The Lakelands Master Gardeners Association (LMGA) is a non-profit
organization that is affiliated with the Clemson University Extension Service.
The Lakelands Master Gardener program serves all people regardless of socioeconomic
level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
NEW NAME BADGES NOW AVAILABLE
You now can order a revised LMG
name badge that has a magnetic back to attach to your shirt (an example is on the form) for $10.
This is replacing the current lanyard/pouch name badge for our organization. The new badge will
be given to 2010 MG Graduates. Existing Master Gardeners can change to the new badge at their
option if they wish. We ask forms still be filled out and returned in order for names
to be printed correctly on badge. The current 2011 MG class will still be given the
lanyard/pouch style with INTERN on the name plate.If you are interested, please see the attached form to complete
and send with money to Patti Larson.
Make Checks ($10) payable to: Lakelands Master Gardeners
Remit Payment and Order Form together to:
Patti Larson, 325 Nautical Way, Greenwood, SC 29649
Questions, please e-mail Patti Larson: greenwood_patti@yahoo.com or call 554-160
To see a badge example and to print the order form, go to the November 2011 newsletter and
print page 3: November 2011
2012 DUES ARE DUE
All dues for 2012 should be paid
in full before October 15, 2011. Dues can be paid to
Patti Larson at meetings or mailed to her at 325 Nautical Way, Greenwood,
SC 29649. The remittance form is available in the "Forms" section if you do not have one.
If your dues are not paid by the October 15th deadline, your name will not appear in the directory,
nor will you receive any newsletters. We thank you in advance for your participation.
59 years old and under $15.00
60+ years old $10.00
Married couples 59 and under $20.00
Married couples 60+ $15.00
Lifetime Membership $125.00
FALL 2011 MASTER GARDENER CLASS
Eleven people have signed up
for and are taking the Fall 2011 Master Gardener Class conducted by James Hodges.
2011 MASTER GARDENER OF THE YEAR
----CATHERINE SWINDELL
By Patti Larson
Catherine Swindell, chairperson of the Social Committee, was recognized as our
2011 Master Gardener of the Year at our Annual Picnic, Thursday May 12th, 2011! Catherine has
been an extremely active member since 2001…serving as chair person for many
of our Committees over the years. She has helped on various projects such as
the topiaries, Railroad Museum, the Oakland Elementary Memory Garden, and the Pinecrest
Elementary Fence Garden just to name a few! In her ten years as a Master
Gardener, Catherine has been involved in many other activities, events and programs
that spread good plant information and build the Master Gardener Association.
In short, her recognition as Master Gardener of the Year is a well-earned
honor and a tribute to her many unselfish deeds and accomplishments. She stepped up
to the plate and organized the 2010 Holiday Party in limited time. Wasn’t the slide show
she put together wonderful? Because of Catherine’s relentless energy and creativity, the 2011
Members Picnic was a memorable one….including Garden Bingo!!!!
Catherine Swindell Accepting Award
SPRING/SUMMER CONTAINER CLASSES A SUCCESS
Thanks to Charlotte Cabri and Sandra Johnson, the container class scheduled for April 30th was swamped with
requests! Two classes were then held the same morning to service as many of the requests as possible.
The participants went home with beautiful containers filled with flowers and plants to enjoy this season---- all free
thanks to our LMG Association.
Also a special thanks to James Hodges for picking up the flowers, plants and soil from a local Nursery and Charlotte
for obtaining the containers from a second local Nursery.
Kudos to the volunteers that helped make this program a success…
2010 YEAR IN REVIEW
After reviewing the Volunteer
sheets turned in by Master Gardeners for 2010, I am amazed at the number of activities Master
Gardeners are involved with again this past year. First, let me say thank you for all the
individual and Association
efforts this year to improve many horticultural areas in the Lakelands. Over 5500 volunteers
hours and 500 hours of continuing education were completed by Lakelands Master Gardeners. James
Hodges
2010 MASTER GARDENER OF THE YEAR --- NANCY COLLIN
At first glance it is easy to understand why Nancy received the award at the Clemson
Extension's annual County meeting in May this year. She contributed hundreds of volunteer
hours to the now annual topiary project along with many other volunteers, making it the
largest and most beautiful yet.
A deeper look at the individual project hours and comments turned in by Nancy reveals some
disturbing plant production techniques. Growing up on a farm with many animals I had never
heard of some of the activities Nancy described as work projects from January through June
on the project:
***Picking up a camera involved getting stuck in the mud.
***Then there was painting teeth of a Bearcat. What's a bearcat anyway?
***Paint an Eat mor chiken sign?
***Moss a gamecock or worse moss a tiger.
***Irrigate a tiger and a gamecock.
***Check an irrigation problem on the dog.
***Pin a gorilla.
***Hang a monkey.
Knowing Nancy's integrity, I will approve all of these unusual plant growing techniques as
legitimate, but I usually fed the chickens back in my farm days and let them get their own
water. We had trouble with our dog and shrubbery too, so I could use here advice on how she
solved the dog irrigation problem. But Nancy might ask for help the next time she gets ready
to wrestle a gorilla. I am sure she can give us all some great pointers on working with
the topiary project and we thank her for all her hard work that spearheaded the wonderful
topiary project during the festival of flowers this season. After all, making Greenwood
a festival of flowers is what Master Gardening is all about.
