February 2007 Unit Reports
AMHERST, CAMPBELL and LYNCHBURG (Hill City MGA) Deborah Straw	December saw the changing of the guard at Hill City. Service Awards were given to outgoing Secretary Pam Hanse, outgoing Board member Barbara Posey and our outgoing President Bill Morton. We welcome our new President Sue Chipman. Our December meeting was capped off with our Annual Christmas Party. January brought our five School Program Coordinators together to plan our 3 school programs for these third and fourth graders. We will share more on these programs later. The Festival of Gardening Committee chairs are kicking their efforts another notch up in preparation for our Annual Fund Raiser to be held Saturday, May 5th. website - www.hcmga.com
ARLINGTON and ALEXANDRIA (MGs of Northern VA) Vivian Ballard	The Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (MGNV)  2007 Training Class is about half over.  The students are a vigorous and enthusiastic group, and presenters have been well received.  The Insect Identification class taught by Peter Warren was among the best.  He stayed over a second day and taught 40 of our Master Gardeners an advanced version of the Insect Identification class using 20 microscopes he provided.  Attendees enjoyed the class very much and would recommend it to others. Joanne Hutton (the Master Gardener Coordinator) is now our acting Extension Agent since Monica Lear has left to take a job with Urban Forestry in Washington DC.  We will miss Monica.  She has been a marvelous person to work with and is extremely knowledgeable as well. website - www.mgnv.org
BEDFORD Patty Gamache	Bedford is putting on two seminars dated March 24, "Snakes and what you should know" and March 31 "Shade Gardening", and two workshops dated April 14, "Make a Rain Barrel/Summer drought" and April 21 "Make a Hypertufa pot/container gardening".  Please call the Bedford Extension office for further information.  (540)586-5675. Bedford is working on the goody bags for the MG College again this year.  I have requested that each district attain items (300).  Please send items to me at my home after March 1st.  The bags will be stuffed at our MG monthly meeting on June 1 and delivered to MG college before registration begins on June 21st.
CARROLL, GRAYSON and city of GALAX (Blue Ridge) Charles Whittle	Time to plan for a busy season with 27 projects including 3 educational/walking trails, memorial gardens, heritage seed exchange, county fair and native plant restoration. Educational efforts include Earth Day, Matthews Historic Farm and a fall training class. Pruning classes are being planned for late Feb, grafting classes for early April. MG and general public sessions. Wythe Morris, extension agent, will coordinate these sessions.
CHESTERFIELD Lynn Foote	The Horticultural Horizons registration should be going out in February. This is the spectacular event at Lewis Ginter on April 24, 2006. Do not miss it. The Chesterfield Master Gardeners are offering 6 seminars at the public libraries in the evening on topics from Basics of Vegetable Gardening to Pruning to Planting America’s Anniversary Garden. February 5, 2007 a new class of seedling Master Gardeners began with 21 members. Each new seedling will have a trained mentor. Work continues on the New Homeowners’ program. It will be piloted this spring with about 50 clients. Grass Roots newsletter was mailed to 624 clients that participated in last year’s grass roots program. This year the Grass Roots program will begin in March and accept about 400 clients. Advanced training for the Master Gardeners on pruning with Jim Orband and winter tree id. With Rich Reuse has been offered in February. website www.chesterfield.gov/extension .
