Alabama Master Gardeners Association

G arden
Pathways
Summer 2013
Volume 13 Issue 54

Special Points of Interest:

The Winners Are? 2014 Conference Fall Seminar Registration

Congratulations! 2012 Search for Excellence Winners

Master Gardeners of Community Service: North Alabama Mobile County Master Gardeners Demonstration Vegetable Garden. Farm to Table Demonstration Garden:

Inside this issue:

Search For Excellence Presidents Message Board Highlights Endowment/ Scholarship Membership Data-Base Update Fundraising Awards Attracting Beneficial Insects Fall Seminar - THE 1

2 3 3 3 5 5 7 7 8 9 10 24

Culinary students and guests Search for Excellence (SFE) is the recognition program of Master Gardeners volunteer work throughout the United States and Canada. It was developed by the International Master Gardeners Conference Committee. Search for Excellence has seven categories in which Master Gardeners can demonstrate their out-

Master Gardeners teaching garden guests.

GIVING GARDEN Registration

Alabama . . . A Gardeners JUBILEE! HAPPENINGS LINKS

www.alabamamg.org

AMGA Website

standing contributions to their communities. All SFE applications must show that significant learning took place, whether by the Master Gardeners or the general public they were involved with. Search for Excellence is designed to recognize a group project, not an individual who

does outstanding work. AMGA has several awards that recognize outstanding individual Master Gardeners. It must be simple to replicate. A goal of SFE is to share the excellent ideas and programs so they (or parts) can be replicated by other MG groups.

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PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
I want to start by thanking the Masters Gardeners of Alabama for entrusting me with the leadership of AMGA for the next two years. I am honored by the trust placed in me, and I hope to live up to your expectations. There is a very competent and supportive Board behind me, and I am grateful for that. I also want to congratulate the Shoals on a great conference, and Im looking forward to next year in Baldwin County. The format there will be a little different than usual, so I know it will be a wonderful experience. I am also looking forward to the Fall Seminar in Montgomery, and full information is available elsewhere in this newsletter. It appears that Spring whizzed by us and Summer is here. Im sitting in the cool (relatively speaking) mountains of northeast Alabama, but its very warm up here as well. I know Huntsville is hot, and am sure its that way further south also. But my tomatoes and pepper plants are happy and growing well, so hopefully we will enjoy those soon. Im trying a

By Dottye Pierce
new variety that claims to be able to continue producing well into the very hot months; well see how that turns out. I will be doing some transplanting of some overgrown plants, but not until Fall when its cooler and better for the plants. I look forward to meeting more AMGA members and Master Gardeners over the next two years, especially at our various conferences and seminars. Thanks again for all you do!

Dottye

In Loving Memory of
Fred Evans, age 71, a resident of Deatsville, AL went home to be with the Lord on Monday, May 20, 2013 at a local hospital. Funeral services were held on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Brookside Funeral Home with Rev. Brett Medley, Rev. Tom Ward and Rev. Bill Hassell officiating with burial to follow at Brookside Memorial Gardens with Military Honors. Mr. Evans was a valued member of the Alabama Master Gardeners Association since 1999. He served on the Board of Directors. Mr. Evans was a United States Airforce Veteran and retired from the State of Alabama Department of Trans-

FRED EVANS

portation. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Linda P. Evans of Deatsville, AL; daughter, Lynn Evans Fanning (Greg) of Millbrook, AL; sister,

Carolyn Evans Lusk (Bobby) of Prattville, AL; granddaughter, Danielle Fanning Vines (Matt) of Millbrook, AL; grandsons, Joshua Allen Fanning of Millbrook, AL, Nathan Gregory Fanning of Millbrook, AL; great -granddaughter, Ally Best of Calera, AL; sister-in-laws, Mary Tucker of Montgomery, AL and Nell Hassell (Ray) of Millbrook, AL. Pallbearers will be Frank Ott, Ronnie Talley, Danny Floyd, Leon Hancock, Doug Moore and Ken Dyess. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Brookside Funeral Home of Millbrook, AL directing.

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AMGA Board Meeting Highlights

The AMGA Board met at the Alabama Power Company in Clanton Alabama on June 4 for the regular quarterly meeting with President Dotty Pierce presiding. Kerry Smith, State MG Program Coordinator reported that there will be a fall seminar Giving Garden September 10th at Taylor Rd Baptist Church in Montgomery. Each local president will be receiving information about all the details. Kerry reported that she was working on an online store where logo items will be available. Also there will be online MG classes that will be directed more to the people who would like gardening information but not be part of a master gardener group. Representatives from the 2014 Conference which will be in Baldwin County and the 2015 State Conference, Blount/Cullman Counties were at the board meeting and shared their plans for the respective conferences. Sound like we are in for a fun and informative time. Brenda Tapp, Chair of the Advisory Council reported their next meeting will be at Alabama Power Company in Clanton on July 9th. The Scholarship Committee, Jeanon Massien Chair, reported that the endowment scholarship fund was at 75 thousand with a goal of reaching one hundred thousand. There was a discussion about starting a second endowment that would focus on gradu- ate students, the recipient would work with Kerry and the AMGA. President Dottye Pierce asked the

By Joyce Davis
Communication Committee to work on updating the AMGA Board Manual. There was a discussion about getting all AMGA records compiles in a way that they could be easily searched. Membership Committee Chair, John Baker reported that several associations have not attempted to update their membership information to the new forms. The Nomination Committee reported opening for two board members and one opening on the nomination committee. Tom Boyle will replace Fred Evens on the nomination committee. The Project Funding Committee, reported they have had no request for the 4 thousand dollars available the deadline is January 15, 2014.

Endowment/Scholarship
2012 Marked a Banner Year for Contributions to the Endowment! Through your generous support our Endowment Fund now stands at $72,000 with a record $12,800 contributed from Conference 2012 to Conference 2013. Word from Auburn is the AMGA Horticultural Endowment Fund has been and continues to be the fastest growing Endowment from individual contributions. THAT MEANS YOU! Were not finished yet. As we approach the $100,000 mark in our Endowment, Id like you to understand just what that means. Based on historical data (2008 2012) this Endowment Fund will be producing approximately $2,800 for scholarship award money. As has been customary, our scholarship recipient has attended the Awards Banquet during Conference. Due to our 2013 and 2014 Conferences taking place on Monday through Wednesday, we determined it unfair to require a student to take time, possibly two days, away from studies and classes to travel the distance to address the

By Jeanon Massien
membership. Therefore, we will ask our scholarship recipient to attend the Awards Banquet when feasible. Otherwise our scholarship recipient will address the Board of Directors at their September Board Meeting held in Clanton. Master Gardeners are making a difference and your Board of Directors commends you for it. Thank you one and all for supporting the future of Horticulture through your support of the AMGA Horticulture Endowment.

MEMBERSHIP Data-Base Update

The new Membership/Dues Tracking Database is now up and running. For you Presidents, Treasurers, and Membership Chairs, it is ready and waiting for your input to make it function. It will only be successful with your input and promises to be a great tool for your local organization. The new database will give you a method to track your membership, and to see who owes and who has paid dues. There is no longer a requirement to send an update to the AMGA. The AMGA now has the capability to read the data you enter on line. Quite a few of you attended the Database Roundtable at conference this year and were able to learn the ins and outs of the database. For those of you who were not able to attend, there is a tutorial on line. To access the tutorial go to: 1. AMGA Web site alabamamg.org At the bottom of the page locate AMGA Board of Directors Calendar 2. Open Dues and Membership Reporting 3. Click on last item which is AMGA Dues Tracker Training It is a very straight forward and easy to understand program. You can go

By John Baker
over it and if there is something you missed you can back up and review it again. If, while you are entering data, there is something you might have forgotten you can always go back and review it. This is a self -study program, or if you prefer, there will be a class following the Advisory Council meeting on July 9th at noon in Clanton at the Alabama Power Company. All Presidents, Treasurers, Membership Chairs, and Advisory Council Reps are welcome to attend.

