NCMGVA Winter 2011 · December 6 - NCMGVA Board of Directors Meeting, Brunswick County, Bolivia, NC. March 20, 2012 - NCMGVA Board of Directors Meeting, Buncombe County,

December 6 - NCMGVA Board of

Directors Meeting, Brunswick County,

Bolivia, NC.

March 20, 2012 - NCMGVA Board of

Directors Meeting, Buncombe County,

Asheville, NC.

May 20-23, 2012 - 2012 North Carolina

Master Gardener Conference, Hilton

DoubleTree, Asheville, NC. (more

information on the conference is available

at www.ncmastergardeners.org)

Carteret Wins International Search for Carteret Wins International Search for

Excellence AwardExcellence Award

Helping North Carolina GrowHelping North Carolina Grow

In this Issue:

Carteret Excellence Award - Page 1

Children’s Secret Garden - Page 2

President’s Report- Page 3

Western Region Symposium - Page 3

Statewide NCSUGarden.com - Page 4

District Reports - Pages 4-15

Winter Winter

2011 2011

Winter Sunrise at Cape Hatteras Winter Sunrise at Cape Hatteras

UPCOMING EVENTS

North CarolinaNorth Carolina Master Gardener Master Gardener Volunteer Association Volunteer Association

Membership: NCMGVA member-

ships expire on December 31. If our

records indicate that your membership

is expiring this year, you should receive

an email reminder in early December.

You can also check your expiration

date by going to the NCMGVA website

(www.ncmastergardeners.org), logging

in, and clicking on View Profile. While

you’re there, check your contact infor-

mation and make sure everything is

correct. If your email or snail mail ad-

dress is out of date, please update it so

that we can continue to get the news-

letters (and other information) to you.

Carteret County Master Gardeners, under the

leadership of County Extension Director Anne

Edwards, were awarded a 2011 Search for Excel-

lence Award at the International Master Gar-

dener Conference in October in Charleston, West

Virginia.

They received third

place in the demonstra-

tion gardens category

for their gardens which

include: 1) a rain gar-

den at the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium demonstrating

how to capture rainwater and hold it for slow percola-

tion into the soil; 2) a pollinator garden at Core Sound

Museum and Heritage Center to teach people which

adapted plants provide pollen and nectar for a wide

range of insect pollina-

tors; and 3) a vegetable

and herb garden at the Beaufort Historic Site

demonstrating year round food production.

In addition to creating and maintaining the

gardens, Extension Master Gardener Volunteers

created signs, bro-

chures, and educational

programming including

at least two events at

each garden every year.

The organizations that

host the gardens have included information about the

gardens on their websites. The gardens are visited by a

half million people a year.

131 131 131 131 Paid applications as of November 17 Sign up now.

www.ncmastergardeners.org

Rain Garden at the Pine Knoll

Shores Aquarium

The Apothecary Garden

at the Beaufort Historic

Site includes medicinal

herbs used in the 1800’s.

The Pollinator Garden at the

Core Sound Museum.

Harvest Days Event

REMINDER

NOTE: If this issue seems a little

thicker than usual, that’s because

it is! We’ve had to expand to 16

pages to include all the interesting

county reports that have come in

from the Districts. - Editor

Newsletter Staff

Editor: Bob Kellam Wake County MG Ph: 919-231-2827 [email protected]

District Reporters:

West District:

Betty Lockwood Henderson County [email protected]

Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Cherokee Resv., Clay, Graham, Haywood, Hen-derson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Tran-sylvania, Watauga, Yancey

West Central District:

Debbie Moore Clark Mecklenburg County [email protected]

Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, Yad-kin

North Central District:

Edna Gaston Kerr Lake Master Gardeners [email protected]

Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Vance, Wake, War-ren

South Central District:

Patricia Dean Cumberland County [email protected]

Anson, Bladen, Cabarrus, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Mont-gomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Stanly, Union

Northeast District:

Carol Barbato Beaufort County [email protected]

Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Cur-rituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, North-ampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrell, Washington

Southeast District:

Carol Wilson Brunswick County [email protected]

Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson

The Master Plan for our Wilson Bo-

tanical Garden was developed in 2004.

In 2007 we began planning for the first of

the larger gardens, the Children’s Secret

Garden. The Secret Garden focuses on

experiences for young children or for the

“young at heart”. Different garden areas,

plants, hardscape and water features will

provide an opportunity to integrate play

as well as promote the importance of ex-

ercise along with developing respect and

appreciation for things that grow.

Components of the Garden will in-

clude a Bog Garden with a re-circulating

stream that features a diverse array of

plants that grow in wet sites. At the end

of the stream, Sunflower Garden sprinklers will offer a cooling shower on warm sum-

mer days. There will be a picnic area for families and

events paved with memorial bricks provided by donors

and a ground level outdoor covered classroom with a

“rain wall” which will continuously water the adjacent

“Meat Eater’s Garden” and its carnivorous plants.

The Banana Split

Sundae Garden will

be located in the cen-

ter of the site with

plants that look,

smell, or are named

after the ingredients.

A Music Court will

have fun and unusual instruments for children to

interact with, a Dino Dig will include materials

mined from Aurora, NC, and a Labyrinth composed of

a low spiral hedge will lead children to the center where a surprise awaits.

With the benefits of funds and donations raised from a number of sources, we

started work on Phase I, the clearing and grading of

the one acre, site in 2009. During 2010 the Tree

House classroom was constructed. Phase II involves

the laying of the garden

paths and we hope to

have this work completed

by the end of November.

We envision that the

Children's Secret Garden

will not only have educa-

tional value, but will help our children to the importance

of being good stewards of our environment. If you’re in

the neighborhood, please come and visit.

______________________________

The Children's Secret Garden was the recipient of an NCMGVA Competitive Matching

Grant in 2011. NCMGVA has also purchased a memorial brick for the Garden.

Phase II Construction Begins on the Children’s Phase II Construction Begins on the Children’s

Secret Garden at Wilson County BotanicalSecret Garden at Wilson County Botanical By Sandy Goetz, Wilson County

PAGE 2 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION

Fall, 2011: The second phase of

construction is underway.

Excavating the garden paths

The engraved bricks arrive

Laying the retaining walls.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had the chance to attend two events that largely focused on

the Local Food Movement. The first was the annual Carolina Farm Stewardship Association Con-

ference. For those of you who aren’t familiar with CFSA, it is an organization of North and South

Carolina farmers, gardeners, and consumers formed more than 30 years ago to promote local, sus-

tainable agriculture. This year’s conference was held in Durham and drew 1,300 attendees. In ad-

dition to sessions ranging from seed saving and season extension to mob grazing and mushroom cul-

tivation, the conference offered an opportunity to tour local farms in the surrounding counties.

