Garden Festival 2012 "Grow It, Eat It"

The Garden Festival team has been very busy organizing and planning this years' event.  As you know, we have moved to the Rock County Fairgrounds which allows us access to water, plenty of electricty for everyone and real bathrooms.   Robin A has updated our posters and the Garden Festival event on Facebook, she even added the vendor applications, pie baking contest forms and the 4 on 1 posters, in case anyone wants to print some out and start talking up the festival.  Thanks Robin.You can also access these  forms by contacting me or Robin.   Our talks and hands on demonstrations slots are almost filled up, the vendors keep coming in and several of our MG's are creating educational displays to share.  I will do a complete list at the end of this message for those of you interested in our offerings.  We can still add more education if anyone has a project or info they want to contribute.   We have been following up with potential sponsors, as well as pie donators, many thanks to the GF team members for helping out with this.  Deb V and Laurie O were planning on ordering our shirts this week.  I have been taking a general  inventory and coming up with a supply list, Laura B has offered to do our shopping this year.  This is a huge job but one of many that can be done before the actual event.  Let us know if you want to help with something like this.  Remember, our MG  hours are due by August 31, this is almost the last chance to get those completed!  Erika will be contacting volunteers soon.  Volunteer time slots are 5-8 pm Friday, August 24 to help set up, Saturday, August 25, early am to help Mike with the tomato harvest and delivery,  Saturday 7:30 am to  help with last minute set ups, 8:30-12:30  and 12-4 for event help.  We have need of all kinds of help, from parking to booth helpers (see below) to working with the kids stuff.  If you have a special area you would like to work, let a team member or Erika know ASAP. We also need your shirt sizes, we would like to have them ready for everyone to wear at the event, also remember to wear your name tags.   We would really like a larger participation in our pie baking contest this year, can everyone start promoting it to your friends, family, co-workers, etc  Pre-registration is required, make sure possible entrants are aware they need to do this, we cannot let entrants walk in for this.  We are also accepting pie donations for the pie
sale fundraiser throughout the day.  Thanks to you all for making this our best Garden Festival yet!                                                                               
                                                                                          The Garden Festival Team
 Talks
Janice Peterson (MG) -"Grains of the World"
 Patty Bailey (Patty's Plants) -"Autumn's Bounty, Extending Your Garden Season"
 Beth (TIPI produce)- "All About CSA"s"
 Mark Dwyer (RBG) -"Ornamental Edibles"
  Hands On Demonstrations
 Mary Kay Thompson (JSTAC)- "Pruning: Proper Techniques, Tools and Times"
Nick Bartel (Charming B's)-"Veggie Soup & Flatbread Pizzas"
Barb Converse (MG-PHA)- "Soil Samples- The Basics"
Beth Rude (P Dickey's)- "Cooking with Mushrooms from Rock County"
Educational Booths, Displays, Etc
Tomato Tastings by The Walworth County MG's
Fried Green Tomatoes by JAHS plus selling their goodies
Recipes & Safe Handling Procedures, Etc by HCE plus sell their goodies
GMO's by Joanne Ekena (MG)
Bees by the Rock County Beekeepers
Rock County Conservationists
Rock County Parks
Biodegradable Pots by Janice Peterson (MG)
Bugs by Jim & Sue Jersild (MG)
JSTAC
PHA's by RPMGA MG's
Phenology by Sandy Kallas (MG)
Grains of the World by Janice Peterson (MG)
Horticulture Therapy by Karen Bernard (MG)
Community Garden Outreach
Grow It, Try It, Like by Julie Gibes  (MG) (for kids but I think adults will like too)
Native Plants and Invasive Species by Rose & Werner Last (MG)
Edible Ornamentals by Mark Dwyer (RBG)
Why Eat My Veggies? by Deb Grams (MG)
Soil by Deb Grams (MG)
Compost by Jim Haseman (CGO)
Peppers & Ristras
Squash by Roy & Mary Williams (MG)
Welty Envionmental Center (kids stuff)
Decorate mini gourds (kids)
Make a paper pot
Transplanting
Weeds by Deb Grams & Jim Haseman (CGO)
ABC's of Agriculture (kids coloring activity)
Milli-compost game by Barb Converse (we need to fix this up first!!)
Pie Contest (9 am sharp) then pie sales as our fundraiser
EAB by Robin Anderson (MG)
Basics
Bower City Garden Group
Horseradish by Kay Rochi (MG & JAHS)
Eat It, Drink It by Elsa Rockwell (MG & JAHS)
Community Garden Outreach