THANKS NANCY . James Hodges & the Master Gardeners
2010 ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO-DATE
The first half of 2010 is gone, but there have been many programs, projects and volunteerism
occuring with Lakeland Master Gardeners. The topiaries were great, and many people
volunteered long and late hours to make it bigger and better this year. We had nearly 20
Master Gardeners help with the voucher distribution at the Farmers Market in June. We helped
1400 seniors get fresh vegetables from the market and this also helps our small local
vegetable growers. Food Production and Nutrition are very important to all of us. Many MG’s
were up very early on Saturday or Wednesday mornings to be at the market at 6:30 AM. We
encourage more people to get involved with our office volunteering as time goes by. We are
very short on staff and may get even more work to do as the new budget year arrives. The
Park Seed booth received nearly 200 visitors last week, and we appreciate those who worked
the booth at the event. It is getting close to the time when our new class will begin. We
need current Master Gardeners to get the word out to friend and co-workers about the program.
We need a full class this year. Many of our current Master Gardeners were encouraged to get
involved by past Master Gardeners. Thanks to all those who have contributed over 3000
volunteer hours during the first 6 months of 2010. James Hodges
Greenwood Farmer's Market Opening Day
A great thank you to all the Master Gardeners for their service and dedication to the
senior citizens of Greenwood County and the Farmer's Market. The distribution of the
vouchers for the Senior Nutrition Program was very successful and completed in record time.
With the regular customers and over 800 seniors shopping with the 23 separate vendors,
the June 19th opening day at the Market was just remarkable. The following
Wednesday was just as eventful. The last 37 packets went fast on Saturday the 26th. The
Board of Directors does appreciate all the support of each of you as volunteers and
as customers. Providing nutritious, local produce benefits so many on so many levels.
WANTED
Our Greenwood Beautification Commission needs new members. This committee meets about
5-7 times per year on Tuesday afternoons from 4-5 PM and judges the Clean campus contest
in the school districts. We especially need someone in the Ninety Six area. Contact me
if you might be interested. I will begin to do some training exercises for our Master
Gardener office volunteers as we wind down the new class. Let me know if you are interested
is helping at our office in the future.
James F. Hodges, Greenwood County Extension, 223-3264 X 116 October 30, 2009
JR. MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS
Would you like to help develop future Master Gardeners? Are you looking for volunteer hours?
The Pinecrest Elementary School needs help with the Jr. Master Gardener Program. The program
teaches third, fourth, and fifth graders the basics of becoming a future Master Gardener.
Qualifying students are awarded a certificate deeming them Jr. Master Gardeners at the
completion of the course and volunteer hours. The program meets at Pinecrest Elementary on
Mondays after school from 3:00 – 4:30 PM. The program coordinators, Patti Larson and Mary Van
Ellenberg, are seeking Master Gardeners to assist them with the program by teaching subjects
of special interest or expertise that our Master Gardeners may have. They are also looking for
Master Gardeners that could help the students in maintaining the Pinecrest Fence Garden. If
you are willing to volunteer your time and expertise, or have any questions about the program
please contact Patti Larson at 864-554-1600 or via e-mail at greenwood_patti@yahoo.com
CLEMSON EXTENSION OFFICE RELOCATION & TELEPHONE CHANGE
The Clemson
Extension Office has relocated to the old Brewer Building off of East Cambridge
Avenue in Greenwood. The official address is 105 N. University, Greenwood 29646, and
the new telephone number is 864-223-3264. (The same telephone number will be used
for our LMG Information Office.)
Physically we are located at the corner of East Cambridge (700 Block) and North
University Street. This is part of the old Brewer School facility. From the Bypass
south of BiLo take East Cambridge Avenue toward downtown at Jerry’s Produce. We are
2-3 blocks down East Cambridge headed toward Downtown on the right. Go by East End
Elementary School and North University is the second street on the right. The
converted school classroom is the first building on the left as you travel on North
University Street. The parking lot is newly paved and our Clemson Extension sign is
LMG INFORMATION OFFICE RELOCATION
With the recent declining
economic times, our LMG Information Office has also had to move to the Old Brewer Building
where the Clemson Extension is. We will be using the new Clemson Extension Office telephone
number as well: 864-223-3264. Kudos to our mall volunteers for a job well done. Week after
week for many, many years we have had dedicated individuals donate their Thursdays or Fridays
to the mall office helping to do whatever was necessary to keep things going. A great job to
all, and we thank you for all the time and energy you gave to help James and Steve over the
years.
SEARCH YOUR LAKELANDS MASTER GARDENER FILES
The Public Relations Committee will be cataloging
past Lakelands Master Gardener minutes, newsletters, news releases, pictures, etc. Carol
Scales and Public relations Committee members, Richard Elrod, Debbie Ashley, Judy Sieckman and
Sandra Johnson. Please date submissions and identify people in photos, if you can. Thank
you.
COMMUNITY SPEAKERS LIST
As Master Gardeners, each of us have special interests and may be
qualified to speak to other groups. The Clemson Extension is always getting calls,
asking for program speakers for their groups or organizations. If you are interested
in sharing gardening information with others in our community, please contact Sandy
Stachurski at
drglenn7@embarqmail.com or
call 229-7444 office or 544-1235 cell.
