Preserving the Harvest - Jolene Moen You’ve just harvested a boatload of vegetables, or found a great source for fresh produce, and now you have to preserve it. Learn the basics of preserving by canning, the difference of water bath canning vs pressure canning and when to use each method. If time allows, we will cover methods of freezing for preservation. Jolene is an Extension Master Gardener, wife, mom of two beautiful children and works full time. Jolene believes preserving your own food is not only rewarding in the sense of what you’ve accomplished but financially as well. She has been preserving food and living a sustainable lifestyle for her family for 15 years.

Smart Design for the Long Haul – Beth Berlin Class size limited to 20 people – must be pre-registered! Designing a garden, planting, and installing takes a lot of time so it's best to do it right the first time. Learn how important it is to do your homework first and complete a site analysis, plant selection, and to-scale design to help ensure your hard work will look good for years to come. Bring your pencils because hands-on to-scale exercises will be done during this helpful class. Beth Berlin is the University of Minnesota Extension Educator, Horticulturist in Stearns, Benton, and Morrison Counties. Beth has a B.S. in Agricultural Education and a Master’s Degree in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota. Beth is also the landscape designer and member of the install crew for the landscape business owned and operated by her and her family.

Success with Cole Vegetables – Lewis Struthers What are Cole crops and how do you grow them? Lewis will share the best management practices for cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale and will recommend varieties that have done well in his Parkers Prairie garden. Join Lewis to learn what’s cool with Cole! See bio under Marvelous Honey Bees.

Successful Rain Garden Design – Robin Trott Have you been interested in building a rain garden, but not sure where to start? Explore the benefits of rain gardens, design and placement, construction, plant selection and maintenance. Bring your questions and ideas and explore the world of rain gardens. See bio under Just Grow Up.

There’s Something About Spring – Paulette Friday Stories told in the oral tradition, including legend, history, fantasy and reality. Paulette is a graduate of the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute in Phoenix, AZ, and has over 10 years of experience telling stories in public venues. Her mission is to connect people through the ancient art of oral storytelling. She crafts stories as well as help others find and tell their stories.

Unusual Fruit for the Home Garden – Joel Kangas Join Joel for an introduction and discussion of some unusual fruits you have always wanted to grow, but weren’t sure how. From currants and gooseberry to honeyberry and Saskatoon, come learn about growing guidelines, site selection, maintenance and pest and disease control. See bio under Controlling Pests in the Home Garden: A Wholistic Approach.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER – KATHY ZUZEK Hydrangea Cultivars for the Midwest There is a lot going on in the world of hydrangea breeding with many new cultivars available to gardeners. To help select the best of the best, twenty-four hydrangea cultivars are being evaluated through the Earth-Kind® program. In this session, we will look at older and newer cultivars among both the panicled and smooth hydrangeas and discuss how they are performing in the Earth-Kind® trial. Kathy Zuzek is an Extension Educator with expertise in trees and shrubs and also leading, managing and coordinating trials of shrubs for the program known as Earth-Kind. Kathy has worked in forest pathology research and as a plant breeder on the U of M’s woody ornamental research program that provided gardeners with the ‘Lights’ series of azaleas, Garden Glow and Cardinal dogwoods, ‘Emerald Triumph’ viburnum, the Northern Accents roses, Summertime Amur maackia, and other shrub/tree cultivars.

FEATURED SPEAKER – LEWIS STRUTHERS Marvelous Honey Bees Honey bees live in a well-organized society. Join Dr. Struthers as he explains how this society is organized and functions by using pheromones, and dance language; and how bees control the temperature of their hive. Find out how native bees fit into the picture, and discover how we depend on our pollinators. Lewis Struthers is a fourth generation beekeeper with 65 years of experience and has 230 hives in the Parkers Prairie/Alexandria area. He is an Extension Master Gardener and retired family physician.

A Year in the Life of a Vineyard – Kim Bredeson Join Kim for a tour of vineyard life. Review four seasons of chores and the activities required to maintain a commercial vineyard in Minnesota. Kim is Owner and CEO of Carlos Creek Winery in Alexandria, MN. Kim wanted to create a Minnesota winery experience that was fun, approachable and informative; a place that anyone could come and enjoy great wines and a great experience. Kim believes that wine should be welcoming, fun, and most importantly, really, really good!

Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden – Diane Henry Where have all our butterflies gone? We will discuss ways to encourage butterflies through all of their life cycle by choosing appropriate plants; trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs. Diane has been an Extension Master Gardener for 17 years. She is interested in all types of gardening and considers ways to attract butterflies and pollinators as she plants.

