We had over 300 participants attend the 2015 Ag Expo. See pics on page 5

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1 Red Master Dirt Memos Newsletter Our Next Meeting: 12, 2015 REA ~ 6 PM 2015 OFFICERS President: Teresa Slack ~ teresaslack@windstream.net Vice Pres.: Rita Nichols ~ eagleptsway@aol.com Secretary: Kathy Boyles ~ kathyboyles@gmail.com Treasurer: Robert High~ RDHigh@aol.com Past Pres.: Martha Bean ~ wpmvb@windstream.net If you have any questions regarding anything in this newsletter, please feel free to call (870) or visit Room 215 in the Miller Co. Courthouse, 400 Laurel. Sincerely, Jennifer Caraway County Extension Agent - Agriculture JWC:jds We had over 300 participants attend the 2015 Ag Expo. See pics on page 5 Soil testing is the best guide to soil fertility. Your soil is so much more than just dirt. It s a matrix that teems with life, both visible and microscopic. Soil testing can be done in the fall or in the spring before the lawn greens up. The University of Arkansas Extension Service offers homeowners free soil sampling. Soil testing isn t complicated and the soil samples you dig up can be taken to your local county extension office for testing. Sample areas around shrubs separately from turf. If you have a large area, sample separately areas that have been or will be managed differently. Use the following procedure in collecting your soil sample: Rake aside mulch or surface litter like leaves. Take soil with a soil probe or shovel from at least 12 spots in each area to obtain a representative sample. A zigzag sampling pattern is preferred. Fertilizer & lime recommendations are no better than Continued on page 6 You know you have dedicated volunteers when they are active in the MG program in two states! We have several MGs who have taken the training in Arkansas & Texas, and not only are they certified and doing their volunteer work in both states, but two of them have been President of their county program in AR & TX at the SAME TIME! Both are hard-working individuals who have been a huge asset to our program in Miller County and helped with the 2014 State Conference, so when they called and asked if I could present to their Bowie Co. MG training, I said yes. Please mail your dues now $25 to Robert High, Broadleaf, Texarkana, TX Seedlings: you are paid for the 2015 year. Per By-Laws: Membership dues are to be paid by the first month of the calendar year (January). If dues are not paid by January 31 st, they will increase by an additional $5 for Feb. ($20), and an additional $5 for March ($25). If dues are not paid by March 31 st, membership will cease. University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your County Extension office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

2 The Mediterranean diet is the gold standard for lifelong good health. Learn how to incorporate dishes of fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains into your meal planning as we discuss the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. You will prepare and taste recipes typical of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea in this hands-on workshop. Classes are scheduled for March 19 & March 26, There will be two classes per day. The morning class is from 9:00-11:30 a.m. and the evening class is from 6:00-8:30 p.m. The March 19 th and March 26 th dates will cover Eastern and Western cuisine. The evening classes are the same as the morning classes. Cost is $60 per person and covers both sessions (both mornings or both evenings). For reservations, call the Miller County Extension Office at or Payment must be received before your spot is secured. Space is limited so call soon if you would like to attend. Oh the weather outside is frightful!!! Typically, we sing that song during the Christmas holidays not at the end of February but the weather has certainly been crazy, hasn t it. We have had to postpone and reschedule many of our February projects. We have done our best to keep everyone informed, especially when we are basically operating on a day-today schedule not knowing ourselves what the next day would be bringing. One day it is 70 degrees and the next The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute is offering a unique opportunity to learn about gardening in Arkansas. Grow Your Groceries with Janet Carson is a gardening workshop that will take place at the Institute Sat., March 21 through Sunday March 22. The workshop is open to participants of a gardening skill levels, but will focus on basic techniques best suited day we have 5 inches of snow!!! Hopefully, we will get some relief soon. To me, the fact that the calendar says March helps my feelings a whole lot. I am definitely not a winter-person. I prefer a pretty day to be working outside in my garden or flowerbeds. So let s just keep warm thoughts going, and hopefully the spring weather will be here soon. We do have a lot of Master Gardener opportunities happening for beginners or those without considerable experience. Janet Carson, Extension horticulture specialist with the UofA Extension Service and state coordinator for the AR Master Gardener program will provide instruction for creating and planting raised-bed gardens. In the evening, participants will be treated to a culinary demonstration centered around the theme in March. You will find all of the details of our upcoming projects described here in this newsletter. Again, I would like to thank everyone who is already plugged in to a committee or a project. If you are not, we can help you with that!!! As I have said before, just find your passion and jump right in. there I something in Master Gardeners for everyone. Happy Master Gardening! Teresa Slack garden to table. President Admission to the workshop includes overnight lodging & breakfast the next morning. Grow Your Groceries will utilize space at the Institute s Heritage Farmstead for Carson instruction. For more information, visit institute.org/gardening or contact Jeff LeMaster at jlemaster@uawri.org or call A meeting was held January 23 to discuss plans for the Agri Expo.

