April Master Gardener Meeting

Posted on April 16, 2017April 16, 2017 by trisha

Jason Powell at April meeting with Sue Webb

Chilton County Master Gardeners met at Petals From the Past in April and thirteen of our Master Gardener Class members joined us. Jason Powell presented a program on Tough as Nails Plants for the Southern Garden. He discussed bulbs that bloom in spring or summer, lose their foliage, survive in place and reappear the next year. Reseeding annuals drop their seeds and need no care through the summer. He also discussed some tough roses, perennials and shrubs that can withstand drought conditions. Photo by Trisha Williams

June Mays Garden Tour

Posted on April 11, 2017April 11, 2017 by trisha

In early April Chilton County Master Gardeners had the pleasure of a guided tour of June Mays’ garden in Mt. Brook. June is a retired landscape designer, author and speaker. Her garden starts in the parking area and covers every part of her property. From the driveway our eyes followed the line of the driveway to an arbor covered with Lady Banks roses. Gravel pathways meander throughout the property and lead to special features such as a small water feature, a bench to enjoy the garden, or the potting shed. There was even a muscadine arbor and two raised vegetable beds. June has included many native plants such a blood root, sweet shrub, partridge berry, Oak Leaf Hydrangea, and May apples. We could tell that she is a plant lover from the variety of plants she has included, many that are unusual cultivars. We enjoyed hearing her say that she had moved plants because they did not do well where she first planted them–seems that all gardeners do that! She also told us of her garden challenges that included the recent loss of a large shade tree. She was in the process of recreating that area of the garden. The shade was gone and and many plants were damaged. We really enjoyed our visit with June Mays and her garden. Photos and article by Trisha Williams

Improvements to Extension Office Landscaping

Posted on March 29, 2017March 29, 2017 by audrey

On March 27th, CCMGA members and several interns met with Gay West, ACES coordinator at the Extension office in Clanton to work on the 2017 improvements to the site’s landscape. Irrigation was installed to the flowerbeds. A vegetable bed site is being planned along with a Hydrangea bed.

Intern Class Updates

Posted on March 26, 2017March 26, 2017 by audrey

The March 22nd MG class was held in the educational building at Petals from the Past. The morning class was presented by Dr. Jim Jacobi on Plant Diseases. Dr. Jacobi is an Alabama Cooperative Extension System Specialist at the C. Beaty Hanna Horticulture and Environmental Center at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham. The afternoon class was presented by Dr. Sue Webb on Native Plants. Dr. Webb is also a member of the Chilton County Master Gardener Association.

The March 15th MG class covered Home Lawns and Weed Management and was taught by Chilton County native, Taylor Boozer Hatchett of Boozer Farms. Taylor previously worked with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System in Home Grounds, Gardens, and Home Pests. The members enjoyed the class and said they learned lots about their yards and lawns and how to care for them.

Our MG class for March 8th was “Basic Botany” taught by Dr. Dan Jones. Very informative class! Thanks, Dr. Jones.

Long Grain and Wild Rice Chicken Casserole

Posted on March 26, 2017March 26, 2017 by trisha

This chicken casserole was a favorite at our Master Gardener Intern Class lunch.

1 medium chicken, cooked, deboned, and shredded
1 can French style green beans, drained
1 can shoepeg corn, drained
1 can diced water chesnuts, drained
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small onion, chopped
1 8 oz. carton sour cream
1 box Uncle Ben’s Original Long Grain & Wild Rice, cooked & drained
1 package Ritz crackers, crushed
1 12 oz. package Swiss cheese*, shredded
1 stick butter

Mix chicken, green beans, corn, water chestnuts, celery soup, mushroom soup, chopped onion, sour cream, and rice. Coat a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour half of mixture into dish and top with half of shredded cheese. Add remaining mixture and top with rest of cheese. Melt butter and mix well with Ritz crackers, sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

**Mozzarella Cheese may be substituted for Swiss**

Original recipe provided by Audrey Giles

Fruit Workshop and Grape Pruning

Posted on March 17, 2017March 19, 2017 by trisha

Chilton County Master Gardeners attended a Small Fruit and Grape Production Workshop on March 8 at the Chilton Research and Extension Center. Dr. Elina Coneva, Auburn University Department of Horticulture spoke on blueberry and grape varieties and gave a demonstration in the field on pruning European hybrid grape vines. Dr. Edgar Vinson, Extension Horticulture Specialist, discussed commercial strawberry production. Kevin Burkett, Regional Extension Agent for Farm and Agribusiness Management, spoke on Commercial Farm Budgeting. A muscadine pruning demonstration was given by Matthew Price, CREC Research Assisstant. Our Master Gardeners found the workshop to very interesting and informative.