Begonias – the Best Flowering Plants, EVER! – Daisy Stahlberg Learn how to start begonia tubers and watch them bloom the entire season. No deadheading, no special treatment, sun or shade, in the ground or in pots. The last 10 years the varieties of tuberous begonias have exploded. Daisy is an Extension Master Gardener who specializes in flowers. Her front yard is filled with flowers in an English Cottage Garden Design. She raises over 35 tuberous begonias, and adds new varieties each spring.

Controlling Pests in the Home Garden: A Wholistic Approach – Joel Kangas Joel will review the four areas of pest control– cultural, mechanical, biological and chemical, how they tie together, and give examples of each. Take home valuable tips to keep your garden healthy and pest free! Joel is an Extension Master Gardener, a Minnesota Tree Advocate and owner of “Good to Grow” in Brandon, MN, that specializes in Bar Root Fruit Trees and other fruit for the home garden.

Exciting New Annuals & Other Fun Things for 2016 – Lori Schultz Get the latest on what’s new and hot for the garden. Lori will review the new annuals available this year. Don’t want to hear “Oh, that’s so 2015!”? Take home ideas for plants and other fun garden ideas to use in your 2016 garden. Lori and her husband, Rod own Anderson Florist and Greenhouse in Alexandria, MN. For 13 years, she has been at the helm of a unique florist and greenhouse business, featuring flowers, plants and gift items for every occasion and every day. Lori focuses on growing unique, interesting annuals and perennials. She strives to offer unusual and different flowers and vegetables so every year there is something new and exciting for you to experience!

Getting Your Lawn in Shape for Summer – Ron Smith Explore the ravages of winter temperature, snow pack, diseases, insects and weeds that detract from a lawn’s potential quality. Proper care along with the timing and technique of that care will also be presented and discussed. Come away with a greater understanding of the potential value that a well-tended lawn can add to the architectural and natural beauty of your property and maintenance practices that will keep your lawn looking great! Ron’s formal education includes three advanced degrees in the subject, years of field experience and ending up in North Dakota, where he retired after more than 27 years as the NDSU Extension Horticulturalist. During this time, he taught classes, wrote a weekly column for the Fargo-Forum and currently writes a weekly column on the “World of Wine” for the same paper. He actively consults on landscape projects involving tree selection and landscape maintenance.

Getting Started with Native Plants – Gene Stark Learn which native plants are useful and how to use in various plantings. Hear about pollinators, rain gardens and native-restorations. Walk away with growing techniques and knowledge to get started. Gene has grown and supplied bedding and vegetable plants, perennials, herbs, natives and certified organic plants to garden centers and landscapers for over 40 years! Gene is an organic vegetable farmer and author of “Accidentally Green: Building an Organic Livelihood” centered on the growth of sustainable and organic growing practices since the 1970’s.

Growing Tomatoes – America’s #1 Gardening Vegetable (Plus Peppers!) – Ron Smith Explore the variable ways this versatile vegetable can be grown by just about anyone, and what a nutrient powerhouse it is, as well as the insects and disease that ravage this popular crop and how they can be controlled. Peppers, in the same family as tomatoes, will also be highlighted. See bio under Getting Your Lawn in Shape for the Summer.

Hosta Favorites – Julie Schroer and Jodie Ramsay Hostas are the top selling perennial in the United States, despite being more expensive than most perennials. We will discuss colors and sizes of hostas, along with care and propagation. We’ll also show you some of our favorite varieties of hostas (at least we’ll try to narrow it down!) See bio under New Perennials for 2016.

Just Grow Up! The Ins and Outs of Vertical Gardening – Robin Trott Not everyone is blessed with a big yard with great soil, ample space, and a lot of southern exposure for a dream garden. Vertical gardening adds a whole new dimension to your garden, and opens new opportunities to grow. Review of plant selection, site development, and maintenance tips to make your vertical garden successful. Robin Trott is an experienced environmental educator, market gardener and flower farmer, and has worked in various positions in the floriculture/education industry for over 15 years. She is currently the Consumer Horticulture Educator for Douglas County Extension, answering questions ranging from insects and disease to landscape design.

Knowing and Growing Cacti – Daiv Freeman A surprising look at what is and what isn’t a cactus, along with a look into the amazing diversity of this iconic plant family. Exploring the natural distribution and diverse habitats where cacti can be found. Join in a discussion of what it takes to grow both hardy and non-hardy varieties of cacti in MN. Daiv is the creator of Cactiguide.com, which is the largest resource dedicated to the subject in the world with over 11,000 images, an international discussion forum, and articles from taxonomy to cultivation. He also owns and operates Hats Off Coffee in Long Prairie, which is a combination hat store, coffee shop and bookstore specializing in botany and horticulture.

