educational fun of the event through this video link:

5 RESPECT and PROTECT our BEES As the students visited our BUZZY BEE booth, many expressed fear of the bees. Some said bees were bad and others said they hated bees. An adult confessed she killed any bee that crossed her path. As Louisiana Master Gardeners, may we educate and inform others of the vital role bees perform in our gardens. Bees are found everywhere on earth except on the con nent of Antarc ca. Bees are the only insects in the world that make food for humans. Bees beat their wings 200 mes per second which produces their buzzing sound. Bees do a waggle dance to communicate to the other bees the loca on, quality and quan ty of nearby nectar. One third of our food crops are pollinated by bees. Average worker bee produces only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey during her 5 8 week lifespan. 556 worker bees are needed to produce 1 pound of honey. Bees collect nectar from 2000 to 4000 flowers to produce 1 tablespoon of honey. Honey is the only food that contains all of the substances to sustain life water, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Standing s ll or moving away slowly when a bee buzzes close by works much be er than swa ng the bee or other quick movements.

6 ASCENSION MASTER GARDENERS PARISH SPRING LIBRARY SERIES MADE US PROUD! THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE AND ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

7 HEADS UP NOMINATIONS AND VOTING FOR NEW OFFICERS Julie Elzer has been nominated for President Becky Floyd has been nominated for Membership Secretary. Voting will take place at our July meeting MASTER GARDENER TRAINING CLASSES are set to begin on Monday, August 17th to be held at the Gonzales Public Safety Center next to the Gonzales Fire Department, 724 W. Orice Roth Road, Gonzales, LA. The syllabus will be forthcoming. LOG IN YOUR VOLUNTEER AND EDUCATIONAL HOURS every month but especially by the end of June. If you are like most of us, you ll never remember your accomplishments by the end of the year! It s important to LOG ON because your hours are how the program is valued and evaluated. Inspector Craig is diagnosing someone's tomato problem with a close look at the plant roots using his magnifier.

8 June 4 (Thursday): St. James Tomato Field Day (educa on hours) 2124 Millet Street, Paulina, LA, 5:30pm June 11 (Thursday): Ascension Field Day (educa on hours) Lamar Dixon Expo Center, 5:30pm UPCOMING EVENTS THE REFLECTIONS IN THE GARDEN GARDEN SERIES (education hours) Burden Conference Center, 4560 Essen Lane, Register at Mondays: 12:00pm 1:00pm (bring a lunch, drinks provided), $10.00 for non members, free for Burden Horticulture Society members, Jul 6 Red Stick Farmers' Market: Local Farms and Food, Copper Alvarez Aug 3 Wondrous World of Zingiberales: Gingers and their Relatives, Glen Stokes Sep 14 Plants A Z, 26 Wanda Proven Louisiana Favorites, Wanda Chase Oct 5 Trees for Small Spaces, Scott Courtight Nov 2 LSU AgCenter Food Incubator Program, Turning Your Passion Into a Dream, Gaye Sandoz Dec 7 Louisiana Culinary Institute: Holiday Cuisine, Charlie Ruffolo June 20 (Saturday): Garden Fest at Burden (FUN!) LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens, 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, 7:30am 1:00pm. Focus on locally grown & produced food and beverages, garden and research plots. $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for children (ages 4 10), free for children ages 3 and under. July 14 (Tuesday): APMGA Executive Board Meeting (volunteer hours) Lamar Dixon Expo Center, 9:00am July 21 (Tuesday) APMG Association Meeting (education hours) Lamar Dixon Expo Center, 9:00am August 17 (Monday): 2015 Master Gardener Training Classes (educa on hours) Gonzales Fire Department Safety Training Center, 724 W. Orice Roth Road, Gonzales, LA Tentative Start Date (Mondays/Tuesdays) (more information TBA) *2015 APMGA FALL LIBRARY SERIES: *Please call to register in the Fall and let them know you are a Master Gardener. (educa on/volunteer hours) September 22 (Tuesday): Galvez Library ( ), 6:30pm, Janis Poche, Ascension Parish Master Gardner, Mistakes in the Garden October 6 (Tuesday): Dutchtown Library ( ), 6:30pm, Mar n Moser, ASLA, Landscape Architects & Contractors, Landscape Design 101 October 27 (Tuesday): Gonzales Library ( ), 6:30pm, Christopher Reid, Botanist, LA Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, Rare Plants and Habitats of Louisiana November 3 (Tuesday): APMGA Harvest Social Potluck Dinner (volunteer hours) Gonzales Fire Department Safety Training Center, 724 W. Orice Roth Road, Gonzales, 6:30pm Guest Speaker: Smiley Anders (more information TBA)