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The Tollgate Farm News Volume 19 Issue 11 November 2013

Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events Dec Meetings Jan Meetings

3 TGAC Meeting 7:00 PM 7 TGAC Meeting 7:00 PM

16 TGV General Meeting 7:00 PM

Dec Activities No TGV General Meeting in November or December 2013 7 Rose Garden Mulching 9:00 AM

Above Photos by Mike Janczarek

2013 Ginger Meyer Award2013 Ginger Meyer Award2013 Ginger Meyer Award John WoodrichJohn WoodrichJohn Woodrich

2013 Golden Shovel Award2013 Golden Shovel Award2013 Golden Shovel Award Wanda MorrisonWanda MorrisonWanda Morrison

The Ginger Meyer Award Presented to John Woodrich Picture here, from Left to Right, Renee Cottrell, Roy Prentice, John Woodrich and Kate Harper

(Ginger Meyer’s Granddaughter)

The Golden Shovel Award Presented to Wanda Morrison Pictured here, from Left to Right, Roy Prentice, Wanda

Morrison and Renee Cottrell.

T hank You

Roy and the Entire Prentice

Family for Your Past

20 Years at Tollgate

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GREETINGS

Greetings All, October and early November has pushed us well on the way towards the realization that the 2013 gardening season is coming to an end. When we weren’t dodging rain drops, we had a good turn-out for our last few Activity Days. The beds are now all snug for the coming winter. All of the volunteers that came to the farm did a wonderful job of felling frost flattened perennials and removing annuals. October work days were also devoted to cleaning up the Demonstration Garden. Thanks to all that made 2013 such a great year at Tollgate!

Recognition Dinner: This year’s volunteer recogni-tion dinner, held on November 9th, was a great success! The event was supported by the Americana Foundation and MSU Extension and was very well attended. Over one hundred and twenty volunteers and guests joined us for dinner, a presentation of the Tollgate gardening year and the awards ceremony. We had so many guests for dinner that we filled the big barn for the presentation. The presentation that was put together by Darretta Ferasin and myself was a big hit as were the many door prizes. The food was really great too. This year our caterer incorporated lots of Tollgate products in the meal. Maple syrup, pears, apples apple cider and vegetables from the farm were all an integral part of many of the dishes. One of the highlights of the evening was the recogni-tion of our first year volunteer who made the most visits to the farm during 2013. This person received

our annually bestowed “golden shovel” award. This year’s recipient, Wanda Morrison, gave very generously of her time. Along with the traditional gold painted implement, Wanda also received a golden shovel pin provided by the Americana Foundation and her name was also engraved on a plaque hung in the Tollgate Volunteer Center.

Also awarded was the “Ginger Meyer” award. This award was presented to long-time Tollgate volun-teer, John Woodrich, for his many years of service to Tollgate. John is instrumental in many projects on the farm including managing the PAR Garden, the maple syrup making project and working on many other woods and farm projects. The Ginger Meyer award was established to honor the memory of Ginger Meyer who, along with her husband Adolph, was instrumental in establishing the Americana Foundation and in donating Tollgate to MSU. The award, a silver bowl inscribed with John’s name, was presented by Ginger Meyer’s granddaughter, Kate Harper. John’s name was also inscribed on a plaque that will be hung in the Tollgate Volunteer Center. Both the golden shovel and Ginger Meyer awards are given annually. Thank you John and Wanda for all of that you both do for the farm!

Thank you all for a great year at Tollgate. I can’t wait for winter to loosen her grip so that we can get going on 2014. It will be maple syruping time before we know it!

Roy

from the Tol lgate Farm Manager Roy Prentice

Photo by Dave Komraus

Photo by Mike Janczarek

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NNNotes from the President

“Perhaps the garden is best considered a precise point of connection between a human and the earth-a psychic umbilical to the earth’s spirit.” — Robert Thayer

A TIME FOR THANKS

That is what this time of year is all about. Thanks for our family and health, our friends and supporters, our harvest and blessings.

I am grateful for the support from The Americana Foundation and MSU Extension for our activities and projects here at Tollgate. I am thankful for the collective talents of the 2013 TGAC. These are the people who set up the membership activity schedules, keep track of the organizational data, funds and provide quality learning experiences for our monthly meetings:

Thank you all Tollgate Garden Volunteers, the area garden leaders, the Quilting Bees, the Fall Fair and Plant Sale team organizers for all the hard work, smiling faces, beautiful landscapes that you have created this season. I am honored to continue to be a part of such a wonderful group of people

And a special Thank You to Roy Prentice for his 20 years of support and guidance of the Tollgate Garden Volunteers

There is the remaining mounding of the roses activity December 7th and we will begin our membership meetings in the New Year!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and Holiday Season and thank you for being Tollgate Garden Volunteers.

Renee Cottrell, President

Our Elected Members Our Appointed Members

Renee Cottrell, President Peg Palmer, Vice President David Komraus, Secretary Sue Janczarek, Treasurer

Darretta Ferasin, Editor of the Farm News Jackie Stengel, Chairperson of our Education/Speaker Programs Nancy Roggers, Chairperson for Membership Yvonne DeMattos, PR

JANUARY 2014 PREVIEW On Thursday, January 16, 2014, join Tollgate volunteers in the conference cen-ter to begin the year with a presentation on Horticultural Therapy. One of the few practicing registered horticultural therapists in Michigan, Cathy Flinton, HTR, CBIS, will provide an introduction to the topic in probably its first presentation at Tollgate. Details to come in the January Farm News.

