11

Inside this

issue:

Pink Flamingo

Award

2

President’s

Message

3

Holy Basil 3

Naturalist’s

Delight

4

Walk on the

Wildside

4

Weed of the

Month

5

Out and About 6

News and Notes 7

Fig Recipe 7

‘Orchid-i-tudes’ 7

Events 8

Book Review 9

Last Word 10

...for discerning weeders August, 2013 An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

AWARD WINNERS!

DON’T FORGET TO

LOG YOUR HOURS

ONTO THE VMS

SYSTEM!

Click here to enter

July 10th featured the yearly

award ceremony, celebrating the

accomplishments of the previous

year. A dedicated group arrived

the previous day to set up the

auditorium and the patriotic

‘theme’ made a terrific backdrop

for the festivities. Many thanks

to those who helped with set up

and provided great decorations!!

As always, there was plenty of

great food to satisfy all who at-

tended.

We had special guests of Dr. Pete Vergot,, III,

Northwest District Extension Director, and his

lovely wife; Commissioner Dave Parisot and his

wife; and Brian Hughes, Crestview News Bulle-

tin.

Just some of the many deserving awardees:

Master Gardener of the Year:

John B.

Outstanding Telephone Com-

municator: Laurie M.

Outstanding Service to Youth:

Linda M.

Outstanding Educator: Marg S.

15 Years: John H., Karen K., Lee

L., Sandie O., John P., and Ed S.

10 Years: Pat C. and Linda M.

2000 Hours: Jenny G. and Marg

S.

1000 Hours: Honey J.

500 Hours: Charlie R., Amy Jo

R., and Joyce W.

Pink Flamingo: Stacey T.

Rubber Chicken: Marg S.

2012 Board: Marg S., President;

John B., President-Elect; Linda M.,

Secretary; and Joe M., Treasurer.

Special Award for Best

Dressed and Most Well Be-

haved: Malia W. (Lynn and Ed’s niece)

The Master Gardeners provide the equivalent

of three (3) full time employees. Other awards

include: Award of Excellence, Call on Me, Ser-

vice to 4-H and Youth, and Community Educa-

tion. Larry Williams gets the information for

these awards directly from the VMS sys-

tem...make sure you put in your hours! It has to

be mentioned that it isn’t just for the awards,

the hours logged into the VMS system directly

impact the Extension and UF/IFAS Master Gar-

dener Program as a whole.

Congratulations to all our award winners! To

view more pictures go to http://jalbum.net/

a/1382377 .

22

THE FLAMINGO’S TALE Phyl Phylmingo, Advisor Emeritus

Some folks may be wondering just what is the Pink Flamingo

Award and how it got started. This award originated with the

3rd Master Gardener Training class. Karen W. organized a Pink

Flamingo reception for Larry Williams at the graduation party

for the training class of 1997. Larry was greeted with a yard full

of plastic pink flamingos. This honor was bestowed on our de-

serving leader due to the emphasis he placed on what not to

display in a Master Gardener landscape...one item in particular

being pink flamingos.

John P., a class member, came up with the idea of bestowing

this honor each year to the Master Gardener who committed the

most grievous error in judgment concerning appropriate Master

Gardener Practices.

Terry A. was the 1st recipient of this prestigious award. Terry,

thirsting for knowledge, registered and drove to his first Master

Gardener Conference on the UF campus in Gainesville. Unfortu-

nately, he arrived a week early.

Barbara S. deservingly received the 2nd Pink Flamingo award.

The Okaloosa Extension facility on Old Bethel Road had just

installed a new landscape. Barbara, a new Master Gardener,

anxious to log her volunteer hours, was weeding her heart out.

She did an excellent job. Unfortunately, she pulled up and dis-

posed of all of the native rosemary that had just been planted.

Sandie O. was the 3rd award winner. Sandie was among many

Master Gardeners who attended the State Conference in Gaines-

ville. While strolling the paths in a botanical garden and enjoy-

ing the local color, a garden art alligator was spotted near a

pond. Wanting to preserve memories of the occasion, Sandie

agreed to pose for a picture with one foot on the stone alligator.

This would have worked well had the alligator, in fact, not been

alive at the time.

Lockey B. was presented with the 4th award. As president, she

felt that a more appropriate Pink Flamingo should be developed

to represent this prestigious award. Randy D., a Master Garden-

er and metal designer, was asked to build an appropriate garden

art sculpture made of gardening tools. Fill Flamingo and an ap-

propriate Award Proclamation were presented at the 2006 mas-

ter Gardener picnic at Turkey Creek Park and were to be given

each year in perpetuity. Lockey received the recognition because

she thought up the whole darned thing.

