A big pat on the back for all the Master Gardeners who pitched in and helped with the 2008 IL State Master Gardener Conference. I also want to thank Sarah for working so hard putting the awards booklet together, making signage, and lots and lots of other details. Congratulations!

As Monica stated to Master Gardeners at the awards dinner, one of the primary goals of our program in the future will be to help Illinois citizens learn ways to conserve natural resources and garden in an environmentally-friendly manner. We will be discussing current and future programming at the "Planning Session" on Friday, Oct. 3^rd. Please plan on attending. Call the office to RSVP, if you haven't already done so.

We are planning on having a new Master Gardener class starting in January for approximately 30 trainees. We have an assortment of Extension educators coming to teach the classes. Once the schedule is finalized and we know how many spots we have, we will share the list of classes in case you would be interested in attending any "refresher" sessions.

Yes, a big pat on the back to all for a conference well done. Special thanks to all the committee chairs and to everyone who helped with anything or everything. My biggest thanks go to Mary! Her leadership and attention to detail made things easier for all of us. And we can't forget to thank Joan for all her help!

It won't be long before we will be checking to see who has completed the required volunteer and continuing education hours for recertification. Please make sure that your reporting is up to date. It will save us lots of paper and postage if we don't have to send out those "special letters". If you have any volunteer or continuing education hours to report, click here! If you report on paper don't forget to submit your forms to the office.

The Worms in the Classroom requests have started to come in, so the Worm Team will be busy soon. I will try to only schedule a few lessons before the end of the year. I am sure there aren't many of you who need additional hours for this year. If you are not currently a Worm Team member, but would like to join this "Award Winning" team. Please contact me. There are many opportunities to volunteer at schools in all parts of DuPage County.

A Gardener's Blessing

May the bunnies never nibble
on your young and tender shoots,
May your transplants settle in
and put down hardy roots,
May your weeds come out real easy
and your lawn be fungus free,
May you never put your back out
or inhale a bumblebee,
May your roses never stab you
or your hoses spring a leak,
And may everyone come calling
when your garden's at its peak,
May you never grow too weary
as you toil for hours and hours,
And may you never be too busy
to stop and smell the flowers!

Dan Heims, The Garden Clerk's Dictionary

I hope you all get some time to slow down and enjoy your gardens!

Notes from the Office:

The 2008 Illinois State Master Gardener Conference has come to a close. Let's hope that all attendees will continue to live with the thoughts of "Pathways to a Greener Illinois". It was a tremendous success due to all the help from DuPage Master Gardeners and others from the NE Region. Thank you to all of you for your time, effort and hard work!

The 2008 Illinois State Master Gardener Conference has come to a close. Let's hope that all attendees will continue to live with the thoughts of "Pathways to a Greener Illinois". It was a tremendous success due to all the help from DuPage Master Gardeners and others from the NE Region. Thank you to all of you for your time, effort and hard work!

We all enjoyed the wonderful displays of Karl Rabi (a vegetable farmer whose head was made from a VERY large kohlrabi) and Susan Green (a flower lady with Black-eyed Susans for eyes). These were the brain child of our MG, Jan Hanson. The rain barrels belonging to Sally Mabbitt were a great addition to the stage area. Sally and her husband made bird baths which served as toppers to the rain barrels and Jan adorned the areas with wonderful greenery. Thanks to Sally, Jan and the rest of the decorating committee.

The logo received lots of compliments. Thanks to Lin Drogos for her designs. The silent auction raised over $4,800, which will be helpful to the state MG program in revising the MG manual. Thanks to Kyle Gilgis for organizing all of the items. Lin Drogos contacted all the vendors from the Mid-Am Show and most of them sent items either for registration bags, door prizes or auction items. Thanks to all Master Gardeners that contributed items…it wouldn't have been a success without you.

Vendors spent all day Friday selling their wares to the over 400 attendees. Cathie Leszinske and her husband Rich were up late the night before and up at the crack of dawn making sure the vendor areas were organized and set up. They, along with other MG volunteers, sure worked hard moving items in and then out at the end of the day. Kudos to you all!

The registration area went smoothly thanks to the oversight of Pat Kosmach and the many Master Gardeners who helped with the numerous shifts needed throughout the three days. The registration bags were a big hit, and we thank the over 20 MGs that helped fill the bags ahead of time. Book, T-shirt and pin sales went well. Cathie Leszinske made sure we sold as much as possible.

It was such a joy seeing satisfied attendees (some loaded down with plant purchases) depart the tour buses when they arrived back at the Westin. Every tour had something different to offer, and it seemed that they all met expectations. Thanks to the tour committee and bus hosts for making sure we had a great selection of tours and an enjoyable trip for all.

