february Our Next

2017

Master Memos Red Dirt

Newsletter

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.

Meeting:

9, 2017 Ron & Teresa Slack’s Farm ~

6 PM Election of Officers

& Weiner Roast

If you have any questions regarding anything in this news-letter, please feel free to call (870) 779-3609 or visit Room 215 in the Miller Co. Court-house, 400 Laurel.

Sincerely,

John L. Turner County Extension Agent - Agriculture

JLT: jds

Jennifer Caraway County Extension Agent - Agriculture

JWC:jds

November Meeting - Election of Officers As you may have noticed, the REA is being renovated and we have been informed that we are unable to use it until at least January.

The Executive Committee and Hospitality Committee have decided for our November meeting to have a Weiner Roast at the farm of Teresa & Ron Slack. Our meeting is Thursday, November 9th. We will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a wiener roast and then move inside the Lodge for our Business meeting. We have a lot to discuss, including Election of Officers for 2018, signing up for Projects and Committees for 2018 and giving out 5 year, 10 year, and Lifetime Certificates. We will also vote on the whereabouts for our December catered Christmas party. Please be in attendance as this is a very important meeting.

The Slack Farm is located at 220 Double L Road in Texarkana, Texas (just 2 miles west of Kings Highway right off of Highway 67). Teresa’s cell number is 903.244.6222 in case you get lost. Call if you have questions or concerns.

We will be voting on so many things for the coming year. Also, you will have an opportunity to sign up for the projects that you will be working on in 2018. We need your input so please be sure to be at the meeting.

The Miller County Courthouse will be closed Nov.10

th for

Veterans’ Day and Nov.23

rd & 24

th for

Thanksgiving

Sitting: Tinka Marlatt, Brenda Wake, Vicki Westbrook, & Melissa Dowdle Standing: Jennifer Caraway, June Nix, Kenneth Bradford, Jenny Tefft,

James Jones, Wanda Adcock, Nicholas Auck, & Linda Moilanen.

Master Memos

Touring Domtar

Thanks to Sheila, we were able to tour Domtar, the papermill in Ashdown. First, they talked with us a little about what we were to see and cautioned us about where to walk and make sure we all understood about wearing the safety equipment provided.

We started out on a bus tour of the plant seeing the wood being unloaded, then stripped and chipped. They make use of all of the wood as well as its by-products, even to the extent of powering the plant. Then we went inside to see how the paper products are produced. It was very informative and quite interesting.

We rode the bus back, turned in the safety equipment and were fed a lovely lunch. We then viewed a pro- gram on how Domtar works with tree farm- ers and helps conserve the land. Before leaving, they gave each of us a ream of paper produced at the plant. A great time was had by all!

Trip to Dallas Arboretum The Miller County Red Dirt Master Gardeners had a great time at the Dallas Arboretum. Thirty MGs and guests made the trip on Oct. 16th. The weather was perfect and we spent the day among 90,000 pumpkins, mums and beautiful flowers – oh my!

Everyone enjoyed a leisurely lunch and had a great time getting to know each other better. Most of our summer interns made the trip and they all seemed to enjoy the day.

The trip was a “Thank You” to the MGs for recording their Volunteer hours in a timely manner, and did we ever do that. Now we won’t have to wait to the last minute. We are already planning a trip for next year!!

Group Photo

NOTES The Master Gardeners received the following three notes of appreciation for both the work that you do as an organization as well as the care you share as individuals.

On behalf of the Ag Learn-ing Center, I would like to personally thank you for your recent contribution of time during Kids’ Days. With over 6,000 in attend-ance, this event could not have been a success without you. Thanks again & I look forward to working with you again.

Sincerely, Dana Cross

Continued on next page

Master Memos

Continued from page 2

On behalf of my sister and me, I would like to thank you for the donation to Texarkana Hospice in honor of our Dad, Tom Cabaniss.

Dad very much enjoyed his work as a Master Gardener – Dad loved the dirt.

Peace, Kim La Rosa

I want to thank you all for your prayers for me; you will never know how much I deeply appreciate them. You are probably the reason I am back home and all my tests came back negative.

If you don’t know, I was having chest pains off and on for a little over a week and finally gave in & went to the emergency room. I did debate Friday morning whether or not to come on to Basic Training or go to emergency. I decided I needed to find out what was wrong. This was a hard decision because I am not fond of going to doctors and have an enormous fear of needles. I really wanted to be at Basic Training.

Anyway, they ran a bunch of tests and everything came back negative; my heart is fine. Apparently I have let myself get stressed out. I thought I was handling things okay, but I guess not.

Again, I want to thank you for your prayers and concerns. I appreciate all of you.

