Scion – March 2019

Volume 29, Issue 3 – March 2019

My first order of business this month is to thank the more than 94 rodeo volunteers who worked 2,482 hours this year. I send an especially big “thank you” to our Guadalupe County Master Gardeners who helped from construction to tear down. AgriLife support from David Rodriguez and Ruby Zavala was phenomenal again this year. Our rodeo committee did a great job in training and leading their volunteers to insure our further success: Mary Mangiapane (Volunteer sign-ups), Brian and Candy Roach (Van Drivers), Richard Geisler (Construction – Tear Down), Ted Ritchie (Watering Team), Lynn Cox (Plant Sales/MG Booth), Susan Noonan (Hospitality), Barbara Lutz (Landscaping), Ann Marie Pease (Leaflet notices), Lou Kellogg (Water Saver) and Bill Swantner (Tree Give-away).

This year’s Rodeo ended February 24^th with $14,963.61 in gross plant sales. Almost 12,000 children came through the HEB Little Buckaroo Tent for our educational and fun exhibits. Total attendance to the booth has not been tallied but the rain, wind and lots of sun all contributed to this year’s success.

WE NEED HELP, PLEASE MASTER GARDENERS!! In March, we have growing volunteer opportunities: For the Culinary Docents we have added shifts for Spring Break, and we additionally support Monarch Festival at the Zoo, Cultivate! (our signature event), SAWS Spring Bloom, Youth Garden Educator training, and the Garden Center Plant Sale, to name a few.

Birdies for Charity wraps up this month, March 28! Remember, your donation benefits the Master Gardeners 100%, so please send a contribution! You could even win a “Stay-and-Play Package to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country and TPC San Antonio. More information on donating follows in this Scion.

New opportunities will be coming soon, so please stay tuned.

Thanks for your support,

Grace Emery

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Links to Information & Registration

Did You Hear? CULTIVATE! has been designated a “Super Saturday” WaterSaver Rewards Event by SAWS!
This means you can earn all seven points needed to earn a total of $150 in coupons to spend on tools, mulch, plants, and more, in one day! You must be a SAWS customer and sign up for the WaterSaver Rewards program prior to earning points.

Don’t Miss this Month’s Culinary Demonstration!

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NEXT BCMG Board Meeting will take place 3-5 pm on Thu, Mar 21 at 3355 Cherry Ridge 78230. If you are interested in placing items on the agenda, email President Grace Emery by Thu, Mar 14. And, all members are welcome to observe the meetings; however, in order to accommodate seating, please email Grace Emery that you will be attending.

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Master Gardeners (from left) Nora Fellows, Jennifer Sierra, Linda Sierra, Megan Kromer, and Glen Godwin working the H&G Show BCMG booth. Photo by Anna Vogler.

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FEEDBACK NEEDED: Rodeo Plant Sale – Post-Event Evaluation

Friday, March 8, 9:30-11:00 am, Large meeting room, AgriLife Extension Office

For all Shift Coordinators and any interested shift volunteers.

We will be gathering feedback on the 2019 Rodeo Plant Sale including training, scheduling, plant sale signage, shift duties, communication, and anything else that will enhance our 2020 Rodeo Plant Sale. Please plan to attend. VH Code 400.

For more information contact Lynn Cox at [email protected].

2019 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Emerald Ash Borer. Fri, Mar 1st, 1pm, online, A Viewing Party will be held at the A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, for those who would like to attend the webinar with company! Please RSVP to Molly Keck so she can plan room for all attendees. 1 CEU; Code 001

Earth-Kind Home Gardening Series #3: Fruit & Nuts, featuring AgriLife Ext. Agent, David Rodriguez, Wed, Mar 6, 6:30 – 8:30pm, AgriLife Ext. Off., 3355 Cherry Ridge, Ste 208, 78230, $15. Register under “Here’s the Latest”. 2 CEU; Code 001.

BROWN BAG – LUNCH & LEARN FOR MARCH: Growing a Spring Vegetable Garden. Speaker: Karen Gardner, BCMG. Join the lunch group on Fri, Mar 8, at Noon in the AgriLife Ext. Off., 3355 Cherry Ridge, Ste 208. 1 CEU; Code 001. FREE

New Culinary Docent & Refresher Training Coming Up!!

