Announcements

Message from V.P. Susan Cleckler

Posted on by audrey

Susan Cleckler V.P.

Well it is that time again, time for the annual Master Gardener Class!

My name is Susan M Cleckler and after meeting my husband, JC Cleckler, I moved to Chilton County. I have lived here for 10 years, and have always been interested in taking the Master Gardener class, and last year I decided it was time!

After 12 weeks of great speakers, “hands on” classes, field trips, and more information than you can imagine, I cannot say enough about this program. Everyone that takes this class walks away with more knowledge than they came in with. And, now, after attending the class and volunteering for 50 hours, I am a Certified Master Gardener. If you want to learn about vegetable gardening, flower gardening, fruit trees, composting, soil conditions, garden pests or lawn problems, etc. this program will not disappoint. Also, there is an Advanced Certificate in specified areas that you can work toward.  It is hard for me to say what my favorite part of this program was, because all of it was so GREAT! I didn’t want the class to end because of the camaraderie and friendships that were made during this special class time.

Master Gardeners work with the Chilton County Extension Office and the Chilton County Research and Extension Center. With the local office coordinator and agents, we help communities with information on gardening, landscaping, community projects, civic projects as well as educational activities. The Master Gardeners have a Demonstration Garden at the Chilton County Research Center that is for all to enjoy and learn from. As one of our fundraisers, we have a Christmas Home Tour that showcases area homes decorated for the public to see and we also have an annual plant sale.

For more information on the Master Gardener Program,  go by the Chilton County Extension office located at 504 1st Ave., Clanton, AL 35045, or call 1-205-280-6268.

To hear great speakers, join us on the second Tuesday of each month for the Chilton County Master Gardener Association meetings, held at the Jemison City Hall, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Programs begin approximately 10:00 a.m.

Here is a Smilebox slideshow of photos of Susan during her internship.

 

 

Certifications and Dirty Santa!

Posted on by audrey

December was a big month! We had the Christmas Home Tour on Dec. 10th, then our Christmas Luncheon on Dec. 12th. Three more of our 2017 class interns received their certification in December 2017. Lola Patterson received hers on December 10th at the Chilton Extension office. James Talley and Daniel Castleberry received theirs at the  Christmas Luncheon meeting which was held at Petals from the Past. We had a fun Christmas meeting with a short business meeting, lots of good food, and many stayed and played Dirty Santa. I think everyone enjoyed having it back at the “Barn”! Go to Smilebox for a slideshow of photos of the meeting.

Lola Patterson gets certificateInterns receive certificates

2017 Christmas Home Tour

Posted on by audrey

 

The 2017 Christmas Home Tour had a good attendance despite the unexpected snow that blanketed the whole county on December 8th. The weather was cold but sunny on Sunday, Dec. 10th, with lots of snow still on the ground. I think this really got everybody in the Christmas spirit.  There were three homes on the tour that were in Deer Trace subdivision off of Temple Road. The first on the street was the beautiful home of Charles and Jackie White. Next door to them was the equally beautiful home of Junior and Sue Cleckler. Last on this street was the newest home of all of them, the home of Joseph and Jodie Parnell.  Also on the tour was the beautiful home of Bill and Michele Thomas, which is located on Studdard Drive. All of the homes were tastefully decorated by the homeowners, then fresh greenery was added by the Master Gardener hostesses of each home. There were also Master Gardeners stationed outside the homes to help with parking. Thanks to all who braved the cold and came out to help us with the 2017 CHT!

 

 

Russian Tea Cakes and Butterfinger Cookies

Posted on by trisha

Two MG’s provide similar recipes for these holiday treats: Russian Tea Cakes and Butterfinger Cookies. The Russian Tea Cakes are shaped in balls, have fewer nuts, and bake at a higher temperature while the Butterfinger Cookies are shaped into logs or “fingers”. Give either recipe a try and you will have cookies that melt in your mouth!

Butterfingers were served at the 2017 Christmas Home Tour open house at the Chilton Extension Office.

Russian Tea Cakes

  • 1 c. butter or margarine, softenedIMG_20150102_153138
  • 1/2 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 c. finely chopped nuts
  • 1/4 t. salt
  • powdered sugar
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Mix butter, 1/2 c. powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
  3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet and cool slightly on wire rack.
  5. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar, cool. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Butterfinger Cookies

Follow  recipe above except for these changes:

  1. Use  1 to 1 1/2 c. nuts
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Shape dough into 2 x 1/2 inch logs.
  4. Bake until lightly browned-about 10-15 minutes.
  5. Transfer to wire rack .
  6. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm.

Recipes provided by Pat Farmer and Diane Clapp

November CCMGA Meeting

Posted on by trisha

Chilton County Master Gardener, Martha Gothard, presented an informative program on growing African violets at our November meeting. We learned about the sizes, making potting soil, potting with wicks, fertilizing, dividing and light requirements. The most common cause of with failure with African violets is that we do not water correctly. Martha taught us to put a tray under the plant so that the plants may be watered from the bottom and to wait until the soil is dry to the touch before watering. Thank you, Martha, for the great program and all your time preparing the Power Point.