FAIRFAX- Green Spring Susan McDonald	On February 24, 2007, the Green Spring Master Gardeners hosted the third annual EcoSavvy Gardening Symposium, featuring talks on wildlife gardening (Craig Tufts of the National Wildlife Federation), rain gardens, ecological landscape design, and biodiversity. The event was sponsored by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. The GSMGs also celebrated their fifth anniversary and were presented with a certificate of recognition for promoting responsible horticulture by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
FAIRFAX - Merrifield George Graine	New this year is the brown bag lunch bunch that takes place after some MG training classes at 12:30. Although unstructured and informal this provides an opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics for those who desire to lunch and learn. (Participation is not required.) Additionally, these “meetings” tend to enhance a degree of cohesiveness between experienced MGs, newer MGs, and interns. This is particularly important and helpful when you have to manage a large Unit. Following the August recommendation of the NoVaMGCaucus, the Northern District has put into place a one-day all-day Leadership Workshop at two locations on Mar. 23 and 24. This program is akin to the Leadership Development Training program at MG College. It is intended to accommodate Extension Agents, Unit officers, others in leadership roles, as well as those who plan to take on a leadership role in the future. srenna@fairfaxcounty.gov.
FREDERICKSBURG, STAFFORD, SPOTSYLVANIA, KING GEORGE, CAROLINE COUNTY (Central Rappahannock) Kay Kimmell	The Central Rappahannock Area presented the first Master Gardener Emeritus honor to much loved Maude Scott of Spotsylvania County for her many years of service to Chatham National Park, historical sites and education programs of the greater Fredericksburg area.  The award was presented at the annual Gala 2007. The Gala also recognized 101 re-certified master gardeners, newly certified master gardeners and members of MG Class 2006.  Our MGs and Interns will be working for VCE offices and community education projects of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, Stafford Counties and the City of Fredericksburg.  The Spring 2007 First Saturday in the Garden series of programs are listed on the VMGA Events Calendar Practical Beekeeping Class for Beginners starts Feb 15th through April 12th. Cost is $75.00 per family for books and materials.  Equipment and ordering of live bees and queens are additional costs.   Most classes will be at the Marshall Center, 8800 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania, VA.  The contact person is Sara Broyles sarabee@cox.net.
GOOCHLAND, POWHATAN Chuck Miller	Our graduation dinner for the 16 interns from our 2006 training class, our newest MGs, was held on Jan. 11.  The new officers for 2007 were also installed at this time.  Twenty-one new trainees have begun their classes.  We are trying new methods to be more efficient at our executive committee (officer) meetings.  Rather than have each officer come to a meeting and give a report and have unstructured discussion, we expect most reports to be written and provided ahead of the meeting.  Discussion points will be mentioned so participants can be prepared.  Some topics will be referred to committee for later discussion.   Projects for the year usually start slowly in the winter months, but planning and organization has begun.  Usually we sign up for the projects of our choice in February.  The major project of the spring will be the Third Annual Spring Garden Fest at J. Sargent Reynolds Community College on April 28.  We have 3 educational/fun trips planned for the first half of the year:  In March we will visit Brent and Becky's Bulbs; April to Edenwoods, the home of Norie Burnet, the Moss Lady; and May to member Pat Carrier's garden.  As has been our practice for many years, each GPMGA regular meeting consists of three parts, a regular business segment and an educational segment with a guest speaker with good food sandwiched between. web site: www.gpmga.org
HALIFAX, SOUTH BOSTON, VIRGILIA (Southside) Bill McCaleb	SSMGA has been working to involve the Town of Halifax, South Boston, and Virgilina in gateway AAG plantings.   We are looking to have two gateway plantings in the Town of Halifax, at the South and North end of U.S. 501.  In South Boston, we will have three planting areas where the welcome signs are on U.S. 501 as well as on the north end of town at Centerville.  The third site will be at the junction of U.S. 360 & 501 Truck Route (Hamilton Blvd).  These are preexisting mulched beds that will be utilized for our 400^th Anniversary celebration.  We have talked with the Chamber of Commerce, Halifax Industrial Development Agency as well as some of our larger businesses which border main roads coming in and out of South Boston.  The Destination Downtown committee will be putting up the red/white/blue hanging baskets again in early May along S. Main Street to the river along with the US and Commonwealth flag on each lamp post. . We have also been working with the local VDOT office to have a planting at the NC/VA state line on U.S. 501 in Halifax and U.S. 15 in Mecklenburg.  We have offered to help maintain these VDOT site plantings for the 2007 growing season.  Jean Bainbridge and Bill McCaleb have just finished with the Town of Halifax Revitalization project which included having seven “bumpouts” along Main Street planted in trees and shrubs selected by us.  Businesses were solicited to plant each of these sites, so there was no landscaping cost to the town.  We also involved the County of Halifax public works and added plantings of “Biloxi” Crepe Myrtles in the parking lot in front of the Library and Farm Services Building.  The 2007 MG Class began on January 9^th and includes 11 new trainees to meet the needs of our local Extension Office.  Several of our Master Gardeners will be going into the schools during March to assist with SOLs on Soils and Plant propagation, putting on a program we call “Fun with Plants”.  There are 5 of the 8 elementary schools scheduled at this time for presentations. Our Beautiful Gardens™ Evaluation site will be adding more test plants in March and limited tours to the public will be offered during May, June, July, and August.
