Announcements

Minooka Park Project

Posted on by trisha

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 by audrey

2017 interns for CCMGA classWe 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.

MG Trisha teaching indoor plants

Awards for 2017

Posted on by audrey

Members who worked on Demo Garden

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.

2017 AMGA Conference

Posted on by trisha

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.

January Meeting

Posted on by audrey

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!

speaker at January meeting

CCMGA Partners with Habitat for Humanity

Posted on by trisha

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.

MGs working at Habitat House

 

Crazy Chocolate Cake

Posted on by trisha

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.

Crazy Chocolate Cake

December Meeting

Posted on by audrey

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.

Christmas Home Tour 2016

Posted on by audrey

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.

 

December Lunch and Learn

Posted on by audrey

Our Lunch and Learn was presented this month by Master Gardener Ann Baker on December 7th. The program was about decorating with items from nature, how to make a beautiful bow, and also everyone there made a “Make and Take” decoration.  The Lunch  and Learn programs are held at the Extension Office from 12-1 p.m. These are free and all you do is bring a sack Lunch, drinks are provided! Future Lunch and Learn programs will be announced.