Minutes for Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association
Association Meeting Held January 21, 2018
Call to Order
The Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners Association held an Association meeting January 21, 2018 at Fort Valley Nursery, 1175 Hisey Ave., Woodstock, VA.
Cy Haley, President, presided over the meeting and called it to order at 2:00 PM. Sandra Ward served as secretary.
Opening Remarks
Cy Haley welcomed everyone to the beginning of a new year and introduced the Board members and County Coordinators: Clarke County, Ginny Smith; Frederick County, Helen Lake; Page County, Lesley Mack; Shenandoah County, Sharon Rodriguez; Warren County, Jessica Cahill-Priest.
Attendees
Sixty-seven members attended.
Officers’ Reports
Vice President: Suzanne Boag presented the vice president’s report in person. Suzanne introduced Terry Fogle, owner of Fort Valley Nursery, who was the speaker for the educational portion of the meeting. His topic was “Unusual Gardening Questions over the Years.”
The February meeting is scheduled for February 11 at the Mid Atlantic Farm Credit building, 125 Prosperity Drive, Winchester, VA 22602. Stacey Smith will be offering a presentation and demonstration on plant division, in preparation for Garden Fest.
Secretary:Sandra Ward presented the secretary’s report in person. She noted the minutes for the last association meeting were sent out by email.
Approval of Minutes:Suzanne Boag moved to approve the minutes of the last association meeting as emailed.Bob Gail seconded the motion.
The motion carried with all in favor.
Correspondence: None.
Treasurer: Bob Gail presented the treasurer’s report in person.
Checking account balance: $28,914.36
Scholarship Fund: $11,857.66
Total Cash on hand: $11,837.14
(See attachment for full financial reports.)
Membership Report
Mary Craig reported that the Association has 72 active members that have completed their 2017 hours, paid their dues for 2018, and turned in their recertification forms.
Two members have been granted Emeritus Service in recognition of their years of service and contributionsto the Association:
Richard Stromberg
Donna Downing
Old Business
None
Standing Committees
Communications and Publicity
No new report.
Education Committee
Suzanne Boag,Committee Chair, introduced committee members Patricia Boyd, Laurie Cocina, Rose Fairman, Lynn Hoffmann, Shan Kilby, and Linda Melton. The committee met on Wednesday and is planning a series of MG Educational Adventures for 2018, which will earn Association members education hours. Look for MG Ed Adventures announcements in your email and the spring newsletter!
The first adventure will be held Saturday, February 24, and is a day trip to the National Arboretum in Washington, DC to hear a talk by Dr. Jeffery Day, National Library of Medicine. He will speak on the topic of “The Assassin’s Plot and the Physician’s Garden.” Attendees will hear about fun backyard examples of herbs that harm humans as well as medicinal garden denizens. MGs interesting in going should contract Lynn Hoffmann at or more information. Fee is $10.00, due by February 11. Members interested in carpooling should contact Lynn.
Newsletter
Stacey Smith, editor of the Newsletter, reported that the new newsletter is out and has been well received. It is available to outside readers, and 975 people showed interest and 433 opened it. Stacey thanked the writers and proofreaders who worked to produce it.
The deadline for the April issue is March 10. Stacey encouraged anyone interested in writing on a topic to submit their articles, and the editors will help format the articles.
A survey on the newsletter will be sent out in February.
Unit Projects and Special Committees
Scholarship Committee
Scholarship information has been distributed to all school systems in the five-county area. Applications for the scholarships are due March 5. Five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded.
Seed Exchange
Elaine Specht thanked everyone who has helped with preparations for the seed exchange, which will be held Saturday, January 27, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. People who did not contribute can still take five packets of seeds. There will also be a bring one-take one book and magazine swap.
2018 MG Class
Bob Gail reported that 23 people have signed up for the class, with the possibility of one more. (The class can hold up to 25 people). Classes will beginTuesday, February13and will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00 – 4:00 PM at the Mid Atlantic Farm Credit Building in Winchester. Members may audit classes; the schedule is posted in the Newsletter.
Symposium
The 2018 Symposium will be held March 3 at Shenandoah University in Winchester. This is a great way for members to get 8 hours of education credit! Workshops include Planting and Using Chinese Herbs, Seed Exchanges, Solitary Pollinators, Gardens of the World in Zones 6 and 7, and Farm to Table in the Shenandoah Valley.
Helen Lake also noted that the committee has reached out to the school systems with information on Symposium. Each school system gives teachers points for educational classes, and money for teachers to attend such educational programs. This is a good way for the schools to get to know the Master Gardeners better
Garden Fair
Jessica Priest-Cahill and Sharon Rodriguez are the project leaders for the MG table at the annual plant sale at Blandy Experimental Farm, to be held May 11-13.
Garden Fest
Stacey Smith and Cy Haley reported on Garden Fest activities. Cy still has openings for volunteers on some of the Garden Fest Committees.Interested MGs should attend the Committee meeting. Barb Haller and Kris Behrends have volunteered to lead subcommittees digging and dividing plants.