One of the stops on the tour we joined was the Central Carolina Community College in Pitts-

boro. CCCC is nationally known for its emphasis on sustainable agriculture and technologies, and

already offers associate degrees in green buildings and green technologies, as well as sustainable agriculture. But one of

the new programs that caught our attention was the Natural Chef Culinary Program. This program teaches the culinary

arts, but with an emphasis on sustainability, nutrition, and whole foods. It started out as a continuing education curricu-

lum but has been so popular that it will become a full-fledged degree program this Fall. The Program operates a café

onsite offering lunches and one dinner a week, with meals prepared from, according to Head Chef Greg Hamm, “98%

local ingredients”. They served us a lunch of roasted free-range chicken, sweet potato fingerlings, two types of salad, and

fresh-baked bread that was delicious.

The second event was a half-day workshop sponsored by Wake County and AHA (Advocates for Health in Action), on

Creating a Local Food System in Wake County. The workshop brought together farmers, food brokers, restauranteurs,

health professionals, teachers, healthy food advocates, and food writers to discuss ways to improve access to, and distri-

bution of, locally-grown food and create public demand.

What’s the connection to Master Gardeners? For both of these events, the key finding was the importance of educa-

tion: educating chefs-in-training of the importance of sustainable practices, educating consumers on the health and envi-

ronmental benefits of local food, and educating families that good nutrition is the best defense against childhood obesity.

As educators who deal with the public on a daily basis, Master Gardeners are uniquely situated to actively promote these

initiatives through our work with community gardening programs, farmers market events, growing workshops, demon-

stration gardens and youth horticulture. Keep up the good work. And the next time you’re in Pittsboro, stop by the

CCCC for lunch. Tell them Farmer Bob sent you.

President’s Report: A Few Words about Local FoodPresident’s Report: A Few Words about Local Food by Bob Kellam, Wake County

PAGE 3 WWW.NCMASTERGARDENERS.ORG

The one-day symposium, hosted by the Henderson and Buncombe

County Master Gardeners, attracted 111 attendees and speakers from

18 counties. The theme for this year’s Symposium was “Tools for Mas-

ter Gardeners”.

Dr. Lucy Bradley, the State Master Gardener Coordinator led off

the morning session with an update of the state program and an intro-

duction to the new “Statewide” section of NCSUgarden.com (see the

article later in this issue). The balance of the morning was devoted to

breakout sessions, with Dave Zorich (Henderson County) presenting a

how-to guide to the PowerPoint presentation, agents Linda Blue and

Jan McGuinn answering frequently asked questions, and Joyce Weinberg and Suzanne

Wodek reviewing some of the best reference books for Master Gardeners.

After lunch Bob Kellam gave an update on the work of the State Master Gardener

Association (NCMGVA) and Kathy Connors reported on the 2012 Master Gardener

Conference in Asheville (May 20-23, 2012). Following another series of breakout ses-

sions incl;uding Linda Alford speaking on “Fact and Folklore in the Garden”, John Vin-

ing, the Polk County Extension Director, wrapped up the symposium with a talk on

new and interesting varieties of plants for the home landscape.

The Symposium Committee has decided that it would be impractical for Henderson

and Buncombe County to host the Western Region Symposium in 2012, given our in-

volvement in planning the state conference. This would not preclude other counties in

the region hosting a symposium if they choose to do so. It is hoped that the event will

resume in 2013.

2011 Western Region Symposium 2011 Western Region Symposium By Betty Lockwood, Henderson County

Joellen Johnson (Henderson)

and Gail Banner (Buncombe)

greet Symposium attendees.

The NC Botanical Garden sporting

its Fall Colors


The County Line: West District ReportThe County Line: West District Report Betty Lockwood, District ReporterBetty Lockwood, District Reporter

Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Cherokee Reservation, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson,

Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Yancey

Henderson County Henderson County - Submitted by Betty Lockwood

After a busy summer, where we all continued to work in our various gardens, attend meetings to plan the 2011 West-

ern Region Symposium (see separate report in this issue) and the 2012 State Conference, we looked forward to winding

down in the fall. This was not to be – those of you who have been through the experience will understand the testing time

we went through when we learned that Diane Turner, our Extension Agent and leader for ten years, was leaving to move

with her family to Minnesota. After the initial shock, a transition team was formed and plans made to keep the program

Oh, the Places You’ll Go …Oh, the Places You’ll Go … NCSUGarden.com Statewide Site Expands with “Web Resources”NCSUGarden.com Statewide Site Expands with “Web Resources”

Okay. That little blue tab labeled “Statewide” in the

upper right hand corner of the NCSUgarden main page

has been there for a while, but have you explored it

lately? The newest feature is “NC State Resources for

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers” and it repre-

sents an extensive compilation of web-based tools that

you can use to answer questions, research issues, and

find information from reputable sources (something you

don’t always get when you Google or Bing a topic).

The resource collection is listed alphabetically for now, but the plan is to consider other ways of

organization including key word or term searches. With a click of your mouse, you can link to the

JC Raulston Arboretum Winter and Summer Trial Reports and see the results of the trials re-

search for hundreds of annual trial varieties. Getting questions

about the location of the nearest Community Garden? Click on the

link and you can access the resources of the American Community

Gardening Association as well as a listing of community gardens in

North Carolina.

If you’re curious about local ordinances concerning trees, you can

access the NCSU site on Tree and Local Regulations in North Caro-

lina to find out what the zoning and tree protection ordinances are in

NC municipalities and counties. You can also visit the NCSU sites

on beekeeping, insect id, and, if you want to get a little obsessive about it, the NC Ag Chem Man-

ual.

The latest issue of Extension Gardener is only a

click away, as are sites on invasive plants, herbar-

ium keys, and turf selection, diseases, and irriga-

tion issues. There are publications on soils and

nutrient sufficiency levels, sites on youth horticul-

ture, and reptiles and amphibians in your back-

yard. The resources of the NCSU Plant Disease

and Insect Clinic are at your fingertips, as well as

the schedule for in-service training for Master Gardeners and Extension agents through the Ellu-

minate webinars. You can also browse the extensive collection of insect images from the photo

galleries in the NCSU Department of Entomology collections, JCRA’s Bloom Calendar, and trea-

tises on Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants, Gardens, Lawns and Landscapes, and Com-

munity Forestry.

So, if you haven’t visited this trove of information, give it a look. It’s definitely worth the trip.

WWW.NCMASTERGARDENERS.ORG PAGE 5

going forward until such time as a replacement is hired. Diane did a wonderful job setting up all the training for next

year’s class and making sure that we have all the tools need to do what has to be done.

You will be used to hearing about the gardens of The Bullington Center, the Flat Rock Playhouse, the new low main-

tenance gardens around the Extension Center and Bountiful Harvest Community Garden. You are probably also familiar

with our booth at the festivals on Main Street and our involvement with regional and state conferences. However our

Henderson County Master Gardeners are involved in a variety of other projects and activities. Not least of these is our

Hot Line. Under the enthusiastic leadership of Ernie Grose, the Master Gardener Office – and of course its phone – is

covered from mid-March through the end of October. The hours are 9-12 Monday through Friday and 1-4 Monday

through Thursday. There is an email account where members of the public can submit their gardening questions at any

time. We try to always have two people working at any given time, and for the early months in spring have a mentor pro-

gram where the new Master Gardeners are ensured of being paired with someone experienced for their first few shifts.

