Volunteers needed for 2008 conference

Below is a list of volunteers needed to begin work on the 2008 conference. A meeting will be held on October 3rd at 1 PM in the meeting room at Extension (where we hold our MG meetings). Please come and volunteer for one of the jobs listed below. Questions contact me.

Need a Conference Name

Conference Treasurer - establish a separate conference account - receives and disburse all funds.

Registrar - Receives all conference registration - relays all information on registration form to appropriate person.

Statistician and registrar can be the same person. Both jobs require a lot of computer work. Statistician keeps track of all those attending conference, special events such as tours etc.

Web Site - Establish a conference web site and keep it updated.

Vendors - sell vendor space. Price will be established, have a sample contract.

The following should be committees consisting of a chair and members. Chair will be responsible for reporting on the conference status.

Tours - pre-conference tours. Have list started.

Sponsors - solicit cash or in kind donations. Businesses can sponsor breaks, meals, etc.

Tote Bag - kind, price, logo, sponsor for tote bag etc.

Door Prizes - Solicit from the community.

Decorations - for tables at meals, podium, etc.

Ads - solicit ads to be placed in conference program. Price for ads will be established.

Signage - any signage needed for the conference site.

Invitation - Design, price for printing, etc.

Program - assemble, prepare for printer, cost etc.

Name tags - design, purchase, print etc.

Evaluation forms - have samples. Price for printing etc.

Solicit items to be placed in the tote bags ie visit chamber of commerce for information on the area. Donations from businesses ie pen, pencils, pads, seeds, samples of all kinds, etc.

Do we have a silent auction and a book sale?

Do we offer conference t-shirts?

Will we need entertainment at banquet. lunches etc.

Will be needed later.

Host/ Hostess - one for each speaker, workshop presenter day of their arrival at the conference.

Goofers - will be able to assist where needed.

Help mailing out invitations.

Hospitality Suite

Other items will come up where volunteers are needed.

Phone # 754-4148

Shirley

Update from Charlie

Update on the various opportunities coming up in the near future.
Several of the new members have expressed a desire to help out with the " Life on the Farm " series. We have three firm dates starting on Oct 18th, 19th , and the 26th. All of the classes will be held at the Funston farm. For the newcomers to the program, instructional classes will be held to acquaint you with your subject matter. All members who have helped before will be contacted. I would like to train several more folks. Please call and let me know or sign up at next week's meeting and party. Don't forget to RSVP if you are coming to the party. We are waiting on some of the other schools to reply so may have some more dates during this time period.
PLANT SALE on Oct. 4th, 5th, and 6th. This is the last one of the year so we need all the help we can get. Again, let me know or sign up at next week's meeting. Along the same lines, the inmates will be out next week to prepare the concrete pad for the new building with hopes it will be installed before the plant sale. The inmates will also construct a drainage system around the flower pad inside the fence which should help the drainage problem we have. With our luck, it will probably rain all next week!!!
Have an interesting trip being planned for next May. Details to follow. Might want to mark your calendar for the period May 15th through May 19th.
In case you are unaware, David will have a foot operation on Oct. 1st and will be out for up to 4 months. I will be on vacation from Oct 10th through Oct. 21st. I have back surgery on Oct 25th and am unsure of how long I'll be out. ( IT won't be 4 months so you can quit dreaming). The good Lord willing, David and I will be back!
With your support, we will host the State wide convention for 2008. It will be held at Seatrail on Oct. 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th., 2008. What a great chance to show the state what we can do. Our Vice President, Shirley Wagoner-Eisenman will head up the effort. She will need all our help with several committees being required. Many more details to follow.
Thanks for all you do. For the new class members, your name badges are in and you can pick them up when you're here for the Hot Line or any other activity that you are participating in.
Charlie

Blue Bird House for sale

Bluebird houses continue to be sold in all 213 State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) branches for$10 each, the cost to build each house.

Ash Needs help!

The first of the flower plugs for the Spring sale will be shipped. Ash will need a few folks to transplant the plugs when they arrive the week of Oct 22nd. Approximately 750 plugs will arrive.

