2019 Christmas Home Tour

Posted on December 12, 2019December 12, 2019 by audrey

The Chilton County Master Gardeners 2019 Christmas Home Tour is now history. But what a Tour it was!! Records were broken in the number of tickets sold.

Speaking of history, the Tour this year was held in the historic town of Verbena, Alabama. The tour included the homes of Pat Barefield, Vivian & Dalvin Johnson, Elaine & Arnold McDaniel, Janine & Chris Speaks and Verbena United Methodist Church. Each of these locations has its own piece of Verbena history. Many guests had grown up in the area or had relatives in Verbena. Other guests were most interested in seeing the homeowners’ various decorating styles. Each house and the Church had its own style of decoration, each unique and beautiful. Guests surely gained great ideas for their own seasonal decorating.

CCMGA is grateful to the people of Verbena for the excitement and exceptional cooperation displayed. With every Christmas Home Tour, one of the best parts is the new friendships we establish. This year was no different! Thanks to all the Master Gardeners, the homeowners, and Verbena United Methodist Church for making this event such a great success!
Article by Alice Broome
Photos by Audrey Giles

MG hostesses at Pat Barefield home for 2019 Christmas Home Tour

Hostesses and parking attendants at Johnson Home 2019 Christmas Home Tour

MG hostesses and parking attendants at McDaniels Home 2019 Christmas Home Tour

MG hostesses and parking attendants at Chris Speaks Home 2019 Christmas Home Tour

Master Gardener hostesses at Verbena U. M. Church

Hospitality and parking attendant at Verbena U.M. Church 2019 Christmas Home Tour

Decorations on porch if Pat Barefield Home 2019 Christmas Home Tour

Congratulations Sondra Henley!

Posted on November 13, 2019November 14, 2019 by trisha

Sondra Henley has become our association’s first master gardener to obtain her Advanced Master Gardener Certification. Her advanced certification subject is Composting. In order to become certified, Sondra developed and completed a plan of specific requirements which included continuing education, volunteer time and presentations. This effort takes lots of self-motivation and commitment. Congratulations Sondra Henley!

SONDRA Henley receives Advanced MG certification

Dr. Mitchell and Camellias

Posted on November 13, 2019November 13, 2019 by trisha

Our Chilton County Master Gardeners enjoyed an educational talk on “The Camellia, Celebrate the State Flower” presented by Dr. Charles Mitchell. Dr Mitchell is known to most Master Gardeners in this state as the Soils teacher for the MG Program. Recently retired from Auburn University, he still teaches Master Gardener Soils classes and is very involved in the Auburn-Opelika Men’s Camellia Club. We learned about the origin of camellias and tips on caring and propagting them. The lovely blooms brought from his garden varied from white to pink to red and were a treat to see. The Auburn-Opelika Men’s Club has searched for camellias with names connected to Auburn and have also named a few in honor of Auburn University. “Sweet Auburn” was named by the club and was given as a door prize to one lucky MG.

Our elections were held and congratulations go to our new 2020 Officers:
President: Susan Cleckler
Vice-President: Charla Doucet
Treasurer: Audrey Giles
Secretary: Elizabeth York

Fair Judging

Posted on November 5, 2019November 11, 2019 by trisha

Six Chilton County Master Gardeners along with three St. Clair County Master Gardeners spent November 4 judging Shelby County Fair entries. What fun it is to see and judge the entries: photographs, paintings, ceramics, sewing, quilts, crochet, knitting, canned vegetables, jellies, produce, plants and more. Items were entered by adults, senior adults and children in three age categories. Best of all was taste testing the baked goods including cakes, pies, and cookies. The most difficult part is selecting the Best of Show! Photos by Susan Cleckler

Chilton County MGs judging at Shelby County Fair — Alice Broome, Trisha Williams, Debbie Housner, and Harriett Jackson

Elmore County MG Interns visit Demo Garden

Posted on October 24, 2019October 31, 2019 by audrey

On October 17, the Elmore County Master Gardener Intern class visited the Chilton County Demonstration Garden. On hand to share information and answer questions were Master Gardeners Harriett Jackson, Sondra Henley, and Betsy Smith. Also present was one of the first to sign up for our 2020 Master Gardener Class, Gail Brooks. Photos by Betsy Smith

Working hard pays off!