New this year was having a Master Gardener – Jim Curtis from the 2011 class – to help Bullington Center Coordina-

tor John Murphy with the school gardens around the county. Many

people are involved in mentoring the students at the various schools

in a variety of different gardens.

Celeste Mayes and several others work with the 4-H kids, mentor-

ing and subsequently judging their home gardens.

Throughout the year we get requests from various groups for speak-

ers. We also have the Master Your Garden series of talks in the

spring and fall. Topics this year have included lawn care, hydran-

geas, herbs, seed starting, bulbs and putting the garden to bed.

We also continue to enjoy every opportunity to party together! This

included a wonderful, if somewhat emotional, farewell party for

Diane – a wintry theme, complete with fake snow and some hastily

retrieved Christmas decorations. This lovely southern gal was, after

all, moving to Minnesota! A big thank you to Elaine Monahan and

her crew.

As the year winds down, we take this opportunity to wish all of you

a happy and peaceful Holiday Season, and great growing in 2012.

Jackson Jackson -- Swain Counties Swain Counties - Submitted by Diane Herring

Greetings! From the newly formed Jackson Swain Master Gardner’s Associa-

tion. Our NC Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardener instructor Christy

Bredenkamp was pivotal in helping us get our start. Our first meeting was April

of this year by our second meeting we had our officers elected, our Constitution

and By Laws in place with 17 members. Adam Bigalow presented one of our first

programs on Invasive Mountain Plants, Lynn

Jones gave an interesting program on Bee Keep-

ing, and Dr. Matthews associate Professor of

Biology at Western Carolina University gave a

program on Fall Leaves which we opened to the

public.

Some of our members helped maintaining the

plants, shrubs and trees at the new Jackson

County Library and Historic Courthouse complex. We are excited about continuing to

grow in numbers and have new projects and programs.

McDowell County McDowell County - Submitted by Jan Zimmerman

Fall is our busiest time with our yearly fund raiser at the Mountain Glory Fest in Marion. The funds go toward our

yearly scholarship which is awarded to a McDowell County student going on to college. The monies we make are added

to an endowment Fund which soon will be self-sustaining to fund our scholarship.

October also sees us, along with many other volunteers, teaching the county’s 4th graders, all 500 of them, learn

about horticulture at the Agriculture Center. Our group also brings our best pot luck dishes to serve the volunteers who

teach.

Treasurer Kathy Farmer, Secretary

Lynn Jones, President Jan Miller, Vice-

President Michael Glover

Farewell Party for Diane Turner: l to r Dave Zorich,

Elaine Monahan, Ernie Grose, Barbara Patton, Diane

Turner, Ivy Olson (Extension Secretary), Kathy Con-

nors, Bonnie Graupp, Betty Lockwood, Pierre Hart,

Joellen Johnson

Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie,

Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin

The County Line: West Central District The County Line: West Central District Debbie Moore Clark, District ReporterDebbie Moore Clark, District Reporter

Burke CountyBurke County - Submitted by Joan Taylor

This quarter has been busy for the Burke County Extension Master Gardeners. July started with planting our Com-

munity Gardens; Community Service Project work on the Extension property; help with 4-H Gardening Day; and an en-

joyable presentation at our monthly meeting by Jeff Stark, photographer, who shared mountain trail and backyard pho-

tographs and gave valuable hints for improving photos. At that meeting, our Special Events Committee presented a rec-

ommendation to sponsor a lecture and workshop by Barry Glick, owner of Sunshine Farm and Gardens in West Virginia,

a hellebores expert and entertaining lecturer. The group approved the recommendation and the dates were set for Sep-

tember 30 – October 1, 2011. This event required lots of planning and work by EMGs.

August found volunteers helping with the Drexel Fair. We also enjoyed a great presentation at our regular meeting

by our wonderful agent Donna Teasley on the trip she and 30 other EMGs and friends took to Pennsylvania where they

toured Philadelphia, the Amish country, Hershey, Winterthur and Longwood Gardens. Donna is also an excellent pho-

tographer!

In September, a large number attended the Unifour Master Gardeners Picnic hosted by Catawba County at the Mor-

ris Ferry Clubhouse where they shared delicious food, toured two gardens and exchanged plants. Our Burke gardeners

also hosted a booth at the Historic Morganton Festival all day on September 10. At our monthly meeting, Daniel Steines,

City of Morganton Parks Superintendent, shared information about the Tree City USA Program, a part of the National

Arbor Foundation (NAF). He is hoping to find a group willing to help obtain the Tree City USA designation. Steines also

described some of the Morganton’s current ordinances regarding tree removal, as well as the rampant practice of tree

topping, and cited Catawba Meadows Park for effective tree management. The month ended with a very successful lec-

ture on native plants by Barry Glick, followed by a reception, and the expectation of a wonderful plant propagation work-

shop the following day!

Catawba CountyCatawba County - Submitted by Peggy Wesp

Catawba Valley Master Gardeners started the year with a huge project in September. (We do not meet in July and

August and only volunteer for ongoing projects or special needs from the Extension Office during those months.) We

hosted EMGs from the surrounding counties of Burke, Caldwell and Alexander—known with us as the Unifour Region—

to a covered-dish luncheon complete with tours of some members’ gardens, door prizes of table arrangements constructed

by members, and a plant swap! The setting was the waterfront clubhouse in a north Hickory neighborhood, which was

perfect. The weather cooperated, so it turned out to be a very enjoyable event, which gave more than fifty gardeners from

our four counties the chance to get to know each other over a meal. Representatives from Extension attended, as well as

the Hickory Assistant County Manager who gave an official welcome to the visitors.

Lincoln CountyLincoln County - Submitted by Beverly Phelps

The third quarter of the year was busy for the Lincoln County Master Gardener Volunteer Association, and the hot

summer did not slow us down. Twice monthly, our members worked hard in the heat and humidity, maintaining the gar-

den at the Shanklin Library in Denver, as well as volunteering weekly to open and close the farms markets located

in Lincolnton and Denver. Long-time EMG Giles Martin, Sr. was honored in a ceremony for his service to the Lincolnton

Farmers Market, and the permanent shelter there was named for him.

During the quarter, we were fortunate to have some wonderfully educational and entertaining speakers and did

some very enjoyable things. We took a tour of the Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville, and held one meeting at the


Our monthly meetings usually involve outings to places such as the Sustainable farm at Western Piedmont College

in Morganton, a mushroom farm in Nebo, a local nursery or an in-office educational program. This year we had several

workshops making hypertufa pots which we planted with sedum, terrariums and living wreaths to sell at Mountain

Glory.