Garden Pathways - Summer- Volume 13 Issue 54

The next AMGA Board Meeting will be September 9 location TBA.

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Fundraising

By Kathie Bass

GOT BULBS?????
AMGA has partnered with Brent and Beckys Bulbs for fundraising. Just visit www.bloominbucks.com, select Alabama Master Gardener Association registered name from the drop down list. AMGA will earn 25% of all of the sales! You can also order by phone and tell us that they'd like to support Alabama Master Gardeners, but you have to remember to tell them! You can also "write Alabama Master Gardener Association in" at the bottom of their order form in their catalogue. You can find a link on the AMGA website, just click and go. So shop from home at one of the countrys best bulb suppliers and support AMGA at the same time.

Support Volunteering Master Gardener Front Car Tags

Tags are currently available at $20 each. Proceeds are a 50/50 split between the AMGA Endowment Fund at Auburn University and the Program Alabama Master Gardener. Tag sales are not limited to Master Gardeners; they are available to anyone supporting the above programs. These look great on the front of your car, golf cart, RV, or garden wagon. They also make great gifts. Contact Kathie Bass at AMGAFundraisingChair@gmail.com or 256-457-6530 and we will get them shipped out to you. We will also send out bulk orders to local Associations who wish to make them available to their membership and the new Master Gardener Interns.

AWARDS
AND THE WINNERS ARE

By Karin Carmichael
2012, was given to Jerry Belcher, nominated by the Capital City MGA. Jerry reported a total of 1,246 hours. The Jean Lee Lifetime Hours Award honors the person reporting the most volunteer hours since completing the MG class and becoming a certified Master Gardener. The 2012 recipient was Linda Stephens, nominated by the De Kalb County MGA. Linda has earned 7,798
(Continued on page 5)

all submissions were seriously considered. The AMGA Awards Commit- This year was the third year that tee appreciates all of the nomina- AMGA recognized the association judged to have the best tions submitted for the various annual AMGA awards. The com- newsletter in the state. The Outmittee, (Lynn Andrews Baldwin standing Newsletter Award for 2012 was given to the WireCounty, Jerry Belcher Capital City, Karin Carmichael Capital grass MGA for its publication, City, Sarah Haggstrom Shoals, The Garden Plot, Beth Arnold, Patti Householder Lee County, Editor. In addition to a certifiJeanne Massien Shelby Coun- cate, a check for $100 was awarded to WMGA. ty, and Dottye Pierce MGNA), The Top Hours of the had some difficult decisions to Year Award recognizing the most make, but we want to stress that volunteer hours earned during

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AWARDS
(Continued from page 4)

By Karin Carmichael
the program. He has become an invaluable asset to both the Extension System and Alabama Master Gardeners, and members of the Shoals Master Gardener Association have benefited greatly from his guidance and assistance. The 2013 recipient of the Mary Lou McNabb Alabama Master Gardener of the Year Award was John Baker, a member of the Shoals MGA. John has held numerous offices within the SMGA, has chaired many major projects, taught MG Intern classes, worked the Helpline, has spoken to various groups, sold Tshirts, worked the plant sale, created gardens and conducted garden tours. In addition to his local MG activities, he has served as Advisory Council rep and on the AMGA Board of Directors for several years. For the past four years, John has served as both VP and President of AMGA respectively. Quoting from his nomination letter: Johns enthusiasm, energy, forward thinking, humor, community mindedness, and Marine style of getting things done have helped our local chapter achieve new goals that we never thought possible. He has logged 24,571+ miles traveling around the state on MG business and has acquired over 300+ CEUs. He has earned 4,600+ and counting volunteer hours including working every plant sale and garden tour for the past ten years. He also has attended every state conference, seminar, workshop and symposium since becoming an MG in 2003. He has attended every Advisory Council meeting for four years. John missed only one local MG meeting since 2003 and that was to attend the funeral of his brother-in-law. Now thats DEDICATION! In the Reach for the Stars Program, 23 counties reported member hours for badges and advanced stars awards. 53 Gold Badges, 17 Platinum Badges, 4 Ruby Stars, 7 Emerald Stars and 1 Lifetime Badge were given out during the annual business meeting on Tuesday morning of the conference. Again, the Awards Committee would like to commend the hard work represented by these outstanding accomplishments as well as the commitment of every member of AMGA and our local associations. We will be seeking nominations for all of these awards in January of 2014, and look forward to reading about all of the accomplishments of our fellow Master Gardeners. Thanks again for all of your assistance this year. Karin Carmichael, Outgoing Awards Committee Chair

hours since becoming a Master Gardener. The winner of the Gary Murray Outstanding Service and Dedication Award for 2012 was Chris Becker, nominated by the Shoals MGA. Chris was appointed as the Regional Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator for the North West Tennessee Valley Region in 2008. He has worked in the Horticultural/ Environmental field for the last fourteen years everything from a Landscaping/Nursery business, Disney World, Home Depot and an Environmental Consulting Group to his present job with the Extension Service. His other accomplishments include conducting MG Training Courses, endless Master Gardener project involvement, conducting workshops, attending conferences and completing numerous speaking engagements. To quote his nomination letter sums up how he is regarded by those with whom he works: Through his committed support of SMGA members and involvement with their activities, he has helped to strengthen the relationship between the members of the Alabama Extension System and their commitment to support ACES in other areas, such as 4-H. He is always approachable and willing to help anyone in any way he can. He attends the SMGA monthly meetings and contributes toward

Gardeners: People who try to keep plants alive in and around their homes. They're divided into the following categories based on their level of expertise:

*novice gardener: Someone who hasn't gardened long enough to kill one hundred plants. *experienced gardener: Someone who's gardened long enough to kill one thousand plants. *expert gardener: Someone who's qualified to tell others how to kill ten thousand plants

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Attracting Beneficial Insects

While honeybees get most of the attention as garden helpers, there is a vast array of insects who contribute to the success of plants. Youve likely heard the statistic that honeybees contribute to one in three bites of food we enjoy. But consider this. Any insect visiting a flower is a potential pollinator. In North America, insects annually provide billions of dollars to agricultural production. There are three main groups of beneficial insects predators, parasitoids, and pollinators. Predatory insects include bugs, mantids, and others. They trap or capture other insects as their preferred diet. Parasitoids, wasps and flies, not only live in or on other insects, but actually kill them as part of the parasitoids life cycle. Pollinators are dominated by various bee species, but again, any insect visiting a flower often assists in pollen dispersal. A garden without insects really isnt a garden for long. Now, why do these amazingly helpful animals get so little attention? My opinion is that humans love a drama. The shock of Colony Collapse Disorder a few years ago had us running around like hamsters in wheel trying to grab onto a solution. Was it climate change, or new honeybee pests, or bee forage nutrition, or pesticides used in colony management, or cell towers, etc., etc., etc.? The consensus from most researchers is that multiple factors contribute to honeybee decline and furthermore, these factors vary from location to location based on still other environmental factors. Our good news in Alabama? The Varroa mite (bee pest and disease carrier) is still not a major problem here as it is in other states. Not so good news? Alabama beekeepers report continued pest pressure on honeybees from the small hive beetle (cool, wet springs help this pest prosper). Putting the drama aside, heres my advice to all gardeners. Insects, with amazing diversity, contribute to garden/landscape success. Pest insects are the MINORITY less than 1% of all insect species. Find a good book or browse the web to learn the differences. Look for images of a: small footed fly, ladybug larvae, big-eyed bug, chalcid wasp, hover fly, lacewing or mantid egg masses, predatory

By Kerry Smith
stink bug, tachinid fly, etc. Share what you learn with others! Many beneficial insects are tiny, solitary and difficult to see. Two parts to this point its likely why we overlook them; and we should learn to be observant of small details. Choose plants that attract and sustain beneficial insects. Bees forage heavily on flowers in these plant families: Maple, Mint, Bean , Rose/apple, Holly, Cyrilla, Aster, and Heath. Other beneficial insects benefit from flowers when their preferred prey or hosts arent available. They choose high protein pollen, and also benefit from the nectar of flowers in these plant families: Aster, Bean, Mustard, Mint, and Parsley. As Master Gardeners I hope youll seek to learn more about all insects, add some plants to attract beneficials, and share information with other people.

