ANNOUNCEMENTS
| To All Volunteers who helped with our Annual Poinsettia Sale! We couldn’t do it without you! Friday, December 6, was a great day for Poinsettias pick up….no rain in sight. Just under 800 plants, and we had a strong, well-organized team of Volunteers. All of you were a big help and fun to work with. Task Accomplished!!! |
BCMG is a Birdies for Charity© participating organization and will receive $10 proceeds from each Valero Texas Open ticket purchased online at ValeroTexasOpen.com/tickets. Email Barbara Lutz if you have any questions!
Order Your NEW BCMG Merchandise thru December 15th!
Polos and Tees for Ladies & Men along with an apron bearing our new logo will look great at gardening events! For more information and to order online, click here.
All MGs Who:
- Complete (and record in VMS) their certification hours by December 15, and
- Pay their dues by December 31
Will receive a new name badge FREE.
Additional badges can be purchased for $8 at the BCMG office. New badges will be available for pick up at the January 16 Rodeo Kick-off meeting. Badges with the old logo are not to be worn after the January meeting. Find more information, and to pay online, visit our website‘s Annual Dues page under the Members tab.
STILL NEED CEUs TO MEET THE SIX CEU ANNUAL REQUIREMENT??
Brown Bag Lunch & Learn: Holiday Plant Gift Ideas with MG Stephanie Jones on Friday, December 13, 2019 from Noon to 1pm at the County Extension Office. 1 CEU. Code 001.
Essentials of Gardening on Monday 16 December, 2019 from 12pm-3pm at the Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels at Funston. See Flyer here. 1 CEU per session. Code 001. Free and open to the public. $5.00 Donation Requested. Light Potluck provided and items always welcomed. Plant Sale And Swap. Door Prizes.
Don’t Forget: If you attended the BCMG Holiday Party on Thu, Dec 5, you can record 1 CEU, Code 001 towards your 2019 requirement.
And, here are some approved online sources for you:
- Earthkind Training at Aggie Horticulture. This is a one-time opportunity for Master Gardeners to earn up to 3 CEUs.
- 2019 All Bugs Good and Bad. Webinar Series – each WEBINAR earns 1 CEU.
- Listen to David Rodriguez’s Lawn and Garden Show live on Saturdays on WOAI 1200AM from 7-9am (1 CEU) or to the podcast. Limit 1.
Please record any/all of these CEUs as Code 001, and include the Title for each. If you have any questions, email Lisa Nixon, Membership Coordinator.
COMING IN 2020
The Bexar County Master Gardeners YouTube Channel
The BCMG YouTube Channel will include some of the BCMG Brown Bag presentations and presentations given by speakers at our general meetings. In January, the BCMG YouTube channel will present Jay White, owner/editor of the Texas Gardener magazine. Jay will share his love for organic gardening, along with some great stories and trivia about gardening. Remember, the YouTube Channel does not goes live until January 1, 2020. |
BCMG Reporting Guidelines for Volunteer Hours (VHs) and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Reporting our hours is important for two reasons:
- Annual Certification – BCMGs must volunteer 30 hours (VH), receive 6 hours of continuing education (CEUs), and attend two BCMG monthly meetings.
- Funding – Our hours of service (VHs) are reported by AgriLife Extension Service to the state and all funding organizations with accuracy very important, esp. for funding organizations.
See the details of these clarification points on reporting hours at the Members page of our BCMG Website:
- Report hours as soon as you can
- Travel “time” is not volunteer time
- No double dipping
- Use accurate hours
- Record hours to the nearest 1/2 hour
NOTE: Any MG who is not going to meet their required volunteer and/or CEU hours for certification, but wants to continue their active MG status for 2020, should contact David Rodriguez early. Please provide him an explanation of your situation, and a summary of the hours you have recorded in VMS for 2019.
BCMG January Rodeo Kick-Off Meeting
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Bring your favorite Chili, Cornbread, or other dish to share! And don’t forget your calendar to sign-up for Rodeo Shifts. Learn all about the BCMG location, greatest news on 2020 Rodeo, the 2020 Rodeo Tomato, and much more! 1 CEU. BCMG Code: 002.
Meeting Agenda:
6:00-6:40: Chili Dinner, Rodeo Shift sign-ups, New Badge & Merchandise pick-up
6:40-7:40: BCMG Business Meeting & Rodeo Information
7:30-8:00: Rodeo Chairs – Introduction & Announcements
*You can also pay your annual dues of $25 (payable by Dec 31st) before the late fee ($40 total) begins Feb. 1.
The SA Stock Show & Rodeo will take place Feb 6-23, 2020. MGs must have 3 forms signed: a Release and Indemnification form, a Peterson Brother’s Release (for parking) and a Van Release (for riding the shuttle van). All forms will be available at the office and can be turned into Mike, BCMG Office Manager. Deadline is January 16, 2020. Notarization is not needed this year! Or mailed to: ATTN: Rodeo Form, Bexar County Master Gardeners, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Ste. 208, San Antonio, TX 78230
BCMGs: Check the 2020 Rodeo page (available soon) under the Members tab on the BCMG website for all the BCMG Rodeo information and updates. For more information, email BCMG Rodeo Chair, Grace Emery.
Calling All Rodeo Construction Workers!
It’s time to get organized! Please email Grace Emery your name, email address and cell phone number. We plan to use emails or text messages to communicate the work agenda for each construction day. Appreciate you volunteering now to be a member of the 2020 Rodeo Construction Team.
Bags, Bags, Bags! Collect for Rodeo Plant Sale! Drop off at the office, or bring to our monthly meetings!