For several years now we have been helping a local elementary school with their greenhouse and garden club from

April till school is out. This year we have been helping beautify our new McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway Trail

by planting trees, bushes and perennials. A community garden is in the works at the local YMCA and we hope to be in-

volved helping teach gardening skills.

home of member Debbie Beck, who is not only an EMG, but also a beekeeper. After a tour of her place and garden, Deb-

bie gave us a brief program on keeping bees, and then we held our meeting in her barn.

Peggy Wesp, who is President of both Catawba EMGs and the East Lincoln Garden Club, gave a program on Non-

native Invasive Plants. Sadly, we learned that some of our favorite plants are invasive, and as EMGs, we should not be

propagating or sharing these plants. There are many plants on the non-native invasive plant list, which is available

from NC State University and Extension offices.

In August, we hosted booths at both the Lincolnton and Denver Farmers Markets to promote the Master Gardener

Training Class coming up this fall, and to distribute brochures for Extension and the Foothills Fresh program. We

passed out soil sample boxes and answered questions for very interested crowds at both locations. We also did some re-

cruiting for future Extension Master Gardeners!

Mecklenburg CountyMecklenburg County - Submitted by Debbie Moore Clark

Prior to our monthly meeting on August 17, 2011, Mecklenburg County EMGs savored tomato sandwiches at our Sec-

ond Annual Tomato Sandwich Lunch. The wildly popular event featured freshly sliced bread, home-grown basil, heir-

loom tomatoes, a dab or more of mayo—and pure summer enjoyment!

At the request of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, 18 EMGs worked with a camp for

developmentally-delayed children at the Marion Diehl Center during the summer. EMG Sandy

Roork wrote the curriculum for the eight one-hour sessions. Weekly topics included seeds,

plants, soil, insects, worms (vermi-composting), vegetables, herbs and trees. The two groups of

campers, ages 6-9 and 9-12, were exposed to very basic concepts in each of these areas. Their

favorites were soil, worms, and vegetables! The recreation therapists in charge of the camp were

very pleased with the curriculum, as well as all the EMGs who worked with the campers.

Launched in late January 2011, our public website continues to expand. By late July, over 235

educational articles on various horticultural topics had been posted to the site by Newsletter Edi-

tor Debbie Moore Clark. By the end of September the

number reached 273. We encourage you to visit the site

at www.mastergardenersmecklenburg.org. Beyond edu-

cational articles for the public, however, the website also

features an interactive blog, connection to Facebook,

opportunities for horticultural Q&A, publication of our

EMG Community Events, and more. Catherine Hawley

serves as Webmaster and has led the way training Mecklenburg EMGs how to

populate and use the site.

Development of the Demonstration Garden at Independence Park continued

this summer, while maintenance and expansion of the established Demonstra-

tion Garden at Freedom Park also took place. Upcoming plans for the gardens

include Independence Park Demonstration Garden’s inclusion on the Elizabeth

Home and Garden Tour in early October.

The Freedom Park Demonstration Garden was used as a teaching venue (Q&A

and informal tours) during the 47th Annual Festival in the Park held September

23-25, 2011. Rains diminished the draw of the Festival, but nonetheless, 345 con-

tacts with the public were logged.

Organized by Margaret Genkins, EMG Community Events Chair, and carried out

by her team of event sub-chairs and volunteers, our involvement in the commu-

nity continues to spark interest and make a positive impact. Appearances at local

farmers markets throughout the summer kept us before the public. Specifically,

our “Ask a Master Gardener Days” at the Charlotte Regional, Matthews and

Davidson Farmers Markets gave us 184 opportunities to speak personally with

market guests.

Our presence again at the Reedy Creek Hummingbird Festival on August 27, 2011

provided 420 opportunities to interact with the public. Interest in this event con-

tinues to build.

Rowan CountyRowan County - Submitted by Carole Massey

Summer months are always full and rewarding for Rowan County volunteers. The weekend of July 9-10, 2011 was

devoted to our Second Annual Retro Flower Show, which invites gardeners to display single stem specimens and con-

tainer plants, as well as themed floral arrangements. This year we hosted an English-styled Tea and held a drawing for

Bev Pearson slices heir-

loom tomatoes while her

grandson looks on.

Our booth at Festival in the Park, hosted

by Dianne Mason and Mary Boardman,

was co-located with our Demonstration

Garden at Freedom Park, 9/24/11.


EMG Anne Wessling greets visitors at

the Hummingbird Festival at Reedy

Creek Park.

a donated Mantis tiller; the raffle earned a considerable amount for our Pocket Garden projects.

Next up was our 4-H Summer Fun programs for Cloverbuds, 4-Hers between the ages of 5-8. A scavenger hunt was

held in the new Sensory Garden; stepping

stones with the horticultural theme were cast

under the covered shelter; a mini-succulent con-

tainer was planted; flower pots were painted;

and Oreo dirt with gummy worm pudding pots

were made and consumed—all making for a fun-

filled two days!

We also continued with programming for the

City of Salisbury’s Parks & Recreation Depart-

ment’s Miller Center. Still focusing on the envi-

ronment, the children learned about composting

with EMGs Pam Ervin and Preston Askew, and next about worms with Jean Lamb.

We wrapped up the summer for these children with a mini farmers market set-up in

the building, for which local vendors donated fruit and vegetables, our volunteers

hosted the “stalls,” and one of the baked goods

suppliers came with her children to support the program.

In our other youth program, the Xs2 Youth Bureau, young men worked beside

volunteers Bob Bruce, Preston Askew, Ed Joyner and Carole Massey at the West End

Park and Garden where they prepared and planted raised beds, and maintained and

learned about the pitfalls of gardening (insects, vandals, and the continuing battle

with weeds). The Xs2 Youth Bureau is a program for at-risk youth through the

United Way agency with the City of Salisbury. The youth have already been identi-

fied by the court system. We volunteered to mentor a group of their young men who

expressed an interest in gardening. Every Thursday night during the summer and

into September, we met with them in our West End Garden for them to learn the ba-

sics of raised bed gardening, including herbs, vegetables and ornamentals. The goal

was for them to have specimens to exhibit in the Rowan County Fair. Several did en-

ter: two had floral arrangements, one entered okra, one an eggplant, and at least three

won ribbons and prize money.

Moving from youth to adult education, another propagation workshop was held

July 13. Volunteers also stuck several more trays for our Spring Plant Sale. Volun-

teers assisted at the Rowan Farmers Market for both a cooking contest using vendor-

supplied produce and the anticipated Tomato Tasting. The question is always, heir-

loom or not? Extension conducts an end-of-summer survey at the market and volun-

teers are on hand to question and tally. The clear winner was the heirloom variety

Nyagous, a small Russian tomato that is dark mahogany with dark gray-green shoul-

ders.

August is a slow-down month as we prepare for the County Fair and take a breather.