Kerry
If youre interested to learn more about pollinators and/or earn CEUs, follow this link - https:// learn.extension.org/events/1077 Gardening for Pollinators ends our day among the trees with an overview of his program and how-to knowledge of landscape methods and plant selection to support Alabamas eco-systems. Please plan to spend the day with us to learn how we can grow and nurture The Giving Garden! Join us on September 10, 2013 in Montgomery at Taylor Road Baptist Church (9:00 3:00). Registration information is included on the following pages; 7 and 8..

win Marty from E.A.T. South starts our day sharing their vision of comThe 2013 Fall Seminars munities across the Southeast havtheme is The Giving Garden how gardening can give back to our ing access to fresh, healthy, affordcommunities and beyond by foster- able food through education to suping healthy lifestyles, providing pure port a healthy lifestyle. Super Garenjoyment, and sustaining our frag- dener Captain Compost (William Cureton II) will talk about organic ile eco-system for future generations. You will travel from down- gardening methods, and Hayes Jackson, Urban Regional Extension town Montgomery for a lesson on urban gardening and arrive at your Agent, will share his advice for getting more enjoyment from your garfinal destination in the Alabama TREASURE Forests, with a couple den. Wildlife biologist Joel Glover, Alabama TREASURE Forests, of stops in between. Speaker Ed-

Fall SEMINAR

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The Giving Garden

AMGA Fall Seminar

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Sept. 10, 2013 Taylor Road Baptist Church Montgomery

Seminar Goals:
1. See examples of SE community gardens and learn how they work 2. Learn the principles and benefits of composting 3. Learn ????? 4. Learn about landscapes and plants that support Alabamas wildlife (Full day = 4 CEUs)

Contact Information:
Carol Rattan (general) 334-478-3221 Becky Ashurst (registration) 34-514-1576

Registration:
$20

Send registration & check to:

Becky Ashurst PO Box 381 Wetumpka AL 36092

Payable to: Central Alabama MGA

Gardens offer many gifts they have the capacity to impact our communities, foster healthy lifestyles, provide enjoyment, and sustain Alabamas natural eco -systems.

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The Giving Garden

Name: MGA affiliation:

AMGA Fall Seminar

September 10, 2013

Address:

Email:

Phone:

Lunch sandwich option:

__ turkey wrap

__ roast beef sandwich

__ veggie wrap

Registration forms must be received by September 3rd to guarantee your slot.* The $20.00 registration fee includes a snacks, a box lunch and drink. For more information contact: Carol Rattan 334-478-3221, or Becky Ashurst, 334-514-1576, email: rebeccaashurst@bellsouth.net Please mail your check made out to Central Alabama MGA along with this form to: Becky Ashurst PO Box 381, Wetumpka AL 36092

*Refunds will be decided on case by case basis and cannot be guaranteed after lunches are ordered.

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2014 Conference

By Frieda Romanchuk
mum CEUs for one person: 12. Hotels. Hotel choice becomes your decision. On the website, you should find the initial HOTEL INFO that will introduce you to some of our hotels. The responsibility is yours to insure that you have the best rate. We have seen in recent years where conference rate is sometimes not the best rate [AAA, AARP, Senior Rate some/all are better], you might actually pay less/person by sharing a suite with several people, and we urge you to choose a hotel that offers a complimentary breakfast. Eat a good, relaxing breakfast at your hotel [often visiting with fellow MGs], grab a piece of fruit for a morning snack to take to the conference, and head to the DCC where your second cup of coffee will await you! The main point of communication and updates with the AMGA members and others who will be attending 2014 will be through the website. Please continue to check for updates, news via the Facebook link, background You Tubes of some remote sites, and, the first YouTube, WELCOME TO BALDWIN COUNTY.

AMGA conferences have a schedule that would not allow time to enjoy that experience. The Monday-Wednesday Conference allows plans for a The AMGA 2014 Con- weekend arrival prior to or reference webpage will be availa- maining after 2014 Conference to spend a few days enjoying ble on the AMGA website at the amenities of the beaches or the beginning of July, 2013. On the HOME PAGE is the in- The Grand Hotel. formation explaining a JUBILEE and how it applies to gardening in Alabama. After all, isn't gardening in Alabama a Jubilee of sorts? The Steering Committee for the AMGA 2014 Conference [2014] accepted this asDaphne, AL. The signment over 3 years ago JUBILEE CITY! For the expe[yes, time period of the Montrience being offered, Daphne is gomery conference]. One area a great fit. The program will be we deliberated a year on was the selection of the WHERE to at the Daphne Civic Center [DCC] beginning Monday at hold 2014! The beach? The Grand Hotel? A more northern noon, April 28 and it will end at the same place, Wednesday location? We worked with noon, April 30. If you are the some wonderful sales people at all locations. The three of us type who wants to be in one location the whole time, you had some down and soily discussions on the advantages/ can be at the DCC. If you disadvantages of each locale. would like to combine outdoor learning experiences with clasEach location had unique adses at the DCC, we will be ofvantages. We eliminated the beach location after being rele- fering some remote educational opportunities in various gated to the basement due to larger conference signing that locales of N Baldwin County at some of the same times far in advance. The Grand or roundtables and gigs will be Daphne Civic Center. For those of you who have stayed held at the DCC [Mon PM, very at The Grand Hotel, you know early Tues AM, and Wed AM]. that it should be treated as an Rough estimate of total CEUs experience the whole time you available: 26. Realistic maxiare there. You also know that

Alabama . . . A Gardeners JUBILEE!