3 On Valentine s Day, Sue, new Committee Chair of the Courthouse Flowerbeds led a walk around to see what was needed for the courthouse beds. Seventeen Master Gardeners came to give a hand. Once the walk around was completed, the roses were trimmed and several beds were cleaned. While we were trimming the roses, several cars pulled up and a group of folks gathered around the monument and we witnessed a wedding. Well, it was Valentine s Day after all! Dear Master Gardeners, It meant so much to me that the Master Gardeners bought me a portable phone that I can keep by my bed while I am convalescing at home. What a wonderful organization the Red Dirt Master Gardeners are and I am so proud to be a member. How thoughtful of you all to think of me. With sincere appreciation, It might not be spring yet, but the time to start planting seeds is just about here! If you have a greenhouse or a sunny window at home, you can begin planting and growing seeds indoors now, to transplant in your kitchen garden. Gardeners know the importance of enriching the soil. So here s an easy, natural and inexpensive way to give your vegetable plants a great start and enrich your garden bed in the process. Save your egg cartons and organic eggshells. Keep an empty egg carton in the kitchen. If the egg didn t crack evenly, place it in the egg carton anyway. You can place another eggshell on top of it. When your carton is filled with eggshells, you re ready to fill them with a quality potting soil, seeds and water. Continued on page 5

4 Part 2 in a series of 3 By Martha Bean Weeds Act Like Fertilizer Many weeds, such as comfrey, wild mustard, and most clover, have deep roots that penetrate the subsoil, where they harvest valuable nutrients and trace minerals far beyond the reach of other garden plants. As the weeds gradually decompose, the nutrients are recycled back into the soil. For example If you have dandelions your soil has iron, potassium & phosphate. If you have yarrow your soil has iron & phosphate. If you have comfrey your soil has nitrogen, potassium & phosphorus. If you have legume type weeds, such as vetch, wild lupine, clover, buckwheat, comfrey, dandelion, horsetail, wild mustard, nettle, and yarrow your soil has nitrogen. These plants are nitrogen fixers (bacteria living in the plants roots collect nitrogen from the air and convert it into a plantfriendly fertilizer.) That s not all: As the annual weeds chickweed, common mallow, lamb s quarter, mayweed, and purslane die back, their decaying tissues contribute additional organic matter that, in turn, helps to aerate the soil and make it looser. You can take advantage of this free fertilizer by growing these weeds as part of your rotation. Simply broadcast seeds onto the soil (an Continued on page 6 February 12, 2015 REA BUILDING Call Meeting to Order: The February meeting of the Red Dirt Master Gardeners was called to order by President Teresa Slack at 6:15 p.m. A quorum was present. Approval of Minutes: A motion was made by Paula Griffin to approve the minutes of the January 8, 2015 meeting. Motion seconded by Pam Williamson and passed. Treasurer s Report: A motion was made by Walter Lamb to approve the Treasurer s Report for January Motion seconded and passed. Unfinished Business: Farmers Market Martha Bean made a presentation about the Farmers Market and explained the history of the market and the Master Gardeners duties and responsibilities at the market. She asked for a volunteer to be the Market Manager for the Farmers Market. The Market Manager is on the Oversight Committee and schedules Master Gardeners as volunteers at the market. The Market Manager also assigns stalls to day vendors, inspects growers, is knowledgeable about the market and its regulations, and is helpful and friendly to vendors and customers. Miller County Courthouse Beds Sue Briley reported that there will be a work day on Saturday, February 14 to trim roses and to determine the needs for the flower beds this year. There also will be a workday on Saturday, February 28. County Judge Larry Burgess has committed to getting the supplies, mulch, water, etc. that we need to keep the beds in order. He has also said that community service workers will help with the beds. John Turner Bench and Scholarship The bench will be dedicated at the grand opening of the Farmers Market on June 13. Unfinished Business Sue Ellen Letterman thanked everyone who helped with the Agri- Expo earlier in the day. New Business: Proposed 2015 Budget Treasurer Robert High presented the budget. Master Gardener Awards Teresa presented awards to Martha Bean, Master Gardener of the Year, and Robert High, Rookie of the Year. Basic Training Basic Training has been rescheduled for April This date was determined by County Extension Agents Jennifer Caraway and Carla Haley Hadley. October, when the training was originally scheduled, is a very busy time for them and spring works better. Pecan Graftwood Collection Workshop The collection will take place on February 25. Volunteers will meet at REA at 8:00 a.m. Chris Engledowl and Sharon Ethridge are heading this up. Contact them if you would like to help. This is a fundraiser for the Master Gardeners. Birthday Recognition Gayle Renfro has signup sheet on the back table to write your birthdate on. Each month members who have birthdays that month will be recognized and will receive a small gift. If the member is not present, their gift will be raffled off. Please see Gayle if you would like to volunteer to help. Additional New Business Nina Goldman fell and broke her hip. She is not able to get around and needs a cordless phone. Suzanne Howell made a motion to buy a phone for her. Motion seconded and passed. There will be a workday at the Odgen Community Center on Thursday, February 26 at 9:00. Lunch is provided for all volunteers. Charlotte Neaves needs a head count of those who plan to help. The next Master Gardener meeting is Thursday, March 12 at the REA Building. After the meeting was adjourned, John Turner presented Everything You Need to Know about Pruning. Respectfully submitted: Kathy Boyles Secretary