Volunteers visited Century Farm Orchards, a specialty orchard in Caswell County.

Owner David Vernon cultivates and preserves vintage, heirloom apples, pears and peaches.

For us, September means Rowan County Fair time: preparing the booth; grooming horticultural entries; several vol-

unteers acting as Rowan County Fair horticultural directors (Jean Lamb, Sue Davis and Virginia Kluttz); food preserva-

tion (Anne Zaffino and Dawn Holshouser); and judging (Carole Massey, Jean Lamb and Anne Zaffino) at other county

fairs. Volunteers also assist other agents with livestock responsibilities and the 4-H Dog Show.

Volunteers Sue Davis, Katherine Jones, Melody Hartsell and Martha Mincey continued to write weekly columns,

promoting the three local farmers markets for The Salisbury Post, where we have dedicated space for market articles on

Wednesday (during season) and every Friday in the Lifestyle Section. We also get mentioned in the Kannapolis papers

and various webpages. This year, volunteers also assisted in the final Market Apple Taste Testing.

The Extension weekly radio program with our Director/Horticultural Agent, Darrell Blackwelder, continues with

timely horticultural information. Several of our EMGs attended the Greensboro Gala for an informative and fun day.

Housekeeping is always an issue, so a fall clean-up and potting up day rounded out our month. As we head into fall, the

greenhouse looks a little better, but with our continuing interest in plants and planning for our Pocket Garden projects,

there will always be more to do!

Sally Bradley and 4-H Cloverbuds

in the Sensory Pocket Garden for a

Scavenger Hunt.

Karen Busby teaches Recycling at the

Miller Center.

Xs2 at West End Park with Volun-

teers Bob Bruce and Ed Joyner.


Jean Lamb and Red Wiggler Worms

The County Line: North Central District The County Line: North Central District Edna Gaston, District Reporter Edna Gaston, District Reporter

Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville,

Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Vance, Wake, Warren

Davidson County Davidson County - Submitted by Sue Smith

Davidson County Master Gardeners are hard at work in our demo gardens to pre-

pare them for the spring. They are also working on establishing a rain garden on site

of the Extension office near these. We provided a beautiful entrance for Lexington’s

BBQ festival decorated with cold weather containers and supplied information on sea-

sonal planting. Although the DCMG garden tour will not be until June of 2012 mem-

bers are already busy getting plans together. Many members took a break from the

work in September to visit WeDu (natives) and Nichols (maples) nurseries.

Durham County Durham County - Submitted by Kit Flynn

Durham County Master Gardeners have had a busy quarter. They are implementing the 4H Soil Solutions training

together with the County Agent at the RN Harris Elementary School in Durham. The goal is to train third grade teach-

ers and teaching assistants on this material so that they will not need our assistance next year. We conduct training ses-

sions once a month over an eight-month period and have completed two sessions so far.

Durham County Master Gardeners organized, facilitated, and implemented the Durham Gar-

den Forum in partnership with the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Open to the public for a nominal fee,

the Forum meets on a monthly basis to hear a presentation by a notable speaker. The Forum has

just entered its second year in operation with one hundred members and an average monthly at-

tendance of 50.

The photograph is of the kinetic sculpture designed and built by Guy Sulley for the Briggs

Avenue Community Garden. The sculpture stands 16’ tall and moves with the wind. There are

many hands waving at passersby while a person smiles with a watering can. The general mes-

sage is, “Welcome to our community garden” and is on permanent loan.

Durham County Master Gardeners play a supporting role in the Briggs Avenue Community

Garden, which broke ground on May 23, 2010. They provide leadership, educational and mone-

tary support, as well as sweat equity in getting this community effort off the ground. To date,

there are 66 raised bed plots, 5 communal managed plots, which include a blueberry and black-

berry planting, 26 plot owners (each family receives two plots), and 10 plots reserved for youth

entrepreneurship. This is a Durham Extension program.

Guilford CountyGuilford County - Submitted by Patricia Adsit, photos by Linda Brandon

“Let’s meet in the Learning Center!” From vision to reality: the DaShenna Huey Learning

Center in Guilford County. Five years ago, those words were simply a wish…an idea, simple yet

profound: have an outdoor classroom where children and their families could come into the gar-

den for programs on “sustainable gardening practices, thereby maximizing the Legacy Demon-

stration Garden’s educational purpose and impact for the community.” Today, they are a reality.

DaShenna Huey, a former EMGV from Guilford County, recently recounted how she was

encouraged by Karen Neill to apply for a Community Grant from Syngenta, an international

corporation whose Crop Protection Division is headquartered in Greensboro. The Syngenta Crop Protection Community

Grant Program “strives to provide meaningful funding to not-for-profit programs in the Piedmont Triad … that help fur-

ther the understanding and advancement of agriculture and its role in feeding a growing

population.” Through the diligence of Huey and her team, our 2006 application to build

and furnish the Learning Center received a full grant of $10,000. According to Huey, oth-

ers were instrumental in making the dream come true. Karen donated one of the two

rain barrels used to demonstrate the efficacy of collecting rainwater even from a small

rooftop. Countless hours were devoted by EMGVs, including Stan Corbin, who worked to

extend the original footprint of the structure. And, The Amish Trading Post, of High

Point, donated an additional round table with benches, thereby completing the class-

room (as seen, in use, in the photo, left/above). You are invited to come tour the garden,


Entrance for BBQ Festival visitors.

Making use of the table donated

by the Amish Trading Company.

Sulley’s sculpture in the

Briggs Avenue Garden

located at 3309 Burlington Road.

Because of her dedication and hard work on this project, EMGVs of Guilford County, named the Learning Center in

Huey’s honor, recently erecting the sign near the structure. The DaShenna Huey Learning Center is true testament to how

partnership and persistence can bring a vision into a reality.

Kerr Lake (Vance & Warren Counties) Kerr Lake (Vance & Warren Counties) - Submitted by Edna Gaston

Kerr Lake Master Gardeners were busy selling bulbs to gen-

erate funds for its gardening activities. One of the first was

renovating the bed in front of the Vance County office. Seasonal

planting will enhance the entrance to our offices. MGVs had a

display entitle “Pathway to Master Gardening” in the Warren

County fair (third place) and Vance County (first prize). Even

with all of this work the group had time for a great tour of the

North Carolina Botanical Garden and learned about its award

winning green building. Plans for the 4-H / MG fall programs

presented to third graders are underway with “Soil Sam and

Seeds” scheduled for October and “Compost / Recycling” in December. Another new project is

designing a garden around the flagpole at a Vance County elementary school.

Wake County Wake County - Submitted by Bob Kellam

Fall finds the Wake County Master Gardeners winding down our Successful Gardening Clinics at the local farmers

markets and park events and gearing up for our annual presence at the NC State

Fair. Thousands of Fair-goers visited our information booth and Waterwise Dem-

onstration garden. This year the Waterwise garden was also featured in an Octo-

ber episode of “In the Garden with Bryce Lane” on WUNC-TV, part of his program

on the horticultural offerings of the Fair.

