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The Tollgate Farm News Volume 20 Issue 7 July 2014 2014 Tollgate Open House 2014 Tollgate Open House 2014 Tollgate Open House “Art in the Gardens” “Art in the Gardens” “Art in the Gardens” Saturday, July 19 Saturday, July 19 Saturday, July 19 10:00 10:00 10:00 am to 3:00 am to 3:00 am to 3:00 p p pm m m Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events JUL MEETINGS 17 TGV General Meeting 7:00 PM JUL ACTIVITIES 19 OPEN HOUSE “Art in the Gardens” 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM 26 Children’s/Nursery/Activity Center 9:00 AM MSU Tollgate Gardens Volunteer General Meeting in the Conference Center Thursday, July 17, 7:00 PM Bob Grese on Great Lakes Gardens On Thursday, July 17, join volunteers in the Tollgate conference center to learn about the Great Lakes Gardens at Matthaei Botanical Gardens in northeast Ann Arbor, 1800 N. Dixboro Road. Bob Grese is the Director of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum at the University of Michigan. Opened in April 2013, the Great Lakes Gardens (GLG) at Matthaei celebrate the incredible biodiversity that surrounds us. The GLG will re-create several special ecosystems such as dune, alvar-limestone formations and prairie. The various gardens are or will be planted with Great Lakes endemics (plants found here and nowhere else in the world), native orchids, oak species, woodland and prairie wildflowers, and many other plants. Accessible paths, boardwalks and overlooks connect the nearby coastal, oak openings, orchid, prairie and woodland gardens, as well as the Warren H. Wagner fern collection. Signs interpret each habitat for visitors and include information on conservation, sustainability and environmental stewardship. There is a beautiful 14-page description of the various garden habitats with a map, plant names and many photos at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/files/GLG-20130130.pdf. Robert Grese teaches and writes about ecologically-based landscape design and restoration with an emphasis on community involvement. You may have read about his prescribed burns to manage prairies by rejuvenating native grasses and discouraging invasive plants at Nichols Arboretum and in his yard on a residential street, http://aaobserver.aadl.org/aaobserver/35985. Bob has researched and written exten- sively about early landscape designers Jens Jensen and Ossian Cole (O.C.) Simonds who used native vegetation in their work. Bob is interested in green roofs and other low impact design ideas, as well as re- connecting children and families with nature. He has BLA and MSLA degrees in landscape architecture from the Universities of Georgia and Wisconsin.

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The Tollgate Farm News Volume 20 Issue 7 July 2014

2014 Tollgate Open House2014 Tollgate Open House2014 Tollgate Open House “Art in the Gardens”“Art in the Gardens”“Art in the Gardens”

Saturday, July 19 Saturday, July 19 Saturday, July 19 10:0010:0010:00 am to 3:00am to 3:00am to 3:00 pppmmm

Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and EventsTollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and EventsTollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events JUL MEETINGS

17 TGV General Meeting 7:00 PM

JUL ACTIVITIES

19 OPEN HOUSE

“Art in the Gardens”

10:00 AM TO

3:00 PM

26 Children’s/Nursery/Activity Center 9:00 AM

MSU Tollgate Gardens Volunteer General Meeting in the Conference Center

Thursday, July 17, 7:00 PM Bob Grese on Great Lakes Gardens

On Thursday, July 17, join volunteers in the Tollgate conference center to learn about the Great Lakes Gardens at Matthaei Botanical Gardens in northeast Ann Arbor, 1800 N. Dixboro Road. Bob Grese is the Director of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum at the University of Michigan.

Opened in April 2013, the Great Lakes Gardens (GLG) at Matthaei celebrate the incredible biodiversity that surrounds us. The GLG will re-create several special ecosystems such as dune, alvar-limestone formations and prairie. The various gardens are or will be planted with Great Lakes endemics (plants found here and nowhere else in the world), native orchids, oak species, woodland and prairie wildflowers, and many other plants. Accessible paths, boardwalks and overlooks connect the nearby coastal, oak openings, orchid, prairie and woodland gardens, as well as the Warren H. Wagner fern collection. Signs interpret each habitat for visitors and include information on conservation, sustainability and environmental stewardship. There is a beautiful 14-page description of the various garden habitats with a map, plant names and many photos at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/files/GLG-20130130.pdf.

