Annual RPMGA Recognition Dinner - November 3, 2016

It's been a good year for the RPMGA and the UWEX Master Gardener Program.


UWEX Horticulture Educator, Christy Marsden, taught a number of new MGV students.


The RPMGA Advisory Committee put together a series of monthly events that were both educational and fun.


To celebrate this year's accomplishments the RPMGA will host Christy, her graduates, RPMGA members and their families to our annual Recognition Dinner Potluck.

Apple Tart

The event will be held at Craig Center at the Rock County Fairgrounds and dinner will begin at 5:30 PM. Come a little early to get your dish settled in the kitchen.  There are plenty of outlets for crock pots and even an oven and a microwave if you need them.



RPMGA will provide pulled pork and pulled chicken BBQ, buns, drinks and tableware.   We would love to see and taste your favorite dishes - maybe even those that are made from the fruits and vegetables from your own gardens.

Vegan Onion Bread

RECAP volunteers will help us set up and tear down and will stay and have dinner with us during the event.

Pulled Pork sandwich with veggies.

Rainbow Salad

Brocc & Cauli Bake

Lemon Bars

I added these scrumptious photos not as suggestions, simply as visual teasers to get your creative juices flowing.  Looking forward to all the goodies! 

Master Gardeners donate Adirondack chairs to Rotary Botanical Garden

Since its beginnings in 1988, Rotary Botanical Garden (RBG) has relied on the services of literally hundreds of volunteers to help with the day to day chores of maintaining the internationally recognized 20-acre botanical garden.  Volunteers plant, prune, weed, water and care for the hundreds of varieties of plants on the grounds at RBG.  They teach educational classes for adults and children.  In addition, they build hardscaping to decorate the gardens and spend hours stringing lights for the Holiday Light show. Volunteers are the heart of the staff at RBG.  Without them RBG would not be able to maintain its quality of excellence.

Of those volunteers dozens - more than half - are current or former Master Gardener Volunteers.   Many of those volunteers are members of the Rock Prairie Master Gardener Association, the 42nd organization of its kind in Wisconsin.  All Wisconsin MGVs are educated by horticulture educators who work for the University of Wisconsin Extension (UWEX).  

Rotary's relationship with the UWEX and the MGVs began when Rock County UWEX Horticulture Educator and Agricultural Agent Dennis Nehring (with the help of RBG staff Julie Budrow (1998-2000) and Kelli Stacionis (2000-2003)) began Rock County's Master Gardener Program subsequent to encouragement from RBG.  In those early days, the program graduated about 30 certified MGVs each year.  Through an agreement with RBG students and graduates alike worked as volunteers at the gardens to earn 100% of the 40 volunteer hours required to either acquire or maintain their certification.  Today MGVs are only required to earn 24 volunteer hours per year. Many MGVs still choose to volunteer at the gardens not just to earn their volunteer hours, but because of their love for and loyalty to the gardens. Following Nehring's retirement in 2002, Mike Maddox became half time horticulture educator for the UWEX and half time horticulture educator for RBG.  After Mike's departure in 2011 to take on the duties of State Master Gardener Coordinator, Christy Marsden came on as horticulture educator in 2013, a position she holds to this day.  

To celebrate our years of involvement in the beauty that is Rotary Botanical Gardens the RPMGA has donated two Adirondack chairs to the gardens.  Each has a small plaque on the back that reads "In appreciation of Rock Prairie Master Gardener Volunteers."

The chairs are currently placed in the Reception Garden with six others of the same color.  Each of these lovely wooden chairs provides a comfortable place where visitors can stop for a moment and rest while they enjoy the beauty of the gardens. 

October 6 field day far better than anticipated

This month's field day on Thursday, Oct. 6 turned out to be far more exciting and informative than anticipated.

We started at Al's Auto Body and Arboretum and learned a good deal about the history of the operation and his plans for the future.  Although the plants weren't at their peak because the season is late, Al was a gracious host who helped us understand his focus on the humble hosta.  A number of us came home with plants in the trunk.

Al in his Arboretum

After leaving Al's we headed south to just outside Harvard, Illinois to Royal Oak Orchard Farm where we had a covered wagon tour of the orchard and a highly informative and very unexpected impromptu lecture on biodiversity and IPM in their orchard by Dennis M. Norton the orchard keeper at Royal Oak.  He has a blog (The Orchardkeeper/) with articles going back to 2006.  This was the original blog and contains a link to a newer version.

We were all very impressed with Dennis's range of knowledge.  We are hoping to invite him to visit Janesville sometime over the winter to give us his 2 hour presentation on fruit tree care and maintenance.  Below is 4 generations of this orchard family which began with Peter and Gloria Bianchi.  Dennis is shown at the far left.

The Royal Oak family.

 

October Event Reminder - Al's and Royal Oak Farm Apple Orchard

Just a reminder that Thursday is our October event - a visit to Al's Auto Body and Arboretum, followed by a visit to Royal Oak Farm Apple Orchard.

We have had quite a number of inquiries about this event and just want to reassure everyone that we will be going rain or shine.  Remember to bring your umbrella and wear water-proof footwear.

Spoke with Al this morning just to confirm our visit and to check on what he'd do if it rained.  He's fine with rain or shine.

One other update - the individual who will be leading our wagon tour at the orchard is an employee named Beth, not Bev Drew as was noted in the newsletter. 

If you wish to carpool or caravan to Al's we will be begin our journey by meeting at 574 Midland Road, Janesville, which is the vacant property that was once Denny's next to the Baymont Inn.  We will be leaving there about 8:20.  Drive time is about a half hour from there to Al's.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Thursday! 

If you have any questions about this event contact me (Mary Thompson) at 608-322-4800 or by email at mastergardenermary@gmail.com.