Pete G. deservingly received the 5th award. County Displays/

Exhibits is one category for the State Master Gardener Awards.

Pete volunteered to transport our entry to the State Convention

in Ocala. Pete’s truck was full of metal panels, signs and many

plants. On his trek to central Florida and in his eagerness to

arrive, there was a determination that Pete has exceeded the

speed limit (that’s what the patrolman said.) While writing a

ticket, the young officer noted the plants and to his untrained

eyes, the schefflera looks suspicious. Whereupon, Pete had to

unload the truck, backup was called, and it was determined that

indeed schefflera is not marijuana. $300 dollars later and hav-

ing to reload the truck solo, Pete arrived at the conference. (Ed

Note: We did win for our exhibit)

In 2007 Sandie O. won the honor of receiving her 2nd Pink

Flamingo award. While gardening one day, she tripped and fell,

injuring one foot. Having considerable pain and swelling greatly

impeded her mobility At this time, Sandie was already regis-

tered for the State Conference. Recognizing that her injury

would prevent her from participating in convention activities,

she cancelled her convention registration. Sandie was given the

award for having cancelled her registration for the Convention

two years in a row.

Mike C. was the 2011 winner. Mike set up and staffed the Mas-

ter Gardener educational booth on “Save Water Save $” at many

events around the county. At the end of the year, it was discov-

ered that two of the signs had misspelled words. Mike was given

the award for displaying the booth with misspelled posters.

However, it must be noted that it was later realized that Bob and

Lockey B. had made the signs. Lockey did apologize.

The most recent recipient is Stacey T. in 2012 Stacey was re-

sponsible for planning and conducting field trips for OCMGA.

Master Gardener Dave G. graciously invited us to organized a

field trip to his property in North Walton County while the na-

tive azaleas were blooming. On the given day, the participants

met in Crestview and filled 5-6 vehicles. Stacey, our tour guide,

who knew the way to the location in questions, was in the lead

vehicle. After traversing Darlington and traveling north several

miles, we were brought to a halt, asked to reverse our course.

We did. Why? Traveling south we read a sign that said,

“Welcome to Florida.” Stacey had taken us to Alabama.

Phyl Phylmingo has been placed in the Extension landscape

and will soon boast the name of the most recent award winner.

So keep gardening! You never know who the next ‘winner’ will

be!

33

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By John B.

I was disappointed recently to learn that two more area plant nurseries have closed in the last few

weeks. The Destin Palms facility is just completing liquidation proceedings and, more troubling,

the nursery at the Okaloosa Applied Technology Center (VoTech) in FWB, closed its doors a few

weeks ago. While the struggles of the non “big-box” commercial plant establishments will contin-

ue, as long as consumers place price over service as their most compelling purchase criteria, it is

more unsettling that the VoTech educational nursery has shuttered its doors.

As we continue to pursue our mission of educating the people of Okaloosa County, relative to

their horticultural concerns, it is ever more important that we remain committed to enhancing

our collective knowledge as Master Gardeners.

Pursuant to that goal, our current undertaking to develop more subject matter experts (SME’s),

through our Study Group initiative, is both timely and critical. Currently, we have the potential to

develop almost 80 SME’s in almost a dozen fields of horticultural discipline. I realize that “life

happens”, and that there will be times when you cannot always attend your scheduled meetings due to inevitable conflicts. Please

don’t use that as a reason to drop out. Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint, and it will certainly return us many dividends for

the time and effort we invest in it. I commend all of you who have indicated your interest in the Study Groups, and I urge you to

both remain committed to this endeavor for the long-term, and to have fun with it!

TRY A DIFFERENT HERB! By Lee V.

There are two varieties of Thai holy basil, Ocimum tenuiflorum,

red holy basil (in the Thai language, bai gaprao dang, dang

meaning red) and O. sanctum, white holy basil (bai gaprao khao,

khao meaning white). They have similar flavors. The first im-

pression when tasting Thai holy basil is that you are eating very

strong peppermint. Indeed, the flavor of each of the Thai holy

basils is one of peppermint with a strong spiciness similar to

chili pepper. It also has a hot, spicy smell. It is best to use fresh,

new leaves since they have a more concentrated flavor. Red holy

basil has a reddish-purplish pigment to the leaf and stem and

has by far the strongest flavor of the two varieties. White holy

basil does not have the red pigment and there is also a hybrid

between the two varieties. The branches and leaves of each varie-

ty is covered by fine hairs.

