January 10, 2007

January Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 18 at 5:30 pm at the Extension Office. Topics will include Joys of Gardening, Master Gardener Training, and other upcoming events and activities. This will also be a Garden Book Exchange, so if you have any related books you would like to pass on to other Master Gardeners, please bring them!

Telenets

The Winter Telenets begin with Emerald Ash Borer and Other Invasive Species on Feb. 13 at 1:00 pm and Feb 15 at 7:00 pm. There is no cost for Master Gardeners. Please call to pre-register–they will be cancelled if there is no enrollment. Spring Lawn Care will be presented at 1:00 pm on February 27 and 7:00 pm March 1. The final Winter offering will be Aggressive Thugs in the Flower Garden, March 13 at 1:00 pm and March 15 at 7:00 pm. If you would like a brochure of the entire year's series, please call the office to have one mailed.

Master Gardener Training

We are very excited to be hosting the upcoming Master Gardener Training for the NW Illinois area, which begins on Friday, January 26 and concludes on March 30 The training will be held at Highland and current Master Gardeners as well as interns are welcome to attend the training for a refresher on topics. If you would like the schedule, please contact the office. At present, we have 30 trainees, including 17 from Stephenson County. Part of the training will be lunchtime presentations by Master Gardeners, describing the existing projects in the county (and a few that we'd like to see started!). Thanks to those who have recruited, answered questions and interviewed applicants.

Joys of Gardening , Saturday, February 17, 2007

Plans are underway for Joys of Gardening–several brochures are included in this mailing (Margaret's editorial comment: I think this is the best schedule I've seen since I've started–thanks to all who have been involved!). There are still opportunities to volunteer as room hosts, help with packet registration and other day-of things. If you cannot come to the meeting on the 18th, but would like to help, please give Donna a call to let her know.

Volunteer Agreements Needed

The University of Illinois requires all volunteers to sign a Volunteer Agreement on an annual basis. Many of you signed one at the Holiday Party. If you did not, there is one included in this mailing. Please complete it and return it to the office at your earliest convenience.

2006 Service Records Due

Hopefully, you have been recording your volunteer work as the year has progressed. Each year, we ask that you complete a service record, which we then use to compile county volunteer hours and projects for reporting to the state office. Please try to return these by the end of January. Donna has a file of those that have already been turned in, in case you have forgotten. A blank form is included–if you have already turned in 2006, please use it for 2007.

Stephenson County Home Show

We will once again have a Master Gardener booth at the Stephenson County Home Show, which will be held March 17 and 18 at the YMCA. We know that those of you who volunteered last year had a great time and answered lot of questions. We hope that you will be willing to help again this year.

Journal Standard Gardening Column

The Journal Standard has asked Extension and the Master Gardeners to provide weekly articles to replace the Mississippi written "Grow It" feature in the Saturday paper. Several Master Gardeners have submitted articles or are working on them. If you have topics that would benefit the J-S's local readership and would like to write an article, please contact Margaret Larson. Please consider gardening topics for all seasons, of local interest, or maybe just what your favorite topic might be.

Master Gardener Help Line Numbers for 2006

Thanks to the loyal Master Gardeners who staffed the Helpline throughout the growing season. We reported in the last Extension Quarterly Report that a total of 204 request for information and assistance came in, including 146 calls, 50 walk ins and 4 personal contacts. This represents an important service to the residents of Stephenson County.

Food for Thought

Our friends at the Northwest Illinois Audubon Society are planning their annual program "Making Food Choices for a Healthy Environment and Healthy Communities" on Saturday, February 10 at Oakdale Nature Preserve in Freeport. For more information on this program, email Laura Dufford at dldufford@bhawk.net or call the Extension Office.