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MASTER

1. Autauga County MGA By Nancy Waggoner

present.

munity outreach projects such as monthly Lunch and Learn seminars, our community In addition, ACMGA presents a Hummingbird Award each month to any gardens and other endeavors. Members and interns enjoyed a individual member who has performed outdelightful and most interesting tour of the standing service in any association activity or project. So far, for year 2013, our recipi- Bonnie Plant Farm in Union Springs Alaents have been: Paula Seamon for being an outstanding committee assistant, Kathryn Whaley for editing the 2012 newsletter Dirty Digs, Pam Olson for serving as Volunteer Hours Coordinator Bonnie Plant Farm Tour GARDENERS and AMGA Advibama in May. A guided tour of the facility sory Council representative, and preparing our annual membership directory and hand- enabled us to see seed plantings that result in biodegradable containers of herbs and Autauga County Master Gardeners book, Carroll Bonifay for directing the vegetables for mass retail production. Association is composed of a group of indi- Demonstration Garden, Deborah Cheatum We were honored to have Jane viduals who demonstrate exemplary service for chairing the annual plant sale, and Mobley from Central Alabama Master Garand dedication to the association mission. Gaines Smith for giving invaluable assisAt the 2013 AMGA Conference, our Sherry tance in preparing for the plant sale.. Con- dener Association present a program titled Hodge was awarded the Platinum badge for gratulations to all badge earners and award The Butterfly Garden and Donnie Tomlin of Tomlin Landscaping Services in Montgom2,000 volunteer hours earned from 2001 to recipients! the present and a Gold Badge was awarded Our plant sale netted over $2,000. ery whose presentation on Japanese Maple tree grafting was fascinating. to President Deborah Cheatum for 1,000 Part of this profit will be used to fund comvolunteer hours earned from 2008 to the

HAPPENINGS AROUND

A ALABAMA

2. Baldwin County MGA

18 interns completed training in April. 13 completed the requirements by May 31 to receive their badges at the July 11 AWARDS & PICNIC celebration. Congratulations to our incoming members! In addition, Harry Anderson, Sam Andrews, and Tanys Waldron will each be honored with a diamond star [6000 hours] for their service. Another award that is bestowed on a deserving member monthly is the Busy Bee Award. The recipient is strictly in the mind of our president who has a tough time making that choice from the membership. Sometimes, the choice is obvious. Other times, presidents have found those who work very hard and long but out-of-thespotlight. The award is a purple fabric badge that sticks onto members name badge.

By Frieda Romanchuk
segments of the growers site are explored. In June, one of our favorite spots to visit, to learn, and where we hold our plant sales, Weeks Bay Reserve, will be the topic of our speaker, LG Adams, the reserve manager. What has happened, is happening, and is planned will be included in his talk concerning estuarine ecology. Last, members of the 2014 Steering Committee are ramping up their efforts in the final months prior to conference 2014. 3 years of deliberations, considerations, reconsidering, changing up and changing down. We were asked to think out of the box and we have done just that. We look forward to providing you with more details on the conference website. We look forward to welcoming you to Baldwin County.

Sam Andrews reports that 3 Baldwin County students will receive $1000 scholarships towards graduate/ undergraduate tuition at Auburn. These students programs of study fit the parameters set by Baldwin County Master Gardeners [BCMG] Scholarship Committee. The annual Plant Sale affords us the ability to bestow these scholarships. Recent events included 9 in attendance at the SHOALS AMGA 2013 conference where they learned, laughed, enjoyed, ate, networked, and spent money for some great vendor offerings! The May association program was held at the plant development division site at Flowerwood Nurseries. This trip [taken every few years] is always informative and not necessarily to the same division so different

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3. Barbour County MGA 4. Blount County MGA

daughter of Mark and Andrea Towns. She will begin a study in pharmacy at Samford University in the fall. She has proven herself to be outstanding, not only in academics, but in leadership roles in her school, community, and church. BCMG is proud to be able to encourage Mary Elizabeth toward her lifetime goals. She was introduced to our group at our annual picnic which was another event honoring Blount County Master Gardeners' 20 years of success-

By Jackie Devlin By Sarah Pass

ful service. In May, a reception was held at the Frank Green Building in Oneonta to reunite the many friends who have been a part of the
Organization.

The 2013 Blount County Master Gardener Scholarship winner is Mary Elizabeth Towns, granddaughter of member Lorene Allcorn. A graduate of Oneonta High School, Mary Elizabeth is the

Wendy Ulrich and Matharee Boles, two of our charter members who attended the 20th year reception.

5. Calhoun County MGA

By Sherry Blanton

Calhoun County preSpring finds sented a program our Association inabout Alabama Wildvolved in a variety of life in May. Extenactivities. The Tree sion Agent Dan Amigos and the Green Porch from Blount Team both had sucCounty visited us in cessful plant sales. June to talk about Heavy rains on sale Alabama Wildflowday did not dampen ers. the spirits of the volunteers or customers. Lunch and Proceeds from the Learn 2013 began in Tree Amigos sale benApril with Vicky Master Gardeners prepare to greet the students at Earth Day celebration. Smith of A to Z Aniefit the therapeutic hortimals and her fascicultural program at Coosa Valley Attention Home; proceeds from the Annating program about bats. May speaker Roger Vines niston Museum Green Team benefit Longleaf Botanical spoke about Hatchet Creek, known for its beautiful Gardens. scenery as well as its Cahaba Lilies. Lunch and Learn More than 800 county 4th graders and 80 vol- meets the 4th Wednesday of the month from April unteers participated in our annual April Earth Day fes- though September. tivities at Cane Creek Community Gardens, the home In May Hayes Jackson led us on a Hydrangea of our MG Association. MGs led a spirited day of Birds Workshop through Etowah County MG Betty Halls garand Worms Relays teaching the kids the benefits of den. Bettys beautiful garden is a great outing for a MG group. camouflage in the animal world. We meet monthly on the second Wednesday Thank you to the volunteers who contribute to at noon for lunch, a short business meeting and an ed- and write Pathways! ucational program. Stephen Faughn, a 4H educator in

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6. Capital City MGA

Montgomery mayor Todd Strange, recently announced the approval of a botanical garden in the city of Montgomery at Oak Park. It all began as a grass roots campaign by citizens to promote the cause and convince the city government of its positive impact on the community. Our membership will be well represented at the first botanical garden planning meeting on June 18th. We are ecstatic! This spring, our members kept their calendars booked with many educational events including our monthly Lunch and Learn seminars and workshops on Hypertufa Container Gardening, Growing Tomatoes and How to Make Succulent Wreaths. Terese Goodson and the educational events committee did an outstanding job making it all happen. Karin Carmichael and the plant sale committee went all out this year, planning and organizing every detail of the sale for months, including standardizing pots, simplifying pricing, segmenting the plants by category, extensive advertising, providing a refreshment booth for working members, an informational booth for customers complete with

By Eileen Webb
handouts and plant reference books, and a speaker's area featuring on-going garden talks. A great new location was selected that provided us with much more space in a more central part of the city. We held our breath on making the move in addition to changing the date this year but were all delighted with a super turnout, more than doubling our previous year's sales. We are excited about sponsoring a seminar by re-known speaker Felder Rushing at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts on September 29th at 2:00 p.m. For more information, call 334-2704133 or visit our website at capcitymga.org.

7. Central Alabama Master Gardeners

It is with sadness that I write this quarter's article. We said a final good bye to Fred Evans on May 23rd. Fred was known by many personally and at both the local and State levels of Master Gardeners. He had been an active member of our association since 1999 and logged over 3,000 volunteer hours. He most recently served on the State nominating committee. In March, Mr. Fred Bassett spoke to us about hummingbirds. We learned about the many species and the habits of these fascinating creatures. Our association has done work at the Eclectic Senior Center and Farm Day and volunteers presented programs at the Autauga Master Gardener class, a pruning seminar, Blue Ridge Garden Club, Lanark, and the Earth Day plant swap. Our Lunch and Learn program continues to draw participants and is being promoted on WSFA television. An Organic Gardening workshop at Lee and Amanda Borden's farm drew about 60 participants. Our April meeting was pushed back a week due to the State Conference. Fourteen of our members attended the conference. In addition to Fred Evans serving on the nominating committee, our Mary

By Iva Haynie
Long was elected as secretary. In April, Debbie Boutelier presented a very interesting and informative program on medicinal uses for herbs. Linda Griebel received a platinum badge for over 2,000 volunteer hours. Our spring plant sale was a huge success in spite of inclement weather. Even in the pouring rain, we netter over $1800. Our May program was all about Garden Pests; The good and bad. We look forward to a busy, productive and hopefully not too hot and dry summer.