Flower spikes form on plants around the middle of summer.

The flowers are very fragrant and the tiny black seeds which fol-

low are used in Thailand to make a strong flavored tapioca-like

pudding. If the flowers are allowed to go to seed, the plant will

cease to make new foliage so the flower spikes should be plucked

as soon as they form.

Bees and butterflies are drawn to the blooms of the holy basil.

There appears to be no real pests to the plant. Even slugs do not

eat it!

Thai holy basil leaves are used as flavoring in stews and soups

and are a major ingredient in basil chicken, a favorite among the

Thai people. A few leaves added to spaghetti sauce adds a real

pizzazz. Minced, it gives a salad a zing when added.

Plants of each of the varieties were available in the DIY stores in

early 2013. Seeds are usually available in most oriental stores

and especially Thai markets year round.

Since basil is a tropical plant, it can only be raised and harvest-

ed in north Florida in late spring, summer and early fall. Start

seeds in very early spring in a greenhouse or in your house and

transplant the seedlings or purchased plants to a pot or to the

ground when the nighttime temperatures reach a sustained 70

degrees Fahrenheit. It can be incorporated into your annual beds

as an accent. The red variety is especially attractive and can be

used in a medium height annual planting.

Leaves may be harvested while young and dried either in a de-

hydrator or simply by spreading them on a metal sheet and plac-

ing them into an oven set a 250 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several

months. Leaves may also be picked fresh and frozen in a plastic

bag in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator. They will

turn black when frozen but the taste is not affected.

By late fall, the plants begin to decline and die. Let a few go to

seed and retain the seeds for planting next spring. Pull and com-

post the plants.

This is a relatively new addition to the American herb market.

Enjoy using this new and exciting flavor.

White Thai Holy

Basil.

Red Thai Holy Basil.

44

A NATURALIST’S DELIGHT By Carol R.

Columbus, DeSoto, and Ponce de Leon have nothing on me!

Last month I too “discovered” something that had been there all

along—a national treasure that is very close to home. Wakulla

Springs State Park, just south of Tallahassee, is a naturalist’s

delight, a reminder of a simpler time, and a step back into “old

Florida.”

Two friends and I booked 2 nights at the Wakulla Springs

Lodge, which has been nicely preserved since its construction in

the late 1930s. It wouldn’t be ranked as a 5-star, but the accom-

modations are quite adequate and the lovely restaurant does a

great job with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In keeping with the

feel of the place, there are no TVs in the rooms, and the big lob-

by has several tables with checkerboards. The Lodge looks out

on Wakulla Springs and a very nice swimming area that includes

lifeguards. The Springs are a year-round 69 degrees, a fact not

lost on the builder of the Lodge who designed the air-

conditioning system to use the waters of the Springs to cool the

facility.

The grounds of the Lodge have been left in their natural state, a

fact that I really appreciated. One of my friends remarked that

the place had so much potential, and they should “keep up the

grass and plant some flower beds.” But for me, part of the

charm is that no one is fussing over the grounds, using pesti-

cides and fertilizers and trying to make the place look like every

other resort. The beautiful, native trees are dripping with moss,

and one afternoon we watched a turtle digging and depositing

her eggs right out on the back lawn (which has lots of natural,

bare spots). The Lodge is also adjacent to a 6-mile nature trail

that has the first mile marked to identify the native tree species,

an earlier Eagle Scout project that was quite informative.

Just south of Wakulla Springs is the St. Marks Lighthouse that

is accessed by driving through the St. Marks National Wildlife

Refuge. Another close place of interest is the San Marcos de

Apalache Historic State Park. We enjoyed visiting both places

and made it back to the Lodge in time for the late afternoon

riverboat cruise on the Wakulla River. While on this 45-minute

cruise, we saw manatees, alligators, turtles and a host of birds

and fish. Unfortunately, the aggressive and invasive hydrilla

grass plagues the

river, a problem

they are actively

trying to control.

If you are interest-

ed in retreating to a

quiet place sur-

rounded by natural

beauty and history,

I highly recommend

a trip back in time via Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge!

http://www.wakullaspringslodge.com

WA

LK

ON

TH

E W

ILD

SID

E

Courte

sy L

inda M

.

August is hot and sticky...but our local critters don’t seem

to mind a bit. If you venture out there are some great

things to see!

