The Grand Opening of the Demo Garden was held August 6, 2016, just before the Farm, Home, and Wildlife Expo. On hand for the ceremony was Eagle Scout Clay Vinson, and Girl Scout Hannah Childress. Clay’s project for Eagle Scout was the Demo Garden’s Pergola and surrounding Butterfly Flowerbed. Hannah’s project for her Gold Badge was the Keyhole Garden. The Expo is always a big event that the Master Gardeners look forward to each year. Master Gardeners are in charge of the ice cream tasting, fruit tasting, corn on the cob hut, plant sale, and of course, the Demonstration Garden. Go to Smilebox to see a slideshow of photos from the Expo and Demo Garden.
CCMGA member Sarah Saunders won 1st place this year in the Peach Festival Cook-Off with her peach upside-down Bundt cake. Congratulations, Sarah! The first time she entered, Sarah won 3rd place with a peach cake that wasn’t a Bundt style. Entries are judged on appearance, uniqueness, creativity, and taste. In fact, taste can count as many as 60 points. And of course, the recipe must include fresh Chilton County peaches! First, second, and third place winners receive $50, $35, and $25. Maybe we can talk Sarah into bringing one of these delicious cakes to our next monthly meeting!
Our very own Harriett Jackson was interviewed by WSFA channel 12 out of Montgomery VERY early this morning at the Chilton Research and Extension Center. Harriett demonstrated how to make Peach Salsa, which she and some other CCMGA members made last year for the EXPO. Sondra Henley and Treasia Bennett helped her chop the vegetables and fruit for the salsa. The recipe is also posted on the WSFA website. Thanks, Harriett for doing a great job of representing our association and Chilton County!
Our Lunch and Learn for April 27th was held at the Chilton County Extension Office and was all about Native Perennials. The program was brought to us by one of our members, Dr. Sue Webb, who has a doctorate in Microbiology and is a graduate of the Native Plant Certification Program at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. She brought several samples of native flowers that populate Alabama and told all about growing native perennials for a beautiful, easy garden . We will host a Lunch and Learn the 4th Wednesday of each month from 12-1:00. This month will be “Daylilies” by Trisha Williams and Audrey Giles, June will be “Salad Bowl Gardening” by Harriett Jackson, July will be “Organic Gardening” by Bill Blackwell, August TBA, September “Starting Seeds” by Lanell Baker, the rest of the year TBA. Call the Extension Office at 280-6268 to reserve your spot, seating is limited.
Chilton County Master Gardeners’ first fundraiser of 2016 was a booth at Antiques in the Garden held at Petals from the Past on April 22-23rd. There were many handmade crafts including hod baskets, hypertufa planters, vine wreaths, gardening towels, planter chairs, birdhouses, and many other interesting items. This was our first time to use this venue as a fundraiser, and I think it’s a keeper! The weather turned out to be beautiful, even though several members got drenched setting up in a downpour!
Margaret Goolsby and Alice Broome
Harriett Jackson and Kimberly Lyn
Jane Mason & Pat Farmer
Lanell Baker, Jackie Hickman, Audrey Giles, and Harriett Jackson
Chilton and Coosa counties in conjunction with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service and Alabama 4-H sponsor a program each spring for 4-H members between the ages of 9 – 18 years called Chick Chain.
Participates receives 10 baby chicks (5 each of two breeds), and they have to take care of them for about 21 weeks. They are taught how to house and feed the baby chicks. Two of our members, Jerry and Pat Farmer assist Josine Walter, the ACES 4-H Regional Agent and other ACES staff members in handing out the 2 day old chicks (500+). They also go on many farm visits during the summer to check on the progress of the chicks.
The 4-H participants learn several things during the time of raising their chicks: how to produce healthy chickens, recordkeeping skills, poultry management skills, business management and they also achieved a sense of pride and accomplishment in a job well done.
Master Gardeners Pat Farmer and Ann Moore helped judge the Chilton County 4-H Beef Cook-Off held on January 22nd at the Jemison Municipal Complex. This is an event put on every year by the Chilton County 4-H and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. Master Gardeners are proud to be able to help with it.
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 four 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 2004 and Margaret Goolsby joined in 2006.
The Association wishes to congratulate E.C. Lewis, Lindy Helton, Charlotte Word and Margaret Goolsby for attaining the title of Octogenarian. All the rest of us hope that one day we get to have this special title by our names! By Pat Farmer and Audrey Giles
Chilton County Master Gardeners lost two long time members in 2015. Thomas Edward (Ed) and Wilma Jean Simmons were part of the 2000 Chilton County Master Gardener class and were active members of CCMGA for thirteen years. They participated in many Master Gardener activities including propagating plants, working plant sales, and helping with the Demo Garden. They volunteered to pick figs and cut fruit for the annual CREC Farm, Home and Wildlife Expo.
Ed was a familiar figure at the ACES Peach Producers Meeting and the ACES Vegetable Marketing Program for Growers Meeting where he helped with set up and take down. He coordinated fig pruning between CREC and Master Gardeners. He taught many of us when and how to propagate fig trees. He served two years as CCMGA treasurer.
Wilma could be counted on to help in a variety of ways such as preparing plants for sales, packing seeds, preparing fruits and desserts for the CREC Expo, and the annual planting of the beautiful flowers in downtown Clanton.
CCMGA member Renee` Powers remembers them as having gentle sincere spirits and that it was always a pleasure to work along side them on any project.
Ed and Wilma quietly contributed their talents to CCMGA and were always willing to show up and help. CCMGA is proud that they were members of our Master Gardener family.
Visit Martin Funeral Home to read their obituaries and learn more about their interesting lives.
The Friends of Master Gardener awards are presented to persons or groups that have donated monies, services, or materials to Chilton County Master Gardener Association during the year or have been supportive of the mission and purpose of the Alabama Master Gardener Program. The Friends of MG for 2015 are: Paul Harris of Chilton Research & Extension Center Dennis Bennett (MG Treasia Bennett’s husband) Christmas Home Tour owners Sandra & Walter Graham, Gina & Randy LeCroy, Nina McCormick, Charlotte & Curt Rowland, and Pam & Jo Teel Clanton Mayor Billy Joe Driver City Councilwoman Mary Mell Smith Veneer Cast Stone, Inc. of Clanton
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