8. Cheaha MGA

By Debbie Masters By Janice Knight

9. Cherokee County MGA

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10. Chilton County MGA

mation, trunk loads of plants and Kombi shovels. The ease of digging with this weapon like tool is amazing! Florence is a beautiful place to visit along with the Florence City Garden Tour that was offered. We were invited to view Margie Andertons natural gardens after the conference and although it was north of our home destination, we all agreed we wanted to go. We were not disappointed! Thanks Margie

By Sondra Henley
oldest home in the Jemison area and more of the Glass vegetable garden and fruit trees. Left over plants from our Maplesville Plant Sale were sold, along with garden crafts. Gardeners took home lots of pretty plants and plants that were brought to be shared. We voted unanimously to raise our county dues. Alice Broome announced that round CCMGA magnets which can be used on mail boxes, vehicles or refrigerators would be available for sale at our next meeting.

Chilton Master Gardeners are busy preparing for the Home and Garden Expo at the Chilton County Research Center on Saturday, August 3. We are taking care of fig and vine cuttings that will be for sale, along with shrubs and flowers. This event offers a taste of the fruits that Jim Pitts and his crew grow on this valuable Auburn Research site. Master Gardeners help pick, peel and make ice Chilton County Master Gardeners cream from various fruits. The best news is all the tasting is free. Not only do Clanton and Jemison City we help out with the fruit serving but Planters were planted in April. This we have our Demonstration Garden is a fun event for our association. on site. Demo Garden Chairmen, Clanton city streets are lined with Alan Reed and Jerry Farmer, along planters and baskets. Marty Martin with other Master Gardeners, have is their landscape advisor and been working each Monday morning chooses a variety of lovely annuals to weed and maintain the irrigation and perennials to grace them. This system so our newly planted flowers is our first full year with the Jemison will be beautiful to view by August. planters and we are looking forward Come out and join us! to working with the city. Also in April, was the Maplesville Heritage Day Celebration. The Master Gardener Class Interns hosted their first plant sale there and were trained in the different responsibilities of plant sales. They found out they knew more than they thought they knew and it gave them a good confidence boost for other upcoming plant sales. In May we had a great Plant AMGA conference atSwap at Bettye Glass in Jemison. tendees brought back lots of inforAcross from Bettyes house is the

Mr. Ralph Hayes, from R .& N. Goat Farm of Thorsby, gave our June Program. His informative presentation included the uses of goat milk, what goats eat and goat milk production. A tour of his goat farm followed our meeting. Goat milk and milk products will soon be available through Debra Stones Hapersville store. It is his goats milk that provide the source for these natural products. Even though it is HOT and HUMID, our gardens are producing and we are gathering, canning and trying out new recipes. Christy Mendoza, AU Extension Kitchen Specialist, gave our April program on Cooking is an Art and Canning is a Science. She reminded us of the importance of following canning guidelines for everyones safety when consuming home canned goods. Practical advice for everyone! Hope you have a bountiful summer! Sondra Henley, President

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11. Claybank MGA

By Carol Ball

We were so grateful for Spring this year. It seemed so long in coming as the Claybank Master Gardeners spent a good deal of their time outdoors maintaining and propagating plants for the upcoming plant sale.. The greenhouse at Vivian B. Adams school was still under construction in April so the CMGs got real creative with their operation. The sale was held at the Ozark Dale County Public Library on April 6 . The weather cooperated with a beautiful day for the successful event.

. A program on honeybees was presented by Phillip Carter on May 11. Phillip is the extension agent for Dale and Houston Counties and is the beekeeper for Landmark Park. Phillip talked about beekeeping, honey extraction, how to build and maintain a hive, decline of bees and their importance in pollination and the environment. It was a program well worth waiting for and by the end of the presentation attendees were all excited about the prospect of owning their own bee hive. The Vivian B. Adams greenhouse opened in May with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on the 17th. The CMGs assisted in preparations for the grand opening. Thanks to plant donations from Wal-Mart and many of our MGs, along with lots of hard work, the greenhouse looked amazing and all were delighted with the new look inside. Concrete flooring replaced the asphalt to accommodate wheel chairs, modifications were made to tables and a new greenhouse cover added the finishing touch to this long awaited project.

ne
OLD GREENHOUSE NEW GREENHOUSE

12. Coffee County MGA 13. Covington County MGA

By Jim Coles By Bonnie Reed

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14. Cullman County MGA

The CCMGAI has been all abuzz with activity this quarter! Our plant sales at the annual Bloomin Festival (in April) and Strawberry Festival (in May) brought swarms of passersby to the MG booth, where the plants are always a main attraction. As usual, the MGs were happy to share their gardening knowledge with the curious crowds. In other fundraising news, our upcoming cookbook, Harvest to Table, is in the printing stage and should be available for sale as of mid to late July. This year, we are including nutritional information for the majority of our tasty recipes. On May 14th, Auburn Universitys Dr. Kathy Flanders spoke to us about fire ant management at Wallace State Community College. An informative -and stunning 3-D Fire Ant movie followed the presentation. On May 15th, Jefferson County MG David Doggett along with Ann McAdams graciously donated their time to give 27 of us a tour of Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama. Resplendent with lush greenery and interesting sculptures, the beautiful gardens provided repose and inspiration to all.

By Jennifer Underwood
be a well-attended agricultural festival Farm YAll featuring celebrity chefs, local food, giant pumpkin and watermelon contests, music, and much more. The farm-tofork festival will be held Saturday, August 24th at the Festhalle, preceded by a white tablecloth dinner August 23rd. With all the bustling activity this past quarter and more exciting events coming up, it looks like the CCMGAI has quite a bit to keep us busy as a bee!

At the annual awards banquet (May 17th), the title of CCMGAI MG of the Year was presented to Holly Hirsbrunner. A 2004 MG graduate with a background in design, Holly drafted the Agriplexs Rain Garden plan, a project which is currently underway. She also designs MG Club Gear (hats, t-shirts, totes, and aprons) and creates photographic plant tags for our plant sales. The CCMGAI County Fair booth has won 1st prize for the last 3 years in a row, thanks in part to her ideas for the booths design. In addition, Holly serves on various committees, assists at work-day events, and is one of our leaders for the Junior Master Gardeners. Way to go, Holly! We continue to work on our Demonstration Garden and Rain Garden projects. The Demonstration Garden has won Beautification Awards the last 3 years in a row and has been nominated again this year. Meanwhile, the groundwork has been completed for the Rain Garden and we all cant wait to begin planting this fall. In upcoming events, we are excited to announce that the CCMGAI, in conjunction with Blount County, will be hosting the state AMGA conference in 2015. We will also be contributing to what promises to

15. DeKalb County MGA

April is always a busy month here in Dekalb County for us Master Gardeners. With our annual plant sale on the horizon, we put the final touches on the plants we had been grooming for sale all winter. As the day neared, we every year and we Greatly appreciate it. At last, the day arrived and what a day it was. People were already lined up to buy when we arrived. We were busy the whole day and ended with a record setting sale. The rain started that evening. We had planned a trip for Celestine with some May but Mother Nayoung gardeners. ture had other ideas made labels and so it rained on our parade so our trip was prayed it would- postponed. nt rain. AU horThe gold badges that were ticulture school awarded to Mimi Anderson and Ann Gildonated several breath at the state conference were placed plants as they do in their hands at our regular meeting.