Birds: The first flocks of blue-winged and green-winged

teal arrive to winter on Florida lakes and wetlands. The

yellow warbler migration begins. Swallow-tailed kites

begin gathering in communal night roosts before migrat-

ing. Purple martins and tree swallows begin to gather to

migrate south for winter.

Mammals: Two-year old black bear cubs will wean from

their mothers. Short-tailed shrews will begin a second

round of breeding for the year.

Retiles/Amphibians: Young sea turtles are hatching so

avoid marked sea turtle nests and watch where you walk

on the beach! Also turn off lights to reduce light pollution

(see note below) Gopher tortoise and turtle eggs are

hatching. Indigo snake and other snake eggs are hatching.

Insects: Great southern white butterflies are migrating

through coastal areas.

Light Pollution:

Many of us use artificial lights to accent our gardens and

find our way at night. But the same lights that help us

can lead to light pollution that adversely affects wildlife.

Light pollution threatens wildlife by disrupting biological

rhythms and otherwise interfering with the behavior of

nocturnal animals. Animals that navigate using the

moon or stars can be disoriented and drawn to bright

artificial lights, including baby sea turtle sand certain

migratory birds. Artificial light can also affect the feed-

ing and calling behaviors of amphibians like salaman-

ders and frogs. To help prevent lighting from harming

animals, use as few lights as possible in your landscape.

Opt for fixtures that have shade that shield light and di-

rect it down toward the ground. (Article from:

“Gardening in a Minute” University of Florida Extension)

www.wec.ufl.edu/extension

www.snre.ufl.edu/pubsevents/wild.htm

55

WEED OF THE MONTH By Jenny G.

Partridge Pea, Cassia fascicula-

ta

Do you have this weed growing

in your garden? This is Par-

tridge Pea, Cassia fasciculata

(also known as Chamaecrista

fasciculata). It’s a sun-loving

annual that grows in poor,

sandy or gravelly soil. From

July through September, the

flowers create a yellow blanket

across rural roadsides, disturbed places and

old pastures, sprouting every year from seed

to bloom with its bright yellow flowers of

summer.

Partridge Pea , also known as prairie senna

or golden cassia, is well-established through-

out the entire eastern half of the US, where it

is frequently included in forage mixtures.

This reseeding annual is found in disturbed

sandy soils throughout Florida.

Partridge Pea is sometimes known as

“Sleeping Pea,” which refers to the leaves,

which fold shut at night. The blue-green pin-

nate leaves are “sensitive” and even fold if

you touch them! The roots are fine, almost

hair like when young, which makes them

hard to just pull out. If you let the plants get

big enough, they produce showy, bright-

yellow flowers with a small reddish orange blotch at the base and

dark red anthers. Flowers grow in the leaf axils all along a 2 foot

sprawling stem and provide sweet nectar for bees and butter-

flies.

Partridge Pea can grow to a possible 6 feet tall, if you let it! But

typical heights are closer to 3 feet. In the past, partridge pea was

planted as a wildlife

food for game birds,

hence its name.

This annual plant can

quickly establish itself

on disturbed ground,

where it provides shel-

ter for quail and other

small ground-dwelling

birds. Sulphur butter-

flies are drawn to Par-

tridge Pea as a larval

source for its caterpil-

lars, and the flowers also provide a good nectar supply for but-

terflies, ants and honeybees.

Long-tongued bees are responsible for pollination of the flow-

ers, and include such visitors as honeybees, bumblebees, Miner

bees, and large Leaf-Cutting bees. They are attracted to the food

pollen of the purple anthers, and are then dusted by the repro-

ductive pollen of the yellow anthers.

Like all legumes, Partridge Pea is a nitrogen-fixer and over

time can improve the fertility of the soil when allowed to grow.

It’s frequently planted for honey, butterfly habitat, nitrogen-

fixing, and quail food sources. This native is an adventurous sort,

colonizing newly disturbed ground and then subsiding as other

species take over. If you have meadowlands, Partridge Pea can

be a useful addition to the mix of grasses, herbs and plants there.

Sounds great, right? Well, you might not really

want a rapid colonizer in your flowerbeds!

You might find this weed in every nook and

cranny!

The key to controlling the spread of Partridge

Pea is to remove the plants before they go to

flower. Late summer to fall brings the growth of

long thin pea pods filled with miniature black

lima beans. These beans are poisonous to live-

stock if consumed in large quantities, but birds

relish them, hence the name, Partridge Pea.

You’ll find that it produces seeds like crazy

and the seeds seem to remain viable in the soil

for ages. Annual use of a pre-emergent herbi-

cide at the proper time is usually effective.

