Master Gardener Meeting Minutes 4/14/11

Attending: Jim Mast, Sheryl Houston, Eric Downing, Tess Wymore, Debra Crisp, Faith Brittain, Dana Prom Smith, Valarie Bryant, Julie Holmes, Harvey Cantrell, Paul Lambert, Cindy Murray, Deb James, Ann Eagan, Kareem Shihab, Crys Wells, Amy Hafer, Andrea & Galen Guerrette, Beth Cykstra, Ed Skiba, Loni Shapiro

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

6:40pm-7:30pm Continuing Education
Therapeutic Horticulture vs. Horticultural Therapy
Loni Shapiro presented on the differences between therapeutic horticulture and Horticultural Therapy. Therapeutic horticulture is what we all experience when gardening. Some of the benefits include: stress relief, exercise, accomplishment, challenges for the mind, meeting new friends, enhancement of a state of well being, exposure to the natural environment, getting chemical free food, sensory stimulation, healing, enhances the community, productive work and it is an integral part of our rituals. She gave some examples of this in her work and an occupational therapist and a volunteer at several sites.

The 2nd half was about the profession of Horticultural Therapy. It included a history of the profession, definition, training required and types of clients typically seen. HTRs can be found in schools, nursing homes, hospice homes, prisons, facilities for the mentally or physically challenged, and rehabilitation centers. Several examples were given of programs in Arizona and others that Loni had visited. In talking about those programs she included programming considerations. This means adapting the gardens, tools, and selection of plants. Special considerations are given for sensory limitation, garden care and limited maintenance. Examples of special features that work well with a variety of populations were included, as well as programming with other than live plant materials.

Her outline included resources for more information on the web, books and movies. She provided a display of HT along with tools and books

7:30pm-7:45pm Refreshments
Thank you to Crys Wells

7:45pm - 8:30pm Business Meeting – Jim Mast
7:45pm – 8:00pm Overview of recent Executive Meeting – Jim Mast
Calendar – Need photos! Only 2 entries so far. Deadline is 5/4. Send to Extension office. Details are available on the blog.
Evening Garden Club – Hattie has set up a list serve for Jean Hockman and the 1st event is the annual seedling exchange at Jacki Hainsworths. If you have a garden or know of a garden you want visited call or e-mail Jean Hockman (see blog).
Financial
EIN, Banking, Financial Committee (Project requests/Sponsoring Arb Newsletter
Crys has obtained an EIN or tax number from the IRS. This will allow us to open a checking account in our name rather than a members name, and help for the transition to new leadership. A new account will be opened by Ed – preferably without a monthly charge. Several requests have come in for funds from the association. A committee needs to be formed (Financial Committee) to see how to proceed on these requests. The Executive Committee will temporarily assume that responsibility and Beth Dykstra has offered to join us. The first meeting is scheduled for 4/28 at 6pm at Jim Mast’s office if anyone wants to join us. We will look at developing guidelines for project
requests and the request from the Arboretum to sponsor the fall newsletter ($250). Jeff Best currently has a request in also for the Sunshine Rescue Mission project ($200). Jeff is aware of the need todevelop guidelines.
No Plant & Garden Sale probably this year or next (Annual Conference next year).
Possibility of CMGA t-shirts or aprons. Financial committee to work on this.
Ed reports $1269.46 was in account. A check was written for 28.97 for membership cards, and we got .05 in interest, $60 in memberships, and $29 from jar, for a grand total of $1329.54.
8:00pm – 8:20pm Committee Reports:
Continuing Education – Dana Prom Smith (see schedule for future meetings)
Community Programs – Julie Holmes
Sunday & Thursday Market (not set up as yet)
Home & Garden Show – Faith Brittain
Kudos to Faith, Polly Velie and Hattie for organizing a very successful Home & Garden Show. Our talks were better attended than the hired talks so they want us back next year. Nine talks were given over 3 days and the booth had many visitors (exact count not available). Warner’s was very supportive with display materials.
Speakers Bureau
We need to sign-up those who presented at the Home Show. They all did a great job on varying topice that may be of interest to other groups.
Coordination of MG Projects – Linda Guarino
The project Jan Busco brought to us is getting up and running. The AZNPS is doing their monthly meeting next week (Tues. 7pm, NAU Biology Bldg) and Jan will be doing a tour of the canyon project on Sat. the 23rd (see blog for details.
Hattie will have to report on specific projects in Timberline, Tuba City and is doing a Well Water Project (handouts provided).
Volunteer Support/Social – Hattie Braun/Crys Wells
Totals for March from Crys – 346.75 volunteer hours and 89.5 continuing education

8:20pm – 8:30pm Garden questions?
Ann Eagan – Native Plant and Seed will be carrying large sized water tanks (rain barrels) 200 gallon and up.
When do you prune Forsythia? After they bloom-
Discussion on what to do with damaged stocks. Remove dead fowers not stems.
Jim Mast – Plant carrots and peas now. Potatoes 1st week of May
Paul Lambert had 35 people in a gardening class in Leupp.

Next meeting: May 12, 2011
Shepherd of the Hills Church
1601 N. San Francisco
Flagstaff Community Markets
Art Babbott

Future meetings:
June 9 Photographing & Painting Your Garden – Debbie Shepard
July 14 Friends of the Northern Arizona Forests
August 11 Panel on Coconino County Fair Entries
September 8 Recognition Picnic
October 13 Pollinators and Honey Bees – Joel Kefuss