We also took advantage of the re-roofing of

our monthly meeting location in the Wake

County Office Park to substitute a field trip to

the J.C. Raulston Arboretum at NC State to

wander through their beautiful collection of

Fall-blooming plants, ornamental grasses, and

trees. One of the highlights of the trip was the

Salvia Mexicana Limelight with vibrant purple-blue

flowers and bright chartreuse calyces. Membership

discounts in the Arboretum are available to

NCMGVA members and include access to the an-

nual plant give aways, free admission to the fre-

quent seminars, and a subscription to the monthly

newsletter.

The Horticulture Agent position in Wake County was posted in early October and

interviews are underway. Chances are good that we’ll have an agent in place before the

end of the year.


The County Line: South Central DistrictThe County Line: South Central District Patricia Dean, District ReporterPatricia Dean, District Reporter

Anson, Bladen, Cabarrus, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery,

Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Stanly, Union

Bladen County Bladen County - Submitted by Sharon Murray-Block

The Bladen County Master Gardeners group has had an enjoyable and productive autumn season. We harvested

and potted forty-five camellia air cuttings – we look forward to seeing the fruits (flowers) of our labors.

We have continued to work in the main county library garden, redesigning, weeding, and replanting. One of the

Planting the Welcome

Garden in Henderson

Master Gardener entry at the

Vance County Fair.

Bryce Lane speaking from the Wake

MG Waterwise Demonstration Garden.

The Arboretum was alive with fall

colors and textures in November.

Master Gardeners weren’t the only

admirers of the Salvia Limelight.


Albemarle (Chowan, Gates, Perquimans Counties) Albemarle (Chowan, Gates, Perquimans Counties) - Submitted by Pam Lowney

The Chowan-Gates-Perquimans Master Gardener Volunteers congratulate 21 trainees who are on target to complete

this year's course in December. The trainees will join a roster of 69 volunteers who, in the fall of 2011, helped to land-

scape a Habitat for Humanity house and a large addition to a foster-care home. In addition, in the past six months, they

have staffed booths in three area farmer's markets once a month and participated in an educational booth and a demon-

stration garden at the Chowan County Regional Fair. The booth, which was about beneficial insects, took first place

in its category!

The CGP group is especially proud to be starting a scholarship for high school seniors pursuing an education in agri-

Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax,

Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrell, Washington

The County Line: NortheastThe County Line: Northeast DistrictDistrict Carol Barbato, District ReporterCarol Barbato, District Reporter

beds had a terrible problem with nut grass! Work has begun on a long neglected back garden at the library. We are an-

ticipating a lovely new shade garden. We are planting the embankment in front of this new area with day lilies.

We have also redone the perennial garden at the Bladen County Extension building. This garden is used as a display

garden to help newcomers to the area become familiar with the plants that flourish in southeastern North Carolina.

Bladen County Master Gardeners recently presented scholarship checks to Luke Hill and Alan Monk at the Bladen

County Cooperative Extension Ag Appreciation luncheon. Both of these fine young men have been very active in the

Bladen County 4-H club. The scholarship was established to honor the memory of Mr. Fred Miller. Fred was a charter

member and president of the Bladen County Master Gardeners. The scholarship is given to students who will be pursu-

ing a course of study in an agricultural field.

Union County Union County - Submitted by Jean Dilworth

Union County Master Gardeners have many on going projects, just like other master gardeners in other counties.

This issue we have two recent school projects to share with everyone.

Students Field Trip to our gardens

If they (Fifth Graders) can do it, you can do it! Right? That is to plant Veggie Seeds. Ten Wadesboro After-School-

Program fifth graders came to the Union County Master Gardeners’ Teaching Gardens for a Field Trip October 18. They

planted radish seeds in the green house beds and pansies in the woodland area. They learned about vegetable gardening,

composting and Lasagna gardening all in their short time with the MG volunteers.

Other grades plan for Spring Field Trips and the 5th graders plan to return.

Master Gardeners’ Workday at Wingate Elementary

Lauren Schexnider reports on the revitalization of the school garden. "After becoming a

Master Gardener in 2007, I began to dream about putting a garden at school.

I do not know how, but I was made aware of the garden behind the trailers. When I saw

the little walking paths and the two circular gardens, I knew something had to be done

and I was the person to do it.

At first, I envisioned a sensory garden for the younger grades. Then, after reading the

state Science curriculum, my ideas began to shift. I imagined a garden designed for

hands-on Science projects to support the curriculum. Because I could not make up my

mind what would be the best use of the space, I just decided to just plant the garden!

To imagine something is one thing. To bring the idea into existence is another thing.

But to have others share your vision and work together to bring it to life is amazing.

Teachers, alumni and students of the school joined seven Master Gardeners to weed,

mulch and plant the garden.

Blueberry bushes, crepe myrtles, pomegranate and indigofera trees were planted Saturday October 15. Cardboard

and leaf mulch were spread to retard weeds. Tulip, narcissus and crocus bulbs were also planted. Because of the num-

ber of hands, the garden was completed within two hours!”

MG Workday at Wingate Ele-

mentary School.

culture or horticulture. The scholarship will be funded by the annual spring garden show, which is in the planning stages

for a second year.

The volunteers and trainees traveled to the Tidewater Research Station in Plymouth, a 1,500-acre North Carolina

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services facility that focuses mostly on research related to grain and swine pro-

duction.

Pitt County Pitt County - Submitted by Pam Mastin

Hello from the Pitt County Arboretum! It's been a long time since we've submitted to the NCMGVA Newsletter, so I

will play a little "catch up".

Small Fruits Garden

MG Volunteer Bill Alston, curator of the Small Fruits garden, gives us an update: The small fruits garden at the Pitt

County Arboretum was started in the fall of 2009. This year, we have started to reap the rewards. The blackberries com-

pleted their 2nd season and produced an impressive and delicious crop. The 2 thornless erect varieties are Arapaho and

Navaho. Arapaho was the earlier of the 2 and rendered a slightly higher yield. Both varieties were vigorous and main-

tained healthy foliage throughout the season. The exception was one of the Navaho vines that died. It was removed and a

root sucker from another Navaho was planted in its place. They were not bothered by pests - save one thieving mocking

bird. Several containers of ripe berries were taken to the NC Food Bank.

The blueberries are still establishing themselves and are not expected to start produc-

ing fruit until their 3rd season. Soil tests were taken in 2010 and as a result, sulfur

was added this year to lower the ph. The plants we have are unknown varieties and

this fall we hope to add named Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush varieties.

The Muscadines came into their own this year, their 2nd season, and produced a

bumper crop. Sixty pounds were donated to the food bank. The 4 varieties include 2

black- Nesbit and Hunt, and 2 bronze - Carlos and Higgins. Nesbit won the award for

the earliest to ripen and the fruit was very tasty. Carlos was the sweetest , smallest

and the most bountiful. Hunt produced the

largest fruit and Higgins the least. The flavor

of each variety was distinct and all were delicious.