Because these are annual weeds, eventually

you’ll get the upper hand if you are religious

about removing young plants and you maintain

a timely program of pre-emergent control.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fw006

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in483

http://nababutterfly.com/partridge_pea.html

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/

part_peax.htm

http://thepapershell.com/summer-weeds-partridge-pea/

66

OUT AND ABOUT

Even though summer tends to be a bit slow, our Master Gardeners have been busy!

Intern David S. assisting Marine Agent

Brooke Saari Photo courtesy of Scott B.

Landscape work day.

Weeding, planting, and

sprucing! Photos by

Marg S.

Photos by Ed H. courtesy of

Dick H. Red-headed wood-

pecker and osprey

Dove with her baby. Photo by Dick H.

Do you have photos? Plants in

your yard? Unique things

you’ve seen? Send them in!

77

NEWS AND NOTES Helpful links, news, and views by our Master Gardeners!

Over the course of the month, we get loads of links, information

and just plain great stuff from our members. It’s hard to pick and

choose from all the submissions! Thank you this month to:

Stacey T., John H., Ed S.,, and Shari F. for this month’s tidbits!

Take the guesswork out of seed germinating by using these

handy charts:

http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html

Can plants adapt to the novelty of climate change? Researchers

seeing to answer this question have discovered plants have

learned to glow in the dark.

Full story at: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-

nasa/2013/06may_arabidopsis/

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50LgSJhHCy4

MIT’s 7.00x Intro to Biology/The Secret of Life

www.edX.org

Some of you may remember our past article on the American

Chestnut. For an update on the progress go to:

New York Times Article and Slideshow

Time lapse photograph of plants growing.

http://gizmodo.com/watching-a-timelapse-of-plants-growing-is

-grossly-alien-876239312

Build an outdoor fireplace with these easy instructions.

http://tinyurl.com/leq3zrr

FIG RECIPE By Lee V.

Ingredients:

1 cup of black raisins (white would probably work, too)

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

4 cups figs cut into eighths (diced)

2 tbsp. lemon juice plus 2 slices of fresh lemon

1/16th tsp. of each powdered cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and

ground ginger

Combine raisins, water and sugar in a nonreactive pan and bring

to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and reduce

1/2. Add figs, lemon slices, lemon juice and spices and return to

high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce to simmer

and cook until reduced 2/3, about 40 minutes. Discard lemon

slices. Cool mixture and serve as a condiment. Spices may be

adjusted or omitted to your taste. I like the enhanced flavor of

the figs and raisins brought about by the spices - you can't taste

the spices themselves. It should be delicious over vanilla ice

cream, on pancakes - I have been eating it like a dessert...

‘ORCHID-I-TUDES’ By Scott B.

Blessed are they who are not overwatered for they shall live

abundantly.

Blessed are they who get light from the south for they will

thrive the best.

Blessed are they who are repotted at least every two years

for they shall inherit new earth.

Blessed are they who are completely dry before getting wa-

ter for they will not rot.

Blessed are they who feel a 10 degree temperature change

for they shall bloom.

88

General Membership Meeting

August 7th 9:00am

Shalimar Baptist Church

17 Fourth Avenue

Shalimar, FL 32579

The 2013 Seed Workshop

Saving Seed, Saving Farms, Enabling

Sustainability

Sunday, August 11, 2013

11am to 6pm (EDT)

FAMU Viticulture & Small

Fruit Research Center

6505 Mahan Drive

Tallahassee, FL 32308

$25.00

To register http://theseedworkshop2013.eventbrite.com/

99

BOOK REVIEW By Marg S.

This month’s book review

comes thanks to Laurie M.

She recently read this

book and gives it top

marks. Nature’s Fortune:

How Business and Society

Thrive by Investing in

Nature by Mark R. Tercek

and Jonathan S. Adams.

Proceeds from sale of this

book goes to The Nature

Conservancy.

The description is taken

from Amazon:

“What is nature worth?

The answer to this ques-

tion—which traditionally

has been framed in envi-

ronmental terms—is revolutionizing the way we do business.

In Nature’s Fortune, Mark Tercek, CEO of The Nature Conserv-

ancy and former investment banker, and science writer Jona-

than Adams argue that nature is not only the foundation of hu-

man well-being, but also the smartest commercial investment

any business or government can make. The forests, floodplains,

and oyster reefs often seen simply as raw materials or as obsta-

cles to be cleared in the name of progress are, in fact as im-

portant to our future prosperity as technology or law or business

innovation.