The classes went well. There were a few equipment glitches but none that our tech people couldn't handle. Thanks to the program committee for making such great selections. Comments from folks were that there were too many good speakers to choose from…what a great problem to have. Thanks to the program committee for all the meetings and brain storming sessions and thanks to the Room Hosts.

We all enjoyed the wonderful displays of Karl Rabi (a vegetable farmer whose head was made from a VERY large kohlrabi) and Susan Green (a flower lady with Black-eyed Susans for eyes). These were the brain child of our MG, Jan Hanson. The rain barrels belonging to Sally Mabbitt were a great addition to the stage area. Sally and her husband made bird baths which served as toppers to the rain barrels and Jan adorned the areas with wonderful greenery. Thanks to Sally, Jan and the rest of the decorating committee.

The logo received lots of compliments. Thanks to Lin Drogos for her designs. The silent auction raised over $4,800, which will be helpful to the state MG program in revising the MG manual. Thanks to Kyle Gilgis for organizing all of the items. Lin Drogos contacted all the vendors from the Mid-Am Show and most of them sent items either for registration bags, door prizes or auction items. Thanks to all Master Gardeners that contributed items…it wouldn't have been a success without you.

Vendors spent all day Friday selling their wares to the over 400 attendees. Cathie Leszinske and her husband Rich were up late the night before and up at the crack of dawn making sure the vendor areas were organized and set up. They, along with other MG volunteers, sure worked hard moving items in and then out at the end of the day. Kudos to you all!

The registration area went smoothly thanks to the oversight of Pat Kosmach and the many Master Gardeners who helped with the numerous shifts needed throughout the three days. The registration bags were a big hit, and we thank the over 20 MGs that helped fill the bags ahead of time. Book, T-shirt and pin sales went well. Cathie Leszinske made sure we sold as much as possible.

It was such a joy seeing satisfied attendees (some loaded down with plant purchases) depart the tour buses when they arrived back at the Westin. Every tour had something different to offer, and it seemed that they all met expectations. Thanks to the tour committee and bus hosts for making sure we had a great selection of tours and an enjoyable trip for all.

The classes went well. There were a few equipment glitches but none that our tech people couldn't handle. Thanks to the program committee for making such great selections. Comments from folks were that there were too many good speakers to choose from…what a great problem to have. Thanks to the program committee for all the meetings and brain storming sessions and thanks to the Room Hosts.

Great minds think alike.

Two years of anticipation has culminated in the 2008 Illinois Master Gardener Conference held September 11-13 in Lombard.

The first day was dedicated to tours of area sites. Places such as Ball Seed and the Lurie Gardens at Millennium Park were visited. All tours went well and many compliments were received from our guests.

Twenty-nine different classes were held between Friday and Saturday. Favorite teachers Susan Grupp and Jim Schuster were among the presenters. Something for everyone was available. A ceremony honoring Master Gardener achievements was held on Friday night where DuPage County was well-represented.

A spirit of teamwork and camaraderie was evident throughout the weekend. Many of our people contributed time and items for the Silent Auction. Because of our efforts, we hosted a record number of attendees and the Silent Auction brought in a record amount of money that will support the State MG office. All DuPage County Master Gardeners should be proud of their efforts and contributions to a very successful Conference. This was truly a team effort and a job well done!

- Pat Kosmach

In this year's spring issue I wrote about savory, actually two herbs with two "seasons". In this transitional season, the subject is a single herb with seeds and leaves so different they hardly seem to come from the same plant. Horticulturally, this plant is Coriandrum sativum. It is a short-lived annual, growing up to 24 inches tall in full sun. It prefers relatively dry soil, and as it reaches maturity it can get floppy. The lower leaves of this plant resemble flat-leaf parsley – more about these in a minute – while the upper ones are more finely cut, almost threadlike. Since coriander belongs to the umbelliferae clan, its small, flat, white or pale pink flowers are borne in the characteristic clusters in early summer, and attract beneficial insects just as the flowers of their cousins, parsley and fennel, do.

Coriander goes to seed, or bolts, quickly; it will self-seed in the garden or, if you want a predictable supply, succession plant it at two week intervals into mid-summer. The seeds – small, round, light brown - are what we find in the store labeled "coriander". If you want to cook with them, as you might expect, homegrown ones have more flavor. In most of the references I use, only the seeds of this plant are discussed, and in a couple of books from English writers the leaves are never mentioned. In Indian cooking, coriander seeds are used in curries and chutneys, and are an ingredient in the spice mixture called "garam masala". With a warm, almost sweet, even orangey aroma and flavor, coriander seeds are increasingly used here in dishes where cinnamon and cloves are found - cookies and apple pie, for example.

