UNIT REPORTS

AMHERST, CAMPBELL and LYNCHBURG (HILL CITY MGs) Catherine Powers	We recently completed our Tomato Fair. Participants donated their exhibits to the soup kitchens. The next meeting of the VMGA will be held in Lynchburg at "Old City Cemetery". (Old is more operative than cemetery.)
CHESAPEAKE Pauline Price	We continue to move towards erection of our greenhouse at the Chesapeake Arboretum. Work continues on our first Cookbook. We recently completed participation in the regional Green Thumb Gardening Series, which had some 40 homeowner participants from all over Hampton Roads. Our monthly Lunch and Learn Series is now firmly established as an ongoing event. On a housekeeping level, we are finalizing next year’s budget and we continue to work on retention and appointment of committees.
FAIRFAX George Graine	NoVaMGCaucus: Fairfax sponsored an "encore" presentation by Pat Reilly on the topic "Retaining Master Gardener Volunteers" on July 15^th. This was a presentation similar to the one that Pat gave at 2003 MG College/Int’l MG Conference. Representatives from Arlington/Alexandria, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William attended. The group included a mix of 12 extension agents, unit officers and senior MGs. Fairfax plans to continue sponsorship of this informal NoVaMGCaucus with an emphasis on management/administrative concerns. (Why Caucus? Because this is soooo Washington compared to federation, council or union.) Future meetings could take the form of guest speakers or brainstorming sessions (1 ½ hour). The results of these quarterly (?) meetings will be briefly reported on at VMGA meetings for the benefit of all. 2. Diagnostic Training: Two special advanced training classes on diagnostic techniques were held on June 11 and July 25. These hands-on classes were designed to improve our ability to make on site diagnosis and recommendations at plant clinics. The additional benefit will result in fewer samples being sent to the Fairfax diagnostic laboratory. Between 30-35 MGs attended each session. 3. 2004 Orientation: An orientation/interview session of new MG interns will be held on September 13^th. Letters (60) were sent out to prospective MGs from our waiting list. We expect to add 30-35 new interns into our training program that will commence in January 2004. 4. Recruiting for VMGA: The exact number of MGs who joined VMGA has not been determined because it is a moving target. When the next Directory is published, a better fix on the recruiting effort will be known. Recruiting for VMGA membership is a continuing effort on the part of the Fairfax Unit Representative. Unit Contacts: Extension Agent: Adria Bordas, abordas@vt.edu, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 1050, Fairfax, VA 22035-1111. President: Teri O’Brien, teriob7@aol.com, 3605 Great Laurel Lane, Fairfax, VA 22033. Web Site/Master: www.fairfaxmastergardeners.com, Amol Kaikini, amol.kaikini@headstrong.com.
FAUQUIER Jim Scibek	Still having plant clinics. Are cosponsoring an education event in Culpeper on September 20. Information is on vmga.net.
GLOUCESTER Kathy Klein	Our county fair is this weekend and we have collected weeds for identification. We have a plant sale planned. We also we will have a booth at the Waterman's Festival where our theme will be "Bring your Garden Indoors. We also will have 2 demonstrations. Matthews County is doing a lot of research on mosquito control. If you need a speaker on this topic, David Abbott and Beverly Umberg have a wonderful power point on this subject.