5 By Andrea Thomas We had a great turn out for the 4-States Agri Expo and the Master Gardeners were there in full force to help with the registration, speakers, coffee, lunch, directions, and just wherever they were needed. Retirees Doug and John were helping out also. Our District Director, Beth Phelps came down for the event as well. There were lots of topics for the training sessions with wonderful speakers. My favorite was on tomatoes. I ll be looking forward to the Expo again next year. Una May at registration Robert, Sue, Sue, & Walter Gayle & Paula at lunch line Working the drink station Charlotte ready to start registering Georgette & Robert doing MG business Sharon signing in Ed signing in

6 550 Arkridge Road, Hot Springs National Park, AR Building with Trees Workshop MARCH 24 th 9:00-3:00 Registration Required Magnolia Room Trees are among the greatest assets in any landscape, but to build a garden requires environmental changes that can negatively affect these magnificent living treasures. Experts discuss everything from pests to new protection techniques like engineered soils and Growing Up! Vertical Gardening recycled rubber tree guards. Please choose lunch option desired. Cost is $45. APRIL 2 nd 3 Classes 9:30-3:00 Magnolia Room Reservations Required Growing Up! Vertical Gardening is from 9:30-11:00. You ll learn lots of attractive, inexpensive ways to grow more by growing up. From planter walls to creative ways of suspending pots on fences and trellises, you ll see dozens of ways to get off the ground for even more fun with gardening. Diamonds, Trellises and Trees is from 11:00-noon. Horticulture manager, Aaron Wright and landscape architect Bob Byers share pointers about espalier, a centuries-old horticultural practice for training ornamental and edible trees and shrubs into stunning geometric patterns on walls and trellises. Berries is from 1-3. Pat Ford of Renee s Berry Farm will share what he s learned about growing great berries in almost 20 years. Free to Members/$15 for Non-Members Soil Sampling Continued from page 1 the sample taken. Take samples in gardens, lawns and around shrubs to a depth of about 4 inches and for mature fruit trees at a depth of 12 inches. Mix soil thoroughly from a sample area. Keep different areas separate. Discard rocks, gravel and roots. Allow sample to air dry. Spread sample on newspapers or large paper bags for a couple of days. Do not heat the sample in an oven to speed drying. Remove one pint for the lab sample and place in a clean container or zip top bag. Label each sample with a name that you will recognize. Bring sample to your local extension office. Office hours are 8:00-4:30 Monday through Friday. Why We Need Weeds Continued from page 4 average of 1½ cups to 100- square-foot area should do just fine), work them in with a rake, and cover with additional soil to a depth three times the diameter of a seed. Remember too that weeds are nature s meadow a blanket of living mulch that helps to conserve water and protect bare ground against heavy rains and wind that can cause soil compaction and erosion. Even shallowrooted weeds, such as ground ivy, purslane, and oxalis, can help to prevent erosion. from the Old Farmer s Almanac See part 3 next month. This continuing education is sponsored by Pulaski Co. MGs. During this seminar you will discover the crops planted by Arkansas first farmers, find out where to locate & exchange heirloom seeds, learn about establishing native woodland plants Continued from page 3 Place in front of a sunny window, or beneath a grow light to give your planting a jump start. When it s time to transfer your seedlings outdoors, tap the bottom of the eggshell with a hand along the trails near Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and visit Granny s Garden to see the heirloom plants we all love. This seminar takes place Thursday, March 19, from 8:00-12:30, at the University of AR trowel to crack it and plant the seedling within its shell directly into your garden bed. Cracking the shell with ensure proper drainage and allow the shell to start decomposing and nourishing the plant roots and garden soil. Cooperative Building Auditorium, Little Rock. Cost is $20 per person. The deadline for registration is March 12 th. For information, contact Kathy at (Kathy.radcliffe@att.net) or Judy at (jw@shotgundans.com) Eggshells are an organic, biodegradable plant pot that adds calcium, nitrogen and phosphoric acid to your garden soil. Eggshells are also useful as a snail deterrent, protecting tender garden plants.