If you have any questions regarding anything in this newsletter, please feel free to call (870) 779-3609 or visit Room 215 in the Miller County Courthouse.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Caraway County Extension Agent - Agriculture

JWC:jds

Highlights:

Letter from the President

Coats for Kids

A Newsletter for Red Dirt Master Gardeners

2017

The Extension Office will be closed from Dec.

22nd thru Jan. 1st to celebrate Christmas &

New Year’s Day.

Red Dirt Master Gardener News

We are looking forward to another great Christmas party this year. You, along with your spouse/significant other, are invited to our Dec. meeting/Christmas party, on Thursday, December 14th. We will be meeting at the Silver Spoon Restaurant – 5530 Christus Drive in Texarkana, TX (off of Moores Lane), beginning at 6:00 pm. We will have our Third Annual Silent Auction and a very short business meeting. Please bring a gift or craft for the members to bid on. These items are not terribly expensive and we have so many talented folks in our group. You will be able to pick up some great merchandise!

There is no cost for you, but you did need to let Jan Lavender know. You were able to choose between lasagna or chicken spaghetti as your meal.

We will begin with supper at 6:00 and then bid on items. If you are unsure of what to bring – that is ok – just come and enjoy supper and bid on the items available!! We are looking forward to a great time.

You are invited to bring a spouse/significant other. Hope to see you all there!

We would like to see ALL the Master Gardeners on Thursday, December 8th at the REA; bring a potluck dish, something to auction off and don’t forget your wallet.

What: Christmas Party

When: Dec. 14th, 2017 6:00 P.M.

Where: Silver Spoon Res

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to

participate or need materials in another format, please contact your County Extension office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

O NM

December 14, 2017

2018 Officers President: James Lamb

Vice-President – Annette Lachowsky

Secretary – Jane Richards

Treasurer – Glenda Griffin

You have received a sign-in sheet for the Plant Sale. At the February meeting, if you haven’t made a choice, we can assign a job for you.

By Charlotte Fuller

What will you contribute to the plant sale … plants or crafts? Be thinking about it! It is April 7th at the 4-States Fairgrounds Home Arts, from 8:00 – 4:00.

You have received a sign-in sheet for the plant sale. At February’s meeting, if you haven’t chosen, we can assign a job for you.

The nominees for the AR Master Gardener Awards are:

Project – Talks at the Library

Friend of MG (Individual) – Letito Williams

Friend of MG (Business) – First Presbyterian Church

MG of the Year – A tie: Teresa Slack & Debra Bolding

MG Rookie of the Year –

2”

Lay out the plants according to the plant-ing plan before removing from their pots

37th Annual Horticulture Industries Show

Featuring Cary Rivard.

Fri., January 5th – 9:00 AM

What do you envision when you hear the term “Urban Agriculture”? Many of us think of space-age vertical farming systems, urban community gardens, or even a grey-haired hippy at the farmers’ market peddling dozens of varieties of beets. However, urban agriculture touches all of the horticulture industry in numerous ways. Consumers across the U.S. are looking to reconnect with the agrarian roots that provide resiliency in our society. Meanwhile, we are seeing symptoms of the disconnect that has arisen between our communities and our agricultural systems, particularly in urban areas. Similar trends can be seen in rural and peri-urban commun-ities, and this issue will not go away as global urbanization continues. These challenges provide a wealth of oppor-tunity for everyone working in horticulture. Opportunities to: capture new audiences and markets, add value to current enterprises, and even facilitate societal change all lay on our doorstep. This presentation will provide some real-life examples of projects in Kansas City and abroad that are working to grow new roots with urban agriculture.

Continued on Page 4

**************************************************************

Sharon Ethridge, Teresa Slack, Sheila Keever, Phyllis Howell & Judith White received their 5 year certificates. Not pictured but also attaining 5 years are: Kathy Boyles, Gary Harris & Pam Williamson. 2012 was their basic training year.

Paula Griffith and Joan Evins received their 10 year certificates, meaning they joined the MG organization in 2007.

Andrea Thomas, Charlotte Neaves, Rita Nichols and Alice McMillan received their Lifetime certificates – a very big accomplishment! They joined our MG class in 2002. Congratulations!

As the year comes to an end, we need volunteer hours given to the MG Program logged. Please log in ALL of your volunteer hours (not just the minimum you need to stay active). Many of you volunteer many hours above the minimum. Deadline to report hours is December 15, 2017.

Sharon Ethridge, Teresa Slack, Sheila Keever, Phyllis Howell & Judith White received their 5 year certificates. Not pictured but also attaining 5

Here it is December … where did this year go? We as a group have done some great things this year; more sanctioned projects, bus trip to Dallas Arboretum, and 21 new trainees.

Have you finished up your fall garden chores? It’s already time to get started with the winter garden chores. Time to make

your 2018 garden plans, pour over your seed catalogs and make a wish list of garden items you want for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas & garden-item wish lists; don't forget about the Silent Auction at our Dec. meeting. That's a good way to get a start on your wish list.

So to wrap up my

rambling, let's come out to our December meeting/Christmas party and enjoy a fun time and good fellowship.

Wishing Everyone A

VERY

James Lamb

14th – MG Christmas Party – Silver Spoon Restaurant, 5530 Christus Dr., Texarkana, TX. Silent Auction Sets up Between 5:00-6:00 PM

15th – Last Day to Enter Hours

22nd-Jan 1st – Extension Office Closed

24th – Christmas Eve

25th –

31st – New Year’s Eve

31st – Deadline for Reporting On-Line Volunteer Hours

Jan. 1st –

By Andrea Thomas

December 15th is the deadline for placing volunteer hours in the online system!!! Please place all your hours into the online system.

