Dubuque County

In this Issue:• Message from the Coordinator• Poinsettias• Grafting workshop• College level vegetable

production class• Discounted garden tools• Awards banquet• Volunteer opportunities• From the Master Gardener

Kitchen

December 2017Newsletter

Master Gardener News

Message from the CoordinatorWe have had a great first year! Joining the Dubuque County Extension office in the horticulture world has been a great experience. Coming back to the horticulture field after spending a few years working in soil science, has revived my creativity in my career as well as my own garden. I would like to thank all of you for making me feel at home in my new role.

The large bulk of our gardening and Master Gardener activities for the year is officially over. Now it is time to start thinking about next year while we try to stay cozy indoors. Since we do not have a December meeting, if you have any ideas for next year, please feel free to forward them onto me so that I can bring it up to the Master Gardener community.

The fall Master Gardener training course is now wrapped up. From the reviews I have received and the input shared among the Master Gardener community, it has been a success. Most importantly we had fun along the way. I would like to thank all the Master Gardeners and community members that made the fall training course a success! Happy Holidays to everybody and safe travels.

~Ray Kruse

2017 Master Gardener Intern ClassPhoto Courtesy of Cheryl Sheldon

Deadline to submit hoursEveryone has worked hard this past year with their garden volunteering activities and hours of learning. Since our Master Gardener Awards banquet is in January, thefinal deadline to submit hours to count for the 2017 year is December 31st.

The Volunteer Reporting System can be accessed HERE. If you have any trouble with submitting your hours please feel free to contact Ray Kruse at the extension office for help. Ray has sent out notifications to everyone about the status of their hours.

College level vegetable class available!!!

Ajay Nair, in the Department of Horticulture on the central campus at Iowa State, is offering an online vegetable enterprise management course. The material presented is the same as what the students on Iowa State’s campus receive. The material is geared towards people managing vegetable production spaces such as community gardens and small farms. The course fee is $200 and scholarships are available on a first come first serve basis. Contact Ray Kruse at the extension office if interested.

Lets Talk Poinsettias with Ray KrusePoinsettias are a common holiday horticultural accent to our homes. Many people have the misconception that poinsettias are very poisonous. For this reason, many people will avoid them because of small children and pets. When looking at what research has revealed, the idea that poinsettias are really poisonous has not been proven true. According to Iowa State’s publication on poinsettia care, “laboratory studies have shown that the leaves, stems, bracts, and flowers are not toxic to people or pets.” According to Jay L. Hoecker, M.D. from the Mayo Clinic he writes “In most cases, poinsettia exposure causes only discomfort” which includes “rash”.

When researching proper poinsettia care I really thought it would reveal no surprises to me. I was wrong. I learned that drafty areas such as next to doors can speed the decline of the plant in your home. I also found that the health of the little bulb-like structures at the end of the bracts can be an indicator of the remaining life left to their floral display. You can find the above details and more HERE.Sources:Iowa State University, Reiman Gardens pub: RG 316https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/poinsettia-plants/faq-20058304https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g-Uq5krd2o

Fruit tree grafting workshopWant to relieve your late winter cabin fever with garden activities? On Saturday, March 24, 2018 Ray Kruse will be hosting a fruit tree grafting workshop at the Dubuque County Extension Office. Participants will graft and take home 2 apple trees. Participants are REQUIRED to bring a pair of leather gloves and a sharp utility knife or sturdy carving knife to participate. The cost is $10 per person with all other materials provided. Registration is required by March 16, 2018. Contact the Extension Office to sign up if you would like to participate.

Dubuque Trees Forever has approached me with a unique volunteering opportunity to mention to you. They are working on a tree planting with the Northwest Arterial Trail. My contact with the organization, Laura Roussell has said “We need volunteers tohelp us develop the plan, select the species and plan the project.”

She mentions that the volunteerswill have a lot of freedom in decision making with this project.If you are interested in this opportunity please feel free to contact Ray Kruse at the Extension Office for LauraRoussell’s contact information.

Because the community recognizes your volunteer work you can get high quality discounted tools!!!