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Merry Christmas to AllMerry Christmas to AllMerry Christmas to All

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Kate and Robb Harper of edibleWOW™ Donated Great Healthy Food Goodie Baskets and Bags for Door Prizes

20 Year Service Award20 Year Service Award20 Year Service Award

TGAC team members secretly, with the help of Cindy Prentice, gathered photos of Roy through the years for a surprise slide presentation at the recognition din-ner. Cindy Prentice recounted the story of how the family came to Tollgate 20 years ago. Roy was given a plaque, (shown on page 1) to honor his 20 years of service, dedication, guidance and kindness to the Tollgate Garden Volunteers.

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PAR Garden Produce Final Count

Total Pounds

Beans 534.4

Beets 45.8

Cabbage 321.8

Cucumbers 274.6

Eggplant 65.4

Garlic 74.4

Onions 108.8

Parsnips 2.6

Peppers 102.6

Potatoes 621.0

Summer Squash 150.4

Tomato 417.6

Turnips 64.0

Winter Squash 201.2

Total Vegetables 2984.6

Apples 2420.4

2013 Grand Total 5405.0

From John Woodrich

Thank You, BakersThank You, BakersThank You, Bakers Our thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers who so

generously donated goodies this year for our meetings and special events. Wishing you Happy Holidays.

Yvonne

ATTENTION ATTENTION WannabeWannabe Quilting Quilting

Bees!Bees!

The first meeting of the 2014 Tollgate quilting group will be on Thursday, November 21 at 9:30 AM in the Tollgate Farm conference cen-ter. If you have a portable sewing machine, (and know how to use it!) and would like to help make next year's quilt, please rsvp to Charlotte Jones, kcjusagb@aol.com. We gener-ally meet on a Thursday and Saturday morn-ing, from 9:30 AM to noon. Join us if you can!

PS. You don't have to know how to sew a quilt!

Thank YouThank YouThank You Roy and Cindy Prentice

The Americana Foundation and

The MSU Extension For the Exceptionally Delicious

2013 Tollgate Volunteer Recognition Dinner

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Photos for 2015 Calendar So, 2013 is barely over with and here I am asking for photos for the 2015 calendar! I am changing my schedule for working on the calendar. It is so difficult to sit in front of the computer during the spring and summer months compiling photos when it is so wonderful outside. I am hoping that you all understand and will be able to submit photos to me no later than February 17th. In this way, most of the work will be done before the true gardening season starts!

I am in need of photos for all seasons with a heavy emphasis on fall and winter. Photo format - landscape - on a memory stick Can be given to directly to me or to Roy If you have any questions you can contact me at tollgatemembership@gmail.com

Nancy Roggers

Deep Dive into Pond Area by Dave Komraus

Metamorphosis of the Monarch Butterfly within the Pupa Under a Large Leaf

Tadpoles in the Sun

Tiger Swallowtail Large Wasp Nest

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Volunteer Activity Day and Meetings Information

248-347-3860 ext. 400

● The Tollgate Gardens Advisory Council next meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at 7:00 PM in the Tollgate Office Building. All Tollgate Gardens Volunteer members are welcome to attend.

● Listings to contact individual Council Members and Area Garden Leaders are available at all general meetings and in the Volunteer Communication Center.

● Tollgate Volunteer Membership is renewed annually. The 2014 Tollgate Garden Volunteers membership is from December 1, 2013 to November 30, 2014.

Farm Manager Roy Prentice - 248 347-3860 ext. 251 e-mail - prentic1@msu.edu

President ........................... Renee Cottrell Vice President… ............... Peg Palmer Secretary… ........................ Dave Komraus Treasurer ........................... Sue Janczarek Membership ...................... Nancy Roggers PR ....................................... Yvonne DeMattos Fall Fair .............................. Dennis Roggers Programs ........................... Jackie Stengel Hospitality ......................... Yvonne DeMattos Farm News Editor ............. Darretta Ferasin

For membership questions or to update your current membership information send e-mail to:

tollgatemembership@gmail.com

MSU Tollgate Gardens Volunteers For general information and questions

Contact Roy Prentice

Tollgate Garden Advisory Council

Activity Days Activity day hours are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM unless otherwise noted on the Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events listed on the first page of the Tollgate Farm News or by the Area Garden Leader (AGL).

Lunch will be provided - veggie alternatives are available upon request.

This schedule does not exclude you from working independently on the site. However, on non-scheduled days, your efforts will need to be self-directed with guidance from the garden area clipboards located in the Volunteer Communication Center.

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Tollgate Volunteer Information

THE TOLLGATE FARM NEWS

Tollgate Gardens Volunteer Office 28115 Meadowbrook Novi, MI, 48377-3128 www.tollgate.msu.edu

Trowel Hand Pruners Loppers Garden Scissors Your Favorite

Weeding Implement Hand Saw

Plant Division Forks Shrub Rake Sun Screen Gloves Knee Pads Insect Repellant

List of Suggested Gardening Implements to Bring

from Home as Needed

Garden Tools Available for Use at Tollgate

Spades

Garden Rakes

Brooms

Wheel Barrels

Weed Buckets

Leaf Rakes

Garden Hoe

Long Handled

Garden Forks