Beth Chisholm
It has been a busy few weeks here at the office. Amber and I are gearing up for the new 2016 training and fielding community requests for composting renovations, worm bins with kids, school garden support, rain garden tours and much more. I’m excited for the 2016 training to get underway. We have 25 students registered for the class and we will begin on February 4th.Many of you know I lost my Auntie last week, she died at the Whatcom Hospice House. She will be missed and I will plant a huge sunflower garden in her honor this summer.
I am late in this request but
hopeful to find a couple takers:
Volunteer classroom assistant for the 2016 training. This job is a great way to audit the
class. The job involves helping with
classroom set up, making refreshments, supporting guest speakers and
students. It’s a fun way to get a
refresher on all the topics. Please call
or email me if you are interested. beth.chisholm@wsu.edu
or (360) 778—5811.
Week 1
Feb 4
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Class
Orientation & Potluck Lunch at YWCA Ballroom
|
Beth
Chisholm & MG Foundation Visits
|
Week 2
Feb 11
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Botany &
Plant Identification
(Ch. 1 & 2)
|
Sue Koenig--
am Lecture
pm Lab
|
Week 3
Feb 18
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Composting
(Ch. 22) |
Andy Bary-
WSU 10-noon
Amber Kelley 1-2pm |
Week 4
Feb 25
|
9:30AM-
3PM
|
Pathology & Diagnostic
|
Jeff Dodson
& Lab
|
Week 5
Mar 3
|
9:30AM-
3PM
|
Entomology
Integrated Pest Management
(Ch. 14,19,20)
|
Dr. Merrill
Peterson (WWU) 10-noon
IPM-- Beth
afternoon trip to Home Depot
|
Week 6
Mar 10
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Best
Practices Pesticide Use
(Ch. 9,23, 24)
|
Dr.
Catherine Daniels (WSU) 10-noon
Compost Field trip – Green Earth Tech, Lynden |
Week 7
Mar 17
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Soils & Plant Nutrition
(Ch. 3,4,5)
|
Chris
Benedict—am lecture
pm Hovander Field Trip (soils mapping) |
Week 8
Mar 24
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Watershed
Stewardship & sustainable practices
Fruits & Vegetables
(Ch. 6,7,8,25)
|
Sue Blake-
am lecture
Afternoon Field trip Cloud Mt Farm Center |
Week 9
Mar 31
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Native,
Herbaceous & Woody Plants, Sustainable Practices
(Ch. 10-12, 21) |
Rae Edwards
&
Afternoon
fieldtrip – Plantas Nativa
|
Week 10
April 7
|
9:30AM-
3PM
|
WEEDS (Ch. 17)
&
Tree Fruits
|
Laurel
Baldwin, Janis Walsworth
Community
partners visit
|
Week 11
April 14 |
9:30AM-
3:30
|
Mock Clinic
AM
Hovander Visit |
FEBURARY 4TH YWCA
Lunch served noon-1 pm
The 2016 Master Gardener Basic training first class
luncheon.
The tradition is the previous year’s graduates host the
first day lunch at the YWCA ballroom. I need 20 volunteers to make this
event a success.
I will be busy with the 25 new trainees so I am turning to
you for help. Please RSVP that you can come and bring a dish to share.
There are no mentors this year so I need 20 willing people
to have lunch and visit with the new class !
We need the following:
·
Room set
up 11am- noon; already signed up-- Karen Saupe and Judy Kasper
·
Food &
beverage coordination—2 people to organized asap (MGs provide potluck food for
students) 15 people bring a dish
·
Clean up—3-4
people—Marilyn Glenn
Mark Your Calendars
EVENTS
8th Annual
Heirloom Seed Swap. Sunday, Jan. 31 at The Majestic, 1027 N. Forest
Street in
Bellingham. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the event runs until 6 p.m. Amateur
and
professional seed savers welcome to bring open-source seeds to share, as well
as seed potatoes and edible tubers. Seeds and monetary donations supports this
event, sponsored by Sustainable Bellingham, Chuckanut Center (Center for Local
Self-Reliance), Salish Seed Guild, Transition Whatcom and others. Volunteers
and
seed savers should contact Naomi at NLSiegel@hotmail.com. For more details,
see
the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1721867661378725/
Annual Plant
Sale, May 7th, at Hovander Homestead Park
Children’s
Story Garden Program is open for registration
Lynden Library Garden Workshops
WSU Extension Master Gardeners Volunteer educators are
excited to partner with
the Lynden Library to bring free public garden
workshops. Our spring topics
include:
March 5th
Soils: Dos & Don’ts for the
home gardener: Learn about soils tests,
the importance of tilth, texture, and temperature.
April 9th
Composting: Discover the art of
home composting! This class covers
the scientific principles of decomposition, outlines
backyard and indoor composting
techniques (e.g., composting with worms), and
sets you on your own unique path
toward composting and resource recovery.
May 21
Tomatoes: Learn the best tips of
growing tomatoes in the Pacific Northwest.
June 11
Berries and more: food crops that you can savor