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.
Master Gardeners Rick Miller and Sue Webb meeting with Chilton County Parks &
Recreation Director Gerald Arrington about building new hiking trail.
Armadillo sited 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
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.
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.
It is time to make plans to attend the 2017 AMGA Conference, Gardening Heritage, in Huntsville, AL May 1-3. The events will be held at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens on Monday and the Jackson Center on Tuesday and Wednesday. You will not want to miss the great speakers, workshops, Silent Auction, vendors, seed saver exchange or the door prizes! Find a friend to travel with and make your reservations now. Anyone registered before February 28 will be in a drawing for a refund of your registration! All MGs should have received the conference brochure by mail but the brochure and online registration can be found at Alabama Master Gardener Association . Those of us that have attended before can assure you that it will be fun and educational as well.
Our first meeting of the year was a very interesting and informative one. Tracy Britnell, owner of Creative Elements Landscape & Garden Design, presented the program on “Sustainable Landscaping”. Tracy has degrees in Design & Merchandising, Interior Design, and Landscape Design. She completed her certification in Permaculture Design at Spiral Ridge Permaculture with Cliff Davis in 2013. When time permits, Tracy offers consultations as well as detailed design plans. She specializes in outdoor rooms, foundation plans, cottage garden designs, edible landscape design, and practicing permaculture design principles. Her passion is organic and sustainable gardening and living. Oh, and not to forget, she is also a Master Gardener, since 2004! Thank you, Tracy, for a great program!
Chilton County Master Gardeners partnered with Habitat for Humanity to rehabilitate the landscape of a recent Habitat for Humanity home in Clanton. Kimberly Lyn, master gardener and Habitat Board member coordinated the landscape project. The existing landscape was evaluated and a low maintenance update was planned. Over several weeks several CCMGA members raked leaves, prepared beds, and pruned trees and shrubs. They planted tea olives, knockout roses, and daylilies, spread mulch and even laid sod. This project fits perfectly with the mission of Chilton County Master Gardeners.
Crazy Chocolate Cake is a quick and easy handed down recipe that Trisha William’s mother used to make for an after school snack. When cool, frost with Crazy Chocolate Icing or top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Serve from the pan! There are no eggs or milk in the cake. After school snacks have really changed over the years!
Crazy Chocolate Cake
Mix the cake right in an 8×8 pan (It may be easier to use a mixing bowl and then pour into the ungreased or lightly greased pan). Combine the dry ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
4 T. cocoa
Make 4 dents in the dry ingredient mixture for the following:
4 T. salad oil
1 t. vanilla
1 T. vinegar
1 c. water
Mix until well blended and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Crazy Chocolate Icing
2 T. butter
1/4 c. cocoa
1c. confectioner’s sugar
1 T. milk (more if needed)
1/4 t. vanilla
Melt butter and stir in cocoa, place in mixing bowl. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium for approximately 5 minutes or until smooth. Spread on cool cake.
Recipe provided by Trisha Williams.
Our December Christmas meeting was a change from the norm, we had soup, salad, and different kinds of cornbread. The dessert was homemade cookies and rainbow sherbet. We had several guests in attendance and a few of the members played Dirty Santa afterwards.
Diane Clapp, Anita McGee, Alice Broome, Treasia Bennett, & Margaret Goolsby
Joan McGriff, Elaine Densmore, & Pam Ousley
V.P. Sondra Henley, Clem Clapp, and Peoples S.B. rep. Steve Mims
Our 4th Annual Christmas Home Tour was held this year on December 11th and was a big success. The homeowners were Gene and Peggy Martin, Randy and Judy Rockett, and Aaron and Amber Shelnutt. We are looking forward to the 2017 Christmas Home Tour! Here is a Smilebox slideshow of more photos from the tour.
Julia Rockett, MG Rick Miller and Alice Broome, homeowners Judy & Randy Rockett, and MG Elizabeth York
Homeowners Gene and Peggy Martin
Homeowners Aaron and Amber Shelnutt
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