For our Dec. 14th meeting, I will be happy to place your time into the system if you would like. I will have a sign-up sheet so you can let me know. For those who keep up with mileage, I cannot do mileage unless you give it to me.

To Report Hours

Go to www.uaex.edu. Click Yard & Garden, then Master Gardener Program. Click on Enter Volunteer Hours and logon. This is the best way to make sure you are at the newest version of the Online Reporting System. Remember, if you have questions on reporting your hours or need a password reset, call me at 903-832-8111 or email at7550@yahoo.com and I will do my best to help.

How We’re Doing

Here is an update on how we are doing. We currently have 85 members. 21 are trainees (Annuals) who are doing fantastic. 7 have already gotten enough hours to be certified. They are Becky Barrett, Clyde Davis, Cheryl Haislip, Wendy Harris, Louise Hicks, Theresa Mitzler, and Margaret Villas. Some of the other trainees are getting close to having enough to become certified.

Our Perennials (64 members) standing is: 46 re-certified, 9 Lifetimers, 8 on Leave of Absence, and 1 Sustainer.

Merry Christmas Wishes to Everyone

Let’s Report Our Volunteer Time

**************************************************************

Trainees Theresa Mitzler, Clyde Davis, and Becky Barrett receiving

their certificates at Nov.’s meeting & officially becoming certified Master Gardeners. Also with enough hours to become certified are: Cheryl Haislip, Wendy Harris, Louise Hicks and Margaret Villas.

Ag Expo – February 1, 2018 – 8:00-3:30 - Fairgrounds

Stay all day or come and go. Featured topics: fire ants, blackberry pests, pine plantation pests, pecan manage-ment, parasite control in cattle, managing forages, lawn care, managing weeds in farm ponds, dicamba issues, cotton management, estate planning, feral hog control, basics of garden management & Arkansas Pesticide Applicator Class. CEU’s available for Texas residents.

**************************************************************

The meeting was called to order by Pres. James Lamb. Hotdogs were grilled by Ron Slack & condiments prepared by Sheila Keever & her committee. The minutes were approved as typed in the newsletter. The treasurer’s report was approved by the membership and filed for audit. In online reporting, Andrea Thomas said to keep posting hours. Annette Lachowsky said that it is still possible to get sanctioned volunteer hours at Trice elementary.

Reports on other sanctioned projects included Gayle Renfro reporting that 7 to 8 people have planted new roses, applied new mulch, and placed new metal stakes from County 76 at the Miller County Courthouse beds. Paula Warren, chair of the Texarkana Welcome Sign committee, said that there will be a meeting with the Texarkana Arkansas city beautiful commission and a meeting will be scheduled for sanctioned hours. In fundraising, Charlotte Fuller, chair, reviewed a handout about the plant sale which will be Saturday, April 7 from 8 to 4 at the 4-States Fair Home Arts building. Pres James Lamb, showed membership how to plant seeds in a milk jug. It was very interesting.

In Old Business, Teresa Slack reported that the Dallas trip to the Arboretum was a great success. Cost was about $1400 and was paid for by our fund. The trip may be repeated in October 2018.

The membership approved a motion from the board to have the Dec. meeting and Christmas party at Silver Spoon. It will be December 14, 2017. Each member may bring a guest and the meal will be paid for by our general fund. The membership approved the meeting place with a unanimous vote. A silent auction will take place during the dinner meeting.

Martha Bean announced that she is still taking orders for MG apparel. There was discussion about basic training being a sanctioned project next year. The membership voted to approve this motion and there was one dissenting vote.

James Lamb announced awards. Name badges were given to new members, certified MGs, for the first time were certified, & members of 5 year, 10 year, and lifetime membership- which is 15 years or more- were given an award.

Nominating committee announced selection of officer candidates for 2018:

President-James Lamb Vice President- Annette Lachowsky Secretary- Jane Richards Treasurer- Glenda Griffin Each candidate was approved with unanimous votes.

James Lamb explained ZOOM- online basic training in Arkansas. He said that mentors are required for ZOOM training. ZOOM is webcast based. See page 4 on the UAEX website under county projects.

James announced the audit committee for this year, which will be Martha Bean, Patsy Bass and Robert High.

Ballots were given to members to vote for MG of the Year, Project of the Year, Friend of MGs, and business Friend of MG. Debra Bolding and Teresa Slack tied for MG of the Year, & Talks at the Library received the most votes for Project of the Year. Friend of MGs is Letito Williams. Business Friend of MGs is First Presbyterian Church.

Forms were also given to members to select sanctioned projects they would like to be involved with. Then the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted, Jan Lavender, Secretary

RED DIRT MASTER GARDENER MEETING

Minutes for the November 9, 2017 Monthly Meeting

Keynote speaker Cary Rivard grew up working in his parents’ greenhouse business in Kansas City, MO, and received his BS in Agriculture Sciences & Biology from Truman State University.

He received his MS and PhD in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State University and worked at the Center for Environ-mental Farming Systems while there. Cary is a Fruit & Vegetable Extension Specialist at Kansas State University in the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, and is Director of the Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center located near Kansas City. His research program focuses on sustainable vegetable farming practices & current projects include: high tunnel production systems, vegetable grafting, annual strawberry production, no-till and minimum tillage systems, & reducing postharvest losses. He coordinates Growing Growers Kansas City farmer education program (www.growinggrow ers.org) & his responsibilities include www.high tunnels.org.

If you have not registered, visit – www.hortindustriesshow.org/register-to-attend. For hotel infor-mation, visit – www.hort indus tries show.org/hotel-information.

Be sure to register as costs will increase after December 29th.

Continued from Page 2

Master Gardener Calendars give monthly gardening tips plus feature outstanding photos taken by MGs in AR. They make great gifts and are available at the state office. Call Holly at 501-671-2237.