Congratulations to four more interns that have completed their requirements for Master Gardener certification! Larry Jones received his badge and certificate at our meeting. Robin Cagle, Lattie Hardy and Spencer Hardy were presented their badges and certificates at the Chilton County Extension Office during the past month.

The December meeting on the 12th brings our annual Christmas Party that will be held at Petals From the Past beginning at 10:00. Bring a $10 gift for a fun game of Dirty Santa. Contact Elizabeth York to sign up to bring a dish.

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Meet Our Octogenarians

Posted on by audrey

When I first wrote about our OCTOGENARIANS, we had four. Today we have nine!

“Octogenarian: Someone in his or her eighties, or in other words, between 80 and 89 years of age.”

Now that is a big word, and one that we don’t use in our every day speech, but a person that has lived for such a wonderful length of time deserves to have a special word to describe them.

The Chilton County Master Gardeners Association is blessed to have nine members that are Octogenarians. And along with this descriptive word comes a bonus of having a Lifetime Membership in CCMGA.

E.C. Lewis was one of the founding members of the Association and joined in 1999. Lindy Helton became a member in 2000, Charlotte Word in 2009, Margaret Goolsby in 2006, Peggy Harris in 2008, Margaret Ennis in 2007, JoAn Davis in 1997, Wayne Freeman in 2002, and Bettye Glass joined in 2011. We LOVE our OCTOGENARIANS!

Members at least 80 years old

Elmore County Interns Tour Demo Garden

Posted on by audrey

On October 19th the Central Alabama MG Intern Class toured the CCMGA Demo Garden. President Sondra Henley was the tour guide and told the history of the Demo Garden and how the new garden was created.  Mallory Kelley, ACES Regional Agent for Autauga County and facilitator of the class, accompanied the group.  Chilton County Master Gardener Sue Webb was there to tell about her Native Bed in the garden.  Treasia Bennett told about her Knot Garden and Susan Cleckler told about her bed “Don’t’ Bug Me” (repels insects) and a little about the Butterfly Garden.  For a slideshow of photos of the tour go to Smilebox.

The Demonstration Garden at the Chilton Research and Extension Center  (120 County Road 756, Clanton, 35045) is open year round. To schedule a tour for your group or organization call 280-6268 and the office will contact the appropriate person.

Photo Credit: Audrey Giles

Sue a Webb tells about Nativesgroup of master gardeners touring Demo Garden

 

2017 Fall Landowner Tour

Posted on by trisha

Chilton County Master Gardeners volunteered for the Fall Landowner Tour hosted by the Chilton Natural Resources Council on October 9th at the L.C. “Foots” Parnell property near Stanton.  The event was “Rain or Shine” and it was a very damp day following right after Hurricane Nate dropped over seven inches of rain on the property. Fortunately there was only a light shower during lunch.

Master Gardeners helped with parking, registration, morning snacks and serving lunch. Thanks go to Master Gardeners Rick Miller, Larry Jones, Diane Clapp, Lola Patterson, Harriett Jackson, Sherry Ray, Donna Babin and Trisha Williams.

In addition to volunteering Master Gardeners got to ride along on the wagons and attend the educational sessions.We learned about Intensive Pine Management for Aesthetics, Wildlife Openings and Management, Hardwoods and Prescribed Burning, and Longleaf Pine Management. The highlight of the tour was the Landowner Objective and History session given by property owner Foots Parnell, the sixth generation to own the property. He talked with us about his family history with the property and the steps he has implemented to grow pine trees and manage for wildlife. We also toured his weekend home.

The Chilton Natural Resources Council did a great job with the Fall Landowner Tour and those of us that attended encourage anyone interested in forests and wildlife to attend a future tour.

Photo Credit: Gay West & Trisha Williams

October CCMGA Meeting

Posted on by trisha

The Chilton County Master Gardeners met on October 10 and learned about Growing Succulents from Barbara Witt. Barbara is a member of Capital City Master Gardeners of Montgomery and has a lifelong interest in succulents, her favorite one being the Haworthia genesis.  This group consist of small succulent plants endemic to Southern Africa. One of the most well known succulents is called Hens and Chicks.  Others that many of us are familiar with are Kalanchoe and sedums. Some categories of succulents are hardy in our zone and others are not. We learned that many succulents do not grow well in our humid climate but make great houseplants. The biggest problem with growing succulents is that many people over water them; they should dry completely between watering. Did you know that to propagate you need to let the leaf stem form a callus before planting?

Elizabeth York,  Trisha Williams and Sondra Henley shared information from  gardening conferences that they attended this Fall: Cut and Color Seminar by Capital City MGA in Pike Road, AL and Fall Gardening Extravaganza by Tallapoosa MGA IN Alexander City, Al.  Harriet Jackson told us about Autauga County Master Gardeners touring our Demo Garden and the Chilton Research and Extension Center.

Congratulations to Debbie Housner for completing requirements for Master Gardener certification. Larry Jones, Robin Cagle, Lattie Hardy and Spencer Hardy  have also completed requirements but were not able to attend the meeting.

Photo credit: Elizabeth York