THANKS SO MUCH, Andrea Thomas

MG Basic Training We have 11 new trainees. Please make an extra effort to meet and welcome them at our November meeting. Looks like another great group. Thanks to all the folks who put in the hard work to make this Basic Training happen. Great Job!

NOTES

Getting the trainees checked in and welcomed

James and Scottie talking

to trainees

Alice talking to

the trainees

Working behind the scenes with hospitality

Liz helping with clean up

Carla talking to trainees

Paula & Rita giving out door prizes

Hospitality Committee

Master Memos

Whew! Can you believe

the temperatures we are having in our area … 27 degrees a week ago on Sunday to 70 degrees on Friday? Our plants & pollinators are really confused now.

It’s a good time to do winter-time chores in

your gardens while we are having warm temperatures.

Our trip to the Dallas Arboretum was a success and was enjoyed by all that went. The Executive Committee is already planning for something

for 2018. You have till December 15th to get your hours in for 2017. If you need help, please see Andrea about helping you with this.

So in closing have a great Thanksgiving and remember to give thanks for all you have.

James Lamb

Private Pesticide Applicator Training

For Miller County is scheduled for

December 5, 2017 ~ Miller County

Courthouse 3rd Floor Conference Room ~

5:30 PM

February 8, 2018 ~ Four States Fairground

Ag Expo ~ 2:00 PM

$10 training charge + $10 per year (or $45 for 5 years) license fee. If you need a license or need to renew an existing one, make plans to attend.

______________________

Courthouse Flowerbed Work Day By Gayle Renfro

On Wednesday, October 18th, seven Master Gardeners met at the courthouse and with Deonco and his guys’ help, we removed the three remaining rose bushes from the Rose Garden. They were transplanted to another bed at the courthouse. We then amended the existing soil by adding a half yard of organic compost and mixing it in. We then planted 7 Drift Roses that should spread out and completely fill the bed over time. We topped off the bed with a good thick layer of mulch and instructed Deonco on how they needed to be watered.

We also labeled as many of the existing plants in the various gardens as we could. We had purchased a set of stakes from County 76 and one of their markers for labeling plants. We used all we had. That being done will serve as education to the people passing by. Thanks to everyone that has put time in on the beds; they are looking great! There are still some things to be done but we have pretty much used up our Courthouse budget this year. There are a few of the azaleas that are either dead or are looking pretty bad. Hopefully, that can be corrected next year.

Thanks again to all who have helped out with this project.

4-H Fundraisers

Miller County 4-H has two fundraisers going on to help send Miller County 4-Hers to summer camps, O’Rama, National 4-H Trips (CWF) and 4-H pro-grams here in the county.

The prize being raffled is one-half of a processed hog. There will be two winners, who each will win one-half of a hog.

Tickets are:

$1 each ticket $5 for 6 tickets $10 for 12 tickets

The second is scented beads car air fresheners in various shapes and scents. They are $5 (small) or $9 (large).

If you are interested, please call our office at 870-779-3609.

Master Memos

Let’s Report Our Volunteer Time

Our Perennials (64 members) standing is: 37 recertified, 9 Lifetimers, 8 on Leave of Absence, 1 Sustainer, and 9 working on recertification hours.

Sanctioned Hours

Have you helped clean up or weed and plant at the Nashville Farmers’ Market and Demo Garden? Have you worked in the Miller County Courthouse Flowerbed? Did you bring one of the wonderful dishes to the meeting? You can count the time in the store picking up items to make that dish, al-though you cannot count travel time or time visiting with friends & neighbors). How long did it take to prepare your dish? Count that also. Did you come early and help set up for the meal? Count that time. All of this time goes under Hospitality/Social.

Non Sanctioned Hours

Did you go to the monthly meeting? You get 1 hour for the business part of the meeting. Report it under Monthly Meeting Business. Have you

By Andrea Thomas

December 15th is the

deadline for placing volunteer hours in the online system!!!

Also, keep putting volunteer hours in, even though you have placed in enough hours for recertifi-cation. Every hour you volunteer is important, so please document.

Go to www.uaex.edu, then Yard & Garden, click on Master Gardener Program, click Enter Volunteer Hours here and logon. This is the best way to make sure you are at the current or newest version of the online reporting system.

Update on Our Progress

Currently we have 85 members. Twenty-one are trainees (Annuals) who are doing fantastic. Six have already gotten enough hours to be certified. They are Clyde Davis, Cheryl Haislip, Wendy Harris, Louise Hicks, Theresa Mitzler, and Margaret Villas. Some of the other trainees are getting close to having enough hours to become certified.

helped with Basic Training? Have you written an article or sent in photos for the newsletter?

Education

Did you stay for the monthly meeting pro-gram? That will count as 1 hour education. Report it under monthly meeting program. Have you been to any seminars or work-shops on gardening? Did you go to the MG Apprec-iation Day? Did you go to the Dallas Arboretum?