Like most of the herbs we have today, humans have used coriander for thousands of years; it is mentioned in Sanskrit texts, Egyptian papyri, and the Bible. The Chinese believed it conferred immortality, the Romans brought it to northern Europe, and Spaniards took it to the New World, which brings us to….those leaves, which we call "cilantro". Even the names sound different: coriander, cilantro, seeds, leaves; it is no wonder people are surprised to discover they come from the same plant. "Earthy pungency" is the way one writer describes the leaves' flavor; many others say they taste like soap or worse. (These are usually the same folks who come home with cilantro when they went to the market for flat leaf parsley.) Cilantro became a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine, migrating into New Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. If you don't think it tastes like soap, cilantro adds depth of flavor to salsas, and, added at the end of cooking, to chilis and meat stews such as carne adovado..

Book Note: A basic reference book on herbs which I have long used is Lesley Bremness' "Complete Book of Herbs", published by Viking Studio Books in 1988. A new favorite is "Jekka's Complete Herb Book" by Jekka McVicar. My copy was published in 2005 by Kyle Books. This book is well-organized; full of gorgeous color photographs, and contains useful sections on propagation, pests and diseases, and herb garden design.

- Sandy Lentz

Important Dates:

Friday, October 3^rd Strategic Planning and Pot Luck

9:00 AM – Planning Session

11:30 AM – Pot Luck Luncheon

Location: DuPage Office

Wednesday, October 8^th, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Tucking in Your Garden Bed – Pat Kosmach, DuPage County Master Gardener

Come learn the best way to prepare your yard for a long winter's nap.

Location: DuPage Office

Saturday, October 11^th Earth Summit

Wheaton Franciscan Center

26 W 171 Roosevelt RD

Wheaton, IL 60189

The 12-hour long event begins at 8:00 a.m. on the restored Wheaton Franciscan prairie. Throughout the day, families and attendees of all ages are invited to experience various presentations, panel discussions, and artistic expressions (essays, poems, student art, student/adult produced films, paintings, drawings, dance, sculpture and more) designed to celebrate the goodness of creation with which we are entrusted. Food vendors and musical entertainment will round out the day's offerings.

University of Illinois Extension will have a booth on vermicomposting.

Continuing Education Opportunities:

Join us in the DuPage Office conference room for these upcoming telenets.

Tuesday, September 30^th – 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

or

Thursday, October 2^nd – 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Going Green with Evergreens - Chris Hilgert, Extension Educator, Horticulture

There are plenty of low-maintenance, hardy evergreens that you can add to your landscape. Think beyond yews and learn about other evergreens, such as hemlocks and arborvitaes.

Tuesday, October 14^th, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Backyard Composting – Duane Friend, Unit Educator, Horticulture

Fall is a great time to start a compost pile that will reward you with black gold – compost! Come learn how to make this natural soil amendment in your own backyard.

Tuesday, October 21^st, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Introduction to Prairies – Ken Robertson, Professional Scientist/INHS

Once covering 22 million acres, today only 2,200 acres of high-quality prairie is left in Illinois. Join Ken Robertson, prairie expert with the Illinois Natural History Survey, to learn the ecology, history and diversity of prairies, along with prairie establishment and management ideas.

Monday, November 3, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. OR 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Duane Friend, Extension Educator, Natural Resources Management

Rain from impervious surfaces can be captured and used to create an aesthetically pleasing area termed a rain garden. Learn the various aspects of developing a rain garden including: benefits, design and recommended plants.

Don't forget registration and a $10 fee is required for the telenets.

Visit our website to register.

"The Garden Thymes" is the official newsletter for DuPage area MGs. If you misplace your copy, it can be found at our DuPage County Extension website. From time to time, you may have something you would like to share with fellow MGs or perhaps include an article of your own. We would love to hear from you!! As always, your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

· Issue #1 for 2009 - November 26, 2008

DuPage County Extension Office
1100 E. Warrenville RD - Suite 170
Naperville, Illinois 60563
Telephone: 630-955-1123
FAX: 630-955-1180

http://www.extension..uiuc.edu/dupage

The Extension Service of the University of Illinois provides educational programs and unbiased research-based information to help Illinois residents improve their quality of life, develop skills and solve problems, by helping you put knowledge to work.

The Illinois Extension Service provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Links in this newsletter are for the enjoyment of the readers and should not be considered endorsements.