Inside the MGA December

Our new Board of Directors had their first meeting in early November.  Since then they have been busy getting themselves caught up with their new positions--lots of meetings with former coordinators and Rosanne Sherry to learn the ropes and set a new direction.

Your new Board Members are:

President - Theresa Melvin - theresamelvin@cox.net

Vice President - Elaine Powers - elaineflowers@cox.net

Treasurer - Francine McVay - francinemcvay@cox.net

Secretary - Alfreda Peigelbeck - apeigelbeck@aol.com

Advanced Education - Mary Ann Buckley - mabuckley08@gmail.com

Community Projects - Mary Malouin - smelltheroses1@verizon.net

Financial Support - Lynne Farr - lfarr179@cox.net

Marketing - Tom Gorski - tagorski57@aol.com

Membership - Lee Menard - leemenard2582@gmail.com

Public Education - Position is Open

Website - Tom Cote - tcote@umassp.edu

CELS Liaison - Rudi Hempe - rudi20@cox.net

State Coordinator - Rosanne Sherry - mastergardener@uri.edu

Our newsletter has a new name - INSIDE THE MGA will bring you not only news about the Board of Directors but news on our Standing Committees.  We feel our membership should be kept informed about all the activities of the MGA, hence the new name (which Francine McVay thought up).  We also believe that it is our Standing Committees that keep the
continuity of our Association.  While Board members come and go, the Committee members continue our work.

CELS REPORT 
The East Farm work crew, known as “Rudi’s Rangers”, were involved in two unusual projects recently.  First they installed a so-called “super spindle” apple orchard in the beds where grape vines once grew at East Farm.  The idea is to plant apple trees very close together (one foot apart) in a straight line.  The trees are dwarfs and are kept pruned severely so they grow straight up like poles with little side-growth.  A wire trellis system will provide support.  The idea is to grow fruit, not tree branches.  The method was developed in Europe where space is limited and the system should reduce the need for spraying and simplify harvesting.  It is expected the trees, which the Rangers will graft this winter, will start bearing in 3-4 years.

The other project was a unique opportunity to volunteer for a This Old House project.  The popular PBS TV program is rehabbing a beach-front house in Barrington.  Kate Venturini, on Marion Gold’s staff, came up with a coastal planting plan and asked the Rangers to install the 70-plus plants.  The planting took all day on November 18th, as the videotape crews had to do multiple takes.  Lots of footage was taken of us planting the shrubs and Rhody Native plants.  In the MG crew were Val Wharton, Chuck Dawson, Earle Perkins, Gordon Jones and Rudi Hempe.  Kate did the voice over with show host Kevin O’Connor, giving information about the Master Gardener Program.  The 10-part series will air in January. Information submitted by Rudi Hempe, CELS Partnership Coordinator

TREASURER:
Our treasurer, Francine McVay, reports that she had a very slow start to her new responsibilities.  The good news is that she is now catching up. If anything is outstanding or you have any questions, please call her at 401-225-3551 or
email at francinemcvay@cox.net

SOIL TESTING:
This project is growing by leaps and bounds. Last year in 2010, there were 860 soil tests completed by soil testers around the state. This year, 2011, there were 1,386, an increase of 61% from the year before.   

KIOSK EVENTS:
2011 saw an increase in kiosk events and new locations. In addition to the annual events in the East Bay which include Earth Day at Clements’ Market, Wal-Mart, Raytheon, Newport in Bloom, Jane Pickens Theater, Lifespan Newport Hospital, NUWC Health and Wellness Fair, Pardon Gray Fair, Harvest Fair at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, new locations, workshops and lectures were held at Paradise Park, Middletown sponsored by the Middletown Historical Society and the Maher Center in Middletown.  In N. RI. Kiosk events were held at the Attleboro Museum Art and Flower Show, the Cumberland Monastery, and the Foster Fair. (info provided by Pat Davis and Terri Pinto)

MGA SPEAKER & FIELDTRIP RESOUCE COMMITTEE:
This newly formed committee is presently busy working on helping find speakers for the March 3rd Garden Symposium, for Membership Meetings and Advanced Education.

We are also becoming high-tech learning about “clouds”.  If your committee needs a speaker, let us know.  The beginning of the year our committee will start working on field trips in addition to the wonderful annual trips arranged by our own “J & J Travel” (Jan Fusco & Jackie Dawley). If you have any ideas for trips, let us know.  We are busy working to enrich the Association. Submitted by committee chair, Elaine Powers, elaineflowers@cox.net

Poinsettia Sale:
This year our gross came in at $6300.  Congratulations to the Team.  Job well done!  Thank you.  More info about the sale at our January Membership Meeting.

The Image Committee:
Our East Farm Field House will soon be flying another flag on the new flagpole. Along with the American flag will be a 4’ x 6’ URI Master Gardener flag. We have ordered an additional flag 3’ x 5’ for use at project sites, when appropriate. Submitted by committee chair, Ann Perkins, with Pat Davis & Jim Garman

GARDEN SYMPOSIUM - March 3rd - SAVE THE DATE! 
Plans are well underway for the 2012 URI MGA Garden Symposium, Food, Flowers & Family, to be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Three keynote speakers will provide an exciting program for our participants.  Barbara Emerson from Edible Boston magazine will speak on integrating edible plants into your ornamental garden and edible flowers into your vegetable garden.  Sydney Eddison, recipient of numerous horticultural awards, will speak on gardening for a lifetime…throughout the “ages.”  Kerry Ann Mendez, author and owner of Perennially Yours, will tell us how to enjoy three seasons of outrageous color from perennials.  Breakout sessions will include a URI Master Gardener vegetable gardening panel led by Rudi Hempe, preserving the harvest led by the URI Outreach Center's Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator and NBC 10 Plant Pro Sejal Lanterman, adding native plants to the garden, and another session to be announced. Tickets will go on sale in January so mark your calendar.  Submitted by Sharyn Iannuccilli, Symposium Committee Chair

President’s Message:
During this season may you experience at least one occasion where you are certain that there really is a Santa Claus and may health, prosperity and joy fill the New Year.
God bless.
TM

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