Who invests in nature, and why? What rates of return can it pro-

duce? When is protecting nature a good investment? With sto-

ries from the South Pacific to the California coast, from the An-

des to the Gulf of Mexico and even to New York City, Nature’s

Fortune shows how viewing nature as green infrastructure al-

lows for breakthroughs not only in conservation—protecting

water supplies; enhancing the health of fisheries; making cities

more sustainable, livable and safe; and dealing with unavoidable

climate change—but in economic progress, as well. Organiza-

tions obviously depend on the environment for key resources—

water, trees, and land. But they can also reap substantial com-

mercial benefits in the form of risk mitigation, cost reduction,

new investment opportunities, and the protection of assets. Once

leaders learn how to account for nature in financial terms, they

can incorporate that value into the organization’s decisions and

activities, just as habitually as they consider cost, revenue, and

ROI.

A must-read for business leaders, CEOs, investors, and environ-

mentalists alike, Nature’s Fortune offers an essential guide to

the world’s economic—and environmental—well-being.”

Photo provided by Ed S.

Bill B.

Susan C.

Charlotte D.

Jim E.

Daisy P.

Joyce W.

1010

Your member site:

www.ocmgamembers.org

The Foundation for the Gator

Nation.....An equal opportunity

institution.

Have pictures or an idea for

an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are

always welcome.

Sitting at the computer, I came across

a video on making butter. This process

utilized a mason jar and heavy cream.

Since I was in a mood anyway, I figured

I would try it. Once I got the shake part

down...although it’s less like shaking

maracas and more like trying to get the

mayonnaise to the end of a squeeze

bottle...viola! Butter. Have to admit

that it tasted pretty good and I have

been using it for cooking. Doubt that

I’ll be starting my own dairy any time

soon but it’s nice to know I can do it.

The really surprising part was the but-

termilk. The gentleman in the video

said that this stuff was totally different

than what we are used to...you could

actually drink it.

Okay, sure...I decided to try it. Took a

deep breath and then took a sip. Wow!

I’m sure there are folks out there who

know what this tastes like. Nothing like

our modern buttermilk.

This got me to thinking. I collect old

cookbooks. Some of them are from the

1800’s. Reading those recipes, at times,

requires a strong stomach. Some of the

ingredients, especially in the ‘health’

sections are scary...turpentine anyone?

I’ve also ‘fixed’ a few recipes by trying

to figure out ingredients that we use

today in order to replace such things as

lye, alum, and others.

We’ve come a long way. Especially

when it comes to the science of horti-

culture (and cooking). We no longer

have to spend hours upon hours of

hand-tilling the soil. Water comes from

a hose at the twist of a knob instead of

hauled in buckets. We are able to pur-

chase plants that are ready to go in the

ground.

Sure we can plant seeds, but we no

longer have to collect them ourselves.

Instead, we’re able to order them on-

line or pick up a packet at the local

store.

Don’t get me wrong, most of these

modern conveniences are a good thing.

We are able to get better production

out of our gardens and IF we follow the

science based information, we help

keep the environment healthy as well.

There are times, however, that I look

in my shed (and my kitchen cabinets)

and marvel at how much ’stuff’ has

been accumulated in order to have

these modern conveniences.

I’m the first one to admit that grind-

ing wheat by hand is not something I

care to do on a regular basis. Likewise,

spending hours in the garden doing

hard labor isn’t my idea of a good time

either. So I utilize the science of mod-

ern day living—happily. But, I also

make an effort to do things the old

fashioned way.

I pick off tomato hornworms by hand

and I weed by hand. There are other

’modern’ alternatives but we need to

remember that some of the old fash-

ioned methods are supported by sci-

ence just as much as the modern ones

are.

We as Master Gardeners are tasked

with the job of getting the scientific

based information out there to the

homeowners. It behooves us to remem-

ber that sometimes, it doesn’t take a

chemical or a fancy tool. Start with the

basic solution first before we jump to

the rest. As long as it’s good sound sci-

ence, hand picking may not be every-

one’s cup of tea but it’s a lot easier on

the pocketbook and on the environ-

ment.

So, enjoy the modern conveniences in

all their technological glory. We live in

amazing times and there are still more

things we have yet to discover.

Science will continue to improve our

lives and our world. But don’t forget

some of the old ways. Pass the butter.

Marg S.—Editor

Shari F., Karen H. and

Linda M.—Co-Editors

LAST WORD By Marg S.