By Dawn Earley

Most of May and early June has been full of rain but we know it is good for most things. It is just makes for interesting gardening. quiet however, we had and interesting talk on gardening by the Almanac presented by Mr. Ledford. I wonder if I had that, if I could have worked around the rain?

Heavy work left to the men.

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16. East Central Alabama MGA

In a nutshell, weve had a busy second quarter. Our plant sale was a huge success with our sales almost doubling last years sale. In a joint effort with the Hoochee Poosa Locavores (Slow Foods Group), we helped the Wedowee Elementary School students plant and maintain their raised beds. The children planted salad crops so as to be able to enjoy the "fruits of their labor" before the school year ended. Master Gardeners participating were Jack and Sheila Bolen, Paul and Trudine Smith, Gary and Janet Smith, Judy Conaway, Cookie Smith, and Ann Hammond. Construction of the Wedowee Middle School raised beds got off to a great start under Ann Hammonds leadership. A big shout out to our work crew of 11 who helped construct the beds: Paul Smith, Ann Hammond, Gary and Janet Smith, Jack and Sheila Bolen, along with Matt Stapler, Michael Scharko, Gene Thornton, and James and Maggie OQuinn from Hoochee Poosa Locavores. We also built two raised beds, which are wheelchair accessible, for the residents of Ava Hills Assisted Living Home (see photo). Flowers have been planted in these beds for the residents to enjoy.

By Martha Burnett

Pictured left to right: Charlie Partin, Almeda Partin, Gary Smith, Janet Smith, Martha Burnett, Toni Gay, Sheila Bolen and Jack Bolen. Not pictured are Ann Boozer and Ann Hammond (photographer).

17. Etowah County MGA

Our association is pleased to have president, Dale Garner, back on his feet after months of recuperation from an accident that occurred back in September. Several crews of Etowah County master gardeners worked long and hard to prepare for the eleventh annual greenhouse sale, our associations only fundraiser, which got the year off to a good start. This year, proceeds from the sale will provide $4000 in scholarships, to horticulture students, at Auburn University. Several excellent speakers have attended monthly meetings this year, including Doug Phillips, of APTV, (Discovering Alabama), who gave a presentation on Alabamas Natural Wonders, in May. Newsletter editor, Carol (Bonnie) Link published and distributed a 2013 directory, listing contact information of current members. In May, several members and spouses took a chartered bus trip to Lake Mitchell, near Alexander City, for an educational tour of the magnificent garden of attorney, Jim Scott. A second educational field trip is in the planning stage. The horticulture helpline is up and running for the season and the horticulture demonstration garden is being cleaned, sanitized, planted and maintained. Several master gardeners participated in the annual Spring Cleanup Day, at Eura Brown Elementary School, in Gadsden, and plans are in the works for providing plants and labor for the initial landscaping of another new construction for Habitat for Humanity. Calhoun County Extension Agent, Hayes Jackson, conducted a Hydrangea Walking Workshop, at the home of local master gardener, Betty Hall, teaching about the extensive variety of hydrangeas that grow well in Alabama Gardens.

By Carol Link

1.

At 8 a.m., on opening day of ECMGAs Greenhouse sale, customers rush through the front gate to have first change at purchasing plants.

2.

On the Educational field trip to Jim Scotts garden, man-made features in the garden include this lovely waterfall. The narrow dark opening to the left of the waterfall leads to a hidden room tucked in beneath the roaring water.

18. Fayette County MGA 19. Jackson County MGA By Judy Lessmann

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20. Jefferson County MGA

By Fletcher Harvey
ties to take part in judging the Cullman Commercial Beautification Awards. Several of our gardeners joined other members of the BBG on a field trip to Pat Dyes Quail Hollow Farm. Coach Dye was a gracious and knowledgeable host, proving there is definitely life after coaching. War Maple! June marked the return of Herb Lewis (and Terry) and the remarkable, continuing saga of his Backyard Birding. It just keeps getting better and better. June also heralded the beginning of our first summer Master Gardener class. This class will cover all the bases but will meet two days a week for two months rather than once a week for four. Jefferson County Master Gardeners still found time this quarter to continue their involvement in community outreach through Childrens Hospital, the Ingles Day Care Center and the Norwood Learning Gardens as well as various volunteer positions at both Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Aldridge Gardens.

Was Spring briefer than usual, or did Summer sneak in ahead of schedule? Whatever the case, the last couple of months have truly whisked by, and the heat of mid-year Alabama is upon us. April was a very busy month. Dozens of Jefferson County Master Gardeners volunteered at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens highly successful Spring Plant Sale April 3-6. On April 9th, Dan Spaulding made the trek from Anniston to deliver an excellent program on ferns. Curator of the Anniston Museum of Natural History, Dan is co-author of the well received Ferns of Alabama, the latest addition to the Gosse Nature Guides. We had an opportunity to hear Dan again at the AMGA conference in Flor-

ence April 15-17. Our large Jefferson County delegation agreed that our compatriots in the Shoals really know how to throw a party. Excellent facility, outstanding programs, great fellowship, good weather what more could a gardener ask? In May, Linda Emerson returned to referee our annual plant swap proving that horticulturists never really retire. Formerly on the gardening staff at BBG, Linda has been an integral part of our Master Gardener activities for some time. Also in May, folks from Jefferson County were again privileged to join folks from Blount, Cullman and Madison Coun-

21. Lee County MGA

As spring burst forth, Lee County Master Gardeners upped the pace of work on our three main project gardens. In particular the Caroline Dean Wildflower Trail in Opelika has seen major changes. A fence has been put in and a refurbished message board now displays photos of native azaleas and lists other native shrubs. New areas have been cleared of invasives and more that 100 plant species line the trail. Our monthly meeting in April was held at the site so our members could see how much progress has been made on this project. For the summer months we have scheduled a Hypertufa workshop, a session by guest speaker Dr. Arlie Powell on citrus

By Tomi Dugas
tour committee is already busy scouting gardens this season for the 2014 tour. Our fundraising efforts have been quite effective. During the spring mulch sales we netted $1,667 and still have more to sell in the fall. The native azalea fundraiser was popular, especially among our own MGs and brought in $1,574. A new temporary project under consideration involves landscaping an area of the Lee County Humane Society facility. This year we gave $200 to 4-H and also to an AU horticulture scholarship fund and will continue to look for other ways to benefit the community with the funds we have raised.

Master Gardeners visit Caroline Dean Wildflower Trail as part of their April MG meeting. Billie Oliver in the center of the photo coordinates work on the trail. Photo credit: Sam Oliver

trees and trips to Youngs Plant Farm and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Our garden

22. Limestone County MGA 23. Mable County MGA

By Joni Gruber

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24. Marshall County MGA

*Reach For the Stars Program: *Silver Star Recipients: Bonnie Ballard Betty Mathews Brenda Potts Barbara Rowland *Marshall County Master Gardeners Awards: * Thanks for Volunteering Award 1. Rookie Award 2. Leadership Award 3. Paul James of Marshall County Master Gardeners 4. Martha Stewart of Marshal County Master Gardeners 5. A Job Well Done 6. Green Thumb Award

By Linda Widner
Nell Amador and Joyce Kirkpatrick won a tie vote for being the Martha Stewart of Marshall County Master Gardeners. They do things right!

Awards Program

7. Going For the Gold 8. Helping Hands 9. Thanks for Being There 10. Gold Digger
Bonnie Ballard and Cecilia Pullen receiving an appreciation gift certificate for co-chairing the plant sale committee last year. They did a great job allowing us to contribute to the Endowment fund.