New and Exciting Trees & Shrubs-Dennis Possin Are you looking to add new trees and shrubs to your landscape this year? Dennis will review the new varieties available, including must haves, like a new, patio sized Gingko biloba, that you don’t want to miss. Dennis has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Landscape Management with an emphasis in Landscape Design from the University of Minnesota. He is active in many areas of the horticulture industry including retail, growing, nursery, floral, design, and product buyer. When Dennis isn’t speaking, you can find him at Colorful Seasons Nursery in Alexandria, MN.

New Perennials for 2016 – Julie Schroer and Jodie Ramsay We just can’t say enough about the versatility of perennials! To get you thinking about the upcoming growing season, we’ll show you several new varieties of perennials that we will carry at Jean’s this year. Julie Schroer and Jodie Ramsay own Jean’s the Right Plant Place in Perham, MN. They are perennial junkies, and have been speaking on various perennial topics for 13 years. To support their plant habit, Jodie teaches biology and Julie manages the greenhouse at NSU in Aberdeen, SD.

  

Douglas County Master Gardener Annual 

Let’s Get Growing

 

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PROGRAM NAME COULD GO HERE 

Saturday, April 9, 2016 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.  Alexandria Technical & Community College  Office & Information Technology Center Jefferson & 18th Ave, Alexandria, MN   

DOUGLAS COUNTY EXTENSION 

University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

753 Red

749 Green

Vendors Lunch

Auditorium

Blue

Registration

Entrance

747 Purple

SESSIONS AND LOCATIONS KEYNOTE SPEAKER 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. The Best of the Best: Hydrangea Cultivars for the Midwest –

Kathy Zuzek, Auditorium SESSION ONE 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. A Year in the Life of a Vineyard – Kim Bredeson, Auditorium Smart Design for the Long Haul – Beth Berlin, Room 747 Controlling Pests in the Home Garden: A Wholistic

Approach – Joel Kangas, Room 749 Getting Started with Native Plants – Gene Stark, Room 751 Knowing and Growing Cacti – Daiv Freeman, Room 752 There’s Something About Spring – Paulette Friday, Room 753 SESSION TWO 11:00 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. New Perennials for 2016 – Jodie Ramsay & Julie Schroer,

Auditorium Smart Design for the Long Haul – Beth Berlin, Room 747 Growing Tomatoes – America’s # 1 Garden Vegetable (Plus

Peppers!) – Ron Smith, Room 749 Getting Started with Native Plants – Gene Stark, Room 751 Exciting New Annuals and Other Fun Things for 2016 –

Lori Schultz, Room 752 New and Exciting Trees & Shrubs – Dennis Possin, Room 753 PICKUP LUNCH 12:00 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. FEATURED SPEAKER 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Marvelous Honey Bees – Lewis Struthers, Auditorium VISIT VENDORS 1:00 - p.m. – 1:30 p.m. SESSION THREE 1:30 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. Getting Your Lawn in Shape for the Summer –Ron Smith,

Auditorium Successful Rain Garden Design – Robin Trott, Room 747 Begonias – the Best Flowering Plants EVER! – Daisy

Stahlberg, Room 749 Preserving the Harvest – Jolene Moen, Room 751 Exciting New Annuals and Other Fun Things for 2016 –

Lori Schultz, Room 752 There’s Something About Spring – Paulette Friday, Room 753 SESSION FOUR 2:30 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. Hosta Favorites – Jodie Ramsay & Julie Schroer, Auditorium Just Grow Up! The Ins & Outs of Vertical Gardening –

Robin Trott, Room 747 Unusual Fruit for the Home Garden – Joel Kangas, Room 749 Success with Cole Vegetables – Lewis Struthers, Room 751 Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden – Diane Henry,

Room 752 New and Exciting Trees & Shrubs – Dennis Possin, Room 753

Please visit our vendors available until 4:00 p.m. They help us make Let’s Get Growing possible!

Vendor

752 Yellow

751 Orange

Blue Auditorium Keynote Speaker A Year in the Life of a Vineyard New Perennials for 2016 Featured Speaker Getting Your Lawn in Shape for the Summer Hosta Favorites

Purple Room 747 Smart Design for the Long Haul Successful Rain Garden Design Just Grow Up! The Ins & Outs of Vertical Gardening

Green Room 749 Controlling Pests in the Home Garden: A Wholistic Approach Growing Tomatoes (Plus Peppers!) Begonias Unusual Fruit for the Home Garden

Orange Room 751 Getting Started with Native Plants Preserving the Harvest Success with Cole Vegetables

Yellow Room 752 Knowing & Growing Cacti Exciting New Annuals Attracting Butterflies

Red Room 753 There’s Something about Spring New and Exciting Trees & Shrubs Vendor Area

Visit with vendors and see the latest and newest in the gardening world. Numerous door prizes will be awarded.