HALIFAX (Southside Master Gardeners) Bill McCaleb	1. Six members attended the MG College in Blacksburg. Mary & Dan Elliott, Joan Whitt, Bill McCaleb, Agnes Gregory, and Pauline Decker. 2. A Cookbook Committee headed up by Donna Brauda has been hard at work getting contributions from members to hit our September deadline for submissions. At this time, we have over 400 recipes and a tentative contractual agreement with a publisher. 3. Our Landscape Committee, headed up by Jean Bainbridge, has been busy working on plans for the new Prizery Art Center and plant materials and other landscaping materials have been ordered by the Prizery Board of Directors. Dedication will be in October and our MG volunteers on the committee will be instrumental in seeing the plan through to completion. 4. The educational programming is moving along with our next program to be presented at the new Halifax Agriculture Development Center. This program will be a 2-hour joint educational venture with Jeannine Hall and Bill McCaleb providing a PowerPoint presentation, hands-on, along with handouts for the public attendees. Advertisements have been sent out to all news media folks in Halifax, Mecklenburg, and Pittsylvania Counties to run in their public information columns leading up to the presentation date. 5. The official dedication date for the new AG Development Center will be on August 28, with many dignitaries being invited including the Governor, both Senators, one Congressman, along with all local town managers, boards, etc. being invited. This facility will also be adorned with landscaping designed by Master Gardeners from Southside. 6. Planning for the Master Gardener Booth at the Halifax County Fair is being done by Agnes Gregory, Chair, and her committee. Fair dates are the week of October 6. 7. Meredith "Bobbie" Taylor agreed, at our August Meeting to become our new representative for the SSMGA. She will be attending the VMGA meetings starting in October.
HANOVER Pamela Armstrong	On August 23, there is a seminar at Sandy's Plants on Fall Gardening. This seminar was developed just for master gardeners. We are very busy at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. We staff the garden carts and offer information on a given topic. We also act as guides in the garden. We are offering a Hypertufa Workshop on September 13. Using the skills we acquired at MG College. Our annual picnic is September 14 at Pole Green Park, one of our signature projects. Another education event is scheduled at Smallwood's nursery in Amelia. The topic is Propagation. This is the second session due to the first one being filled almost immediately.
JAMES CITY COUNTY WILLIAMSBURG Dale Firestone Angela Cingale	Some of the computer gurus in our group are working together to develop our own Master Gardener website. York Co. MGs and Virginia Beach MGs were among the groups already online who inspired us. Currently we have 152 members, counting 2003 interns, only 21 are without emails, this seems a logical alternative to dispersing information about our activities and projects, distributing our newsletter and simplifying the recording of volunteer hours. It also will be used as a resource for horticultural information and give access to our MG EO Helpline. The final website is yet to be determined. We are exploring the possibility of connecting with either a JCCounty site or an Extension site. The temporary working site is http://members.cox.net/0201151118/index.htm. Our Farmers' Market Booth every other Saturday continues to be one of our most effective community outreach programs. In July, our themes featured drought-tolerant plants and ground covers, in August plant propagation and therapeutic gardening, and in September herbs and methods of irrigation. We always have a presentation on some aspects of lawn care by our Turf Love members and a plant clinic run by members of our Helpline. Since May of this year this project made contact with over 2000 residents. Our Turf Love Program is also a partner program between PRIDE and Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Through public workshops and home visits, we teach homeowners how to produce healthy turf while reducing the use of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides which pollute our streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. Water conservation is also promoted through proper mowing techniques. A display on Turf Love is also part of the master gardener's exhibit at the James City County Fair and various community gatherings. From these presentations, workshops and home visits, So far this year, 150 local residents have completed a survey and received a home visit by trained Master Gardener volunteers who measure the resident's lawn, take a soil sample, and make recommendations for establishing and/or maintaining healthy
NORTHERN NECK Jinny Estell Pat Rogers	We continue to hold our plant clinics at the Irvington Farmers' Market on the 1st Saturday of the month, the Tappahannock Farmers' Market on the 2nd Saturday of the month and the Heathsville Farmers' Market on the 3rd Saturday of the month. We are at the Extension offices on Tuesday and Thursday mornings answering questions that have come in to the Hot-Line during the week, examining specimens that residents have brought in, or answering phone calls. We are working on a more organized Home Visit program. With all the rain we have had this year, following three years of drought, many of the problems presented to us are more complex than they have been in the past. We are particularly excited about the Hort Therapy program that two of our Interns have implemented in the Assisted Living area of Westminster/Canterbury, a retirement complex in our area. Weekly they meet with residents who are interested and able to participate in horticultural activities. They have planted vegetables, which are harvested and served to the residents for lunch. They have planted flowers in high raised beds and they are designing a plan for a 5 Senses Garden. We are starting to plan our programs for the elementary schools during the school year and discussing a lecture and program to be offered to the public this winter.
