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

Friday, June 12, 2015

CMGA Lecture/Fifty Shades of Blue: Colorful Flowers of Flagstaff

The CMGA would like to thank our fearless leader Hattie Braun for presenting our educational program for our June meeting. "Fifty Shades of Blue: Colorful Flowers for Flagstaff" For those who haven't been around as long as I have (17 years as a master gardener), this lecture has evolved over the years. I first heard Hattie present to my master gardener class in 1998 on the Flowers of Flagstaff. At that time it included many of her favorites from Pennsylvania that work here. It has evolved to include more native to the west plants, and many more draught tolerant ideas. More than half were blue or shades of blue/purple (also red, yellow and white), and were from gardens in Flagstaff. Hattie had time to share the benefits besides beauty and how and why they work. Thanks for making us love gardening here, with all of it's problems. Here is a copy of Hattie's list:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2HWdnh89Cb6U1dxNXdfYjM3NkU/view?usp=sharing
Two of the books recommended were "Waterwise Plants for Stainable Gardens" by Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden, Timber Press, 2011 ($18 Amazon).
"Durable Plants for the Garden: A Plant Select Guide", edited by James E. Henrich, 2009, Fulcrum Publishing ($27 Amazon).
Next month we will be talking about the planned Seed Library/Grow Flagstaff. Jackie Alston, Nicole Gregory, and myself will talk about the Seed Library, different kinds of seeds, and seed saving. Come join us on July 9th.

Loni Shapiro
CMGA Education Chair

2015 Grants


2015 CMGA GRANTS
APPLICANTS      AFFILIATION       AMOUNT        USE

1.       Jackee Alston & Hattie Braun, Grow Flagstaff! Seed Library, $250, for printing of signage, brochures, and other educational materials available at the county extension office

2.       Dot Himes & Valerie Dalton, San Francisco de Asis/ Love-a-Lot Project, $312, for purchase of tools, xeriscape plants, and native seeds

3.       Dave Schuck & Mary DeMuth, Lowell Observatory, $250, for creation of a Putnam Memorial Garden by Pluto Walk.

4.       Judy Springer & Laura Davis, NAU & Willow Bend, $250, for relocation of Michael Moore Medical Plant Garden to Willow Bend & NAU, for soils, hose, tools, and ground cloth.  

5.       Lissa Buyske, Colton Community Garden, MNA, $272.49, for hardware cloth in vegetable demonstration garden beds

6.       Tom Parker, The Arboretum of Flagstaff, $250-500, for a signage on the milkweed establishment program for monarch butterflies. 

7.       Dave Brimhall, Riordan Mansion, $207.15, for grape vine arbor over vegetable garden entrance.

8.       Rosemary Logan and April Smith, Pinyon Drive Community Garden, $214.85 (invoice from Peaceful Valley) for frost cloth, hoops for raised beds, and seedlings (no seedlings budget included).

9.        Linda Guarino, Olivia White Hospice Garden, $500 for a garden shed.

10.     Jeff Best, Sunshine Rescue Mission, $175 for the vegetable garden.

PROJECT SUMMARIES

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Volunteer Opportunity

Arizona Highland Celtic Festival - July 18 & 19, 2015 - Foxglenn Park
Come be a part of the fun and share your experience and knowledge by participating in the educational volunteer opportunities at this amazing summertime event! For the past several years the annual Arizona Highland Celtic Festival event has featured an educational component in a tented area called the “Plants of Celtic Regions”. Plants and trees are graciously donated for the festival weekend by Viola’s Flower Garden and placards have been created that connect each plant and tree to various Celtic regions, stories, and legends. This year our goal is to feature energetic CMGA volunteers who can enhance and engage festival attendees through their knowledge and personal experience with the various plants as well as talk about gardening in Northern Arizona.  Opportunities are also available for CMGA volunteers to provide 45-minute presentations on Celtic lore and medicine relative to herbal remedies, concoctions, secrets and myths. Your audience in the tent and for presentations will range from youngsters to well-seasoned festival attendees so you can use your imagination, experience and have fun!
 