HANOVER Christy Brennan	Brent Heath from Brent and Becky's Bulbs gave wonderful bulb presentation at the January general membership meeting. The Home Gardening Series has started and the attendance has been excellent. We have these sessions on Saturday mornings beginning at 9:00 am. The Master Gardner Graduate school is going well, the graduate students have attended upper level classes on soils, ground water regulations and the Chesapeake Bay, stream health testing methods and angiosperms physiology. The Hanover Land Care Stewards have several composting / vermicomposting presentations lined up. One will be during the Maymont Flower and Garden Show and this summer they will have a demonstration on Richard Nunnally's TV program. website - hanovermastergardeners.org
JAMES CITY COUNTY / WILLIAMSBURG Ann DeForest and Anne Odle	Turf Love "U" Spring Session, Sat., 3/3 10-12noon at the James City County/ Williamsburg Community Center on Longhill Road.  Annual Plant Sale, 4/29, Wmbg Community Bldg. In keeping with our direction of bringing about a better understanding and appreciation of our protecting our watershed our Feb. membership meeting will feature Brian Noyes from the Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District as our featured speaker.  January's 2007 VCE Showcase for community leaders and organizations highlighted area projects - Therapeutic Gardening, Junior MG, and Enviroscape website - www.jccwmg.org
MECKLENBURG, NOTTOWAY, BRUNSWICK LUNENBURG (South Central ) Linda Logan	South Central Master Gardeners have been busy in the community. In conjunction with local garden clubs, Master Gardeners Joe Mayton, Ann Warren, Juanita Yates and Nancy Drewry have spoken to several groups including the Amelia Garden Club and Southern States in Blackstone about gardening issues and educated them as to the role of Master Gardeners. Ann Warren assisted the Farmville Beautification Committee by providing education regarding the care of a tree planted by that committee at Madeline's House, a home for abused women and their children. In the works for this spring are several area beautification programs involving the planting of America's Anniversary Gardens in Lawrenceville and South Hill and coordinating with local nurseries to provide native plants in red, white and blue for use in landscaping projects.
NELSON Kathryn Skinner, Patricia Bailey, Shirley Wilson	We are planning new demonstration garden at the site of the Extension Office located in an historic building in the county seat in Lovingston.  The Horticultural Therapy Project for seniors in the aforementioned historic building has completed its first year with great success.  The highlight of the first year was the addition of two large planter boxes in the building's courtyard.  The seniors grew flowers and vegetables from seed, transplanted the seedlings and enjoyed the fruits of their labors.  This project will continue working with the seniors once a Month in 2007. The NCMG will have the annual plant sale on May 6, 2007.  This gives us an opportunity to meet the community, discuss a variety of horticultural issues and offer plants that have been propagated by members. The National Park Service has a garden at an historic site called Hump Back Rocks on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  For two years the NCMG have had a demonstration vegetable garden reflective of the late 1890s on this site.  Last year cooking and medicinal herb gardens were added,  Visitors come from all over the US and from foreign countries and are anxious to learn about horticulture on a subsistence mountain farm. In conjunction with the Wintergreen Nature Foundation, the NCMG are involved with Native Plant Propagation.  A new greenhouse near the main highway in the area will allow the community to learn about native plants and their uses. NCMG worked with Habitat for Humanity and the new home owners on landscaping and care of the plantings for two homes built by volunteers in the county.  A third home will be done in the fall of 2007. With the goal of increasing public awareness of the trees found in Nelson County, especially natives and invasive species, a tree identification committee of the NCMG will identify and label specific trees in populated areas.  Newspaper articles will challenge the public to identify specific trees, and subsequent articles will provide information about them.
