The children at the YMCA havekept the garden they planted a few weeks ago weeded and watered. They have picked yellow crookneck squash, eggplants, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and dill. The pole beans they planted are not big enough to harvest yet. When Harriett Jackson was there recently, they had vegetables in the kitchen to prepare and cook so they could taste what was grown in their garden.
The Master Gardeners that worked with the children on this project were Pat Farmer, John Wallace, Joyce Lawson, Jackie Hickman, Robin Cagle and Harriett Jackson.
A tour of Morgan Creek Vineyards was a great way for Chilton County Master Gardeners to spend a hot summer day on Friday, June 29th. The family-owned winery located in Harpersville, Alabama specializes in muscadine and fruit wines that range from dry to sweet. Charles Brammer, Jr, son of owners Charles Brammer, Sr and Mary Brammer, explained the process of making wine from harvest through bottling. He told us of the few insect problems and how they are controlled. Although they purchase most fruit from large growers they do have muscadine vines and blueberries on the property. Following our tour our gracious hostesses served samples of eleven wines — dry, semi-sweet sweet and fruit.
After the tasting several members went to Trisha Williams’ with their sack lunches and toured her garden. Trisha and her husband, Jackie, have a beautiful backyard with many large old trees, flower beds full of daylilies and other perennials, raised beds full of asparagus, and a vegetable garden with pole beans, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and much more. Thank you, Trisha, for providing us with a cool porch, ice tea, and your Heavenly Cake dessert after our tours!
Mallory Kelley, Autauga Regional Extension Agent, was our guest speaker for the June Meeting. She shared the requirements and process for becoming an Advanced Master Gardener. The requirements include earning education hours in their selected garden topic and also teaching or volunteering in related activities. Mallory calls on her Advanced Master Gardeners to help with answers to questions she receives.
John Wallace was presented his MG certificate and badge at the meeting.
David Doggett, Jefferson County Master Gardener and volunteer docent at Aldridge Gardens, led a walking tour of Aldridge Gardens in Hoover for a group of Chilton County MGs on June 4. It was a perfect day and most of the hydrangeas were at peak bloom. We learned the history of the property and garden as well as much information about the many varieties of hydrangeas in the gardens. David told us of the discovery in Alabama of “Snowflake”, “Harmony”, and “Gatsby” varieties of oakleaf hydrangeas. Aldridge Gardens has a great collection of mophead and lacecap hydrangeas in a variety of colors including blue, purple, pink, dark pink and white. Although they are known for hydrangeas, don’t miss the daylilies, Japanese maples, and many other plants in the garden.
This peach dessert was a hit at the recent Extension Support Personnel conference held in Chilton County. Linda Hays, a Chilton County Master Gardener, shared her recipe with us.
PEACHES AND CREAM DESSERT
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
12 oz. tub Cool Whip
4 c. fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1 c sugar
4 oz. package peach Jello
1 c. water
4 Tbsp. corn starch
1 regular size package Pecan Sandies cookies
DIRECTIONS:
Mix 1 c. sugar with peaches and set aside (the juice it makes will be used in Jello mixture). Mix
cornstarch into 1 c. water in saucepan, stir until dissolved. Cook on medium, stirring constantly, until very thick. Then add Jello and juice from peaches (no more than 1 cup). Stir well, set aside to cool thoroughly. After Jello mixture is completely cooled, add peaches.
Combine softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk with hand mixer till creamy. Gently fold in Cool Whip.
Generously grease a 9×13 glass dish with softened butter. Crush cookies (reserving ½ c. of crumbs for top) and press well into bottom of the buttered dish. Layer 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture onto crumbs, then ½ of peach mixture, then 1/3 of cream cheese mixture, then remaining ½ of peach mixture, then remaining 1/3 of cream cheese mixture. You will have the crust, 3 layers of cream cheese mixture with 2 layers of the peach jello mixture in between. Sprinkle the top with reserved ½ c. of crushed Pecan Sandies cookies. Chill 2 hours or overnight. Must refrigerate leftovers.
YIELD 12-15 servings
In the spring of 2015, one of the Master Gardeners was approached by some of the library personnel about redoing the landscape of the library patio. The request was voted on by the Board and the work was done. Several members helped with the work. Also one member donated flowers she had started from seed, and another bought and donated a wall water fountain for the patio. Recently I went by and checked on the outdoor reading room (that’s what they call it). I’m happy to say all was alive and well! The fountain was working with water flowing through it. There were 2 hanging baskets of blooming red geraniums and pots of red begonias on the tables. I found out there is a volunteer from Maplesville who donates her time one day a week. She has added a raised bed for vegetables and pots of tomatoes and cucumbers. My hat’s off to all the ones who have made good use of the outdoor reading room. It looks great! Below are NOW (top photos) and THEN photos.
Our May Meeting and Plant Swap was held at Chilton Research and Extension Center at 120 County Road 756, Clanton, 35045. Autauga and Shelby County members were invited to attend. Michael Thomason, who is the Vice President of AMGA this year, was our speaker. Mr. Thomason spoke about the planning and organizing of the 2019 AMGA Conference, which is being hosted by Chilton County Master Gardener Association. He compared it to putting a puzzle together, the progress, the completion of the puzzle, and enjoying the fruits of your labor when your done. He commended CCMGA for the progress and efficiency of the planning done so far.
Our guest included our speaker Michael Thomason from Shoals MGA and Extension Regional Agent II Nelson Wynn. Other guests included Kate Vogel, Merle Schukoske, Myra Healy, and Heidee Vansant from Shelby County and Ofie McCoy, Tim McCoy, Lanell Tatum, Patti Teel, Cheri Cook, and Lee Thomas from Autauga County. Everyone enjoyed the food and fellowship. We had a total of 44 present.
Birmingham Fern Society members, Ken and Alicia Hall, led a tour of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Fern Glade for a group of Chilton County Master Gardeners on May 14. One area of the glade is devoted to native Alabama ferns and other areas showcase ferns from various places. We learned about many varieties of ferns and how they multiply by spores or stolons. Ken collects spores and fronds from certain varieties and sends them to a nursery in Texas for propagation. He and Alicia told us how they create micro climates for ferns that need special growing condition. They also showed us through the fern nursery where plants are grown for the gardens as well as for the BBG Plant sale and the Fern Society sale. Thank you Ken and Alicia for sharing a wealth of information!
Members attending were Susan Cleckler, Elizabeth York, Trisha Williams, Joyce Lawson, Harriett Jackson, and Sondra Henley. Photos by Trisha Williams and Susan Cleckler.
Master Gardeners planted 55 baskets and 22 planters for the City of Jemison on Thursday, May 10. Over the course of 2 days, baskets were lined and plant material was divided along with the planting of the flowers.
Master Gardeners Diane Clapp, Alice Brooms, Robin Cagle, Debbie Housner, Rick Miller, Alan Reed, Lee and Wally Walters, Harriett Jackson, Linda Hays and Sondra Henley were the worker bees for this spring project. Photo by Robin Cagle.
Here’s another cake recipe that was requested at the 2018 May Plant Swap.
Hummingbird Cake
* 3 c. all-purpose flour
* 2 c. sugar
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 2 c. mashed bananas
* 1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
* 2 c. toasted, chopped pecans, divided
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 – 9” cake pans. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, add beaten eggs and oil; stir just until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Do not beat. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup of chopped pecans, and bananas. Spoon batter equally into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until done (toothpick stuck in middle comes out clean). Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto paper towels spread on counter, cool completely before icing. Spread cream cheese Continue reading “Hummingbird Cake”→
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