25. Master Gardeners Of North Alabama

By Andrea Cummings

MGNA Celebrates 25 Years; first MGA in Alabama Battle also signed a proclamation May 28 making June Master Gardeners of North Alabama has silver 9 MGNA Day in Huntsville. MGNA has grown in many ways through the sparkles all around it this year. Back in 1988, MGNA years, and many notable activities and firsts were docuwas the first MG Association to form in Alabama. On mented in 25 years of MGNA newsletters and 17 years th June 9, 2013, members held a 25 Anniversary Recepof scrapbooks. This year, the MGNA Garden Thymes tion at the Huntsville Botanical Garden, attended by newsletter is telling some of those stories in each issue. about 120 Master Gardeners and distinguished guests. Please go online at www.mginfo.org to read the Attendees included some of MGNAs past presitwo proclamations, our history recapped in the 2013 dents, HBG Chief Horticulturist Harvey Cotten, state issues of the Garden Thymes , and updates on what is Master Gardener Program Coordinator Kerry Smith, and happening with Master Gardeners of North Alabama! several AMGA board members and committee chairs. Also in the crowd were now-retired Madison County Extension Agent Gary Murray, MGNA member Mary Lou McNabb, who is the namesake for that AMGA Master Gardener of the Year Award, and Robin Chambers, who worked at Alabama A&M here in Huntsville when the first Alabama Master Gardener Program class took place at A&M in 1981. They all worked closely to get the Program off the ground! Attending MGNAs 25th Anniversary Reception The City of Madion June 9 at the Huntsville Botanical Garden were several son Mayor Troy Trulock past MGNA presidents, shown here. From left: Paul also attended the recepThompson (president from May 1996-December 1997), tion. On May 28, he Terry Lewis (January 1998 to December 1999), Teresa signed a proclamation Smith (January to December 2003), Jim Kennedy (January 2004 to December 2005), Sue Toole (January 2006 to making June 9, 2013, December 2007), Dottye Pierce (January 2010 to MGNA Day in Madison. 25th Anniversary Logo December 2011) and Janet Boothe (January 2012 Huntsville Mayor Tommy to the present).

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25. Mobile County MGA

By Nancy Adams
With an emphasis on eating local, the Master Gardeners who planned this gala matched chefs from ten local restaurants/eateries with local farmers, growers, and seafood establishments to create a dinner unlike any we have experienced. Each chef had a station where he served his specialty for the evening, and guests were encouraged to move among the stations, sampling and tasting as they pleased. Some of the favorites were mini crab cakes, eggplant sliders, and warm, fresh corn soup garnished withof all thingscaramel popcorn. The flavors were fabulous together. Another favorite was crabmeat with lime juice, green onions and avocado. And the desserts, such as chocolate mousse served in meringue cups topped with slivers of chocolate, were equally delicious. Coupled with the view of Mobile Bay, beautiful guitar music, a silent auction, and a flat screen viewing of the working operations of some of the suppliers, this event made for a very memorable evening.

Farm to Table Event Guests.

The big news among Mobile County Master Gardeners is the enthusiastic response of guests at the second annual Farm to Table Tasting Event held on June 3 at the beautiful 5 Rivers Delta Center.

A local chef preparing food for the Farm to Table Event

Master Gardener, Judy Weaver with Farm to Table guests.

Chefs at the Farm to Table Tasting Event June 3, 2013

The 150 tickets sold out and left many wishing they had reserved places earlier. Those who attended are wondering what this group of talented and focused Master Gardeners have in store for the third annual Farm to Table affair. On the first Monday of each month, Mobile County Master Gardeners are offering a Lunch and Learn series where anyone is invited to bring a lunch and learn something about gardening. The series began in May with Alice Martys presentation on Butterfly Gardening, followed in June by a class on Beekeeping led by Jane Spicciani. The classes have been well received among Master Gardeners and the greater community.

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26. Morgan County MGA

Chicken & Egg Festival On April 13, members from our association volunteered at the Extension Booth at the Chicken & Egg Festival in Moulton, Alabama. They assisted children in learning how to pot tomato plants provided by Bonnie Plants. Below are grandchildren of Master Gardeners Darryl and Nancy Waldron at the festival after potting their tomato plants. Other workshops were conducted by Master Gardeners throughout the weekend on a variety of subjects including Pallet Gardening, Soil Testing and Building Bluebird Houses.

By Sonja Hyatt

features a central waterfall routing through the garden creating pools and streams. Statuary and a Shakespearian verse add an atmosphere of thoughtfulness. There are benches and tables throughout, each room inviting you in. There is a place for everyone to enjoy, from the children's garden with its giant see-saw and swing to a quiet reading nook. A boardwalk overlooks the garden below for the less agile visitor. Our members were delighted with the variety and placement of plants, most of which were perennials. There were shade plants, water plants, with a few sunny annuals mixed in the right Plant Sale places. This garden looks like a natural landscape with its rocks The greenhouse team's work in the spring produced a very successful plant sale on April 20 - 21. Many of our members and boulders, but everything there was completely created after were there to help and sales were the best ever. We were able to damage from a tornado. From Jim Scott we learned that beautiful places can be made with persistence, work and creativity. By reduce our inventory enough to move into our newly constructed greenhouse at the fairgrounds. Proceeds will help to purchase set paying attention to the changes in our lives, we can change our -up materials for our new location as well as fund other projects landscapes for our enjoyment. such as a yearly donation to the Auburn Endowment Fund. Rosita's Farm A group from our association visited Rosita's Farm in Ask a Master Gardener A new project intended to bring information to the com- Hartselle, Alabama for a monthly pot luck meeting. This was an munity is the "Ask a Master Gardener" table at the Morgan County authentic exposure to farm life complete with the cow patty obstaFarmers Market. We will be there every Saturday from 8 - 11 a.m. cle course, haystack seating in the barn and outhouse facilities. beginning June 15 through the end of August. We will assist home After a brief tour of the farm we enjoyed a healthy assortment of foods made with fresh vegetables and herbs. Afterward, we visitowners with their gardening questions and offer soil testing kits ed the garden and high tunnel where we learned from Karen and literature on various gardening topics. Wynne about the no till farming method they are using. Weeds are controlled with mulch and ground cover. Emmaline spoke Jim Scott's Garden about pollination problems and how to aid the plants when there is "The Gate of Indecision"; that's where Morgan County a problem. We learned about the importance of beneficial insects Master Gardeners found themselves on a beautiful day in May. and the decline of the honey bee. Gardening organically helps As we passed through the portal into Jim Scott's private garden protect these beneficial insects. an architectural and landscaping adventure awaited us. "Which path should I take? Which garden do I love?" We will be relaxing by the Tennessee River and visiting We started our journey at the barn, which was much more like a woodsy retreat overlooking Lake Martin in central Ala- with each other for our next meeting/picnic on June 17. bama. Mr. Scott built his garden for his family and friends to enjoy. He has continued to add garden rooms, each connected to the other by paths that twist and turn. The multi-dimensional garden

27. Pike County MGA

By Sheri Brooks

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27. Pike County MGA 28. Russell County MGA 29. Shelby County MGA
We have been Hard at work and hard at fun! The Birmingham Botanical Garden Plant Sale and the Aldridge Garden Plant Sale have many volunteers from Shelby County. Not only do we work, but we are good spenders! Every May we visit our own members' gardens. This year we had about 40 folks visit Edith Johnston's garden. Ferns were everywhere and she has two garden ponds. We ended our visit with a plant swap. We had a terrific speaker, Arnold Rutkis (of Stoneshovel). He gave an outstanding talk about 'Native Plants". He sold out of many plants. Go visit his website! You will love it. Our very own Vice President, Mary K Tomas, brought up a great idea. She asked our group if anyone wanted to help out some of our members that may not be able to garden like they did before. A group of about eight folks have already helped a member. We will continue this volunteer program.