Several additions to the small fruits garden were made this spring. These

include 2 hardy Kiwi vines – one male (Meader) and one female (Anna). They

were planted together for pollination. A Wonderful pomegranate, a Brown

Turkey fig, and a Crimson Star goji berry or wolfberry were also planted. Also

planned for planting this fall are a Fuyu oriental persimmon and a jujube, aka

Chinese date.

Garden Tours

Monthly Arboretum Tours are still ongoing the first Thursday of each

month. Community gardeners can take a stroll in the Arboretum and see

what’s blooming at the time at the “What’s In Bloom” display of the green shelter. Monthly themed tours have included

“Plants for Heat and Humidity”, “Veggies: Container or Not?”, and “Fall Bulbs Planting and Self Seeders”.

Pruning Workshops

Extension Agent, Danny Lauderdale, will be conducting two pruning workshops at the Arboretum for the commu-

nity. One will be November 16, the other on January 17 from 10:00 – 12:00. These demonstrations will give gardeners a

valuable hands-on opportunity to see correct pruning methods for trees and shrubs.

Arboretum Work Days

We have reorganized our garden maintenance method and gone to a monthly

“work day” for routine chores in the gardens. Our curators still work with their

groups aside from the work day, but any and all MGs gather on the last alter-

nating Monday and Tuesday of each month as a group to pitch in together. Lots

of work gets done and we get to enjoy each others' company.

Mary Helen Garris

Our group mourns the passing of fellow Master Gardener Mary Helen Garris in

October. Mary Helen was an enthusiastic contributor and always wore a

smile. We will miss her. She was very proud of her role as a volunteer Master

Gardener. A memorial gift will be donated to the Arboretum by our group.


This year’s Muscadine crop was

both bountiful and delicious.

Many hands make light work of the regu-

lar maintenance at the arboretum.

Master Gardener Carol Taylor leads a gar-

den tour for local school children.


Carteret County Carteret County (See the article earlier in this issue on Carteret’s International Search for Excellence Award.)

Brunswick County Brunswick County - Submitted by Carol Wilson

Residents of Brunswick County have a a wonderful opportunity provided by their BCMGVA to obtain the basic

knowledge necessary to care for a yard or garden in a coastal plain. A class designed by the group, and called, "A Day in

the Yard" offers this information. The class is a shorter version of the typical Master Gardener course and offers more

"how to" and less technical information.

The 6 2 1/2 hour periods are led by Master Gardeners using power point presentations and handouts. Courses are

offered several times during the spring and fall at the Extension Service Training Center in Government Center, Build-

ing N, located on Business 17 in Bolivia.

The courses consist of: Vegetables and Fruits; Soils and Fertilization; Insects and Diseases; Lawns and Irrigation;

Annuals, Bulbs and Perennials; and Woody Ornamentals and Pruning. These classes can also be provided to

the community if a group of 10 or more people and a suitable location are available. Master Gardeners will conduct the

classes on the dates and times requested by residents.

Costs involved and any additional information may be had by calling Tom Woods at the Brunswick County Extension

Services, phone 910-253-2610.

Craven County Craven County Craven County - Submitted by Jennifer Knight and Helene Conklin

It has been a VERY busy year for our Master Gardeners: with our involvement in the “Third Saturday” Monthly

Workshops, the various community gardens, our fund-raising events, and especially our demonstration gardens located

on the site of the Craven County Agricultural Building in New Bern.

Community Partnerships and Gardens:

The CCMGVA enjoys relationships and extra curricular projects with government, garden and private groups. We

The County Line: Southeast DistrictThe County Line: Southeast District Carol Wilson, District ReporterCarol Wilson, District Reporter

Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover,

Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson

Special Events

In January 2011, we sponsored an appearance by Pearl Fryar, the self-

taught topiary artist from Bishopville, South Carolina who creates sculp-

tures out of trees. This popular event was a sell out, and we hope for the

same when Felder Rushing speaks at the Pitt County Arboretum on Janu-

ary 28, 2012.

Plant Sale

The May Plant Sale was our most successful to date raising more than

$7,900 for the Arboretum.

The Shed

After years of service, we find that our garden shed needs a facelift and

we’ve begun by washing and painting it to freshen it. A ramp was created to

help us move in and out the heavier items and garden cart. Plans for the

outside include a living sedum wall on the hot and sunny south side of the

structure. Beneath the wall will be a brick lined bed to catch sedum babies as they fall and root into the soil.

Farmers Market

The Master Gardeners table at the Pitt County Farmers Market is a popular outreach effort that is in its second

year. On the first Saturday of the month from May through August, two shifts of MGs man a table in the morning an-

swering gardening questions and passing out gardening information.

Pearl Fryar, with Extension Agent Danny

Lauderdale and MG Volunteers Joanne Kol-

lar, Rosanne Davis, and Susan Purcell.


partnered with the City of New Bern and local garden clubs to landscape New Bern’s latest monument the navy Blue

Angels restored airplane which can be seen from Hwy 70 as you approach the Neuse River Bridge.

MG Volunteers have comprised the lead design team for Heritage Park, the City’s latest public/private partnership,

located adjacent to City Hall. Our Family History Society, Planning Department, Arts Council, Appearance Commission

and Downtowners brainstormed this project into existence and expect to dedicate the park in time for Craven County’s

300 year celebrations.

We also directed the design of streetscape improvements to the City’s Pollock Street entrance corridor. Flowering

trees for all seasons was the goal of the Community Roots group and Appearance Commission.

We are thrilled to continue site development of our precious corner of urban land at the New Bern Farmer’s Market.

We are joined this year by a colorful Bear of New Bern statue and a lovely seating bench. MG Volunteers are the ground-

scapers in this whimsical bird and butterfly garden.

At our local airport’s Sculpture Park CCMGVA efforts provide landscape development and grounds-care consultation.

This year we’ve piloted a program with the Craven County Juvenile Restitution Program supervising youth community

service hours at this and our Cooperative Extension Demonstration Garden sites.

One of the most special activities we’re partnering in this year is the Duffyfield Community Garden. This is an Afri-

can-American neighborhood on a mission to create community and prosperity by promoting well-being, physical health

and emphasizing nutritional education and practice. Our fall efforts were thwarted by Hurricane Irene, but everyone is

energized and regrouping for spring.

Third Saturday Workshops:

CCMGVA, with the support of our Cooperative Extension Director Dr.Thomas Glasgow, strive to create a forum

where the public can depend on top-notch horticultural information about topics current with community interests and

the home landscape. The third Saturday of each month our extension building becomes a destination for homeowners

interested in topics like Indigenous Plants, Water Conservation, Pruning, Centipede Grass, Heritage Plants, Insects, Fer-

tilization, Perennials and Bulb Planting.

