Riordan Mansion Workdays for the Summer

Below is a list of the scheduled work days at the Riordan.  Please mark your calendar for those dates that you can join us.  Also, please let us know, if possible, what days you can come so we can plan the work around the number of people who come.  I will send out a reminder before each scheduled work day.  

This weekend we got the four raised vegetable garden beds accomplished and ready for planting seeds on the 9th and live plants on the 15th.  They look good and a lot of work went into setting them up. We appreciate the help that was given. Many hands make a task easier.


Remember to bring your hand tools and gloves (marked with your names on them) as we will be setting bricks in the path to the porch and along the flower beds, planting new plants and moving older ones that need to go elsewhere and setting rocks in place for a rock garden.


You can open the front gates and drive through then close the gates after yourself as we will be starting work before the grounds open to visitors.  You can find us in the front courtyard garden. I will bring a container of ice water so you can refill your bottles.  Please bring a snack so you have something to eat when you run out of energy.  

Certified Arborist Training: Summer 2012

The Certified Arborist Training (CAT) course is a series of classes designed to prepare tree care industry workers to take the ISA Certified Arborist tes, and the course is open of everyone!

It is an excellent intro to the field of arboriculture, covering topics such as Tree Biology, Tree Selection and Identification, Urban Forestry, Tree Nutrition and Fertilization, Pruning, Water Management, Diagnosis and Plant Disiorders, Climbing and Working in Trees, Plant Identification, and much more.

Dates:  August 24 and 31st and September 7, 14, 15 & 21st 

Cost:  ACTC Members $390 for all 5 classes or $85 per class

Non- Members:  $490 for all 5 classes or $120 per class

Study Guide included

Registration deadline is August 10, 2012  Register now

Questions? Call ACTC at 602-354-3023

Register by June 1st! One more week to take part in this great opportunity to learn how to become a better leader for your community/school garden! For scholarship information please contact Stacey at Stacey@vpaaz.org.

Time to register for the Growing Communities Workshop June 8 & 9!  

Phoenix Growing Communities Workshop

“Learn to build sustainable, well-organized, community supported gardens”

Join us for a 2 day ‘train the trainer’ workshop where attendees will learn the principles and practices of community building and how to pass these techniques on to others.  You will gain skills necessary to become a stronger garden manager, organizer and leader.  These skills are essential to sustainable and fruitful community gardens. 

Presented by the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) in collaboration with Valley Permaculture Alliance, Desert Botanical Gardens and St. Luke's Health Initiatives

Workshop takes place at ....
June 8th Friday 8am-5pm (includes snacks & lunch)
June 9th Saturday 8am-5pm (includes snacks & lunch)

At the Desert Botanical Gardens

Cost is only $25

Lunch, snacks and beverages will be provided.

For more information or to request a scholarship (AZ residents only), contact communitygardens@slhi.org or 623-205-7436.

Cicadas

Several people have reported and abundance of Cicadas in their yards this year and have questions about what to do about them.  If you don't see them you will definitely hear them. When I first heard them it was a recent drought year and I thought they were bark beetles eating my pine trees until one fell on me. They are very large.

Hattie Braun has provided this web site for general information.  Check it out. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05590.html

Volunteering at MNA

Looking for volunteer work?

MNA is looking for seasonal volunteer for the following:

Plant Volunteers: The Museum of Northern Arizona has a variety of volunteer opportunities working with plants. Volunteers are needed to assist with gardening, landscaping, as well as, with the herbarium collection. Numerous opportunities are available and training will be provided. Scheduled projects are listed below, but independent gardeners are also welcome.

• Native Plant Materials Volunteer: Assist with the development of a Native Seed Garden, which includes propagation, planting, watering, weeding, seed harvesting, and fence repair. Tuesday mornings, 9am to 11:30am at the Colton Community Garden.
• Historic Colton House Garden Volunteer: Garden at the original home of Dr. Harold S. Colton and Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, cofounders of the Museum of Northern Arizona. Perform tasks including weeding, watering, planting, pruning, and raking. Wednesday mornings, 9am to 11:30am at the Colton House.
• Plant Mounting Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to assist with the mounting and processing of herbarium specimens collected for the Plant Atlas Project of Arizona. Volunteers will gain experience in the art of plant mounting, develop basic plant preservation techniques, and learn about plants of Arizona. Monday afternoons, 2pm to 5pm in Schaefer on the Research Campus.

Notes: Volunteers should have an interest in learning more about plants. The gardening roles require bending and some light lifting. For more information and to volunteer, please contact Connie at (928)774-5211, ext. 216 or email ccowan@mna.mus.az.us

Contact: Connie Cowan

Phone: (928)774-5211, ext. 216

Email: ccowan@mna.mus.az.us

Master Gardener Meeting Minutes 5/10/12

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

1601 N. San Francisco

6:30pm-6:40pm                Welcome – Agenda Debi Stalvey

Brief review of agenda for the evening

Introduction of speaker

6:42pm-7:30pm                Continuing Education

                                                Invasive Weeds – Scott Harger

Mr. Harger talked about invasive weeds and what can be done about them.  He is a program range conservationist for the Coconino Natural Resource Conservation District.  His presentation was full of good information on weeds and weed management. He reviewed the “dirty dozen” – locations and management. There is a searchable weed database at the Southwest Vegetation Management Association website, http://www.swvma.org/.  Review Dorothy Lamm's article from the Saturday Daily Sun (5/5/12) for more information on weeds.                                  

7:45pm - 8:30pm              Business Meeting – Debi Stalvey

7:45pm – 8:05pm             Overview of recent Executive Meeting – Debi Stalvey

                                               

                                                Financial report – Ed Skiba

Update on financials, taxes, memberships

May 7, 2012 deposited the following collected funds into the National Bank of Arizona (CMGA) Checking Account:

2012 CMGA Membership fees 11@$10.00=            $110.00

Total Deposit 5/7/12                                                   $110.00

Check Acct. Balance 4/30/12                                  $1,913.96

Total Check Acct Balance 5/8/2012                        $2,023.96

Total Members as of 5/10/12 is 56. Ed will file take form this week.