Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Keynote Speaker for 2016 WVEMG Association Conference Announced

West Virginia Extension  
Master Gardener Association Annual Conference

“Gardening with Mother Nature”

April 15-17, 2016

State Fair of WV
891 Maplewood Ave, Fairlea, WV 24902
Hosted by Greenbrier Valley Master Gardeners

Nancy Ross Hugo
Keynote Speaker

Nancy Ross Hugo has had the privilege of living among trees, writing about trees, and learning about trees for most of her life. As garden columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, education manager at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and writer for publications including HorticultureFine Gardening, and American Forests, she has been combining her love of the outdoors with her love of the written word for over 30 years. She is the author of five books, including Seeing Trees and Trees Up Close, and she led initiatives to locate and celebrate Virginia’s oldest, most historic, largest, and most interesting trees, a four-year project that resulted in the publication of Remarkable Trees of Virginia, a book that has been called “a spectacular tribute to trees.”

Nancy will also present a workshop on “Windowsill Art.” More information on that later!

For more information, visit www.nancyrosshugo.com


Wednesday, December 2, 2015

2016 WVMG Conference - April 15-17 - Lewisburg, WV

SAVE THE DATE!!
WEST VIRGINIA MASTER GARDENER CONFERENCE
APRIL 15, 16, 17, 2016

The following motels have rooms blocked for the 2016 Master Gardener Conference:
(cutoff date for discounted rate: March 15, 2016)

Quality Inn/Brier Inn
540 N. Jefferson Street, Lewisburg
Single:  $79.99    Double:  $84.99 (plus tax)

Holiday Inn Express
222 Hunter Lane, Lewisburg
$115.00 (plus tax)

Super-8
550 N. Jefferson Street, Lewisburg
Single: $57.80   Double:  $63.75  (plus tax)

(Ask for Group Reservations/ Conference Rate)

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Tri-State Farm and Food Conference

November 14, 2015 – Huntington, WV


The Tri-State Farm & Food Conference has been met with incredible enthusiasm from folks in the greater Huntington area. We are striving for even more enthusiasm as we gear up for the 2015 conference.
After a two year hiatus, we are happy to be gathering again in the Tri-State. The conference’s aim is to revolutionize the food-shed to help farmers and food producers run viable businesses through agricultural education, in the 50 mile radius of Huntington. This effort reaches an area that encompasses 15 counties located throughout West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.
We hope that you will take advantage of the experts we have and that you will form relationships that will continue after the conference. We are fortunate to have so many gifted people who are always happy to help farmers and food producers in anyway they can.

DETAILS

Cost – $25 (includes lunch)
Saturday will feature four 1 1/2 hour long sessions covering topics of Vegetable Production, Farm to School, Risk Management, Marketing, and Food Systems.
Lunch from noon until 2:00 PM will be sourced from local farmers. Local food is a focus of our mission, and helping farmers to capture more of the food expenditure of their geographic area is our goal. A special lunchtime panel will discuss an exciting new project – REFRESH APPALACHIA.
The conference is being held at Heritage Farm Museum and Village, 3300 Harvey Road Huntington, WV 25704.

REGISTER HERE



Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Pruning Demonstration in Clay County


When: Saturday, October 17th from 2-4 pm.

Where: George Jones, 34 Crooked Run Rd., Nebo WV 25141

Directions:

Take exit 40 on I-79. Go north on Rt. 16 for 3.5 to 3.6 miles (dependent on which ramp you exit I-79). Turn left, then immediately take the drive on the right.


Saturday, September 26, 2015

Ricotta Cheese Making Class


If it came from a plant, eat it,
if it was made in a plant, DON'T!  ~Michael Pollan
Shop hours:  Tues-Sat 11-5

INVITES YOU
TO JOIN US for...


making fresh ricotta cheese
led by
Nancy Bruns of J.Q. Dickinson Saltworks
located in Malden, WV



 
Saturday, October 10,2015 at 1:30 pm
  Cost is $20.00 per person
     Fresh cheese can be made with many different cultures to cause the milk to curdle.  Nancy will show us how to use liquid nigari, a byproduct of her company's salt making process, to make fresh cheeses such as ricotta and goat cheese (it can also be used to make tofu).  Easy for any cook to accomplish in under 30 minutes.
   
     Nancy recently offered this program at the Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello in Virginia and had forty participants...WOW...that's a lot of people excited about making their own cheese!!  We are excited to have her in our shop and to carry the wonderful West Virginia made salt products from J.Q. Dickinson Saltworks!


     Pre-registration is required.  Please email, call the shop or message us on Facebook.