Have you been to a public garden (e.g. Garvan Gardens, Dallas Arboretum, Rose Garden in Shreveport or Tyler, etc.)? Report that time under Garden Tours. Your neighbors’, friends’, cousins’ … garden does not count, it must be public not a private or individual’s garden.

Have you been reading Horticulture Magazines or Books? You can report 1 hour monthly for this.

Have you been watching a Horticulture program on TV or listening to a horti-

culture program on the radio? You can report 1 hour monthly for this.

Travel Time

Now the rule is that you cannot count travel time; there is an exception. The exception is: should you be transporting items for a project, you may count the time loading, unloading, & moving/ transporting the items. Some examples: hauling compost or mulch for the Courthouse flower-beds or Downtown gar-den or items for displays as at Advanced Training, Horticulture Dept. at the Fair. Count the time under the project you are working on. Now only the time you are transporting items. Bringing or transporting your personal gloves, hoe, shovel, pruners, etc. to a project does not count.

If you have any questions on reporting your hours in the on line system or need a password reset, please give me a call 903-832-8111 or send me an email at7550@yahoo.com and I will do my best to help.

MG Basic Training Photos Continued Teresa teaching Andrea teaching

Master Memos

flower bed will be started soon. The sign and flower bed are being planned by the Texarkana, Arkansas City Beautiful Commission. The committee will be chaired by Paula Warren. This committee will decide on the layout of the flower bed. The sign will be located on Texarkana, Arkansas property.

Annette Lachowsky reported on the two Arkansas school projects with students. The College Hill Middle School project will involve EAST students who are in the sixth grade. Trice Elementary has a group of 4th and 5th grade students who are involved with a program called HEAT. This project will include raised beds.

Martha Bean told the club that this is the last general meeting where apparel can be ordered. The other time to order will be during basic training in late October & early Novem-ber. Orders must be paid for at time of order.

Andrea Thomas said that December 15 is the dead-line to post volunteer hours. Trainees with completed hours are Wendy Harris, Louise Hicks, Margaret Villas and Theresa Mitzler. Andrea

also announced to let her know if anyone needs a badge, which she will order for $10 each.

In New Business, Teresa Slack announced that we have 10 people signed up for the new Basic Train-ing Class, which will take place the last week of October and the first week of November 2017. The Basic Training Committee will meet this coming Fri-day at the Miller County Courthouse.

Pins for members who have been active for 15 years will be awarded at the November meeting. These members are Rita Nichols, Agnes Fields, Andrea Thomas, Suzanne Howell, Alice McMillan, and Charlotte Neaves.

Tonight we celebrate the Red Dirt Master Garden-ers’ 29th birthday! Members enjoyed a birthday cake at the meeting. The rest of the cake will be frozen, thawed and served at the November meeting!

There was much discus-sion about our Christmas Dinner meeting- whether the food will be paid for from club funds and details of the meeting. President Lamb appointed a committee to research caterers for the dinner.

October 12, 2017 REA BUILDING

The meeting was called to order by President James Lamb. Minutes approved as printed in the newsletter. Jane Richards made the motion to accept minutes and Mary K. Liverett seconded the motion.

The treasurer’s report was approved after a motion made by Judith White and seconded by Teresa Slack. The report will be filed for audit.

In Old Business, Teresa Slack said that tonight was the last night to sign up for Arboretum trip. Gayle Renfro announced that the Courthouse beds are looking great. A workday is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18 at 8:30am.

Several members attended Master Gardeners Appre-ciation Day in El Dorado, AR recently. Members said it was a good event. The representatives from the Arkansas Highway Trans-portation Department will attend our November meeting and a decision will be made as to the location of the wildflower beds along Interstate 30. Janet Lemley will chair this committee.

The Texarkana Welcome sign is on I-30 on the East side of Texarkana. The

The committee includes Sheila Keever, Judith White and Jan Lavender.

Service projects will be voted on at the November meeting. President Lamb instructed members to approve the projects they are willing to help with throughout the year. Ballots with all projects circled will be destroyed and not counted.

A nominating committee was announced by President Lamb: Chair-Gayle Renfro, Judith White, Rita Nichols, Rita Lamb, and Charlotte Fuller (each member volun-teered her services). This committee will present a slate of members at the November meeting— to be nominated for offices for 2018.

Charlotte Fuller announced a meeting for the Spring Plant Sale Fundraiser —committee meeting will be November 8 at the Courthouse in the 3rd floor conference room.

The business meeting was adjourned and then Lisa Egner presented a pro-gram on “Day Lillies from Food to Landscaping”.

Respectfully submitted,

Jan Lavender Secretary 2016-2017

MG Basic Training Photos Continued