A new Culinary Garden Docent Class, is set for Saturday, March 9, 2019, from 10am to 1pm for all interested BCMG members, and also as a Spring refresher for current Culinary Docents to preview the spring plantings. Training will take place in the Education Center Classroom at SABOT near the Culinary Garden. New docents should contact Nadezhda Garza, SABOT Volunteer Coordinator at 210-536-1415. Sign up in VMS. Questions: email President Grace Emery.

Earth-Kind Home Gardening Series #4: Vegetable Gardening – Warm Weather, featuring AgriLife Ext. Agent, David Rodriguez, Wed, Mar 20, 6:30 – 8:30pm, AgriLife Ext. Off., 3355 Cherry Ridge, Ste 208, 78230, $15. Register under “Here’s the Latest”. 2 CEU; Code 001.

Class 63 starts August 21, 2019; classes meet every Wednesday from Noon – 4 pm for 13 weeks
Cost: $260 payable in full on the 1^st day of class
Application available online early May (BCMG website)
Application deadline: June 17, 2019
Approved applicants must attend a group interview (Group Interviews in July)
For more information visit Bexar County Master Gardeners website at https://www.bexarmg.org/get-involved/ or Bexar County website at https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu

Spring Youth Garden Educator Training: Sat, Mar 2, 7:30am – 3:00pm, Northside Activity Center, 7001 Culebra Rd, 78238. Set up breakfast & lunch for teachers, organize plants, timekeep, assist with questions. Lunch provided. Sign up in VMS. Code: 1200

SA Garden Center Plant Sale: Sat, Mar 16, 12:30 – 4, SA Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels, 78209. Help customers, answer gardening questions. Come early – Lunch provided. Sign up in VMS. Code 0700.

Volunteers needed 10am – 1pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays thru March. NEW SPRING BREAK SHIFTS ADDED: Mar 12 – 17. VMS has all dates/times for sign-ups! VMS Code 100.

SA Zoo Monarch Festival: Sat & Sun, Mar 23-24, morning and afternoon shifts between 9am – 5:00pm, 3403 N St Mary’s St. Plant sales, kids activities, gardening information. Sign up in VMS, Code 0100.

Spring Bloom 2019: Saturday, March 9, 9am to 1pm, SAWS Headquarters (2800 US HWY 281 at Mulberry). Opportunity to earn up to 3 WaterSaver Rewards points and a $50 coupon to use toward water-conserving mulch for your landscape, plus first 1,000 visitors get a free plant.

9:30am – Good Bug, Bad Bug: 10 Bugs Everyone Should Know by Molly Keck, TX A&M AgriLife Ext.
10:30am – Texas – It’s a Whole ‘Nother Country: A Newcomer’s Guide to Gardening in South Texas by Anna Vogler, BCMG
11:35 am – What Everyone New to San Antonio and Gardening Should Know – The Organic Perspective by Bob Webster

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HELP IDENTIFY COMMUNITY NEEDS: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will be having a Texas Community Futures Forum Friday, April 5^th to assess the community’s needs. Four program areas will be addressed: Agriculture & Natural Resources, Families & Health, Youth Development and Community Development.

ATTENTION: COLLEGE STUDENTS!!!!!!

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Registration for the 2019 TMGA Conference is underway for the April 25-27, 2019 event hosted by the Victoria County Master Gardeners. Speakers, food, tours, garden-crafty workshops are planned. Registration Mar 1 – Apr 1 is $200. Leadership training on April 24. For more info and registration, visit the Conference website.

The 17th biennial conference for the International Master Gardener community, Penn’s Woods: Digging into Our Roots, will be held June 17-21, 2019 at the Valley Forge Casino Resort, Valley Forge, PA. Registration is now open.

Travel to the Far East with Barbara Lutz, Part 2

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Please hover at the bottom of the page above to bring up the control arrows to go to a different page in this .pdf article.

CVG volunteers at Phil Hardberger Park getting ready for Spring gardening!

Shed cleanup complete — happy gardeners: Kathy & Gene (spouse) Breniman, Paula Peters, Terry Larison (friend).
Paula Peters & friend finished fall cleanup.
Ready to spread fresh mulch for Spring! Standing: Marie LeBlanc, Melanie Short, Marybeth Parsons, Lee Zinn, Kathy Breniman, Joan Cornell, Linda Cace. Kneeling: Miranda McCullough (friend), Juliana Robledo, Paula Peters, Joan Cleary.