SIGN-UP for VOLUNTEER EVENTS using the Event Calendar in the VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – VMS.Find number of volunteers still needed, who has signed up, Project Code and even request an event reminder! REMEMBER: If you volunteer for any event and have a last minute change of plans, please contact the coordinator listed on VMS to let them know!
| Children’s Vegetable Garden Work Party Join Fellow MG’s for the Children’s Vegetable Garden Work Party at SABOT on THIS Saturday, December 14 at 8:00am to 11:00am. Check in with Mary Fernandez upon arrival. Come and help with miscellaneous chores to put the garden to sleep! Please bring gloves and drinking water; wear long sleeve shirts and appropriate shoes. Great opportunity if you still need volunteer hours! Log in at VMS and selectCode 1200. See you at the Children’s Vegetable Garden Program, (555 Funston Pl). Park at the backside of the Botanical Garden adjacent to Fort Sam. Please see map for location & parking information. |
MGs Who Have Completed SABOT Culinary Docent Training!
Come and complete your annual volunteer certification hours! Schedule your shifts today! December shifts are 10am to 1pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus Mon, Dec 23. VMS has all dates/times for sign-ups! VMS Code 0100.
Be the Master Gardener with all the Answers! Volunteer for a shift on our “Ask a Master Gardener” service: Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 8am. to Noon. Check our website page for more information on this service. And, email Denise Perez or Nicolas Vazquez to volunteer!
See all the Details for Classes in the Bexar County area on the MG Calendar! Classes listed below may be of special interest to you:
Brown Bag Lunch & Learn: Holiday Plant Gift Ideas on Friday, December 13, 2019 from 12pm-1pm at the County Extension Office. 1 CEU. Code 001.
Essentials of Gardening on Monday 16 December, 2019 from 12pm-3pm at the Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels at Funston. See Flyer here. 1 CEU per session. Code 001. Free and open to the public. $5.00 Donation Requested. Light Potluck provided and items always welcomed. Plant Sale And Swap. Door Prizes.
- 1st Presentation 12:15pm-1:15pm. Claudette Rogers: Milberger’s Landscaping and Nursery. “How To Properly Care and Maintain Your Holiday Treasures”.
- 2nd Presentation 1:30pm-2:30pm. David Rodriguez: Bexar County Extension Agent-Horticulture “2019 Is Almost Gone. What You Should Do To Get Ready In Your Yard, Beds and Landscaping for 2020.”
Fruit Tree Seminar, hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. You won’t want to miss one! Everyone wants their own orchard! Learn from the best experts in the area on January 24, 2020 at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Flyer & Agenda here. . Space is limited and this class will fill up, so be sure to register early! No registrations at the door. 7 CEUs; Code 001
JMG National Leader Training & 20th Anniversary Celebration, February 24-26, 2020 in College Station. Details Online. 1 CEU per hr; Code 001
Earn one CEU of the minimum six CEUs required for Master Gardener re-certification by listening to at least one archived WOAI 1200 AM Lawn & Garden Show podcast. Or, earn one CEU (of minimum six required CEUs) by listening to a LIVE broadcast of the WOAI 1200 AM Lawn and Garden from 7-10am on a Saturday morning. You can only record one CEU per year using the radio broadcast option! VMS CEU Code 001
2020 TEXAS MASTER GARDENER ADVANCED COURSES offered at the TMGA website. If you are interested in attending any courses, please email David Rodriguez, Extension Agent-Horticulture, Bexar County. BCMG CEU Code: 001.
Vegetables – Feb 19-21 hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center Dallas
Plant Propagation – Apr 17-18 hosted by Dallas County in Dallas
Vegetables – 5-7 May hosted by Bexar County
Texas Superstars® – May 26-28 hosted by Bexar County
Rainwater Harvesting – Sep 24-26 hosted by Tarrant County in Fort Worth
Greenhouse Management – Oct 15-17 hosted by Tarrant County in Fort Worth
Get Out Your 2020 Calendar: The Texas Master Gardener Assn Conference will be hosted by the McLennan County Master Gardener Association May 12-14, 2020 at the Waco Convention Center. Conference hotels are already filling up! Check out the planned Speakers, Tours, Workshops & Breakout Sessions by viewing the slide presentation from the August TMGA Director’s Meeting.
Great Gardening Events on the BCMG Calendar. Bookmark the Calendar and visit it frequently! Here is a sampling of what is coming up:
- Dec 11: Texas Native Trails Working Workshop
- Dec 12: BCMG Board of Directors Meeting
- Dec 14 & 15: Dog Days: Deck the Paws
| Kids, Kows and More: Read all about the nearly 900 third graders who attended the two-day San Antonio agricultural expo in a recent Agrilife TODAY article HERE. Photo by Paul Schattenberg |
Order your 1-year Texas Gardener Magazine at the discounted Master Gardeners’ price for a limited time only; prices include Shipping and Taxes. Printed Magazine: $18.71 or Online Version: $14.96
For those of you who shop online, our BCMG Treasurer, Kathann ElAmin, has set up Bexar County Master Gardeners as a recipient of donations on Amazon Smile. If you have an amazon.com account and you log in instead at smile.amazon.com, you will be able to select Bexar County Master Gardeners as a charity.
The AmazonSmile Foundation contributes 0.5 percent of eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. Remember, you must be logged into smile.amazon.com—donations will not be applied to purchases made on the Amazon.com main site or mobile app.
This is a great way to get your holiday shopping done and help BCMG at the same time!
Dog Days: Deck the Paws on Sat & Sun, Dec 14-15, 9am-5pm at SABot: dog-friendly weekend at the Botanical Garden! Animal Defense League will also be onsite from 10am–2pm. Note: Dogs are welcome in most areas of the Botanical Garden except for Culinary Garden and Kitchen, Family Adventure Garden, and Children’s Vegetable Garden.
