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

Monday, January 26, 2015

MG Project Grants



Dave Brimhall, Dr. William Peterson (Northern Director, AZ Historical Society), Freddi Steele
Photo by Tammy Valdovino
 
Over the last 4 years our association has been giving yearly grants to master gardener projects. They have helped a variety of garden projects - schools, non-profits, and even some for-profits such as Emeritus Assisted Living that would not happen without financial assistance. Last month we invited some of the people leading those project to attend our monthly meeting and share results of those projects. Angie Fritz a master gardener and volunteer for many years used her funding to start a school garden program at Mountain Elementary School. The Pinon Community Garden was represented by Rosemary Logan and April Smith. They were able to install a drip irrigation system for their unique community garden. Unlike other community gardens each participant does not have a garden area. They all garden the plot together. Riordan Mansion was represented by master gardener Dave Brimhall. They have received several grants that have allow them to improve gardens and hardscape at a local treasure for visitors and residents. Last of all Freddi Steele showed the work done at the Pioneer Museum to allow people to safely access the property. She headed the "Pioneer Garden" work there. Dave and Freddi both work at AZ Historical Society sites in Flagstaff.

It was rewarding for all who attend the presentations to see the good work that Master Gardeners are doing throughout Flagstaff. Thanks to all who support us with memberships, participate in CMGA events, purchase fundraising items, and just volunteer their time and share gardening knowledge.

Loni Shapiro
CMGA, Education Chair

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Workshop to Prepare an Invasive Weed Web Site

Greetings, All,
The Coconino Master Gardeners and the Flagstaff Chapter of the AZ Plant Society are planning an Invasive Plant Website to help homeowners control invasives in their landscapes.  To accomplish this, there will be a workshop on Monday, January 26, 2015 from 10 until 3 at the Master Gardener Office at 2304 North 3rd St.  There will be a free lunch!!  Come one.  Come all. 
Participants will complete worksheets about 35 different invasive plants common to Flagstaff and Coconino County.  These worksheets will ask for specific information that will help homeowners identify and control invasive plants, and this information will become the foundation for the website.  Resource materials will be provided.  If you can, please bring a computer in case additional information or photos are needed.  You don't need to be an expert.  It will be fun!!
 
Please RSVP to Hattie Braun, so she can order the food.  Yum. Yum. 
Dorothy Lamm

Friday, January 23, 2015

Seed and Plant Resource Catalogs 2015

 
 

It is that time of the year again when we begin to look at seed catalogs to plan our 2015 garden. Follow this updated link to print a list of catalogs and how to contact them. As usual, it is 6 pages of information if you want to print it. It has been revised for 2015 with a few new additions and only a couple of nurseries that closed in 2014. It will be moved to the resource list in February. If you have any additions or corrections please send them to me by the first week of February.
Happy Gardening in 2015!

Loni Shapiro
cnslds@q.com

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

January 2015 Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes 1/8/15
Welcome –Hunter Kemmet introduced 2015 Officers;  Jim Mast-President, Ed Skiba-VP, Sue Madden-Treasurer, Sherline Alexander-Secretary.  Please note that all of the annual reports from CMGA officers and committee chairs are on the blog.
Education Grant Recipients:
Pinon Community Garden - Rosemary Logan and April Smith - talked and showed photos about their new irrigation system for their community garden.
Pioneer Museum - Freddi Steele - talked and showed photos of the before and after hardscape stairs installed on their property for safety.
Mountain Elementary School - Angie Fritz - mom and master gardener began a garden program for 3rd and 4th graders, with money spent on materials for gardening and books. Angie's photos included a lunch with what the classes had grown.
Riordan Mansion - Dave Brimhall - this AZ Historical Society property has received several grants over the years to improve many of the gardens and hardscape. Dave brought a poster and photos to share.
Business Meeting; Jim Mast.
Raffle item donations.   If you have something you can donate toward our monthly meeting raffle just bring the item to a monthly meeting.
Build volunteer hours doing committee work. The CMGA is looking for more volunteers for our committees this year. Continuing education (Loni Shapiro, Chair), Volunteer Support (Crys Wells, Chair), Community Support (Andrea Guerrette, Chair), Master Gardener Projects (Jackee Alston, Gillian Thomas new co-chairs),  Special Projects (Home Show, Conference, Fund Raising(need new chair), Earth Day etc.).
MG Coordinator Happenings - Hattie Braun
Conference: next meeting 1-14-15, 1pm, extension office.  Please attend if you are interested in helping with the conference.  Actively looking for conference site.
·        Spring Class; Thursday’s, 1-4:30pm. 2/5 - 5/14/2015, N. AZ Health Care 1000 N Humphreys.  Getting a lot of calls.
·         Home Show April 10, 11, 12, the weekend after Easter. Volunteers needed.
·         Dorothy Lamb workday at the extension office 10am-2pm, Monday January 26st on invasive weeds.
Financial report – Sue Madden
Found software on sale and purchased for $37.50.
Total income for the year was $3934.03. Total expenses for the year were $2388.13. The difference between income and expenses for 2014 was $1545.90. The checkbook balance is currently $4173.23 and the PayPal balance is $150.56 for a total of $4323.79. This is an increase of $1461.21 as compared to the end of 2013.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Johnny Appleseed Tree source

I was looking on the website and found a Johnny Appleseed tree. Pretty cool that somebody actually found one!
From Debbi Crisp

Johnny Appleseed Apple / M7/SPRING



In the 1830's, thousands of apple trees were planted in Ohio by one John Chapman, who earned the nickname Johnny Appleseed for his work. Nearly two centuries later, it is extremely rare to find a tree documented to be a graft from one of Johnny's trees, but Raintree acquired one.