State Conference Information

The 2007 Conference is three days of packed information. Registration forms were mailed to you the end of June. If for some reason you have misplaced this information it may be obtain via the following web site: www.ncmastergardeners. org - click under events. Beginning on Monday the 8th with optional garden tours, plus a campus tour. Monday night there will be a Garden Design Competition plus a pig pickin at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum.
Tuesday will be a full day of educational speakers such as Bryce Lane, Pam Beck and Todd Lasseigne. The speaker for the evening will be Tony Avent, owner of Plants Delight Nursery.
On Wednesday there will be morning and afternoon concurrent sessions such as weed management, organic gardening and rain gardens just to name a few. Conference closes at 4:00 pm. Plants Delight Nursery will hold an open house after close of the conference. Shirley

We will Host 2008 MG NC Convention!

The membership voted to host next year’s convention. Shirley will be sending out an email requesting volunteers to chair or co-chair committees or serve on a committee. Many hands make light work, so be sure to find somewhere to serve.

Upcoming Events…

October 4, 5, 6th Fall Plant Sale
Oct 8,9,10th…. State MG Conference in Raleigh

Master Gardener seminars for the Fall Season
“Winning the grass wars “and” Divide and multiply”
Sept 12th, Leland Library, 10:00 AM
Sept 13th, Southport Library, 2:00 PM
Sept 15th, Southport Wal-Mart, 10:00 AM
Sept 21st, Hickman Crossroads Library, 2:00 PM
"Insuring color for Spring " and " Helping your growies have a Happy New Year "
Nov 2nd, Hickman Crossroads Library, 2:00 PM
Nov 7th, Leland Library, 10:00 AM
Nov 8th, Southport Library, 2:00 PM
Nov17th, Southport Wal-Mart, 10:00 AM

December 13th Holiday Party

Upcoming Speakers
Sept. 27th - Reunion Social
Oct. 25th - Toby Bost, Hort Agent, Forsyth County - authors books on gardening.
Nov 29th - Dick Bir - Retired - worked at Fletcher Research Station in Fletcher NC.
Jan 24th - Dean Bennett - Brunswick Community College
Feb 28th - Charlotte Glen - Hort Agent, Pender County - Plants for difficult situations.
March - Ken Fager NCSU Growing Organic
April - Peter Hertyl - NCSU - Ground Pearls
May - Bryce Lane NCSU Gardening Ideas
July - Dr. Frank Blazich - NCSU - Summer Propagation

Wilmington Hobby Greenhouse Club
FALL PLANT SALE - TWO DAYS ONLY!!
Free Admission 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Friday & Saturday, September 7 & 8
This is one of the main fundraisers for
our non-profit club

Season Premiere - In the Garden with Bryce Lane

Watch UNC-TV Saturday, August 25th at noon for the season premiere of In the Garden with Bryce Lane!

Now in it's fifth season, In the Garden continues to get rave reviews from viewers across the state. This program is a 30-minute home horticulture show that doubles as an introduction to horticulture course

AND it's a product of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences!
Bryce Lane, instructor in the horticultural science department hosts the show. Communication Services produces the program.

This season Bryce will feature some beautiful and unique North Carolina gardens and highlight some of the latest gardening trends, so tune in to

UNC-TV each Saturday at noon!

The show repeats Sundays at 11:30am. Check local listing for airtimes on UNC-TV's digital channels.

10 years award

David presented Jo (Josephine) Chebat with a certificate for 10 years of volunteer service.

Gardens: Hilton Holcomb

Work continues in the garden with the work teams meeting the 1st Monday and the 3rd Tuesday of every month. When trying to water the large planters out front, use the new watering cans found in the hot line office. Get water from the kitchen or any other location in the building.

State Conference Information

If you are going to Conference this fall, now is the time to make your reservations. You should have received a packet in the mail. If not, go to the internet site I gave you on page 1 and get a form. Let’s all go party together and learn something to boot!
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If any of you own a "Mini Cooper" please contact Charlie. The 4-H in the state is selling tickets with the first prize being a Mini. We would like to have the owner make their car available for a couple of hours to help sell tickets to support our local 4-H.