Liquid Nigari

Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Common Ground Shoppes
Heritage Station | 210 11th Street | Shop 12
Huntington | West Virginia | 25701
304.552.3197

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Growing Strawberries for Homeowners Using IPM

There is a great opportunity to get some educational hours by attending free webinar funded by North Central IPM Center:

Growing Strawberries for Homeowners Using IPM, 
Thursday, October 1, 2015


Don’t  forget to pre-register, it is required!

Mira


Monday, August 24, 2015

2015 Herb Association Fall Festival

The Herb Association Fall Festival is scheduled for October 9-10, 2015 Jackson’s Mill.  More information is available in the brochure.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

2015 Urban Ag Conference

Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual WV Urban Ag Conference



Save $20 with early bird registration by August 8!

Registration is now open for the West Virginia Urban Ag Conference to be held September 18-19.  The two-day conference will focus on issues relating to urban and small-scale agriculture and homesteading and will be held on the campus of WV State University in Institute, near Charleston.  The conference is a collaboration between WVU Extension, WVSU Extension, the WV Department of Agriculture, and the Capitol Conservation District, with help from the WV Farmers Market Association, the WV Food and Farm Coalition, and NRCS.  The conference can be a great way to earn continuing education credits for Master Gardeners. 

The workshop schedule includes horticulture production, small-scale livestock, conservation, homesteading, marketing, community gardens, and more.  Check out the full conference schedule.  We are also pleased to add featured speakers this year, thanks to some great partnerships and sponsorships.


Conference registration includes lunch both days and the local foods dinner on Friday night, as well as all workshops and sessions.  (The first 100 people that register for the rain barrel workshops go home with a complete rain barrel....for free!)  The conference will feature a farmer’s market, vendor trade-show, and more.  The conference will feature a local foods banquet prepared by renowned Charleston restaurant Bridge Road Bistro (included in the cost) and lunches prepared with local, fresh ingredients by popular Charleston restaurants. 

Register before August 8 to get the early-bird rate of $60!  Beginning August 9, the conference fee raises to $80.  After August 23, the late-registration fee will be $100.  Registration ends on September 6.  So register early!  Single day registrations are also available.

New this year is a pre-conference self-guided tour of urban farms, gardens, and community gardens in the Kanawha Valley area on the evening of September 17.  The tour will end at J.Q. Dickinson Saltworks in Malden with a local foods after party.  The tour is an additional $15 for conference attendees, and non-conference attendees may attend for $25.

New this year is a pre-conference self-guided tour of urban farms, gardens, and community gardens in the Kanawha Valley area on the evening of September 17.  The tour will end at J.Q. Dickinson Saltworks in Malden with a local foods after party.  The tour is an additional $15 for conference attendees, and non-conference attendees may attend for $25.

Featured Talks Include:




Monday, August 3, 2015

Family Fun at the Putnam Farmers Market


Family Fun at the Putnam Farmers Market
Schedule of activities August 8th, 2015
Master Gardener demonstrations
9:00–10:00 Bouquet Building
10:00–11:00 Bonsai Tree cutting demo
11:00-11:15 Master Gardener class intro
11:30 LUNCH BEGINS – BBQ - farm raised pork donated by Calls Meat Market, fresh slaw, squash fries/chips, melon, and fruit infused water.
Kids Events
9:45-10:15 Story Time - Barefoot in Appalachia
10:15-11:15 Stamping with Veggies
11:15-12:00 Tensile Time with Bubbles - STEM
10:00 – 12:00 Face Painting – Kaylyn Foster
Ongoing from 9:00-1:00
Fresh Farm Produce, Meat, Eggs, Baked Goods, Crafts, Honey for sale by local Putnam County Farmers
SNAP $$ double dollars and EBT use at the farmers market training and assistance

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Fairy Garden Workshop

Gritt's Midway Greenhouse is offering a workshop on Saturday, July 18 from 10 am - noon at the Capitol Market.  This session is on making fairy gardens.



Monday, July 6, 2015

Protecting Pollinators in Ornamental Landscapes

Dear Master Gardener Coordinator,

I am sure that most of you have been training Master Gardeners to assist in answering questions about the safety of garden center plants to bees, and how to protect bees and other pollinators in the yard and garden.  Michigan State University and North Carolina State University have organized a national conference to inform educators on this subject.  Coordinators, leaders, program assistants, and master gardeners that want to be trained in this area of expertise are all invited.  The ‘Protecting Pollinators in Ornamental Landscapes’ conference, will be held in Kanuga, North Carolina, October 12 – 15, 2015.  The conference kicks-off with a keynote address by Professor Dave Goulson, University of Sussex, United Kingdom, at 7:30 PM, October 12th, followed by a welcoming reception for all.  Dr. Goulson is first author of the recent Science Magazine review summary article: ‘Bee Declines Driven by Combined Stress from Parasites, Pesticides, and Lack of Flowers’.  He will be joined by 22 speakers from 11 universities and 3 countries, including Jane Memet (University of Bristol), Nigel Raines (University of Guelph), Dan Potter (University of Kentucky), Rufus Isaacs (Michigan State University), and many other outstanding speakers.  The conference will take place at the Kanuga Conference Center, in the mountains of North Carolina, which should be in full fall color.  It is designed to stimulate discussion among scientists, educators, industry leaders, landscape professionals and conservationists in a relaxed atmosphere.  Please see the attached brochure for a complete program.  Registering early is recommended.

