CMGA General Info

Roadrunner: Although typically desert dwellers, roadrunners may also thrive in cold climates by fluffing feathers for insulation and by exposing their black back feathers to the sun.
Photo by Cindy Murray.

Welcome to the Coconino County Master Gardeners Association blog. The mission of the Master Gardener Program is to create a corps of well-informed volunteers, and to deliver quality horticultural education programs adapted to our regional high elevation environment. The purpose of the association is to provide support for those volunteers and Master Gardener graduates, continuing education, and opportunities to participate in community programs that increase the visibility and participation in the Master Gardener Program.
The Coconino Master Gardener Association (2009) began in 2009. This blog contains information on:
-How to become a member
-Volunteer and Education hours reporting
-Calendar of Events
-General gardening information articles
-Master Gardener Association Documents and forms
-References and Resources
-Interesting Websites and Blogs
-Old Gardening Etcetera columns
-Recipes
-Book Reviews
-How to contact Board or Committee Members
Meetings are held monthly on the 2nd Thursday from 600pm - 8;30pm. We meet at the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church at 1601 N. San Francisco. This includes continuing education and a business meeting.

Reporting Master Gardener Hours

All master gardener trainees and certified master gardeners need to report their hours.
Beginning in 2010 certified master gardeners need to have 6 Education hours and 12 Volunteer hours in order to maintain certification.The on line reporting system allows you to report Education or Volunteer hours. You can sign in to record hours in the right hand column under Recording Volunteer and Education Hours. Just click on the U. of A.
If you have any questions or concerns about the new reporting system, please contact Brenda Smith (A - M) or Sue Madden (N - Z). Their contacts are listed at the bottom of the blog under
Contacts.



Ideas for hours------
--Attend monthly meetings
--Work on an association committee
--Work at an informational booth for the Master Gardeners
--Be a speaker about gardening topics at a variety of venues

--Host a garden tour
--Work at a fundraising event (Plant Sale - Garden Tour).
--Work at a MG site (Olivia White Hospice, the Arboretum, Riordan Mansion, or school gardens (many others)). Check out the Assoc. Doc. & Forms under Volunteer Sites.
--Work in the Extension office
--Write an article for the newspaper column -Gardening Etcetera
-Volunteer with the Seed Library
Be creative! There are many ways to fulfill your hours. Just remember for volunteering it needs to be a non-profit endeavor or an approved for profit site.

Change in Contact Information

Have you moved or changed your e-mail address, but would still like to be contacted about high elevation gardening information from the Extension? The Coconino County Extension Master Gardener Program has a site that will let you change your information on-line.

Click here to change your contact information!

Event Calendar

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Meeting Minutes for August 8/11/11

Master Gardener Meeting Agenda 8/11/11
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N. San Francisco

Attending: Jim Mast, Sheryl Houston, Nick Lipinski, Carol Burris, Bea Cooley, Crys Wells, Loni Shapiro, Ed Skiba, Julie Holmes, Charlotte Dodgson, Galen & Andrea Gurrette, Ann Eagan, Linda and Malcolm Moriarty, Ron Hiebert, Joe & Susan Harte, Leslie Pennick, Debi Stalvey, Valarie Bryant, Marjorie Whithrow

6:30pm-6:40pm Welcome – Agenda Jim Mast
Brief review of agenda for the evening
Introduction of speaker

6:40pm-7:30pm Continuing Education
Speakers: Panel – Nick Lipinski, Carol Burris, Jim Mast, Galen & Andrea Guerrette, Ron Hiebert
Topic: Preparing entries for the Coconino County Fair
Nick and Carol reviewed the basics of fair entry in Horticulture and Floriculture. Both departments require entries that are clean, attractive, free from bugs, without blemishes and uniform in size. Nick stated that this is a competition and the entries need to look good. With vegetables they need to be a size normal for market, not giant zucchini unless that is the category. Don’t forget to indicate what the specie is, such as Early Girl tomato. Make sure you have the right number on the plate. They do have plates but you can prepare your own if you wish. Carol emphasized that you need to read the requirements for entry, such as 1 stem, 1 flower, or a certain size flower head. If you don’t your entry will not be accepted in the category. Cutting should probably be the night before or that morning. She suggested using floral powder, ½ lemon lime and ½ water, or warm water to prepare flowers. The fair provides containers if you need them and the lemon lime water. Carol added more ideas about transporting so your product gets their safely and looking good.

