Bexar County Master Gardener Weekly E-blast

May 14, 2013

May 16 (Thurs) BCMG's May meeting 3355 Cherry Ridge Suite 208. Melanie Van Aken from Heron’s Nest Farm in Blanco will speak about “The truth  about Lavender Growing and the Uses for Lavender” :  Social begins 6pm; presentation begins at 6:30 followed by a short  business meeting to elect board officers for 2013-2014.  The meeting is free and open to the public. (Please invite your friends and neighbors!  For more information, please contact Lisa Nixon at210-364-7844 or Lisa.Nixon@bexarcountymastergardeners.org  Please feel free to bring finger food/snacks to share with others.  

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

May 15 (Weds) 8:30 am Drs. Stein and Parsons will be harvesting plants for seed collection on the ‘Newest’ red bluebonnet selection at the Verstuyft Farms.  The farm is located at the produce stand (by windmill) on the 35 South (towards Laredo) Access Road about a mile, on the right pass the fireworks building, Southwest of the Loop 1604 and Interstate 35 South intersection.   Any help would be appreciated.  

If it rains that day, call Rob at:  210-324-9976.  Then, it will be rescheduled for Friday, May 17.

May 18 (Sat) Short notice opportunity: We have a great opportunity to spend  30 minutes helping Habitat for Humanity by passing out information to new residents and spending 30 minutes giving advice on a new landscape ( benefits of mulch, low water use plants, etc.) SAWS is getting together some nice bags with Landscape Care Guides, etc. and an outline of what to talk about! Can 1 or 2 Master gardeners spare 30 minutes this Saturday to help these new home owners out? Please email vince.vita@bexarcountymastergardeners.org or call 423-421-2891

May 18 (Sat) 8am - 12pm The Children’s Vegetable Garden Program’s Spring Vegetable Show, Picnic and Recognition Ceremony located at the backside of the beautiful San Antonio Botanical Garden

-  Two volunteers are needed that day to help Master Gardener Joyce Felter set-up and oversee the children’s vegetable contest.  If you are interested please contact her at:  jfelter@satx.rr.com and him at:dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu.

- Two volunteers are needed that day to be rovers.  This includes help setting up for the picnic, serving and cleaning up If you are interested, contact David at:  dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu.

- We still need one more volunteer with some vegetable gardening background to help check-off the Sections vegetable entries before they are entered to the judges If you are interested, contact David at:  dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu.

-Two volunteers are needed to get EVERYONE to sign in the day of the event.  If you are interested, contact David at:  dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu.

May 22 ( Weds) and May 27(Mon)Parade of Homes: We have a great line up of approx 24 volunteers but still have a couple slots to fill! Your help would really be appreciated on Wednesday, May 22 from 5-9 P.M. (need two volunteers) and on Memorial Day ( Mon, May 27 ) from 3-6 P.M.  Need one volunteer. Please contact vince.vita@bexarcountymastergardeners.org or call 423-421-2891 if you are willing to sit in a 1.5 million dollar model home and pass out information during these times!

May 24 & 25 (Fri & Sat) 2013 Alamo Area Horticulture Show Volunteer Opportunities: Come to the General Meeting May 16th and sign up to volunteer. There are still  positions available on Friday, May 24, 1:30pm to 7pm and  Saturday, May 25, 7:45am to 7pm to staff  interesting areas that have
varying start times.  See the attached volunteer schedules. Please note this is Memorial Day weekend. To volunteer or questions contact Mary Ann Johnson esjmaj@sbcglobal.net or 210.497.5446.

May  25 ( Sat) 2013 Alamo Area Horticulture Show "New" Volunteer Opportunity: We have added a BCMG education display (non judged) to the hort show: native, adapted and drought tolerant plants. Volunteers will be needed to staff the display Saturday, May 25, 8:45am - 5pm. Volunteers will
answer visitor questions about the diverse selection of plants that can be used in their landscape. Shifts: 8:45 - 10:45am; 10:30am - 12:30pm;  12:15 - 2:30pm; 2:15 - 5pm. Sign up to volunteer at the May 16 General Meeting or

contact Mary Ann Johnson esjmaj@sbcglobal.net; 210.497.5446.

Request from David

May 28 (Tues) 8:30 am Four to Five Volunteers/Interns are needed at the Old Petersons Greenhouse on Seale Road (down the road from the large water tower) which is off of W.W. White Road and 410 South at 8:30 a.m. to help plant some Butterfly Pentas in the new demonstration beds for trial evaluations.  If you are interested, contact David direct at: dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu.

May 28(Tues) 9am-11:30am – Chivalrous, strong volunteers to help Molly at a Men’s Homeless Shelter with a bed bug project!  Molly is performing a field trail on bed bug monitoring techniques and would appreciate a male to accompany her to the shelter.  Work includes, data entry, potentially moving furniture or lifting bunk beds and just watching Molly’s back for about two hours at the Salvation Army Men’s Shelter.

June 1 (Sat)  Calling volunteers to join us for Basil Fest, at the Pearl Brewery! Hours are from 9am to 1pm. Volunteers will be conducting a pot-a-plant activity with youth. Children will select a basil plant and pot it up to take it home. Join us for a fun day, and fun event! If you would like to sign up please contact Natalie Cervantes at ntcervantes@ag.tamu.edu or 210.467.6575.

Request from David

June 4 (Tues) Volunteers and Interns are needed to help prep, layout and plant a Summer Black-eyed pea trial at the Children’s Vegetable Garden Program, which is located at the very backside of the San Antonio Botanical Garden starting at 8:30 am and ending around noon.  If you are interested, contact David direct at:dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu.

June 7, 8 ,9 (Fri, Sat, Sun) Texas Folklife Fetival: Institute of Texan Cultures.  Shifts:  Fri. 5 pm - 9 pm; Sat. 11 am - 4 pm & 4 pm - 9 pm;

Sun. 12 pm - 3:30 pm &  3:30 pm - 7 pm.  Join us in the shade under

the live oak trees to share your gardening knowledge or work with children's activities.  You will receive a wristband good for all 3 days.  To volunteer or for questions, contact Barbara Lutz:  bblutz@stic.net or 210.699.0663.

     

June 10-13 (Mon-Thurs) Kids gARTening Camp 9am-1pm. Kids will discover the garden and botany through fun art projects.   Volunteers needed to assist with fun art projects, activities, and experiments! Please sign up with Natalie Cervantes at ntcervantes@ag.tamu.edu or 210.467.6575.  

 

June 14 (Fri) – 9:30am-12:30pm – Tots Science Camp – Looking for about 5 volunteers to help with a two hour science camp for 2-5 year olds.  This session is Plants.  Need help wrangling and assisting kids with experiments and activities.  Contact Natalie at ntcervantes@ag.tamu.edu to volunteer.  Located at the Extension Office (3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208).

June 15 (Sat) 10am-12noon – We are looking for 3-4 Master Gardener volunteers to help with a SAWS sponsored HOA event at Woodridge from This will be one on one Q and A with the residents. Please contact vince.vita@bexarcountymastergardeners.org or call 423-421-2891 Muchas Gracias!!

June 28 (Fri) 9:30am-12:30pm – Tots Science Camp – Looking for about 5 volunteers to help with a two hour science camp for 2-5 year olds.  This session is BUGS!.  Need help wrangling and assisting kids with experiments and activities.  Contact Molly at mekeck@ag.tamu.edu or 210-467-6575 to volunteer. Located at the Extension Office (3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208).

July 15-18 AND/OR July 22-25 – 8:30-1pm.  Youth Entomology Camp.  Volunteers needed to help with four day camp for ages 7 and up.  Will be assisting campers with their collections, experiments, activities, and making insect jewelry, helping prepare snacks, helping kids outdoors collecting insects, etc.  Camp will have 20 kids per session, and I like to have at least one volunteer per four kids to give them more one on one attention.  Can volunteer for a day, all four days, half day, or both camps!  Help is just needed in any way possible! Located at the Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208.

August 12-15 8:30-12:30pm.  Youth Entomology Camp.  Volunteers needed to help with four day camp for ages 7 and up.  Will be assisting campers with their collections, experiments, activities, and making insect jewelry, helping prepare snacks, helping kids outdoors collecting insects, etc.  Camp will have 20 kids per session, and I like to have at least one volunteer per four kids to give them more one on one attention.  Can volunteer for a day, all four days, half day, or both camps!  Help is just needed in any way possible! Located at the NISD Community Education Administration Building at the corner of Grissom and Bandera.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

1 CEU for completing the online  quiz.  Overview of the Process of Plant Genetic Engineering

http://agbiosafety.unl.edu/education/summary.htm

May 16 (Thurs)   6 - 8:30 BCMG general meeting The truth about Lavender growing and the uses for lavender  Melanie Van Aken from Heron’s Nest Farm in Blanco will be the speaker.  Social time is from 6 - 6:30.  Following the speaker a business meeting will be held to elect board members for 2013-2014  

May 21 (Tues) 6:30pm-8:30pm Backyard Gardening Series: "How to Build a Raised Bed and Utilizing Drip Irrigation” Come visit with Master Gardeners Dr. Tom Harris and Ron Csehil to become more comfortable and successful with raised bed gardens as well as to save water with drip irrigation.   For more information and to RSVP, contact Angel Torres at (210) 467-6575.  Registration fee of $10 is payable at the door.  See attached flyer for more information.

May 25 (Sat) 2013 Alamo Area Horticulture show: The show is getting closer! Time to check the garden for the plants you plan to enter in the show.
Carefully read the attached: "Hort" Show schedule, "Tips for Entering the Show" and for your convenience Exhibit forms are attached. Members can earn 1 CEU for entering exhibits in the show and Interns may credit 1 hr volunteer service for entering 1 or or more exhibits plus hours staffing the show. The show not only educates the public but is an educational experience to enter plants! There is a $5 entry fee to enter 3 plants (exhibits) per section as listed on the schedule. The entry fee covers ticket for admission to Festival of Flowers. For more information or questions
contact Mary Ann Johnson 210.497.5446 or esjmaj@sbcglobal.net

May 30  2-4pm. Bed Bugs 101 Bexar County Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge.  As much as we don’t want to admit it, we will ALL experience bed bugs at some point in the near future.   We are still learning and understanding a lot about these insects.  Come learn what you can do to prevent them, how to identify them, how to monitor and inspect for them, and what your options are if you have them.  This is something anyone who travels or has visitors should hear!  Free program, open to anyone, please RSVP to Molly at mekeck@ag.tamu.edu.

June 12 - 14 (Wed - Fri) Master Gardener Specialist Composter Training hosted By Bexar County at San Antonio Botanical Gardens.  Registration cost is $225.  Payment and application must be submitted by May 20th.  For more information please see the attached flyer and application.

June 24-26 (Mon-Weds) Master Gardener Specialist Training First Detector-Plant Disease at Texas A&M Campus, College Station (please see attached flyer for more information)

What’s happening this week throughout the state with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service?

http://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/

There are always a lot of great things happening locally as well as throughout the state that I feel, many of our members and possibly some of the Leadership Board often aren’t aware of.

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