Register for the conference at http://events.anr.msu.edu/PPOL/.
Register for accommodations at the Kanuga Conference Center at http://registration.kanuga.org/Pollinators2015


For more information about the conference, or for assistance in registering, please contact Kristin Getter, getterk@msu.edu, or Heidi Wollaeger, wollaege@anr.msu.edu
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Thursday, July 2, 2015

Upcoming Educational Opportunities

JOIN US AT UPCOMING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. THIS SUMMER

We hope you can join us at an event near you this summer! Xerces holds events in all 50 states and below is a list of upcoming events that we will be participating in. Many events require registration and some require a fee, so please check out the event details and reserve a spot soon if you are interested in participating. Please note that some events are not directly organized by Xerces, so registration and event questions may be handled by the hosting organization.    

NORTHEAST


Learn How to Attract Native Pollinators to Fields, Farms, and Orchards
Corning, NY

Thursday, August 27, 2015, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Big Flats Plant Material Center
Click here for event details


MID-ATLANTIC

Save Our Monarchs
Hockessin, DE

Sunday, July 12, 2015, 12:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Mt. Cuba Center
Click here for event details

Migratory Dragonfly Short Course
Alexandria, VA

Saturday, August 22, 2015, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Huntley Meadows Park
Click here for event detailsCurrently full, but you can add yourself to the waitlist.


SOUTHEAST

Native Meadow Tour: Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens
Cullowhee, NC

Wednesday, July 15, 2015, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Cullowhee Native Plant Conference, Western Carolina University
Click here for event details

Common Native Bees Slideshow and Garden Foray
Chapel Hill, NC

Sunday, July 26, 2015, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
North Carolina Botanical Garden
Register by email to ncbgregistrar@unc.edu or phone919-843-8524. Fee: $15 ($10 for NCBG members).
Click here for event details

Enhancing Diversity to Support Pollinators: Focus on Bees
Jamestown, NC

Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 7:00 PM
Sedgefield Garden Club, Griffin Recreation Center
Register by email to sedgefieldgardenclub@gmail.comor phone 336-420-5926.
Click here for event details

GREAT LAKES

Bumble Bee Survey at Pilot Knob Hill
Mendota Heights, MN

Friday, July 24, 2015
Pilot Knob Hill
Registration coming soon through Great River Greeening

Conservation Biological Control Short Course
Farmington, MN

Tuesday, July 28th, 2015, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
NRCS Farmington Field Office
Click here for event details

Pollinator Party: A Celebration of Bees
Minneapolis, MN

Thursday, July 30, 2015, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Lyndale Park Gardens
Click here for event details

Bumble Bees of Minnesota
Brainerd, MN

Sunday, August 9, 2015, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Northland Arboretum
Click here for event details


SOUTH CENTRAL

Official Summer Butterfly Count
Fort Worth, TX

Saturday, July 11, 2015, 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM CST
Fort Worth Nature Center
Please call 817-392-7410 with event questions
Click here for Nature Center info


PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Mussel Re-colonization Monitoring
Portland, OR

Friday, July 10, 2015, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Westmoreland Park
Click here for event details

Mussel Survivorship Monitoring
Portland, OR

Monday, July 13, 2015, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Westmoreland's Union Manor
Click here for event details

Pollinator Passion Weekend
Everett, WA

Friday, July 24, 2015, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
WSU Snohomish County Extension
Click here for event details

Macroinvertebrate Training and Monitoring
Milwaukie/Portland, OR
Part 1: Thursday, August 20, 2015, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Johnson Creek Watershed Council
Milwaukie, OR
Part 2: Sunday, August 23, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Westmoreland Park
Portland, OR
Click here for event details. Currently full, but you can add yourself to the waitlist.  

If you are not already a member, please consider joining the Xerces Society as a monthly or annual donor. As a member, you will receive two issues of our member magazine Wingseach year. For more information on membership, please visit themembership page on our website.

Please visit our online store for books and merchandise on invertebrate conservation, including popular items such as:

Please visit our events page for more details about these upcoming events across the country this summer. 

CONNECT WITH US

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Photo Credit: Long-horned bee by Mace Vaughan/The Xerces Society.

The Xerces Society * 628 NE Broadway, Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97232 USA * tel 855.232.6639
info@xerces.org * www.xerces.org

Copyright © 2015 The Xerces Society. All rights reserved.