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

Tuesday, May 15, 2012


Master Gardener Meeting Minutes 5/10/12
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N. San Francisco

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

6:42pm-7:30pm                Continuing Education
                                                Invasive Weeds – Scott Harger
Mr. Harger talked about invasive weeds and what can be done about them.  He is a program range conservationist for the Coconino Natural Resource Conservation District.  His presentation was full of good information on weeds and weed management. He reviewed the “dirty dozen” – locations and management. There is a searchable weed database at the Southwest Vegetation Management Association website, http://www.swvma.org/.  Review Dorothy Lamm's article from the Saturday Daily Sun (5/5/12) for more information on weeds.                                  

7:45pm - 8:30pm              Business Meeting – Debi Stalvey
7:45pm – 8:05pm             Overview of recent Executive Meeting – Debi Stalvey
                                               
                                                Financial report – Ed Skiba
Update on financials, taxes, memberships
May 7, 2012 deposited the following collected funds into the National Bank of Arizona (CMGA) Checking Account:
2012 CMGA Membership fees 11@$10.00=            $110.00
Total Deposit 5/7/12                                                   $110.00
Check Acct. Balance 4/30/12                                  $1,913.96
Total Check Acct Balance 5/8/2012                        $2,023.96

Total Members as of 5/10/12 is 56. Ed will file take form this week.

                                                Speakers Bureau/Calendar – Bea Cooley
Bea asked members to choose their favorite photographs from those displayed in the rear of the room.  People were asked to choose up to 13 photographs.  Bea asked for assistance with PhotoShop and Jo Anne Barcellano volunteered to assist her.
Bea and Hattie have been working on the speaker’s bureau. There is a form on the blog for applying. Bea sent out a call for all to sign up to do a 30 minute talk of their choice. Hattie frequently gets requests like the recent mother’s group,.

                                                 Blog/Grants – Loni Shapiro
Master Gardener project grant applications are on the blog.  Three applications had been received by the meeting time (Heather Bostian, Emeritus, and Olivia White Hospice). Riordan Mansion was added this evening.

                                               MG Program Happenings (Class, Conference) – Hattie Braun
Hattie announced that the fall master gardener class is a go.  She needs to attend one more meeting
about the state Extension Program plans for 2012 next week.

The Arizona Highlands Garden Conference planning is progressing.  Most of the speakers are confirmed.  We still need someone to coordinate the Barbeque (find a place to hold 30-50 people. Gila County is responsible for bringing the food).  We also need someone to coordinate the Garden Tours.  The next planning meeting is June 12 at noon at the Coconino Extension Office.
                                                                               
   8:05pm – 8:20pm          Committee Reports:
                                                Continuing Education (see below for details) – Loni Shapiro
New volunteer/educational opportunities on the blog
Take a look at the blog for upcoming educational opportunities at Warners, 2 programs from the Native Plant Society (contest and class), and Walmart (with Jim Mast doing his Tomato Talk).

                                                Community Programs
                                                                Community Market – Julie Holmes
Julie reported that the Sunday Market is fully staffed but people are needed for the Wednesday Markets. The Wednesday market is from 4-7 p.m. in the St. Pius Church parking lot.  Please contact Julie at jeholmesaz@npgcable.com if you are interested in volunteering.

                                                Coordination of MG Projects – Linda Guarino
Two master gardener projects have been approved recently.  These projects are available for master gardeners needing volunteer hours.  The first project is at a community greenhouse in Doney Park at Heather Bostian’s property.  She requests master gardener assistance in getting the greenhouse up and running, and for writing grants.  The second is a proposed tranquility garden at Flagstaff Medical Center.

                                                Volunteer Support/Social – Hattie Braun & Crys Wells
Volunteer/Education Hours – Crys Wells
337.5 Volunteer hours, 55.5 Education hours.

Clarification of Volunteer Hours – Hattie Braun
Master gardener trainees have 13 months from the completion of the master gardener course to complete their 50 volunteer hours to gain their certification.  From that point, to maintain their certification, master gardeners must do at least 12 volunteer hours and 6 education hours each year. If you are unable to meet those requirements, exceptions must be approved by Hattie Braun.
                                                               
   8:20pm – 8:30pm          Gardening Questions?
Irene Matthews  - Can you plant seeds from tulips? Hattie Braun - Yes, bur because of the hybridization, you wouldn't get the same as the parent. They tulips will hybridize without planting the seeds.
                                               
Next meeting:  June 14 – Review of Seinet (Southwest Environmental Information Network)
Web based program that is an interesting resource for native plants of the southwest                                                 (includes AZ and the plateau) – Tina Ayres

Future meetings:
*July 12 – What to do With the Harvest – Michele Lytle (MG and caterer)
                 Update on County Fair Entries
*Aug. 9 – Season Extenders/Plant Propagation – Ann Eagan/Linda Guarino
*Oct. 11 – Growing and Forcing Bulbs – Loni Shapiro
Nov. 8 – Pending – Tam Nguyen – topic TBA
Those starred are confirmed

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