Nelson Wynn, ACES Regional Agent, presented the program for our monthly meeting February 12 on “Lawn Care”. We had a great turnout, despite the rainy weather! We had 10 interns present from our 2019 Master Gardener class!
Announcements
February 6 MG Class
Our January 30 class was cancelled due to a strong possibility of snow. That class will be held on April 17. February 6 class was Plant Care and Management taught by Bethany O’Rear. Soil samples were brought back to be turned in to Auburn. Class shirts were also ordered.
2019 MG Classes Under Way
The Master Gardener classes got under way on January 23 with 20 registered and in attendance. The Association provides the first meal for the class as a way to get acquainted. Several kinds of soup were a big hit, as were cakes for dessert. Looks like this is going to be a great class!
Flowers for the Chamber Banquet
Chilton County Master Gardener Audrey Giles was approached by Chilton Chamber director Francine Wasden a couple weeks ago and asked if any of the Master Gardeners would be interested in making a flower arrangement for the stage the night of the annual banquet. The board got together and decided to ask our very talented Treasia Bennett if she would do this. She graciously accepted and created this beautiful arrangement for that night. Aren’t we glad she’s our decorating Chairperson for the 2019 AMGA Spring Conference we’re hosting here in May? Great job, Treasia!
First Meeting of 2019
Chilton County Master Gardener 2019 President, Susan Cleckler, welcomed us to our first meeting of the year. We enjoyed a program on Permaculture presented by Tracy Britnell. Tracy and her husband are experimenting with permaculture on their farm and want the farm to be an educational site. It took about a year to get the soil ready to start planting. Since then, they have been using permculture methods. Inter-planting various plants to draw beneficial insects and repel others is one permaculture method. Another is using nitrogen fixing plants to help with fertilization. One of the goals of permaculture is to garden without using chemicals. Tracy is currently building a blog about her farm and methods and will share her research on the blog.
Dee’s Crunch by Wally Walters
Wally Walters brought Dee’s Crunch to our December meeting and the recipe was requested by several members. This yummy treat is quick and easy.
2 cups mixed nuts
2 cups dried cranberries
2 cups crushed pretzels
1 package almond bark
Melt almond bark according to directions on package. Add mixed nuts, dried cranberries, and crushed pretzels. Drop by teaspoonful or spread on waxed paper. If spread break into pieces when hard.
Hint: melt 1/4 of bark at a time and add 1/2 cup of each (nuts, cranberries, pretzels) at a time.
“We Love Our Octogenarians!
UPDATE ON OUR OCTOGENARIANS:
The Chilton County Master Gardeners Association now has 10 Octogenarian members. And along with this descriptive word comes a bonus of having a Lifetime Membership in CCMGA. John Wallace, who certified in 2018, also became our 10th Octogenarian in 2018.
“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!
E.C. Lewis was one of the founding members of the Association and became certified in 1999. Joan Davis certified in 1997 in Jefferson County, but joined our association in 2009. Lindy Helton became a member in 2000, Wayne Freeman in 2002, Margaret Goolsby in 2006, Margaret Ennis in 2007, Peggie Harris in 2008, Charlotte Word in 2009, Bettye Glass in 2011, and our newest member, John Wallace in 2018. We LOVE our OCTOGENARIANS!
AMGA 2019 Conference Registration Open
Chilton County Master Gardener Association, along with Autauga and Shelby County MG Associations, has the honor of hosting the 2019 Alabama Master Gardener Association Conference. The Conference is being held at Clanton Performing Arts Center in Clanton, AL on May 8,9, and 10. The public is welcome and registration is now open. There is a great lineup of speakers and activities! One of our most noted speakers is Joe Lamp’l, Executive Producer and Host of the PBS series “Growing a Greener World”, previous host of DIY’s “Fresh from the Garden”, and on-air contributor to The Today Show, Good Morning America, and the Weather Channel. And he is just one of the great speakers!
Online registration is at www.alabamamg.org. Just click on 2019 Annual State Conference(in red), then click on Registration (in green) to be taken to online registration. We hope to see you at the AMGA 2019 Conference!
2019 Officers and Board members
The new 2019 Officers have been nominated and voted on, and the Board of Directors has been chosen. So for any concerns or suggestions, these are the members to go to. And you know what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!
Christmas 2018
Our Christmas Luncheon was lots of fun and as always, filled with lots of food! Many stayed to play dirty Santa. We hope all of you had a great Christmas and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!