Posted on October 11, 2019October 11, 2019 by audrey

Chilton County Master Gardeners are pretty proud of their accomplishment of hosting the 2019 AMGA Conference this past May at Clanton Performing Arts Center. They worked hard, learned a lot, and had a “little” left over at the end! Photo by Audrey GIles.

Christmas Home Tour is Back!

Posted on October 9, 2019November 14, 2019 by audrey

Our Christmas Home Tour is BACK! We are excited to present these homes for the tour this year. Verbena is just down the road (Highway 31, South) and all the homes are in the same area. Also a new item this year is a tour of the historic Verbena United Methodist Church.

Tickets may be purchased from Chilton County Extension Office, 205-280-6268 and at the homes the day of, but not at the church. Advance tickets are $15.00, the day of- $20.00.

All homes are in Verbena. The directions are printed on the tickets and there will also be directional signs to guide you through the tour.

So buy your tickets today from a Master Gardener or go by the Chilton County Extension Office and pick them up. You can help us out by also picking up a few to sell to all your friends and relatives. This is a big fund raiser for us and always lots of fun to boot!

All about Hummingbirds

Posted on October 9, 2019October 11, 2019 by trisha

Fred Bassett, a well-known hummingbird expert, was the speaker for our October meeting. Fred has banded over 30,000 hummingbirds from Florida to Alaska. Ruby throated hummingbirds are the most common hummingbirds found in our area. Plants and a feeder will attract the birds to your yard. For a list of hummingbird friendly plants: http://www.hummingbirdresearch.net/files/HummingbirdPlants.pdf

Fred discussed many types of hummingbirds and their normal range. At this time of year it is good to leave feeders out for those birds traveling through. There have been eleven different kinds found in central and south Alabama during the winter.

Four more 2019 Master Gardener class members have completed requirements for certification and were presented their badge and certificate. Congratulations to Joan Barber, Benita Cahalane, Clem Clapp and May Cremer-Stewart! Photos by Audrey GIles.

Planting Fall Veggies at Thorsby Elementary

Posted on September 27, 2019October 11, 2019 by audrey

On September 25th CCMGA volunteers helped the 3rd graders at Thorsby Elementary School plant fall vegetables. Included were Broccoli, Lettuce, Onions, Radishes, Swiss Chard, and Kale just to name a few. Later they will help plant the “Cabbage Patch”!!

Pictured left to right- Front- Kaylee Doucet, Betsy Smith, Debbie Housner, Jackie Hickman, Sondra Henley, Susan Cleckler, and Charla Doucet. Back- Ron and Cheryl Herbster.

“Teach them to garden and they will never be hungry”

Photos by Susan Cleckler and Sondra Henley

Eagle Scout Project: Re-purposing for Hardscapes

Posted on September 26, 2019September 27, 2019 by audrey

Boy Scout Jared Cleckler and his team finished his Eagle Scout Project at the CCMGA Demonstration Garden. Jared will be completing his paperwork and turning it in to the Eagle Scout Project Committee for final approval.

Jared’s project started with the monkey bars that were located at the old homestead at Chilton Research and Extension Center and moved behind the Shade Garden in the Demo Garden. He and his team sanded and painted the bars. Ron Herbster, Chilton County Master Gardener, drew plans for the planter boxes and donated the cedar wood for them. Ron worked with Jared to plane the boards and prepare for the planter construction.

Ron and Cheryl Herbster also donated the stone bench that sits near the newly furbished monkey bars. The Boy Scouts also set up the bench.

Vegetables and pole vegetables will be planted in the boxes. This new garden area shows how to re-purpose hardscapes and gives additional space to plant vegetables.

Photos by Sondra Henley