Farber Bag & Supply Co. in Peosta has graciously offered us wholesale pricing on their high quality garden tools since we volunteer in the community. If we submit a bulk order to them we have the following list of tools available with the % off calculated from the catalog price.

The top 3 listed items are pictured below. A picture of the sod knife can be seen HERE and a picture of the loppers can be seen HERE. Your order needs to be submitted by December 19th at the Extension Office. Laura Klatt will take your order if you choose to order something.

Large Volunteer Project

Master Gardener calendars at the Office

Another project to think about…

The 2018 Master Gardener calendars are in at the Extension Office. They are $7 to purchase. Just ask Laura Klatt at the front desk if you would like to purchase one.

The Washington neighborhood in Dubuque is working on a beautification project next spring. The goal is to beautify city owned low income housing landscapes in the area. Current intentions are also to make the beautified properties an educational space for the community. Please contact Ray Kruse if you are interested.

Annual Awards BanquetThe Master Gardener Awards Banquet will be held Wed. Jan.10th at 6 pm in the NICC TownClock Business Center in rooms 106B and 106C. This isan event to celebrate our community service completed.

Invitations will be sent out via email and RSVP’s will be required in order to attend so we can have the caterer plan our food needs appropriately.

Photo Courtesy of Jean Bledsoe

Item Price % Saved

6” blade pruning saw Felco 600 $28 7%

13” blade pruning saw Corona CRS 7120 $24 11%

Hand Pruner Corona C-BP-3160 $20 13%

Sod cutting knife WW-KNIFE $39 8%

32 “ handle lopper Corona C-AL-8462 $58 15%

Happy Holidays!

2018 Leadership TeamThe new leadership team for the 2018 year has been approved. Please thank them for their dedication if you see them around the community. Our 2018 leadership team is as follows:

President- Mike WrightVice President- Herb KlattSecretary/treasurer- Cheryl Sheldon

Contact Us

Dubuque County Extension14858 West Ridge Ln.Dubuque, IA 52003

(563) 583-6496

Ingredients1 red onion, diced1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary1 teaspoon garlic powderKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper2 cups shredded brusselssprouts

NachosTortilla chips, as needed¾ cup prepared cranberry sauce1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese8 ounces Brie cheese, thinly slicedFreshly ground black pepperFresh parsley, for serving

From the Master Gardener’s KitchenBy Sharon Kuttler

Cranberry, Brussels Sprouts and Brie Skillet NachosHere’s a recipe that combines two favorite things: roasted fall vegetables and nacho chips – but who would ever think of combining them?! This recipe pairs seasonal ingredients into an appetizer that will travel to any holiday gathering and ‘wow’ family or guests. The colorful and tasty vegetable combination dotted with the festive cranberries looks as good as it tastes!

Directions1. MAKE THE SWEET POTATOES AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with nonstick spray.2. Spread the onion and sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle evenly with the olive oil. Toss with the rosemary and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper.3. Roast until the sweet potatoes are tender and beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the shredded brussels sprouts to the baking sheet and toss well to combine. Return the baking sheet to the oven until the veggies are golden brown all over, 7 to 10 more minutes.4. MAKE THE NACHOS: Arrange the tortilla chips in an even layer in a large skillet. Dollop three-quarters of the cranberry sauce all over the chips. Top with three-quarters of the vegetables. Arrange the white cheddar and Brie in an even layer on top and then finish with a layer of the remaining cranberry sauce and vegetable mixture.5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheeses are very melted, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and serve immediately, garnished with freshly ground black pepper and parsley (if desired).

Cook’s Notes: I used large size organic corn tortilla chips that had substantial ‘holding power’ for this recipe. Also leftover shredded turkey can make a great addition to the topping. The recipe is written by Erin Mcdowell from purewow.com

To submit recipes for the Master Gardener Cookbook, please click HERE

Monthly MeetingsThere is NO December meetingthis month. Our next one is January 8th at 6pm at the Dubuque County Extension Office. Our November Meeting minutes can be found HERE

The food theme for this month’s refreshments is “anything chocolate”. This could be cookies, candy, hot cocoa, berries dipped in chocolate etc.