It was tracked down by Scott Scogerboe, who found an old newspaper article that told of an Ohio homestead where Johnny Appleseed had planted a tree. Early in the 20th century, a student who visited the homestead took a cutting, grafted a new tree and planted it in his family's yard. The child who planted the grafted tree, now elderly, retired from the same school where Scott found the ancient tree.

Since apples from Chapman's trees were used by settlers mostly for making hard cider, their fresh eating quality wasn't the highest priority. Nevertheless, the history of this tree makes it a wonderful living legend.

Zones 4-9.

Price: $28.50

Please click this link to see the product details:
http://www.raintreenursery.com/Johnny_Appleseed_Apple_M7.html

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Master Gardener Happenings for January

Hi MGs and MGs to be:
I am looking for help with three projects.

1.       The Arizona Highlands Garden Conference – next meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1:00 to 2:30 pm at the extension office.  Lots of you have already let me know that you would like to help.  This is the last request to get involved.  We will forming committees on Wed. and will discuss site possibilities.  Everyone is welcome!

2.       Master Gardener Open HouseThursday, Jan. 22, 6:00 to7:00 pm at the extension office. The next class starts soon but I would like to do a little more outreach.  I am looking for 2-3 volunteers that would love to talk to people about the Master Gardener program.

3.       Invasive Plant Workshop Monday, Jan. 26, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Dorothy Lamm and I will hold a workshop where you will help us collect information about invasive plants for a website on invasives.  We will finalize fact sheets and create new ones on the many invasive plants that are a concern for homeowners.  We have lots of resources but would love help from Master Gardeners.  Please RSVP as lunch will be served.

Thanks – I hope everyone is enjoying the rain.  Hattie

Hattie Braun
University of Arizona
Master Gardener Program Coordinator
Coconino County Cooperative Extension
2304 N. 3rd St.
Flagstaff, AZ  86004
Phone: 928-774-1868 x 170
FAX: 928-774-1860

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Native Plant Society

Greetings, All, 
On Monday evening, January 12 from 6:30 until 8:00, the planning group of the Flagstaff Chapter of the AZ Native Plant Society will meet at 526 N. Bertrand on Cherry Hill to plan walks, talks, and other activities for 2015. 

We'd love to have you join us, and your input, ideas and help would be much appreciated.   

Please RSVP to this invitation, if you will be coming, and I'll forward directions to the meeting location.  As an alternative, if you can't attend, but have something to share or suggest, please email it to me. 

We hope to see or hear from you. 

Posted by D. Lamm
for Susan Lamb Bean
      Susan Holiday
      Barbara Phillips
      Tina Ayers
       Kirstin Olmon 

Monday, January 5, 2015

Garden for Humanity Workshops

Join us for two workshops Saturday, January 10
  • 10 AM Fruit Tree Pruning for the Spring (more >) 
  • 2 PM Water in Your Garden and How to Use it Wisely (more >)

Gardens for Humanity and Greening Harmony's two garden workshops on this Saturday will teach participants how to correctly prune fruit trees and how to be "water wise" gardeners. These will be the first installments of our community gardening education series for 2015.
 
Check out the Gardens for Humanity web site (gardensforhumanity.org)

Sunday, January 4, 2015

January 2015 Meeting Agenda


Master Gardener Meeting Agenda 1/8/15
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N. San Francisco
 
6:30pm – 6:50pm               Welcome –Hunter Kemmet
·         President Annual Report
·         Introduce 2014 Officers -  Jim Mast-President, Ed Skiba-VP, Sue Madden-Treasurer, Sherline Alexander-Secretary
Agenda –– Jim Mast
 
Announcements                  Meeting Raffle – $1 each or 6 for $5 - Must be present to win
·         Drawing will be held after refreshments and before the business meeting             
                                
6:50pm – 6:55pm               Introduction of speaker Loni Shapiro

6:55pm-7:45pm                  Continuing Education  Grant Recipients: 1) Freddi Steele, Pioneer Museum 2)Angie Fritz,
                                                Mountain School  3)  Dave Brimhall, Riordan Mansion  4) Rosemary Logan & April
                                                Smith, Pinon Community Garden  5)  Jeff Best, Sunshine Rescue Mission
 
15 minute break
7:45pm-8:00pm                  Refreshments provided by Hattie Braun and Loni Shapiro
and Raffle Prize Drawing 

Friday, January 2, 2015

AZ Food & Farm Finance Forum

Logo
Thursday and Friday, January 15 & 16Clarkdale Clubhouse in Clarkdale, ArizonaHost: The Town of Clarkdale
PROGRAM