Both departments need help sitting in their buildings. If you want to help please contact Carol or Nick. Their numbers are in the fair books provided today. Entries are due in the office at the fairgrounds tomorrow. Not postmarked tomorrow, but in the office. If you do 5 entries you will get a free pass for entry to the fair. If you sit you will also get a parking pass.

Jim Mast and the Guerettes added ideas from their experience in competing. Ron and Marjorie also added the need to get entries in on time.

7:30pm-7:45pm Refreshments
Guerrettes and Leslie Pennick

7:45pm - 8:30pm Business Meeting – Jim Mast
7:45pm – 8:00pm Overview of recent Executive Meeting – Jim Mast
Jim emphasized the need for people to step up and consider being an office. The current slate has served for 2 years and Loni and Jim would like to step down. Nominations are due in Oct. and voting in November. A list of duties was circulated for the group.
Val Bryant, the historian, reported that work has occurred on putting the history of the organization together. She has also been looking into what to put the information in. She will meet with Loni to copy important documents on acid free paper.
Monthly door prizes will be accepted. If you have something garden related that you don’t want – such as a plant, bring it for a door prize. Loni brought plants from Olivia White last meeting.
Jim Mast was on KNAU for a story about growing tomatoes in Flagstaff. There will be future gardening stories. This is a good way to publicize our organization.
Julie Holmes agreed to host the Christmas Party this year.

Financial – Ed Skiba banking/memberships
Monies spent recently on calendar deposit ($365), grants for MG Projects ($250), and the Arboretum newsletter for the fall ($250). Current balance is ? and we still have a final payment for the calendar (about $800) and the check for the church facility ($250).
Secretary – Loni Shapiro calendar
The calendar should be arriving in the next couple of weeks. Several people have agreed to sell for us. Native Plant Society (monthly meeting), CSA Store, Sunday Market when we are there (Art Babbott), Native Plant & Seed, MG Conference in Prescott. Hattie will not sell at the office due to low staff and inconsistent record keeping. More sites may be available. Loni will post that they are available at Olivia White on Mon/Thur mornings while the workdays continue. She will check with Warner’s and Violas.
We will again give out free calendars to the County Board of Supervisors, to each participant in a photo as well as the photographer, and to our speakers for 2011.

8:00pm – 8:20pm Committee Reports:
Continuing Education – Dana Prom Smith (see schedule for future meetings)
Community Programs – Molly Larsen/Julie Holmes
Wednesday markets continue until the first part of September. We are doing the 1st and 3rd Wed. of each month. Molly will contact Art about participating in some Sunday markets in Sept./Oct.

Coordination of MG Projects – Linda Guarino
In Linda’s absence Loni reported on changes to the requirements for projects. The change is in the wording regarding for profit groups. They will get MG help with certain stipulations (see handout) but do not qualify for any grant funding from the association. The list of approved projects has been revised (see blog for new list).
Volunteer Support/Social – Hattie Braun & Crys Wells
Crys – membership/volunteer and education hours
Hattie – Recognition Picnic – Sept. 11, 4-6pm
Location, food, awards, door prizes
Crys reported volunteer hours for 7/1-8/11 694.25 and education 28.5
Hattie has reserved space for 9/11 at Fort Tuthill. It will be held from 4-6pm. The extension will provide meat and those attending will be asked to bring a side or dessert. We received a door prize from MNA – 6 passes for two, and Loni will bring plants and iris from Olivia White. We are looking for more door prizes – contact Crys or Hattie. Hattie will send out the invitation.

8:20pm – 8:30pm Garden questions?

Next meeting: September 11, 2011
Recognition Picnic
Future meetings:
October 13 Pollinators and Honey Bees – Joel Kefuss
November 10 Arboretum at Flagstaff - Steve Yoder
December 8 – Christmas Party
January 14 – History of Farming in Flagstaff – Meredith Hartwell

Educational and Volunteer Opportunities from the Blog (coconinomgassociation.blogspot.com)

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