In preparation for the fruit workshop, Chilton County Master Gardeners volunteered at the CREC pruning grape vines. On the first day Diane Clapp, Lamar Giles, Bill Hairrell, Sondra Henley, Harriett Jackson, Rick Miller, Alan Reed and Lee Walters helped. The second day the MG volunteers were Alice Broome, Lamar Giles, Harriett Jackson, Rick Miller, Alan Reed, Lee Walters and Sue Webb. Harriett Jackson and Alan Reed finished up on the third day.

Photos by Harriett Jackson

Helping ACES With Activities

Posted on March 7, 2017March 19, 2017 by audrey

The interns in the 2017 CCMGA Master Gardener Class are stepping up and volunteering with many activities these days. One of the recent events was an ACES Nutrition Education Program presented by Lisa McCullough at the YMCA for soccer sign-up day. Intern Zuly Lemus served as Spanish interpreter for the event. Pam Ousley held a Chef 4-H program at the ACES office and her helpler was MG intern Joyce Lawson. Joyce also serves on the 4-H Advisory Council, along with CCMGA members Pat and Jerry Farmer.

Photos by Gay West

Minooka Park Project

Posted on March 7, 2017March 7, 2017 by trisha

Master Gardeners Rick Miller and Sue Webb meeting with Chilton County Parks & Recreation Director Gerald Arrington about building new hiking trail.

Armadillo seen at Minooka Park — Armadillo sited at Minooka Park.

Hiking trail sign at Minooka Park — Existing trail sign at Minooka Park

Sue Webb, Harriett Jackson and Rick Miller met with Gerald Arrington at Minooka Park to walk the hiking trails and see what needs to be done first. Chilton County owns the park and it features walking trails, bike and ATV trails, picnic areas, inside and outside venues for gatherings of all kinds, lakes, woods and views aplenty. If you haven’t been there take a break and visit. You may even see wild turkeys on the way in. The park will be a lovely place for Master Gardeners to spend time volunteering. Much of the existing hiking trail just needs some raking and marking. Sue has plans for 3 hour work days and designs to use more native plants and identification signs to add educational value to the trails. But for now some leaf raking in the dappled shade will do much to preserve the already existing trail and make it user friendly and easy to follow. This is going to be a really fun project for Master Gardeners!

Sue will have a consultation with a member of the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association to plan and mark a new section of the trail to make it more accessible to the office. The trail association is dedicated to and has experience with planning, building, and maintenance of footpath only trails

by Harriett Jackson and Sue Webb
Photos by Harriett Jackson

2017 Intern Class Update

Posted on March 2, 2017March 2, 2017 by audrey

We have just finished up our 6th class for our 2017 Intern Class this year. Boy, time flies! We have had Nelson Wynn on Vegetable Gardens; Bethany O’Rear on Plant Care and Management, and Pruning; Dr. Charles Ray on Insect Management; Sallie Lee on Woody Ornamentals, and Invasive Plants; Dr. Charles Mitchell on Soils and Plant Nutrition; our own Trisha Williams on Indoor Plants, and Carol Beard on Annuals and Perennial Bedding Plants. It has been a fast paced, cram a lot in a short period of time! And we still have 6 classes to go. We will meet at Petals from the Past March 22nd, and the association will be providing the lunch for that day. We have a great class this year, with 19 in attendance. We look forward to having them in our association and being a part of all our activities in the coming years! Here’s an updated Smilebox slideshow of our class photos up through this week.

Awards for 2017

Posted on February 26, 2017 by audrey

Chilton County Master Gardeners held their Awards program this year at the February meeting. Refreshments and decorations were provided by the members, with a Valentine theme. The Helpline Top Hours were: 4+ Days – Pat Farmer(Chairman), Sarah Saunders, Lanell Baker, & Ann Moore; 3+ Days – Bonnie Hairrell. The Top Hours Category was awarded to: Harriett Jackson, 905.50, Audrey Giles 581, and Alan Reed, 480.50. The Top CEU hours went to Jimmy and Mildred Knowles with 46.50. The Service Project of the Year was the Demonstration Garden Redesign. The Master Gardener of the Year award went to Audrey Giles.
Silver Stars were awarded to Bob Bates, Paula Blevins-Russell, Lamar Giles, Kimberly Lynn, Anita McGee, and Ann Moore. Gold Stars were awarded to Treasia Bennett, Linda Hays, Lee Walters, and Wally Walters. A Gold Badge was awarded to Alice Broome (1000+ hours), and a Platinum Badge to Harriett Jackson (2000+ hours). The badges themselves will be presented at the AMGA conference.
The program was presented by MG Harriett Jackson on Butterfly gardening. Old and new business discussed was the upcoming Water Festival, items needed for Silent Auction basket for the AMGA conference, advisory council update, correctly reporting hours to service report site, fundraising ideas, upcoming tours, walking trail to be built at Minooka Park, propagation class at Petals, upcoming “Ask a Master Gardener” days at Garrison’s Farm and Home Supply, progress of 2017 intern class, update on registration for AMGA conference in Huntsville in May, and CCMGA being FIRST association in Alabama to use the e-newsletter! Here’s a SMILEBOX slideshow of photos from the program that day.