Organization & Fundraising:

We’re looking forward to the continued development of our Cooperative Extension site and Demonstration Gardens.

Scant manpower and economic resources are great motivators to make what we do fun and sharpen our pencils.

We’re hoping to secure funding streams by honing our process with successful fundraisers like our Annual Bulb Sale

which was a tremendous success this year with a total sellout of all bulbs ordered, in addition to the pre-paid orders.

This is our largest fundraising event. We are completing the Agrosoke (root watering crystals) fund-raising sale that be-

gan last year. It has been a slow process--but a good source of revenue (with a shelf stable product).

We’re perusing creative approaches to private donations like MG Consultation Gardening. For a modest donation, a

MG visits your house and organizes an approach for your landscaping. The consultation emphasizes seasonal layers of

installation (e.g. trees and shrubs, then perennials and annuals) and ongoing horticultural development.

Within our Master Gardener organization, each year a brave sole invites the rest of us to tour her garden in the

month of May. In May, Bea Alexander threw open the gates to give us all a spectacular two-hour tour of her lakeside

gardens, where we shared a delicious potluck meal enjoying the vistas.

Our focus going into 2012 is volunteer recruitment. There are currently 50 people signed up to sit for our 2012 MG

Training Course.

Pender County Pender County Pender County - Submitted by Gerri Milhoulides

The end of the year is the time to wind down with gardening chores and give thanks for the successful harvest. I've

been thinking about the accomplishments of our Pender gardeners, what a dynamic and diversified group.

Volunteer recognition will be the celebration at our November meeting that includes a catered luncheon, a nice way

to thank the Master Gardeners who have contributed so much to our ever-expanding organization.

After the October 12th meeting, held at the New Hanover Arboretum, Al Hight led us on a tour of the facility. It is

obvious that a lot of hard work is being done by the staff and volunteers to improve the appearance of the gardens. There

are plans for major overhaul of the Japanese gardens and the stream bed as well.

The Fourth Annual "home-grown" plant sale was finally held on October 13, chaired by Cheryll Shuford. Originally,

we were rained out by that continuous down-pour that seemed to go on forever in southeast North Carolina in late Sep-

tember. The sun shone brightly and it was a successful and satisfying event

The School Outreach program continues to flourish under the capable hands of Jan Kinney and Cheryll Shuford.


This program is becoming so successful thanks to the hard work and dedication of these two ladies and their assistants.

The demand for the classes is now exceeding our capabilities. Some of the teachers are now on a wait-list. New Hanover

Master Gardeners have approached Pender for guidance in setting up their own School Outreach Program.

Cookbooks are on the way! Diligent work by LeAnn Baker and Debby Shackelford has made this happen. Books will

be available at the Spring Plant Sale and the Blueberry Festival next year. Other proposed sales locations include the

monthly Farmer's Market Poplar Gove MG booth.

The current Master Gardener training is finished as of October 28, 2010. 21 new graduates will be joining our ranks

thanks to Charlotte Glen.

The annual "Making of the Greens", followed by a covered-dish luncheon will take place in December. Distribution is

to area meals-on-wheels participants, local hospitals and nursing homes. Close to 300 people are the recipients of these

little arrangements that brighten up their food trays.

Last but not least, think Spring. Our annual Spring Plant Sale will be April 15, 16, 2011.

Wilson County Wilson County Wilson County - Submitted by Sandy Goetz

August to Wilson County Master Gardeners means it’s time to act on our creative ideas and be prepared to gather

choice plants for the Open House Event in September. The Open House is one of our major fundraisers and the plant

sale at this event is very important. The chairperson for the Plant Rescue is Jane Connor. Jane does an excellent job in

contacting people who have called over the summer asking if there is a need for plants. Jane goes to their home if she

thinks the plants would benefit the sale and sets a time for a team of Master Gardeners to collect the plants. We have

received so many offers that we now accept only must have, rare and unique plants.

On August 15th the “Alive at 5” featured our Showstopper garden. The Showstopper Garden is where we educate and

promote plants, shrubs, etc. to the public. We explain that these plants have been nominated by nurserymen and se-

lected by NC Cooperative Extension as must have plants that have been tested for drought, disease resistance and are

promising plants that are suited for the Carolina gardener. The baked goods and herbal teas that are served are always

an added attraction that is appreciated.

In September the Plant Rescue goes into action full swing. The Plant Rescue system has proven to be very successful.

There were 13 rescues, an estimated 250 plants that summed up to a total of 52 varieties that were taken in for the Open

House Event.

Cyndi Lauderdale is our devoted, mentor horticulture agent, I’m sure no introduction is needed but, I just felt the

need! Ha! Anyway Cyndi assessed the damage from Hurricane Irene and an e-mail was sent to all garden curators on

the damage. The Wilson Botanical Gardens were extremely lucky, no major damage was done but a garden clean-up

workday was definitely needed. We hope all other counties were as fortunate.

On Sept. 20th, the EMGV’s displayed a noncompetitive educational booth at the Wilson County Fair. Since Hurricane

Irene left such a void with blown over trees, pamphlets on various screening shrubs, trees and lawn care was the main

focus.

Our Open House Event was on Sept. 25th. Tables were filled with an interesting assortment of garden supplies along

with various size pots and plants. The cloudy weather put a damper on attendance, however; there was a gross of

$853.00.

The progress on the Children’s Secret Garden has been slow. There was a problem with the Wilson City Stormwater

Dept. about rain runoff from the parking lot. Also the City of Wilson Technical Committee had questions to be reviewed

about the slopes in the paths to meet handicapped accessible regulations. After some

redesigning to meet the city’s regulations, on September 16th the project was approved!

The laser-engraved bricks arrived and the laying of the retaining walls began on October

10th. Construction of the paths began the week of October 17th and are now well under-

way.

The ‘Alive at 5’ on Oct. 17 had a ‘Howl-o-ween’ event. This event was co-sponsored

with the Wilson Humane Society, twenty-seven costumed and un-costumed dogs

strolled the paths. Drinking bowls, treats and prizes were provided for our fuzzy friends.

Many donated items were taken in for the Humane Society and $154.00 in cash. The

tour of the gardens for our first time visitors was quite impressive. As the word gets out

about the installation of the Children’s Secret Garden paths we hope to see many more

visitors; in-return we hope to attract more interested in the Master Gardener Program.

You can keep up on the current status of the Children’s Secret Garden on Facebook or

www.wilson-co.com/arboretum.html (see also the article earlier in this issue).

One of the contestants in the

“Howl-o-ween” costume contest.


the NCMGVA Newsletter c/o 731 N. Rogers Lane Raleigh, NC 27610

Documents

NCMGVA Winter 2011 · December 6 - NCMGVA Board of Directors Meeting, Brunswick County, Bolivia, NC. March 20, 2012 - NCMGVA Board of Directors Meeting, Buncombe County,