Master Gardener Associaton Meeting Minutes 8/19/10

Master Gardener Meeting Minutes 8/19/10
Northland Hospice Office – 452 N. Switzer Canyon Drive
23 people signed in for the monthly meeting

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

6:40pm-7:30pm Continuing Education
The Bugs of August
Freddi Steele, former naturalist with the National Park Service
Freddi did a wonderful slide presentation of bugs commonly seen in Flagstaff gardens at this time of the year. She talked about what a bug is - hemipteria - as opposed to spiders, mites, centipedes, snails, etc.

Questions that a master gardener might ask regarding identification are:
Overall color, size, behavior
Was it alone? Where did you see it?
Wings? How many? How Held? Color?
Body? Smooth, fuzzy, color?
Head? Eye color? Antennae? Hairy? Mouth?
Legs? Any? How Many?

Freddi then did a show and tell with slides on day and night bugs.
Day
Honeybee, bee fly, hover fly, locust, grasshoppers, paper wasp, yellow jacket, holly hock weavil, aphids, etc.
Night
June bug, ambush bug, spinx moth, hummingbird moth, several crickets, katydid, etc.
Scary bugs
Centipeds, spiders

Several reference books were recommended:
Kaufman's Guide to Insects of North America
Audubon's Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America
Freddi has her presentation on Powerpoint so contact her if you need details or photos of a speciific bug.

7:30pm – 7:45pm Refreshments
Thank you to Julie Holmes

7:45pm -8:30pm Business Meeting
7:45pm-8:00pm Overview of recent Executive Committee meeting - Jim Mast
Finance update – Ed Skiba
Two accounts at Arizona Central Credit Union - checking (161.90) and savings (220.96). The credit union is charging over $9 a month so Ed will contact them and see if that can be waved. If not it may all become a savings account.
Beginning in 2011 – membership cards will be issues for those who pay dues. Jim Mast stated that it would all still be optional.
Calendar update – Loni Shapiro
$10 each available at meeting, conference, county fair, and Extension Office. Example available at the Wed. Markets with a sign stating purchase at County Extension. We are not a vendor and can't sell there. Calendars will be given to the Board of Supervisors, Warners, Violas, Sam Younger (Northland Hospice), Art Babbitt, and those contributing to the calendar. 3 will be used as door prizes (2 for conference and 1 for door prize for the MG Picnic). Hattie gave two to the Native Plant Contest. !4 give aways thus far.
Flagstaff Evening Garden club – Hattie Braun
Looking for a volunteer to take pictures at garden visits and write a brief summary for the blog (2011). Hattie creating a Google account to use for e-mails to remind people of the garden visits. Jean will continue to coordinate.
Telephone at the extension – Hattie Braun
Continues to be for the HOTLINE may be for the Assoc. at some point. Hattie reports that there will soon be extra phone lines as people are leaving the extension.
Because of the size of our group (growing each time) we had to look for a new site for the meetings. We will meet in Oct. & Nov. at the Murdock Center on Butler. Loni will send the address and directions for the next meeting in October. It will be posted on the blog about a week before the meeting and Hattie will send out her usual reminder.

8:00pm-8:20pm Committee Reports:
Continuing Education-Dana Prom Smith
Speakers scheduled through February 2011. Check blog for updates. The column is going well but Dana can always use new writers.
Community Programs
Flagstaff’s Community Market – Julie Holmes
We continue to participate in the Wednesday markets. We had 51 contacts on Wed., a display of noxious weeds, and, Loni brought some of her tomatoes which were a draw to get people to the table. Hattie has purchased a new canopy and table. For those working I suggest bringing a tablecloth, something to draw people in, and a comfortable chair. Hattie came at 330pm with the materials needed for the booth and helped us set-up.
Speakers Bureau – looking for someone to head up this program. We need more speakers before we advertise this program.
Home Show – looking for someone to coordinate the Home Show for 2011. The Home Show will need at least 3 speakers each day in order to get a free booth. There will be 3 programs offered each day and they can be repeats for the 3 days of the show. Contact Hattie if you are interested in doing this project, as she has the contact information.
Coordination MG Projects –Linda Guarino No update.
Volunteer Support/Social – Hattie Braun
Fall Recognition Picnic – Sept. 12 4-6pm, potluck. Extension to provide meat and those attending will bring either a side or dessert (Linda Guarino to advise). The invite is ready and will be sent out. Crys Wells is in charge of door prizes. If you have anything to contribute let her know. She took some iris from the OW Hospice Garden, and Val Bryant offered some seedlings.

8:20pm – 830pm What is it? Garden Problems/Questions
Joe Harte brought one of his potato oddities. We talked about potato fruit with seeds.

Next meeting: October 14, 2010
Native Plant Gardening Susan Lamb Bean

Speakers for future meetings:
September 12 Recognition Picnic
October 14 Native Plant Gardening Susan Lamb Bean
November 11 School Gardens Sue Norris, Lyndsey Langsdale
December (TBA) Holiday Party
January 13, 2011 Sustainability William Auberle
February 19, 2011 Chaa Organic Farm in Belize Linda Neff, anthropologist

Continuing Education opportunities and Events:
August 25 AZNPS Garden Contest Awards
August 27-28 11th Annual Arizona Highlands Garden Conference – Payson, AZ
August 29 AZNPS Garden Tours
September 8 AERA Summer Plant Walks – Buffalo Park
September 12 Coconino Master Gardener Association – Recognition Picnic
Sept. 14-Dec. 7 Fall Master Gardener Class
Oct 13-16 American Horticultural Therapy Association
Annual Conference – Chicago, IL
Oct 16 13th Annual School Garden Conference – Chicago, IL
Oct 14 Coconino MG Association Meeting
Nov 11 Coconino MG Association Meeting

For details on above opportunities check out the blog – coconinomgassociation.blogspot.com