PRINCE GEORGE Cheryl Sebera	Prince George County celebrated its Tricentennial birthday on June 28, 2003 at y Flowerdew Hundred Plantation. PGMGA had an educational booth loaded with flyers on everything tom aphids to water conservation. We had steady stream of interested people. At our regular meeting this past week we had a picnic and a tour of the progress at Heritage Gardens. The Annual Plant Sale at the Richard Bland College Flea Market on September 6h. We have a highly desirable location this year-close to the parking lot! Thanks to fellow MG Mary Lyons. On October 11, the PGMGA will have an educational booth at the PG Community Day. Antiques and Collectibles are this year's theme. Heritage Gardens is having a plant sale on October 18'h. MGs will be available to answer questions.
PRINCE WILLIAM Pat Reilly	Before the year ended, we retired our agent, Susan DeBolt, with an appropriate party. Susan has become our newest VCE-MG. End-of-year reports were completed, showing that we met and exceeded all county performance measures for citizen contacts (24,679), citizens participating in extended learning (616) and number of VCE-MGs (122). The goal of 8,000 hours contributed by all volunteers to ENR programs was more than doubled with a total of 16,852 hours reported, (14,090 hours contributed by VCE-MGs). The County loves to hear that in return for their funding, they received $333,164 worth of volunteer effort in education the public. The Tree Stewards have begun to work on updating the County’s Champion Tree Inventory. With 135 trees to verify, other volunteers will be involved. Master Gardeners are responsible for educating the public with a traveling display. The Water Stewards had their first class, "Advanced Water Quality."
ROANOKE Shelby Snider	Roanoke is preparing for their Fall MG class. We are continuing our school programs and soon the kids will be harvesting peanuts and potatoes. We recently toured Big Tag, an automated nursery near River bend.
ROCKBRIDGE AREA Ted Jenks	Our annual picnic for socializing and election of officers was a huge success. With a large group attending it was a great way for new and old members to meet each other and socialize. The only formal business conducted at the meeting was the confirmation of the new officers for the coming year effective in September. Congratulations to President, Jane Comstock; Vice President, James Davis; Treasurer, Margaret Fletcher; Secretary, Barbara Thomas and VMGA representative, Ted Jenks. The RAMGA Board of Directors voted to contribute $500 to the Relf Commemorative Garden within the Virginia Tech Horticulture Garden. RAMGA again sponsored the Horticulture Show at the Rockbridge area regional fair in July. 178 entries were received this year in 8 classes from 28 participants. Two of the four top ribbons went to our own Master Gardeners. Four people signed up for our next Master Gardner training class. Planning and preparations are underway for Master Gardener booths at the Lexington Community Festival in August, the Lexington Farmer’s Market in September, and the Buena Vista Mountain Days Festival in October. These are all opportunities to fulfill our public education mission by dispensing information to all who will listen.
SUFFOLK Betty Freedman	The Learning Garden continues to grow in plants and in attendance. The last Saturday of each month there is a plant doctor available. There is usually a Vermiculture or display also. Upcoming events include Heirloom Botanica, the fall festival and the Peanut Festival in October where we will have a booth and 2000 peanut plants. Currently we have 3-MG "apprentices" and the other 20 from the new class have 50 hours. Six Suffolk MGs attended MG College. We have completed the raised beds at the library. We are also developing a kitchen garden at Prentiss house, which is being restored. Our next class will begin February 2004.
VIRGINIA BEACH Paul Campbell	The 4^th annual Community Gardening Festival will be held on Saturday, 13 September 2004. There will be a variety of speakers, demonstrations, children’s activities and static displays. We are assisted in this endeavor by MG’s from Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk and Portsmouth. Everyone is invited. Plans are being made for the next MG Intern training class to be held in February
YORK Sybil Pryzbek	Our recent Plant sale raised $3600.00 Our new class starts in September and it is full. Several Master Gardeners from Yorktown took a tour of the public gardens in Halifax, Nova Scotia.