NORFOLK Don Snipes	Norfolk has begun its Master Gardener Volunteer training class at Norfolk Botanical Garden.  We have 29 trainees from Norfolk and 6 trainees from Portsmouth.  The class will continue through mid-April. The NMGV will be participating with Norfolk Garden Clubs and the city of Norfolk in a Jamestown Anniversary Garden project to be in the downtown area 7-12 June 07 along with OpSail and Harborfest.  It should be quite an event. website - www.nmgv.org
NORTHUMBERLAND, LANCASTER, RICHMOND, WESTMORELAND and ESSEX (Northern Neck) Ted Munns	Our winter project is planning our annual Gardening in the Northern Neck Seminar: Plants, Places, and Pleasures – The Best in Virginia Gardening. The seminar will be held on Saturday, March 24^th from 9:00am to 2:30 pm at the Church of the Nazarene in White Stone. Speakers include: Richard Nunnally – columnist and author – “Best Garden Plants for Virginia”; Elizabeth Maurer – Virginia Beach Master Gardener – “History, Horticulture, and a Place We Call Home”; Frank Reilly – multi-talented environmentalist – “Low Impact Development for Chesapeake Bay Gardens”. For more information see our new web site. Due to the hard work of our Hort. Technician and Master Gardener, Margi Beane, the Northern Neck Master Gardeners have a “world class” web site: www.nnmg.org
VIRGINIA BEACH Paul Campbell	During 2006, 220 Virginia Beach Master Gardeners had a very successful year of volunteer activities. Volunteered 22,489 hours in 24 separate activity areas. This equates to a dollar of $421,668 or 15 fulltime employees. Made over 21,000 contacts with citizens during these activities. Ready Set Grow Elementary School program- record setting 2,582 students in 26 schools All other programs continue to be very successful in educating the public in horticulture awareness. website - www.vbmg.org
WASHINGTON Patte Redmond	Training began Jan. 23^rd. Dave Close came down for orientation as well as our annual meeting and installation of officers. We celebrate our 10^th annual Garden Faire April 20, 21, 22, held in Abingdon. We have thousands of brochures & posters being sent out. MG units should receive theirs sometime in late March, early April. For information contact wcmg@vt.edu or call the extension office at 276.676.6309 for detailed information. We’re looking forward to warmer weather to check out the survival of plants at our Beautiful Gardens site. New interns eagerly awaiting a chance to start getting those hours….. We have several existing AAGs and look forward to seeing a lot of red, white and blue in our area.
WYTHE, BLAND, SMYTH (Wythe-Bland Region) Nancy Hagen	The Wythe-Bland Region MGs have obtained permission to hold their annual Garden Fest at Scott Memorial School in Wytheville on April 28^th.  Committees have been formed and plans are going full steam ahead. website - http://civic.bev.net/wbrmga
YORK Jackie Lohr	Because York County pruners will not be traveling all over Hampton Roads this year, other units sent their volunteers to our train-the-trainer program.  Our Hort Therapy group kicked off the new season in January by reminding us to support the florists who donate flowers to our program.  We're already planning, with Newport News and Hampton, our next master gardener training program.  Planning for our Horticultural Extravaganza, a day long event for the community on March 10 is already in high gear.