Member news

David Nash is facing cancer treatments and David Barkley asked all to keep him in their thoughts.
David Barkley will be having foot surgery at some time in the future.

Other news

Jim Blake thanks all volunteers who helped move plants at the sight of the new pond.

David asked all interested members to attend the plant clinic update at the BCC Leland campus. If participation declines, this program may be stopped.

Charlie added details:
held at the BCC in Leland on Aug. 14th, from 10:00 until 12:00.A lot of good info will be presented. Should help answer some questions on the Hot Line. I will drive a van and can take 6 more folks from here at the Extension. May even stop somewhere for lunch if anyone is interested. Give me a call. (910-253-2610)

If a member does a garden activity that might be considered toward volunteer hours, a short written report should be given to David. This would help with his yearly reports of “good success stories”.

Al Hight is conducting a seminar on Aug. 23rd, at 4:00 PM at the Woodsong Subdivision in Shallotte. The topic will be learning to design and install "Rain Gardens". There is no cost and this is a good way to help control storm runoff. Please call 253-2610 to register.

Social

Becky Dus spoke of the Reunion Social planned for September 27. She gave details of the event and asked for volunteers to sign up for such duties as setup, food, program, etc. There will be garden information and decorations located at different stations in the Botanical garden coming from the “Gardening by the Month” book along with a possible “What type of Gardener Are You” quiz. Some of these items may be used by David Barkley for the State and County fairs.

Upcoming Speakers

Aug. 23rd Program will be a tape of an “In the Garden” segment by Brice Lane.
Sept. 27th Reunion Social
Oct. 25th Toby Bost, Hort Agent, Forsyth County - authors books on gardening.
Nov 29th Dick Bir - Retired - worked at Fletcher Research Station in Fletcher NC.

Upcoming events…

Aug 14th Plant Clinic on Vegetables
Aug 23rd Regular Meeting
Aug 23rd Rain Gardens Seminar in Shallotte
October 4, 5, 6th Fall Plant Sale
Oct 8,9,10th…. State MG Conference in Raleigh
December 13th Holiday Party

The wind in the pines

By Master Gardener Ford Balch 1-07

I paused at an old fenceline, an old boundary line,
With darkness approaching it was time to go back,
A grove of pine trees was on the other side,
It’s growth a barrier but I knew a track.

In the pines, it was the shortest way home,
The wind unnoticed until now began to blow-
A sound magnified by the number of trees,
Being steady and eerie it seemed to follow.

Sounds in the forest were told by lore
For it was here that the Satyrs played,
Deities of the woodlands they were merry
And with gaiety danced and drank all day.

At gloaming they fell asleep
Breathing heavily, as they dreamed
Of nymphs chased earlier that day,
And attending to Pan in between.

Pan, the God of Woodlands and Fields,
His music was wind through rushes
At woodland edges where reeds were found,
But most surely it was just a simple gust.

Leaving the pines we go through a field,
It is not far from here to home,
When a bird glides to a tree for the night,
It is a ruffled grouse that is alone.

Leaving the woods I cross the bridge,
Looking back-the ridge is now all dark
But the lights in the village are aglow
As I return to home, until I again embark.

You Know you’re a Master Gardener When…

You grab other people's banana peels, coffee grinds, apple cores for your compost pile.
You have to wash your hair to get your fingernails clean.
All your neighbors ask you questions.
You spend more time volunteering than at home.
You buy a bigger truck so that you can haul more mulch.
Everything you touch turns to "fertilizer".
Your non-gardening spouse becomes conversant in botanical names
Your boss makes "taking care of the office plants" an official part of your job description
You smile often at God’s Beautiful Creation

Come see the New Fountain in the Connector Garden

Come see the new tropical garden to surround this beautiful new addition. Palms and exotic plants have filled the space. Hard to believe what it was and is now! Our thanks to Jim, Hilton, and all the volunteers that helped.The fountain will be lighted and make a dramatic focus.

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.