CMGA General Info

The San Francisco Peaks as seen from Timberline 5 miles northeast of Flagstaff.
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, July 27, 2014

100 Year Celebration of Cooperative Extension

Jim Mast Arizona Centennial Cooperative Extension Honoree
 
On Thursday, July 24th, Hattie Braun took a bunch of master gardeners to the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Cooperative Extension. We headed to Happy Jack and the V-V Ranch. We spent the day there listening to many of speakers from the U. of A. and Arizona State talking about the founding of the extension and its goals for the future. Dr. Jeff Silvertooth the Director of the Arizona Cooperative Extension was the 1st to speak. Each county awarded recognition to people who had been instrumental in their extensions. From Coconino County Tom DeGomez recognized several people you might know - William Brechan, Ernest Chilson, H. Stuart Houston, Jim Mast, Herb Metzger, Bob and Judy Prosser, and Beth Tucker. In addition there were three wonderful talks in the morning about Forest Health (Tom DeGomez), Tree Ring Lab (Dr. Paul Sheppard), and the Arizona Climate Lab (Dr. Mike Cremmins). They all covered the history and outlook for the future. We had a great lunch provided by the V-V and in the afternoon attended some breakout session. I attended one on Home Canning, went for a horse and wagon ride, and finished up with Native American Food Production. All in all it was a wonderful day. The next event in this anniversary celebration is in Oct. at the Phoenix Zoo. Look for upcoming details and think about attending. We should all be very proud of being part of a long time successful program that helps many people have better lives in a variety of ways. Attending help me understand all the other parts of the Extension beside the Master Gardener Program.

Thanks to Hattie for encouraging us to be part of this celebration and for getting us there.
Loni Shapiro

Weeding for the Schultz Fire area

Greetings Volunteers!

We are looking for volunteers to help the Research Department at The Arboretum go to people's houses in the Schultz fire flood area and help pull weeds! We would love your help with this great cause! If you are available, please email Sheila Murray at sheila.murray@thearb.org
This event will take place on Thursday, August 7th and Friday, August 8th from 8am-11am both days

We will be meeting at the Walmart parking lot, and have a shuttle to Doney Park and back.
 
Thank you!

Kim Helfinstine
Volunteer Coordinator
The Arboretum at Flagstaff
(928) 774-1442 ext. 127

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Invasive Weed Workshop Arboretum at Flagstaff

Come join us for a FREE Invasive Weeds Workshop for a Post-Fire Flood Zone-2 with presenters, Kris Haskins and Sheila Murray at The Arboretum at Flagstaff on August 9th from 9am-12.  Please see attached flyer.  If you would like to register, please contact Kris Haskins at kristin.haskins@thearb.org 
 

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Killip School Garden Volunteering

Hi All -

I hope that everyone is having a great week.  I am back from New Jersey and working in the garden.

 Before I left last week, Haggar and Gili were very helpful in getting the edge outside along the fence weeded and mulched.  We also started digging the rows in the center.

We had our first grade-level tour in the garden with all of the first graders coming out to learn the garden rules and check out what is growing.  They are working on an experiment in which they plant seedlings indoors and then compare them with the mature plants out in the garden. 

Here are the hours for this week:
Allison Baker and I are hosting a garden work party this Friday, August 6 from 4:00 - 5:30 pm.
Please let me know if you will be attending.
Hope to see you!
 
Elizabeth

Monday, July 21, 2014

Flagstaff Tour of Artists' Gardens

[Attachment(s) from Dorothy Lamm included below]
Greetings, All,
You may want to put this event on your calendar.
Posted by
D. Lamm
Attachment(s) from Dorothy Lamm | View attachments on the web
1 of 1 File(s)
 
This is a Master Gardener co-sponsored event.


 

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Arizona Native Plant Society


Hello, Everyone,

Great news!  AZNPS Phoenix Chapter President Cass Blodgett was nominated by the Conservation Alliance for the 2014 Cox Conserves Conservation Hero Award.  Recently he was chosen as one of three finalists for this big award.  His nomination was based in large part on his outstanding work for the Alliance as a lead citizen botanist, and also for his volunteer work for AZNPS, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and other organizations. 
 
As one of the three finalists, Cass has already been awarded $2,500 which will be donated to AZNPS!  Now an online vote will be taken to determine the final winner.  If Cass wins the final vote, and additional $7,500 will be donated to AZNPS. 
 
SO PLEASE VOTE FOR CASS. 
Here is the information needed to vote:
Please go to http://coxconservesheroes.com/arizona/finalists.aspx  and view Cass' short video and then vote. 
 
Read more about the Cox Conserves program here:  http://coxconservesheroes.com/
 
The deadline for voting is July 31, 2014, but please vote now while you have this email open.  I did.  It took less than 15 seconds to vote. 
 
Posted by
D. Lamm for
Doug Ripley

Friday, July 11, 2014

Northland Hospice Day at Warners

Northland Hospice Benefit Day


Join us Saturday, July 19th, for Warner’s Annual “Hospice Day”!
Northland Hospice has been providing support and care for Northern Arizona families since 1983. Their mission is to prepare patients and families for end of life experience, by offering physical, emotional, and spiritual support and comfort. When you support the mission of Northland Hospice, you help give terminally ill people the opportunity to spend the end of their lives peacefully, meaningfully, and without pain.
Warner’s Nursery is a proud, long-time supporter of Northland Hospice, including the Olivia White Hospice Home Gardens, an ongoing project that includes a Memorial garden for all to enjoy.
During Warner’s Hospice Day, you can help support the Olivia White Hospice gardens and contribute to your own garden at the same time, with a little help from Warner’s. 10% of our profits of the day’s sales will be contributed directly to the Olivia White Hospice garden project.
So come join us this Saturday to help support a very worthwhile cause, and feel good about doing a little something to spruce up your own yard!