Here are the facts:
This volunteer opportunity has been approved by the CMGA.
By volunteering for a shift at the Arizona Highland Celtic Festival you will receive a festival t-shirt, name tag, and free admission to the festival for Saturday and Sunday!
There are five time slots available for volunteering and yes, volunteering in pairs is ok and fun so invite your favorite friend to join you in this unique experience!
 
(No dogs are allowed inside the Festival grounds….sorry!)
 
Saturday July 18                                             Sunday July 19
9:00 am – 12:00 pm                                        9:00 am – 12:00 pm
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm                                        12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
 
You will be volunteering your time to the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society and your sign-up will be taken care of by contacting John Mead directly. John is the NACHS designated supervisor of the “Plants of Celtic Regions” tent. If you are interested or have any questions please contact John Mead: 928-707-0361 or email  Johnm5@email.arizona.edu
 
For planning purposes we would like to hear from you before July 1st. Thank you for your interest and contributions to this great community we live in!!
 
 
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
 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

June meeting agenda


Master Gardener Meeting Agenda 6/11/15
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N. San Francisco
 
6:30pm – 6:35pm             Welcome – Jim Mast

6:35pm – 6:40pm             Colton Community Garden Volunteers needed - Lissa Buyske

Announcements             Meeting Raffle – $1 each or 6 for $5 - Must be present to win

6:40pm – 6:45pm             Introduction of speaker Loni Shapiro

6:45pm- 7:45pm               Continuing Education – Hattie Braun - Colorful Flowers of Flagstaff: 50 Shades of Blue (red, yellow, purple, pink)

15 minute break
7:45pm-8:00pm           Raffle Prize Drawing
Refreshments provided by Sue Madden and JoAnn Alarcon
 
8:00pm - 8:25pm                              Business Meeting – Jim Mast

NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership Programs

Ranger Walks & Talks Event Calendar June 11-14, 2015 NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership   
 
Campground Programs
Bonito Campground, Friday, June 12 8:00-8:45 pm. That Stinks! Skunks in Nature. What should you do if you encounter a skunk in nature? Come to find out more about these animals so you can protect yourself and your pets and learn how to reduce the risk of getting skunked. At the campground amphitheater.  
 
Dairy Springs Campground, Saturday, June 13 3:00-3:45 pm. Seldom Seen. A guided walk with NPS ranger Robert Wallace about the mysterious things in nature that are typically overlooked but vital to understanding the natural world. No dogs please. Meet at campground amphitheater. 
 
Pine Grove Campground, Saturday, June 13 8:00-8:45 pm. The Ways and Whys of the Universe. Come join NPS ranger Robert Wallace at the amphitheater for a 45-minute chat and discover the wonders of our universe that have captivated people’s curiosities since the Stone Age.   
     
Ranger Walks, Hikes, & Events
 Thursday, June 11  9:00 am-12:00 pm. The Cursed Incline. Go about 7 miles south on Lake Mary Road and meet at the first gravel pullout ¼ mile past Lower Lake Mary Dam. Climb Flagstaff Lumber Company’s ill-fated railroad incline up Anderson Mesa with USFS interpretive rangers Steve and Lois Hirst. Hunt for the disappearing outhouse, hear about the fireman’s jump for his life, and see remnants of long gone logging operations atop the mesa. Difficulty: moderate with a 500-foot elevation gain. Bring water and snacks.  
 
 Friday, June 12  10:00-10:40 am. Bombastic Basalt. Life’s mysteries have the power to change lives. The eruption of Sunset Crater  Volcano certainly influenced the lives of past inhabitants and its powerful presence can still be a lesson for all.   Come experience the volcano’s raw beauty on this 40 minute ranger-led walk with Robert Wallace. Meet at the  Lava Flow Trail at 10:00 am.  
 