The committee needs 6 -10” round pots, so please donate if you have some to give away.
Stacey will give a talk and demonstration on dividing plants at the February Association meeting, a very timely topic for Garden Fest preparations.
Strasburg Community Garden Projects
Roz McIntosh needs volunteers to help with the planning for the Community Garden at the Strasburg Park. Plots will be available to local families to grow vegetables and extra food will be donated to the public. Plans for the community garden include a table for children that is handicapped accessible, and cooking demonstrations of the vegetables that are grown there. Master Food Volunteers will be asked to help with the cooking demonstrations.
Sarah Pak is the project leader for education outreach programs associated with the garden. The Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District secured a $50,000 grant to develop a Community Garden in Strasburg. $10,000 of that was entrusted to VCE to support development of educational programs under the urban agriculture initiative. Workshops will be held Wednesday evenings 7:00 – 9:30 at Pott Town Organics in Strasburg and Saturday mornings in the garden.
County Coordinator Reports
Clarke
Ginny Smith submitted her report in writing. She reported that the Clarke County meeting would be held in March – the date and place is to be determined.
Frederick
Helen Lake reported that the Frederick County planning meeting will be held March 25. Topics of discussion will include new projects as well as ongoing projects. The Bowman Library plant clinic will be held February 3 from 11:00 to 2:00. MGs should contact Lynn Hoffmann if they are interested in volunteering.
Page County
Lesley Mack thanked Robbin Holland for her article for the MG newsletter on the Shenandoah Elementary School’s “Farm to Table Day” in April. It has been a popular event for MGs since 2016. MGs donate potted veggie plants to all grades K-5 and their teachers.
Charlie Newton has been working with the Page County Tree Board to make sure the text for the Chinquapin Oak marble bench inscription is correct and precise. Cheryl McDonald suggested making the town’s annual Arbor Day event and the Chinquapin Oak marble bench dedication on the same day.
Kirsten Goulard stepped up to work on the MG scholarship Committee, and Lesley noted her appreciation for her giving her time.
Information from Helen Lake regarding the Symposium was passed on to the schools via the Page County School board. Two people have contacted Lesley so far to sign up.
Page County MGs will be having a meeting at the Mack home on January 28 at 1:00 PM. They are also looking forward to hosting the Association meeting in June at Cheryl McDonald’s house.
Shenandoah County
Sharon Rodriguezwelcomed everyone to Shenandoah County, and gave special recognition and thanks to Fort Valley Nursery and Terry Foglefor his hospitality.Committees for several projects are working diligently to have their action plans ready to implement as the growing season approaches. MGs will be hearing from them individually.
The Shenandoah county project planning meeting is March 5 in the VCE classroom beginning at 6 PM.
Green Help Line workshop will be March 16 in the VCE classroom from 9 AM to Noon.
Warren
Jessica Priest-Cahill announced that the Kiwanis needs volunteers to make presentations. They meet every two weeks.
New Business
New Executive Leadership Representatives
Carolyn Rutherford will be the new ELC Representative from Frederick County. Lisa Brown will be the new representative from Shenandoah County.
Association Logo
Stacey Smith suggested that our Association have a logo – many Associations do have logos, and Stacey passed around a sheet with samples of logos from other Associations. Stacey asked for suggestions; after she collects them, the Association will vote on the logo. She will send out an email to the membership with further details.
Gardens to Give – Plant a Row Program
Helen Lake presented information on the “plant a row” program where MGs plant an extra row in their vegetable gardens and donate the food to the needy. Mark Sutphin researched these programs and found other associations do give MG credit for this work. Cy will be sending out an email with details on what and how.
Individual Consultations Project Entry
MGs are often asked questions about plants on an informal basis. They can now get MG credit for the time they take to answer those questions. Individual and Home Consultations will be combined under one title in VMS and the Home Consultation category listed for each county will be eliminated.
Historian
Mary Craig, the Association Historian, needs articles on the Association’s history.
VCE Agent’s Report
Mark Sutphin VCE Agent, called attention to the email he sent out to MGs about a new invasive pest, the Spotted Lantern Fly, that has been spotted in the area. It poses a danger to fruit trees and vines.
Mark thanked everyone for the hours that MGs put in in 2017, and the contacts they made with the public:
11,096 contacts
14,566hours
3,337 continuing education hours
The dollar value of the volunteer effort is $392,699.
Volunteer Coordinators Report
Bob Carlton reminded everyone that recertification forms must be submitted by January 31.
All project applications that Bob has received have been passed on to Mark Sutphin for approval.
Five new members have completed their internship hours and were granted their Master Gardener certificates:
Erin Franklin
Jean Martin
Teresa Favilla
Tony Gochenour
Jessica Priest-Cahill
Welcome to our new Master Gardeners!
VMGA Liaison
Susan Garrett was not present. The next VMGA meeting is February 8.
Closing Remarks
Stacey Smith needs photos for the Association photo files.
Adjournment
Suzanne Boagmoved that the meeting be adjourned. James Jones seconded the motion.
The motion passed at 3:25 P.M.
ATTACHMENTS