By Sheri Brooks

By Susan Seng
We are proud of our mentor program for the new classes of Master Gardeners. Sundra Smith is the coordinator of this program this year. She is working hard making sure each new Master Gardener is matched up to a caring mentor. Shelby County Master Gardener class begins this August

30. St. Claire County MGA 31. Shoals MGA

Thank you for attending the 2013 convention. We hope you had a good time in the Shoals and will come back again! On the heels of the convention we jumped into our Arts Alive plant sale. Granted, our members were working with their tongues hanging out, but we had one of the best sales ever. Now we are going to enjoy working our gardens, as well as, working on a few projects. I want to thank all our SMG members for their hard work this spring on the garden tour, the state convention, the plant sale, and our projects. You wont find a better group of gardeners in the whole state.

By Patricia Peoples By Sarah Haggstrom

Garden Pathways Pathways Summer 1313 Issue 5453 Garden Spring 2013- 2013 Volume - Volume Issue

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33. Tuscaloosa County MGA

the Hillcrest High School plant sales as well as hosting our own 5th Annual PassAlong Plant Sale, which was very successful this year. We are proud to use the proceeds from our plant sale to annually fund a $1000 scholarship

By Judith Rives
to Auburn University. The scholarship is designated for a junior or senior Horticulture major who is from Tuscaloosa County or an adjacent county. We continue to volunteer at the University of Alabama Arboretum weekly, and assisted the Tuscaloosa County Extension staff with a 4H program on planting and using basil. The students all went home with tomato and basil plants. In May, we were honored to help host the Tuscaloosa Garden Tour, which raised money for local cancer patients who need financial assistance. We are working now on our Fall Conference, The Tasteful Landscape: Mixing Flowers & Food. Programs will include how to use herbs, vegetables and citrus in ornamental borders and small spaces. For information, Like Tuscaloosa County Master Gardeners on Facebook, or email Judith Rives at gardengal60@gmail.com.

32. Tallapoosa County MGA

Spring is always the busiest garden season and this year was no exception. TCMG members seemed to be everywhere! Early in April, we were part of the Earth Day Celebration at the historic Battle-Friedman home in Tuscaloosa, encouraging attendees to recycle, reuse and repurpose with our demonstrations. It was a perfect day to be outside and there were a lot of people asking us questions. The AMGA State Conference helped inspire us for the gardening ahead, and we helped with the Wildflower Society and

By Prencella Hamby

TREASURER

By Mary Howe

I assumed AMGA Treasurer responsibilities from Jane Shalhoop on June 4th. All funds for deposit and requests for payment or reimbursement should be forwarded to: Mary Howe, 204 Buckeye Lane, Brownsboro, AL 35741. Requests for payment may be submitted by e-mail along with scanned receipts or other information to support the payment. E -mail address is: mary.howe67@gmail.com. My home telephone number is: 256-534-4773.

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34. Walker MGA 35. Wiregrass MGA

The Wiregrass Area Master Gardeners are headed into a summer that promises to be hot and humid. And yet, gardening chores much still be completed. We want to encourage everyone to be safe in the summer heat and cognizant of the symptoms of heat related injuries. Watch for these signs of heat stroke: Fainting, throbbing headache, dizziness, dry skin that is hot to the touch, cramps, muscle weakness, nausea, elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, seizures and/or unconsciousness. If you notice someone with these symptoms, call 9 -1-1 immediately and render first aid until they arrive. April found several of our members heading to North Alabama, Florence to be precise, for the AMGA Master Gardener Conference. It was an amazing conference and our sincere gratitude goes out to the Shoal Master Gardeners who made this years conference such a success. Our own Tom Boyle was sworn in to serve on the Board of Directors for the AMGA. We are very proud to have him represent our

By Linda Wilson By Beth Arnold

Association on the State Board. Also, we had three of our members receive their Gold Name Badge. Cheryl Hatcher was able to receive her bad at the conference. Pat and Bill Wente were not able to attend the conference, but will receive their Gold Name Badges at home. We are so proud of all of them for this accomplishment. Finally, the WMGAs Newsletter won Outstanding Newsletter Award. The editor, Beth Arnold, was present to accept the award as well as a $100 check for the WMGA.

April seems to be a month full of special events and activities for the WMGA. The Spring Plant Sale was held in early April and was a huge success. Proceeds from the sale were just under $10,000. We are looking forward to helping several organizations within our community with proceeds from the sale. The WMGA Fall Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, September 28th. We hope that you will come to the Wiregrass Area and visit our lovely Botanical Gardens and purchase some beautiful plants. The WMGA is continuing to work on both old projects and new. We hope that everyone is able to stay healthy and enjoy their gardening season this summer. See you in the fall!!

Garden
Pathways
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Volume 13 Issue 54 Summer 2013

ALABAMA MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION Ona GarwoodEditor 312 Bellwood Trail Enterprise, AL 36330

STATE ADVISOR Kerry Smith, State Master Gardener Program Coordinator 101 Funchess Hall, Auburn University Auburn, AL 36849 334-844-3036; Cell 334-329-1051
smithkp@auburn.edu

Deadline for Fall Issue is September 15th, 2013

AMGA Officers President: Dottye Pierce - (MGNA) 256-881-8053 dottye.pierce@comcast.net Vice President: Jeanon Massien - (Shelby) 205-991-3125 nauzer1@att.net Secretary: Mary Long - (CAMGA) 334-514-0860 plantlady@elmore.rr.com Treasurer: Mary Howe (MGNA) 256-534-4773 mary.howe67@gmail.com Board Members at Large Term 2011 - 2014 Larry Gullett (Shoals) 256-764-1626 Cell 256-335-5154 llgullett@comcast.net Kathie Bass - (MGNA)
256-457-6530 AMGAFundraiingChair@gmail.com

Term 2013 - 2016 Tom Boyle (Wiregrass) 334-794-2094 BoyleT@graceba.net

Jane Trawick 251-443-9175 Cell 251-402-3463 boja7@yahoo,.com Advisory Council Chairperson - Brenda Tapp
256-859-8703 tapp0729@gmail.com

GOT QUESTIONS? WEVE GOT ANSWERS! http:// www.aces.edu/

AMGA Website www.alabamamg.org

NOMINATING COMMITTEE (Elected Members) Term 2011-2013 Cathy Canant - (Shelby) 205-260-7748 ccanant@bellsouth.net Term 2012-2014 Delores Dee Hubbert (MGNA) 256-760-4603 chubbert@bellsouth.net OTHER Newsletter Editor: Ona Garwood - (Coffee) 334-475-3138 ogarwood@roadrunner.com Webmaster: Diana Hansen - (MGNA) 256-430-0693 kleffner@mac.com Membership Chair: John Baker - (Shoals) 256-764-5527 baker140@comcast.net Cell 256-577-1338 Fundraising: Kathie Bass - (MGNA) 256-457-6530 AMGAFundraisingchair@gmail.com

Term 2012 - 2015 Brenda Armstrong - (Blount) 205-647-1731 nanaba@bellsouth.net Joyce Davis - (Marshall) 251-593-7977 Joyce.davis76@yahoo.com Jimmie Van Valkenburgh - (Baldwin) 251-968-8866 jbvanv@gulftel.com