Robert Grese teaches and writes about ecologically-based landscape design and restoration with an emphasis on community involvement. You may have read about his prescribed burns to manage prairies by rejuvenating native grasses and discouraging invasive plants at Nichols Arboretum and in his yard on a residential street, http://aaobserver.aadl.org/aaobserver/35985. Bob has researched and written exten-sively about early landscape designers Jens Jensen and Ossian Cole (O.C.) Simonds who used native vegetation in their work. Bob is interested in green roofs and other low impact design ideas, as well as re-connecting children and families with nature. He has BLA and MSLA degrees in landscape architecture from the Universities of Georgia and Wisconsin.

Page 2

GREETINGS

from the Tol lgate Farm Manager

Roy Prentice

Greetings All,

During June, most of the gardens received a thorough weeding and mulching. We spent several activity days getting the gardens in shape. Now, most of the gardens look great! Your assistance is greatly appreciated at future workdays. There is always something to do!

Open House Prep: Please help us get ready for the upcoming open house hosted at Tollgate on July 18th. Our focus will be setting up tents, tables and chairs and performing other activities to get ready for the Open House. We may also do some last minute weeding and other housekeeping activities to make sure that the farm is ready for our visitors. You have most likely received several notifications from Tollgate gardens president, Renee Cottrell concerning volunteer opportunities for the Open House. Another way that you can help with the event is to bring refreshments for our guests. Refreshments could include cookies and other finger foods. Please make sure that there are no nuts involved in your goodies. No quilts again this year, but lots of music and art will be gracing the gardens. Even if you are unable to work on the day of the open house, please plan to join us, stroll the grounds and take in the day.

Quilt Raffle: We will be conducting the raffle drawing on the day of the open house for the quilt made by Tollgate’s own quilting bees. This is a great fundraiser for the gardens. There is still the opportunity to purchase tickets for the quilt. Please contact me if you are interested or purchase tickets

on the day of the Open House. It all goes to support the gardens. This year promises to be our most successful year yet with the quilt raffle. Please purchase often. I just know that the winning ticket is still out there!

Ginger Meyer Award: I am accepting nominations for the Ginger Meyer award. The recipient of this award is the Tollgate Volunteer that has done the most for Tollgate over the years. I would be happy to send a form to anyone that would like one. However, you are welcome to just send me your nomination in an e-mail. Simply indicate who you feel has contrib-uted the most to Tollgate over the years and why. This is your chance to help us recognize those in our midst that have really given of themselves so that we can all enjoy the site more.

Roy

AugustAugustAugust Tollgate Garden Volunteer Tollgate Garden Volunteer Tollgate Garden Volunteer

Important Dates and EventsImportant Dates and EventsImportant Dates and Events

AUG MEETINGS

5 TGAC Meeting 7:00 PM

13 Fall Fair Meeting 7:00 PM

21 TGV General Meeting 7:00 PM

AUG ACTIVITIES

2 Pond / Office 9:00 AM

9 Entrance / Dry Shade / Farmhouse 9:00 AM

16 Activity Center / Xeriscape 9:00 AM

23 Rose / Heritage / Rock Ledge 9:00 AM

Page 3

NNNotesotesotes from the President “As someone who finds both peace and joy in gardening as well as beauty in the results, I feel there is no greater pleasure than being surrounded by abundant blooms.” — Larry Hodgson

Sign-Up for the 2014 Open House “Art in the Gardens”! This free, open to the public event was successful with the art theme last season and is back for a repeat performance with more artists, ven-

dors and more.

Saturday July 19th 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

There are plenty of ways to contribute to this event.

We still need: Finger food snack donations for our guests; cookies, brownies, tarts “fit on a

napkin” type treats (no nuts please) Garden guides for all shifts to meet and greet guests along with floaters to cover

breaks Friday set-up crew for tables, tents, signage Parking assistants to direct traffic Vending Assistant to take large purchases back to vehicle area Volunteers for the vendor/volunteer lunch set-up

If you have not yet signed up please contact me ASAP by e-mail [email protected] or phone (248-398-2562).

