Free Pesticide Collection Day

Do you have pesticides at your home of farm that you no longer need or use? If your answer is ‘yes’, then you'll be interested in the Brunswick County Pesticide Collection Day on Tuesday, March 6, 2007.

The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program, a NON-Regulatory and Cost-Free program, in cooperation with the Brunswick County Extension Center, will be offering this Pesticide Collection Day for residents in Brunswick County and all of the surrounding North Carolina counties.

County Agricultural Extension Agent David Barkley will be the local contact for the event. The Collection will be from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Cooperative Extension Office located at 25 Referendum Drive, Brunswick County Government Complex in Bolivia.

Nearly all pesticide products will be accepted at this amnesty collection event, including banned and out-dated pesticides. For pesticides with unreadable or missing labels, please contact the Cooperative Extension Office for instructions. Please save any portion of the label to help identify the material so you can be assisted with disposal. Unknown materials cannot be accepted.

For gas cylinders or containers greater than 5 gal in size, please contact the Extension Office BEFORE the Collection Day for special instructions and information. For tips on transporting the pesticides safely to the Collection event, contact the Extension Office.

Each year the Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program (www.ncagr.com/PDAP) visits between 40-50 counties to collect unwanted and unused pesticides through this NON-regulatory amnesty Program. This means that a Collection Day of this kind only happens about once every other year in each county!

Don't miss this pesticide collection opportunity in Brunswick County co-sponsored by NCDA&CS and the NCCES. For more information contact David Barkley County Agricultural Extension Agent at (910) 253-2610.

David’s a Winner!

Did you know that “Goodness Grows in North Carolina”? If that is correct (and there is a lot of evidence across this great state to back that up) then “It’s Got to be NC”. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture has combined these two marketing campaigns to provide a stronger marketing focus to increase awareness on how important it is to the local economy that consumers buy locally grown produce. By doing so not only does the farmer benefit but, so does the whole community. Besides, buying locally grown produce can mean better nutrition, better quality and better flavor because the produce is often fresher and allowed more time on the plant to reach full ripeness and maturity.

Each year in North Carolina the county and regional fairs have the opportunity to enter an exhibit which promotes supporting the local farmers in their respective communities. Buying locally grown produce is the goal from this Goodness Grows in North Carolina and It’s Got to be NC combined campaigns. The Commissioner of Agriculture gives out an award to the County and Regional Fairs that best promotes supporting local farmers each year at the annual NC/SC Fair Convention. This year’s winner was our own David Barkley with the Cape Fear Fair and Expo. David has worked hard and diligently to increase awareness for supporting local farmers and buying locally grown produce. This is the first time the Cape Fear Fair and Expo has won the award.

Got Ground Pearl?

David Barkley, Hort Agent: Peter Hertyl NC. Crops Department – is continuing his study and research on ground pearl and is asking for help from BCMGVA members. He will train volunteers on all aspects of gathering information.

Joint County Seminars

Shirley Waggoner-Eisenman, Vice President, stated that New Hanover County has invited BCMGVA members to attend seminars offered in New Hanover County and Brunswick County has reciprocated. There is a push to do more regional seminars and help eliminate specialists from doing the same presentations in adjoining areas multiple times. There is the possibility of Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender Counties coming together for such events. Shirley noted the combined group might benefit from obtaining costly guest speakers by sharing fees.

Member news

Charlie Spencer
Charlie’s Hip is doing great and he is back at the grind stone. He has another surgery coming up, but says this one is minor.
Maggie Hoon
Maggie is still in rehab and is starting to walk.

Contact list

Dave Barkley is trying to create a list of all the garden clubs, beautification clubs, etc. with contact names in Brunswick County. Call or email him those that you know.

Not Getting Mail?

If you are not receiving e-mails from Charlie re: upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, it’s because either he doesn’t have your correct e-mail address (verify your address with the office) or your carrier is 2khiway.net, which blocks his e-mails (you will have to take care of this – Charlie can’t).

What is “HOT LINE” TIME ???

There continues to be some confusion about what is considered hot line time and what is not. When you are volunteering, if you are in direct contact with the public, those hours are considered hotline. So here are some examples:
Working the Hot Line
Plant Sale
Giving talks or training
“Life on the Farm”
School Programs

What would not be hotline would be; attending seminars, meeting, working in the gardens or greenhouses. All members are required to put in forty hours per year as a volunteer. Twenty of those hours must be hot line. First year members must put all forty as hotline.

State Conference

The State Master Gardener Conference will be held in Raleigh at the McKimmon Center at NC State. October 8 - 10, 2007. The conference begins on Monday October 8th with guided bus tours of Triangle area
gardens. On Monday evening there will be a Carolina pig pickin reception at the JC Raulston Arboretum. The conference Hotel is the Brownstone Holiday Inn on Hillsborough Street. The North Carolina Master Gardener State Association will host a hospitality suite. Some of the speakers will be Dennis Werner, Todd Lesseigne, Tony Avent, Jeff Gilmore, Bryce Lane, Pam Beck and Jeff Gilmore. Tuesday evening the annual banquet and awards ceremony will be held at the McKimmon Center. The training sessions will conclude by mid afternoon on Wednesday. Interested Master Gardeners may take advantage of a special opening of Tony Avent's Plant Delights Nursery. You should receive your invitation by late spring or early summer. Please reply promptly.

Upcoming MG Classes

• The New Master Gardener Classes are started and have over 30 in each.
• Advance MG Turf Classes – 3/15, 4/11, 6/7, 6/15
• Plant ID class will begin the March 27th. & continue on Tues 2-4:30, 10 classes

Upcoming Speakers

April 26th Debbie Roos - Organic Gardening – Hort. Agent, Chatham County
May 24th Bryon Capo - Trees - Urban Forestry - County Urban Forestry Agent, New Hanover County.
June 28th Lucy Bradley - NCSU
July 26th Bill Lord - Water Quality – Area Specialized Agent, Franklin Co.
August 23rd Emily Revels - Hort Agent, Cumberland County
Sept. 27th Some type of MG Social
Oct. 25th Toby Bost, Hort Agent, Forsyth County - Has written books on gardening.
Nov 29th Dick Bir - Retired - worked at Fletcher Research Station in Fletcher NC.

Upcoming Events

March 22nd Regular MG Meeting 9-12…. The March Speaker is Gloria Kidd - Subject Butterfly Gardening
March 24-25th… BC Home & Garden Show
April 12,13,14th … MG Plant sale
May 1-5th International Convention Little Rock
May 10,11,12th … MG Plant sale
June 21 Recognition Banquet
Oct 8,9,10th … State MG Conference in Raleigh see opposite for details
December 13 Holiday Party