in this issue........

Home & Garden Show 2008

NC Master Gardener Volunteer Association

Travel Committee

Arboretum News

2007 Master Gardener Volunteer Awards

2008 Home and Garden Show – Volunteers Needed!

We will once again host a booth at the 2008 Home and Garden Show, an annual event that helps educate the community regarding the professional products and services available to local homeowners. We will set up our booth (booth 188) on the morning of Thursday, February 21, and the dates and hours for the show are:

• Friday, February 22 from 2:00pm - 8:00pm
• Saturday, February 23 from 10:00am - 6:00pm
• Sunday, February 24 from Noon - 5:00pm

The booth will be staffed by Master Gardener volunteers, and we will have available as handouts a number of popular lawn and garden materials published by the NC Agriculture Department, as well as materials for those visitors who might be interested in participating in the Forsyth County Master Gardener Program.

Since we're only allowed six volunteers per hour at the booth, staffing will be on a "first come, first served" basis, so sign up early!  This is an excellent way to earn volunteer hours for 2008, plus receive a free pass to this outstanding homeowner's show! Homebuilder's Association of Winston-Salem

Those interested should contact Tom Tisdale at 924-3907 or at tptisdale@triad.rr.com.

submitted by Tom Tisdale

Master Gardener Association Helps Volunteers Grow

As a volunteer with Forsyth County Master Gardeners, you are one of a few thousand volunteers in 88 counties across North Carolina. The NC Master Gardener Volunteer Association is a great resource that helps all those volunteers share knowledge and ideas.

Through membership in NCMGVA, you stay on top of what’s going on in MG programs around the state. Four times a year, the association publishes a newsletter that includes The County Line, a roundup of activities from mountains to sea.

The annual state Master Gardener conference sponsored by NCMGVA draws volunteers from across the state for a few days of intensive advanced training and one-to-one networking. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends and broaden your knowledge.

The 2008 conference will be hosted by Brunswick County Master Gardeners Oct. 5-8 at Sea Trail, a resort at Sunset Beach. Conference organizers are hard at work lining up an impressive group of speakers, timely topics and an optional day of area tours that should be well worth the modest price of registration. Be sure to mark your calendar now, and watch for more information coming later this year.

submitted by Sheilah Lombardo

Trip Committee Expanded

Forsyth Master Gardeners will begin the New Year with an expanded Trip Committee. The two new committee members will be drawn from the 2007 Master Gardener’s class and current Master Gardeners. Don Wolfe will continue to chair the committee and, of course, Extension Agent Stephen Greer will continue to advise and facilitate trip events.

Potential day-trips include visiting nurseries, working vineyards, historic gardens and so forth. The committee welcomes all suggestions. The very successful North Carolina Zoo trip was the result of a suggestion by a MGV. If you have a suggestion, find a committee member and pass the word.

The Forsyth Master Gardeners haven’t had an overnight trip for 2 years. How many of you are ready for an extended trip? Let us know if you are, and pass along any suggestions for destinations.

BEST WISHES FOR A HEALTHY, HAPPY AND BUSY 2008.

Suggestions? wolfe@wfu.edu

submitted by Don Wolfe

Tanglewood Arboretum News

December flew by with lots of holiday luncheons including one for our curators and new mg volunteers from the current class. We enjoyed getting to know them better and giving them a tour of the Arboretum. Also, we honored Toby, the director, with a special treat at the Village House in Clemmons. (He was surprised and grateful for the recognition.)

December was a time for committees to meet and organize for the 2008 year.

• The adult education committee developed a draft of the monthly program brochure for 2008.
• Children Science Education program fliers were delivered to all third grade teachers in the WSFC school system.
• The fund-raising committee has doubled enrollment of the Friends of the Arboretum.

Yadkin Valley Magazine requested Arboretum photos for their front cover in the March/April issue.  This should help increase attendance in the monthly programs!

Our own Christmas elves have been hard at work on installing irrigation for the greenhouse! Don Speranza, Bob Wilson, Bill Barr, Alex Birch, Tom Tisdale and a new mgv, Michael Rahmen, are making sure that watering the plants will be easier in 2008.

Bob Wilson and Sheila Bogan are working on getting pictures of all the plants we will sell in the April plant sale.

We need volunteers to make labels for the plants. This can be easily done at home. Please contact Connie Little (577-7698 or email me at conlittle@triad.rr.com) if you are interested in helping.

Events

January 30 - “Winter interest” by Toby Bost
                       11:00AM @ Tanglewood greenhouse

Feb 6  -   “Greenhouse 101” 9:00AM and planting plugs and seeds. Greenhouse production will start and continue through March                           

Feb 6 - “Chainsaw Safety” Tanglewood Arboretum by Toby and Chris Weavil. Time? TBA

March 1, 9:00AM-noon “Getting Ready for Spring”

Bob Polomski will be the guest speaker. He is the author of “Month by Month Gardening in the Carolinas”. We will have a book signing, soil sample boxes and gardening literature available.

The event will be at the agriculture center and open to the public. Please register with Dorothy Stobbs at 703-2850. There will be a $5 fee and refreshments will be provided.

Please visit our website tanglewoodgardens.org for updated information on classes and events.

Submitted by Connie Little and Toby Bost