Please join us for an event to educate and entertain as well as introduce more people in the community to our wonderful sight.

We had a scheduled clean-up of the site on Saturday, July 12th prior to the Open House but feel free to come out during the week and spruce up the site for our guests.

It is time again to place your nominations for the Ginger Meyer Award. This award is presented at the end of the year at the recog-nition dinner. Please honor a fellow Tollgate gardener(s) who has demonstrated their knowledge, commitment and willingness to share their love of gardening. The nomination form is also available at meetings, on line and at the end of this newsletter. Previous recipi-ents are listed on the plaque in the Volunteer Communication Center.

Garden Teams Still Need Members. All garden areas could use additional dedicated hands to maintain the site during the growing season. If you have a particular garden you would like to be involved with contact me for an introduction and assignment information.

As Always, Thank you for being a Tollgate Garden Volunteer.

Renee Cottrell, TGV President

Photo by Renee Cottrell

2013 Tollgate Art in the Gardens

Page 4

Photos by Darretta Ferasin

ACTIVITY DAYS

Page 5

ACTIVITY DAYS

Photos by Darretta Ferasin

Page 6

I am accepting photos for the 2016 calendar now through December 31 2014. I know. I know it seems so far away and I just finished accepting photos for the 2015 calendar. This past year was a transition year. I had been putting the calendar together during the late spring, early summer which, for an avid gardener, is a pretty busy time of the year. I will now be able to do the calendar during the winter months and not feel so rushed.

I prefer to have photos submitted in landscape format and on a memory stick, with your name on it so it can be returned. They can be given to Roy or myself.

If you have any questions you can reach me at [email protected].

Nancy Roggers

Please send your photos in. Without your participa-tion the calendar will not be possible.

Tollgate Calendar 2016Tollgate Calendar 2016Tollgate Calendar 2016

The quilt raffle day is growing near. Pick up your tickets at the next General Meeting

Raffle Date: Saturday, July 19th at the close of the Tollgate Summer Open House, Art in the Gardens.

Tickets: $2.00 each or (3) for $5.00

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE JULY TGV GENERAL MEETING

AND AT THE OPEN HOUSE

Live, Laugh and Eat Dessert First…before every meeting Have too many cookies, cakes, other desserts and you want to share? Bring them to our monthly Thursday evening meeting. Want to bake but don't have a crowd to share your goodies with? Bring your bake goodies to our meeting this month. Need recipe or idea? E-mail me (Yvonne) at [email protected].

is here and so is our annual Open House. This means we will need baked or store bought goodies to share. NO NUTS PLEASE! Our guests tell us every year how much they appreciate your generosity while taking a rest between visiting the gardens. Please drop off your goodies before your shift begins in the Conference Center. Need info.? [email protected] Thanks, Yvonne

July

Page 7

Volunteer Activity Day and Meetings Information

248-347-3860 ext. 400

● The Tollgate Gardens Advisory Council next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 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 - [email protected]

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:

[email protected]

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.

If you aren’t getting The Tollgate Farm News

e-mail, Check your SPAM folder

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

Spades

Garden Rakes

Brooms

Wheel Barrels

Weed Buckets

Leaf Rakes

Garden Hoe

Long Handled

Garden Forks

Garden Tools Available for Use at Tollgate

Ginger Meyer Award Nomination Form The Ginger Meyer Award was initiated in 2003 by the family of Mrs. Meyer to recognize the Tollgate Volunteer who shares some of the treasured qualities of Ginger Meyer. The Tollgate Garden Volunteer members will nominate candidates, with a list then compiled by TGAC for presentation to the Americana Foundation for final award selection. Please make the nomination on this form or submit a short paragraph describing each of the following qualities of the nominee: Name of Nominee:___________________________________________

1. This member has shown a commitment to the Tollgate Garden Volunteers by:

2. This member has demonstrated a love and knowledge of gardening by:

3. This member has demonstrated a willingness to share gardening knowledge with others by: