Page

Master Gardener News

November 2016

2016 Officers:

Lila Waldman, President

Carol Ziehmke, V.P.

Kelly Tomko, Secretary

Barb Rothwell, Treasurer

Lori Nadolski, Reporter

In This Newsletter

MGV November Meeting 1 CCMGV 2016 Activities 2 Election of Officers 2 President’s Message 3-4 Meeting Minutes 5 Book Report 6 Photos from Paul Bergum’s 7 WIMGA Report 8 The Report 9 2017 MGV Dues 9 MGV Timesheet Information 10-11

November MGV Meeting Join Us! for a celebration of the growing season and wrap up of activities for 2016

November 22—6:00 pm—Potluck

Wyocena Town Hall, 119 N Washington St., Wyocena

(NW corner of Hwy 22 and G)

Bring a dish to pass and serving utensils, Coffee and apple cider will be provided

Plates, cups, plasticware, and napkins will be provided

Business Meeting—6:30 pm—Lila

MGV Bingo wrap up with prizes - Becky

Page 2

Page 2

Date Event Program/ Chairperson Nov 7 LGGG Meeting—5:30 pm—Annex Bldg. Nov 22 Pot Luck and Member (Becky Gutzman) Activity, Business Meeting Wyocena Town Hall—6:00 pm

Nov 24 Thanksgiving

Dec No meeting

Jan 24 MGV Meeting—Annex Bldg., Portage Election of Officers, 2017 Budget

Election of Officers: Officers shall be: President, Vice Presi-

dent, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter

President shall provide leadership for the

organization and preside at regular month-

ly meetings. The president shall develop an

agenda for such meetings.

Vice President shall per form duties of

the president in president’s absence. The

vice-president shall work with the treasurer

and the UW-Extension office to encourage

active member participation.

Secretary shall record and keep minutes of

all proceedings. The secretary will publish

the minutes from the previous meeting in

the newsletter and have them approved at

next monthly meeting.

Treasurer shall r eceive and safely keep

all funds of the association and pay out the

same on the order of the President. The

treasurer shall make monthly reports at

each regular meeting of receipts and dis-

bursements.

Reporter shall write and send articles/

photos of association news to local media;

submit articles to association newsletter.

Terms of all officers are one

year. Elections will be held at

the annual meeting in Janu-

ary. Officers shall be active

or intern Master Gardeners.

Nominations will be taken

from the floor prior to elections. No officer

shall hold an office more than two (2) consecu-

tive terms. Voting shall be by secret ballot. A

majority of votes is required to elect an officer.

(Note – Active MGV is a certified MGV who

has paid their $15 dues.)

Notes: Lila Waldman is not eligible to serve as

President in 2017. She may serve in any other

office. Likewise, Barb Rothwell may not serve

as Treasurer for 2017, but may serve in any

other office. Officers may count meeting plan-

ning time and time spent performing officer

duties toward their 24 hours of community

service requirements for each year. It is record-

ed in the Support Services Column.

Also, please think about serving your MGV

organization as one of the officers. Try it for a

year, we have elections each year, so it is very

nice that this organization does not treat becom-

ing an officer like a “life sentence” as in many

other organizations.

Page 3

Did you miss my president’s message in the October newsletter? I was just returning

from our Eastern European trip when Jennifer was putting that newsletter together.

After visiting a friend in Krakow, Poland, we took the train to Budapest where we

boarded a river boat on the Danube River. From there, we traveled to the Black Sea

with stops in Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Although not a garden trip, I

was able to capture a few photos to share with you.

I learned that the Root’s Chocolates presentation by Lisa Nelson in September went

very well. Thanks to Carol for stepping to chair that meeting. I was able to attend

the wreath workshop and meeting on October 25. Paul and Barbie Bergum were very

generous with their wreath supplies and even served us a delicious chili supper. I

came home with a beautiful new wreath of my own creation (with some help from

Paul).

Three CCMGVs assisted Fall River elementary students in planting the microgarden in

October. The Pardeeville kindergarten students will be planting their microgarden

in February. If you are aware of any schools who would like to experience the

microgarden planting and harvest, please contact George to reserve one of the

wagons.

You will find information in this newsletter about the tomato challenge and Jung

Dollars. Please submit your tomato challenge report by November 11. If you wish to

contribute2016 Jung Dollars for the purchase of microgarden supplies, submit them

by December 5. Also, please consider submitting your name as a candidate for an

officer position in our organization.

I look forward to

seeing you at the

November 22 pot luck

and member activity.

Please note that we

will be meeting in the

Wyocena Township

building, located in

the center of the

village.

-by Lila Waldman

Poland Garden Sculpture

Page 4

Tomato Challenge

Be sure to complete and

submit the results of the

blight-resistant tomatoes

that you planted this year.

Submit these reports to

either George or Lila by

November 11. Lila will be

compiling the results,

hopefully in time to share

Jung Dollars

Do you have 2016 Jung Dollar coupons that you’d

like to contribute to Columbia County Master Gar-

deners? If so, please bring them to the November

meeting. If you are unable to attend this meeting,

submit the coupons to either George or Lila by December 5. They need to be

redeemed between December 15-18. We will use them to purchase supplies

for the microgarden.

Officers Needed

At our January meeting we will be

electing officers for 2017. Please con-

sider taking on one of the officer posi-

tions: president, vice president,

treasurer, secretary, or reporter.

Members are able to serve up to two

years in one of these offices. Remem-

ber that all work as a CCMGV officer

counts toward your volunteer hours

requirement.

Flower shop in Poland

Bulgaria fall crocus

Historic village in Romania

Geraniums in Bulgaria

Page 5

Columbia County Master Gardner Volunteers

Meeting Minutes—October 25, 2016

Meeting called to order at 6PM by President Lila Waldman

Secretary report—approved

Treasury report--$6290

Members introduced themselves

Old Business:

Tomato Project, results need to be turned in to county office by Nov 11,

Let’s Get Green and Growing: Will be April 1 in Rio. Keynote speaker will be Olbrich Garden Director Jeff Epping, The fee will be raised to $10 from $5. Those enrolling early

will get a lower rate than late registers and walk-ins.

Articles are being published in the Portage Daily Register but the time line that was origi-

nally created is now off.

Jean Damm is stepping down from the main person taking care of the Portage Public Library flowers and shrubs. (Thanks Jean for your years of devotion and hard work to this project) Is anyone interested in taking on this position? 18 members have paid they dues

for the year. It is not too late to get your money to George.

New Business:

Jungs Dollars. If you have Jungs Dollars and are not going to use them we would appreci-ate your donating them to our organization for purchasing items for the micro gardens in

the classroom project.

Scholarship. It is time to revaluate our scholarship guidelines. The committee is now made up of Becky G, Sandra, Lila W and George. Anyone interested in joining the com-

mittee should contact either Lila or George.

Field Trip. The MGV field trip last summer was considered a success and we are planning another trip for next summer. A committee needs to be set up. Linda and Carol are on

the committee and we need 2 or 3 more members to help.

January program. George K will have a couple of our new Master Gardeners that have just completed their training to give presentations at the meeting. We will also have election of officers. Anyone interested in serving, as an officers should contact Lila or

George.

November program. We will be having a potluck at the Wyocena Town Hall. More infor-

mation will be coming.

Program committee. It was suggested that a program committee be set up to include officers and members. Contact Lila or George if you are interested in serving on this

committee.

Barb moved to adjourn the meeting at 7PM, seconded by Linda.

Acting secretary, Carol Ziehmke.

Page 6

When I first moved to the country in 1974, Organic Gardening & Farming was my reference for vegetable gardening know-how. If I still lived in the country, Turn Here Sweet Corn, a memoir of life on an organic farm, would be my gardening Bible.

In 1991 The Gardens of Eagan, one of the first certified organic farms in Minneso-ta, was the subject of a PBS video essay, and more recently a play based on Atina Diffley’s book, published in 2012, was performed in some Midwestern theaters.

Martin Diffley was the fifth generation of farmers who emigrated from Ireland. He started farming the land in southern Minnesota in 1972. Fourteen-year old Atina, growing up on 100 acres near Holy Hill, dreamed of playing piano and wondering “what will it take to buy land and become a farmer.” It was ten years later, while working for an organic food co-op, that Atina met Martin at his produce stand. He was taken with her immediately but she was married and pregnant at the time, and needed time to find herself before committing to a new partnership.

The University of Minnesota Press describes Turn Here Sweet Corn as “a master class in organic farming, a lesson in entrepreneurship, a love story, and a legal thriller.” It is an apt description. In Turn Here Sweet Corn Atina writes passionately about the couple’s strong relationship , Martin’s extensive knowledge of mechanics and soils; their love of the land and the pride of farm ownership; the unbelievably exhausting work of managing farmland in multiple locations; the challenges of ex-treme weather; the curse of urban development; the importance of alliances with neighbors; and finally, the threat of destruction at the hands of oil and gas interests.

When the Diffleys dared to challenge the largest privately owned company in the world, Atina took on the herculean task of researching Koch Industries and its rec-ord of environmental fines. In two hours she wrote an 11-page challenge to the pipeline’s route. Working with a sympathetic and courageous lawyer over many months, she fulfilled her promise to “protect the Gardens of Eagan,” make the Pub-lic Utilities Commission of Minnesota aware of organic farming systems, and pro-duce “a mitigation plan that includes organic protections.”

The battle won, supporters of the Diffley’s pipeline battle urged Atina to write a story about her efforts, but she needed to start from the beginning so readers could understand why she felt the need to oppose it so vehemently. Her book is both poet-ic and eloquent in its depiction and promotion of organic farming, and an emotional read.

Much of the Diffley’s success is due to careful observation and meticulous record-keeping, knowledge acquired from older generations, cooperation among customers and distributors, amazing resilience, marketing savvy, and extreme dedication to the principles of land stewardship. I would love to talk about the book with organic farmers and Master Gardener volunteers. There is a discussion guide online, a ten-question quiz (which I aced!) as well as a history of the farm at atinadiffley.com. The Diffley’s consulting company maintains the website organicfarmingworks.com

BOOK REVIEW of Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic

Farming Works by Atina Diffey

By Mary Jo Wentz, Master Gardener Volunteer

Page 7

Paul Bergum’s Wreath Shop Photos

Great Work!

Carol Ziemke, Paul Bergum

Barb Rothwell, Suzanne Huber, Jane Considine Paul Bergum

Mary Jo Wentz, George Koepp, Suzanne Huber Paul Bergum, Lila Waldman

Page 8

The Wisconsin Master Gardener Association (WIMGA) is

your statewide organization for Master Gardeners. All local associa-

tions belong to WIMGA and are divided into 6 districts around the

state. Every local association selects a representative to communi-

cate with WIMGA. Becky Gutzman has been Columbia County’s rep-

resentative since our organization formed. Those local reps elect two

directors from among themselves to serve three-year terms on the

WIMGA board. Besides these 12 “district” directors, the board in-

cludes 3 “at large” directors, for a total of 15.

The board meets on a regular schedule throughout the year,

and twice a year, all local reps are invited to attend “face-to-face”

meetings to add their input to WIMGA’s business.

What does WIMGA actually do? They traditionally have pub-

lished the WIMGA newsletter, given grants to local associations to

further educational projects, sponsor an annual conference, and fi-

nancially support several other associations that further horticultur-

al knowledge, such as Garden Talk on WPR, the National Junior

Horticultural Association, and the MG Foundation.

Over the past few years, many board members have felt that

WIMGA could be more involved in building partnerships with Exten-

sion, publicizing the work of MGs, and providing support to local

associations. To this end the board and local reps have engaged in a

strategic planning process, which has included revamping the mis-

sion statement, forming five key strategies, and developing action

steps. Work groups of board members and local reps are forming to

carry them out. You’ll be hearing more about this in future WIMGA

newsletters.

The WIMGA board elects officers their officers at the fall

face-to-face meeting, and Becky Gutzman was elected to the position

of president. This is a one-year term, and eligible to be re-elected for

three consecutive terms. Feel free to let Becky know if you have ques-

tions about WIMGA’s work or ideas for WIMGA to consider.

By Becky Gutzman

WIMGA Report

Page 9

November On October 11, 2017 the owner of Copper Penny Garlic Farm, LLC Jen-nifer Blau, hosted a “Garlic 101” class. Master Gardener Volunteers Kate Rietman and Lori Nadolski attended this evening of farm fun.

For the cost of twenty dollars, participants received a folder containing: a garlic planting guide, a recipe for roasted garlic, and several business cards. Also included in the cost was 1 lb. of garlic of your choice from her 2017 harvest, and an in-depth discussion of best practices.

Garlic should be planted between September 15 and November 30, af-ter the first light frost. Plant cloves with the roots facing down at a depth of 4 inches, 6 to 8 inches apart. Cover plantings with 4 inches of mulch. Grass clipping or leaves work best. In 4 to 8 weeks, plants will emerge, but do not be concerned with winter.

When Spring arrives, ensure your garlic has 1 inch of water per week, and is not competing with weeds. Right around Memorial Day, cut or break off each plants’ “Scapes.” Scapes are the curly stems that form above each plant as it matures.

Around the 4th of July, your garlic should be ready for harvest. Enjoy!

The Report -

by Lori Nadolski

2017 MGV Dues

If you haven’t had a chance yet, please send your $15.00 for 2017 MGV dues to

George or Barb Rothwell ASAP. This includes you in the Wisconsin Master Gar-

deners Association (WIMGA) and the Columbia County Master Gardener Volun-

teer Association. WIMGA dues are used to cover the expenses for the bimonthly

WI MG newsletter that is sent directly to each member (by mail or electronically),

as well as to support the other activities and programs of the Association.

We do get much of our money back when we receive grants to help put on “Let’s

Get Green and Growing” and other projects. So, it is not like our $$ are going

into the abyss or to pay for other non-productive expenses. We need to send our

check to the State Association right after the first of the year, so please take care

of this soon.

Please make checks payable to: Columbia County Master Gardeners.

Page 10

MG VOLUNTEER AND CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS FOR THE YEAR

2017 MGV-in-Training must turn in required volunteer hours within one year of completing training.

Recertifying MGVs must turn in volunteer and C.E. hours by October 1, 2017 to their local county rec-

ord-keeper.

Send your timesheets to: George Koepp, 120 W. Conant Street, Suite 201, Portage, WI 53901 or email

to George.koepp@ces.uwex.edu

Please pick up a new timesheet (or two) for 2017 at the next MGV meeting on

November 22nd. Or you can go online to our MGV webpage on the Columbia

County UW-Extension website at http://columbia.uwex.edu/horticulture/hours/

to download a PDF, Word or Excel file of your choice.

Here are some guidelines to help you record your hours: (remember to include

your time spent researching, writing and preparing for your presentations)

Youth Education (Youth Ed)

Volunteer hours dedicated to youth horticulture education

1. 4-H projects and activities,

2. County Fair MGV youth-related activities

3. Teaching done at other youth clubs and organizations

4. School classroom presentations (MicroFarm)

Community Education (Comm. Ed)

Volunteer hours dedicated to adult/community education

1. Recycling

2. Water quality and environmental displays and presentations

3. Farmer’s Market Presentation

4. Organizing and hosting horticulture tours for the public

5. Presenting at our Let’s Get Green and Growing Event

6. Working at the Columbia County Fair MGV Booth

7. Writing horticulture articles for our newsletter or local newspapers

Page 11

Support Services

Volunteer hours dedicated to service projects

1. Community beautification (Libraries, Parks, Post Offices, Museums…..)

2. Coordinating MGV Activities

a. Newsletters

b. Meetings by Officers

c. Meetings by Committees

d. Meetings and work on behalf of WIMGA

(Just attending a meeting does NOT count – You may count only the portion of

the meeting dedicated to planning or working on approved programs or projects.)

Continuing Education (CE)

Education hours from attending programs offered by:

1. UW-Extension

2. Groups or business that focus on horticulture topics

Garden Centers, Botanical Gardens, Tech Schools, Universities or Colleges, Guided Garden tours, WI Gardener on Public TV (while gardening books, unap-proved television programs, the Internet and self-guided garden tours are encour-aged, they DO NOT COUNT for CE recertification hours. The quality of this infor-

mation is variable and difficult to evaluate.)

Some final thoughts:

When in doubt – call, email, or talk to George. He can help you think it through.

Teach others to help with planting, watering, weeding activities at public venues. It multiplies your efforts!

All volunteer projects and C.E. should be for UW-Extension spon-sored programs or projects or community or civic group projects or programs .

Page 12

An EEO

/Aff

irm

ati

ve Acti

on em

plo

yer,

U

niv

ers

ity of

Wis

consi

n-Exte

nsi

on pro

vid

es

equal

opport

unit

ies

in em

plo

ym

ent

and pro

gra

mm

ing,

inclu

din

g Tit

le IX

and ADA

requir

em

ents

. Ple

ase

m

ake re

quest

s fo

r re

aso

nable

accom

modati

ons

to ensu

re equal

access

to

educati

onal

pro

gra

ms

as

earl

y as poss

ible

pre

cedin

g th

e sc

hedule

d

pro

gra

m,

serv

ice o

r acti

vit

y.

Maste

r G

ard

en

er

New

s

120 W

Conant

Str

eet,

Suit

e 2

01

Port

age,

WI

53901

Phone: 6

08-7

42-9

680

Fax: 6

08-7

42-9

862

711 f

or

Wis

con

sin

Rela

y