Saturday, June 13   9:00-11:00 am. Leroux Springs Walk. Easy 2 mile walk to Little and Big Leroux Springs led by Karen Malis-Clark and John Westerlund. We'll visit the history and observe the revival of the springs. Meet 1 mile up Snowbowl Road. 527-8238 for more info.  For further information and site directions visit our website at  http://www.nps.gov/sucr/planyourvisit/local-hikes-and-campground-programs.htm
These informative programs are presented through a partnership between the National Park Service (Flagstaff Area National Monuments) and the United States Forest Service (Flagstaff Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest). Canceled in the event of rain, lightning, fire, snow, or high winds. 
Arizona Snowbowl  Friday, June 12 through Monday, June 15  10:00 am-4:00 pm.  
 Enjoy Ranger Talks Atop the Scenic Chairlift Ride every Friday through Monday this summer.   The grandest view in the Southwest at 11,500 feet!  

Sierra Club Educational Programs

June 19 Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument - National Panel Discussion Micheal Brune, Kim Crumbo, Jamescita Peshlakai, Stacy Bare
We are extremely proud to bring an important discussion to northern Arizona, and we hope that you'll join us.
In conjunction with a visit from Sierra Club's Executive Director, Michael Brune, we will be hosting a panel of veterans discussing the importance of the outdoors to their journey home from war. It will feature veterans from three different foreign operations.
Wildway Home:
A DISCUSSION WITH VETERANS ABOUT THE OUTDOORS AND THEIR JOURNEY HOME
Come join us for a free panel discussion and sandwiches.
6:00-8:00pm Federated Church, Flagstaff
 
June 25 General Meeting: Arizona's Native Wolves-Lobos of the Southwest
Join the Plateau Group of the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter to learn about Mexican gray wolves, and how you can help restore these beautiful, unique animals to their essential natural role.
6:00-7:30 pm Joe C. Montoya Community & Senior Center, Thorpe Park, Flagstaff
Free and open to the public.
Joe Shannon
Plateau Group - Chair

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Coconino National Forest Volunteering

Greetings,
I've attached a flyer from Katrina Tso at the Coconino National Forest about a Forest Service project to restore Brolliar Park, South of Mormon Lake.  The site is approximately 45 minutes from Flagstaff on Friday and Saturday, June 26 and 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Overnight camping near the site is available. 
You will be re-vegetating public land with native plant seeds following the use of herbicides to combat the noxious weed, leafy spurge.
If you are interested in participating in the forest restoration project, please read the attached flyer below, and contact Katrina Tso.  
 
Katrina Tso
Botany Crew Lead
Forest Service
Coconino National Forest,
Flagstaff & Mogollon Rim Ranger Districts
5075 N. Highway 89
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
www.fs.fed.us
http://wwwstatic.fs.usda.gov/images/email/usda-logo.pngTwitter LogoFacebook Logo
Caring for the land and serving people

Posted by
D. Lamm 
 

Attachment(s) from Dorothy Lamm | View attachments on the web
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Native Plant Society Monthly Talk and Walk

 


Tuesday, June 16, 7:00 pm at Shepherd of the Hill Lutheran Church

Fort Valley Experimental Forest — Dr. W. Keith Moser.

The Fort Valley Experimental Forest was established in August 1908 as the first Forest Service research facility in the U.S., and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is still a field and laboratory site of major importance for research into forest management.
Keith Moser is the Scientist in Charge (SIC) of the Fort Valley Experimental Forest. A Research Forester for the Rocky Mountain Research Station, Keith researches the adaptive capacity of Forest and Woodland ecosystems to new and variable weather and disturbance. He is especially interested in the connection between ecological processes and policy and management actions.


Saturday, July 11, 9:00 am — Dr. Keith Moser and Susan Olberding.

field trip: Fort Valley Experimental Forest north on Highway 180
We will learn about past and present research in the Fort Valley Experimental Forest on Highway 180. To carpool, meet at the Arizona State Credit Union at the corner of South Beaver Street and Butler Avenue at 9:00 am sharp.
Keith Moser is the Scientist in Charge (SIC) of the Fort Valley Experimental Forest. Susan Olberding has been in and around Fort Valley for twenty-five years, as the historian and archivist.