Photo: Need some flowers or possibly a tree? Stop by Warner's Nursery & Landscape Co.on Saturday, July 19th and help hospice grow!

Thursday, July 10, 2014

July 2014 meeting minutes


Master Gardener Meeting Minutes 7/10/2014
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N. San Francisco
 
6:30pm – 6:40pm             Welcome – Agenda – Hunter Kemmet
                                                Brief review of agenda for the evening               
 
                                             Raffle – $1 each or 6 for $5 - Must be present to win
                                                Drawing will be held after refreshments and before the business meeting
Prize:  Butterfly weed plant
 
                                             MG – NEED VOLUNTEERS
1.       Garden Clean-up raffle – Molly/Hattie
1.       Need yard clean-up volunteers
2.       Sell Tickets
2.       Garden Tours – Loni
1.       The Flagstaff Tour of Artists gardens Saturday July 26th.
§  Colleen Tucker looking for volunteers.
3.       Arboretum (Plant Sale & Penstemon Festival) Saturday July 12thHunter/Hattie
1.       Need one more volunteer
 
6:40pm – 6:45pm             Introduction of speaker Ed Skiba
 
6:45pm-7:30pm Continuing Education
1.       Hattie Braun, History of the Extension in Arizona - then
2.       Gail Morris, Creating Monarch Waystations and Butterfly Gardens Gail Morris is a Maricopa Master Gardener,  project coordinator for Southwest Monarch Study www.swmonarchs.org/ and Conservation Specialist for Monarch Watch www.monarchwatch.org/.  The title of her talk is ‘Creating Monarch Waystations and Butterfly Gardens’.   Monarch waystations are refuges that provide resources necessary for monarch butterflies and their offspring when they make their annual migration. She will also talk about attracting and providing habitat for other butterflies.
7:30pm-7:55pm Refreshments – Andrea Guerrette and Linda Guarino
 
7:55pm-8:00pm Raffle Drawing - Butterfly weed plant
 
8:00pm - 8:25pm              Business Meeting – Hunter Kemmet     
 
MG Projects/Blog - Loni Shapiro
1.       Fund raising apron for sale
2.       Donor tags – these are for gardens that have won grants
3.       Donation to the Arboretum Soiree basket will be an apron with CMGA logo, a load of compost and a garden consultation by Hattie
 
                                                Financial report – Linda Guarino/Crys Wells
                                               
                                                MG Coordinator - Hattie Braun
 
                                                Continuing Education – Ed Skiba
 
Community Markets – Andrea Guerrette
 
Volunteer Support – Crys Wells
 
8:25pm – 8:30pm             Gardening Questions?
 
Next meeting: August 7, 2014
·         Rachael Edelstein – Mushrooms


“Educational Opportunities and Events” found on the blog right column under Pages

Monday, July 7, 2014

Native Plant Society Monthly Meeting and Walk


Tuesday, July 15, 2014: Vera Markgraf, “Botanical Assessment of Springs in Coconino County
Dr. Vera Markgraf earned advanced degrees at universities in Switzerland and Germany. She has done extensive field work on riparian ecosystems in Latin America and contributed to many articles and books on paleo-environments and climate change. Now adjunct faculty at NAU, she has held research and teaching positions in Switzerland, France, Australia, Colorado, and the University of Arizona. Vera generously volunteered her expertise in plant identification, geomorphology, and the vegetation dynamics of wetlands during a recent, multiyear inventory of 200 springs on the Coconino and Kaibab national forests.
Vera will present on the botanical assessments of springs in Coconino County. 
Saturday, July 19, 2014: Field Trip to Hoxworth SpringThis beautiful restored complex of springs and wetlands promises to be lush, green, and flowery in July. The springs are a quarter-mile walk from the parking area on Forest Road 296, 10 miles southeast of Flagstaff.
Carpooling is strongly recommended. Meet at the Credit Union at 8:30 a.m., as described above. The hike should not last beyond noon.

Sunday, July 6, 2014


Master Gardener Meeting Agenda 7/10/2014
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N. San Francisco
6:30pm – 6:40pm             Welcome – Agenda – Hunter Kemmet
                                              Brief review of agenda for the evening               
                                             Raffle – $1 each or 6 for $5 - Must be present to win
                                             Drawing will be held after refreshments and before the business 
                                             meeting
  Prize:  Butterfly weed plant
                                             MG – NEED VOLUNTEERS
1.       Garden Clean-up raffle – Molly/Hattie
1.       Need yard clean-up volunteers
2.       Sell Tickets
2.       Garden Tours – Loni
1.       The Flagstaff Tour of Artists gardens Saturday July 26th.
§  Colleen Tucker looking for volunteers
Post flyers in community
3.       Arboretum (Plant Sale & Penstemon Festival) Saturday July 12thHunter/Hattie
1.       Need one more volunteer
6:40pm – 6:45pm             Introduction of speaker Ed Skiba
6:45pm-7:30pm               Continuing Education
  1.       Hattie Braun, History of the Extension in Arizona - then
  2.       Gail Morris, Creating Monarch Waystations and Butterfly Gardens