Posted by: Dorothy Lamm <whitesegolily@yahoo.com>

Friday, June 5, 2015

Walter Brandis Pinto Beans Free at Sunday Market

Patrick Pfeifer of Roots Composting has access to one the pinto beans that were grown in Flagstaff once upon a time (referred to locally as the Walter Brandis Pinto Bean). He will be at the farmers' market on Sunday morning at the backyard growers booth (now located in the middle aisle of the market) giving them away. These beans are old, but are still able to germinate. They are hardy and extremely drought tolerant. By planting them in your garden this year (there is still time), we can keep adding to the genetic diversity of one of the best pinto bean varieties in Flagstaff. 

As the manager of the Flagstaff Garden Starts CSA (now managed by Terra Birds), I would love to have fresh bean seed to include in our 2016 member share offerings. Please get in touch with me if you would like to sell or donate pinto beans that you grow this year. Please contact me directly at grow@terrabirds.org

Thank you, 

Regan
Terrabirds

Monday, June 1, 2015

NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership Events June 5-7

Ranger Walks & Talks Event Calendar

June 5-7, 2015

NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership

 

Campground Programs
· Bonito Campground, Friday, June 5
8:00-8:45 pm. The Ways and Whys of the Universe. Come join a ranger at the amphitheater for a 45  minute chat and star viewing, and discover the wonders of our universe that have captivated people’s curiosities since the Stone Age.

· Dairy Springs Campground, Saturday, June 6
3:00-3:45 pm. Nature Walk. Join USFS volunteer rangers Steve and Nancy Galas for a family-friendly 1/2 mile stroll along the Dairy Springs Loop Trail. No dogs please. Meet at the campground amphitheater.

· Pine Grove Campground, Saturday, June 6
8:00-8:45 pm. All About Aberts. The handsome tassel-eared Abert squirrel can be found in the forest of Northern  Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. He is an expert climber and jumper who has a very special relationship with the Ponderosa pine. Discover this relationship and their impact on the forest. Meet at campground amphitheater.

Ranger Walks, Hikes, & Events
· Saturday, June 6
10:00-10:40 am. Bombastic Basalt. Life’s mysteries have the power to change lives. The eruption of  Sunset Crater Volcano certainly influenced the lives of past inhabitants and its powerful presence can still be a lesson for all.  Come experience the volcano’s raw beauty on this 40 minute ranger-led walk with Robert Wallace. Meet at the Lava Flow Trail at 10:00 am.

· Sunday, June 7
9:00 am-12:30 pm. Aspen Loop/AZ Trail. Celebrate National Trails Day all weekend long and attend a guided hike with USFS and NPS interpreters Chelsea Schroeder and Ellen Wade. A 4 mile roundtrip hike to Alfa Fia tank just off the AZ Trail with great views and spring flowers. Meet in the parking lot for   Humphreys Trail  just below Hart Prairie Lodge near the top of Snowbowl Road. Prizes awarded in honor of National Trails Day! Bring sturdy shoes, water, lunch, & sun protection. Call 928-527-8238 for info.

Arizona Snowbowl

· Friday, June 5 through Monday, June 8
      10:00 am-4:00 pm.
      Enjoy Ranger Talks Atop the Scenic Chairlift Ride every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this summerThe grandest view in the Southwest at 11,500 feet!  Call 928-779-1951 for further details or visit www.arizonasnowbowl.com.

 These informative programs are presented through a partnership between the National Park Service (Flagstaff AreaNational Monuments) and the United States Forest Service (Flagstaff Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest).

Canceled in the event of rain, lightning, fire, snow, or high winds.

 

 

Gardens for Humanity Workhop

Saturday, June 6, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Dirt not your thing!  
Try something new, Aquaponics.