28

Chicago Master Gardener

A blog for Chicago Master Gardeners providing information on volunteer opportunities, training, workshops and resources.

October 29, 2007

Become a Chicago Master Gardener

Mother Nature is Calling, "Get Back to the Earth!"

U of I Extension Master Gardener Classes to Begin January of 2008

Do you have an interest in gardening and a willingness to share your knowledge with others? If so, the Master Gardener program is for you!

Be a part of the 'greening of Chicago'. Extension's Master Gardener adult volunteer program is vital in bringing horticulture information to the public through University of Illinois Extension offices in Chicago and beyond.

WHEN:

Wednesdays, January 16, 2008 through April 2, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE:

Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences at 3857 West 111th Street and at Garfield Park Conservatory at 300 North Central Park in Chicago.

Instruction is also offered online. Call (773)233-0476 or email Nancy at nkreith@gmail.com for information about the online Master Gardener program.

WHAT:

University of Illinois Extension educators provide more than 60 hours of training on botany, vegetables, tree and small fruits, diseases, insects, pesticide safety, soils, fertilizers, pruning, trees, flowers, organic gardening and rain gardens. Students must then pass a final, comprehensive exam. In return for the training, Master Gardeners give back at least 60 hours of volunteer time to the Chicago Master Gardener Program within the year.

A fee of $225 covers the Master Gardener manual and supplemental handouts.

Scholarships are available.

Applications are available for 2008 classes. Class size is limited. Each applicant will be required to go through a short informal interview in December. To apply online go to http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/cook/mgchicago/or call 773-233-0476 for an application.

Contact person: Ronald Wolford, Extension Educator, Urban Gardening/Environment, 3807 W. 111th Street, Chicago, IL. 60655, rwolford@uiuc.edu, 773-233-0476.


Posted by Ron Wolford at 9:04 PM | Permalink |

October 20, 2007

Master Composter Class at Ag School

Gloria, a Chicago Master Gardener is taking our Master Composter training this fall at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences. Gloria also has an excellent blog called Pollinators-Welcome- a weblog to record the development of a wildlife friendly garden. Her latest entry has some excellent pictures and narrative of last week's class.

Posted by Ron Wolford at 12:55 PM | Permalink |

October 19, 2007

2007 Master Gardener Interns: Things You Need to Know

Good morning, Interns.

What a wonderful group of interns you are! Thirty five of you already have your hours up onto the database. You are active everywhere across the city and out into the suburbs! Very impressive!

Here are some things you need to know:

Your may enter your Volunteer Hours and Continuing Education Hours as you go along. You will need a total of 60 hours, which can be a combination of volunteer hours and Continuing Educationto graduate. You must have those submitted by April 1, 2008. Your graduation is set for Tuesday, May 27, 2008.

If you have forgotten how to get onto the NE Region Database to enter your hours, please contact me and I'll get you set up. Cell phone: 773-469-8037 or email ebruhns@uiuc.edu

Check out today's Chicago Tribune, your classmate, Janna Riley is on the front page of the Your Place section!

I want to extend a special thanks to you for your class gift to the Master Gardener program. Thanks to all of you and especially Bill Rattan, there is now a wireless connection on the computer in the Plant Clinic. Bill also used your donations to purchase a digital camera for the program. That camera is going along to the Bungalow Expo at the Merchandise Mart this Saturday, October 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for pictures for our web sites. We hope to send it out to most special events and gardens.

Thank you,

Elizabeth

Posted by Ron Wolford at 10:47 PM | Permalink |

October 11, 2007

Bring a Poster for Honors Night

Good morning, Master Gardeners,

Here are some posters we hope to see on October 30. Let me know if your have questions or need help.

A Women's Gym - Erica Seltzer

American Indian Medicinal Garden- Todd Agosto

Beverly Arts Center - Marilyn Klein

Bethlehem Baptismal Garden- Phyllis Johnson and Marilyn Klein.

Brickyard Community Garden-Dorothy Pytel

Brookfield Zoo Hamil Family Zoo-Heather Burton

Centro San Bonifacio Garden- Margaret Cunningham

Larabida Children's Hospital - Phyllis Johnson and Marilyn Klein.

Harold Washington Victory Garden- Amy Olson

Holsum Bakery Green Space- Mike deLuna Hernandez

Jackie Robinson School - Carol Gittler

Proksa Park - Wil Rutt

St. Andrew Church -Vicki Grogan

St. Odilo Parish - Jenny Uyeda

Schwab- Tom Janik, Gail Neiman,Jodi Mann, Katy Murphy, Jane Tiffen, Cynthia Weaver

Remember how great the Jensen Room looked last October with all the posters about gardens?

This year, we want to do the posters in a slightly different way. Please confine your poster size to 8 1/2" by 11" papers. You may do one or two pages.

The reason for this is so after HONORS NIGHT, we will can put these "posters" into a scrapbook for a more permanent record.

Your poster of your garden should have:

Name and type of garden

Address

Contact person

Master Gardeners who participated

Some pictures, (maybe before and after?)

Feel free to use the copy machine at either/or Garfield Park Conservatory or the Ag School Extension office to make your poster.

We will put the 8 1/2" by 11" poster onto construction paper for display.

When can you turn them in?

1. At the Plant Clinic on Sunday, October 21

2. At the Ag School office Monday-Friday, October 22-26

3. At the door on October 30. (Not the best option!)

Elizabeth Bruhns: ebruhns@uiuc.edu

Posted by Ron Wolford at 10:47 AM | Permalink |

October 10, 2007

Posters for Honors Night

Remember how great the Jensen Room looked last October with all the posters about gardens?

This year, we want to do the posters in a slightly different way. Please confine your poster size to 8 1/2" by 11" papers. You may do one or two pages.

The reason for this is so after HONORS NIGHT, we will can put these "posters" into a scrapbook for a more permanent record.

Your poster of your garden should have:

Name and type of garden

Address

Contact person

Master Gardeners who participated

Some pictures, (maybe before and after?)

Feel free to use the copy machine at either/or Garfield Park Conservatory or the Ag School Extension office to make your poster.

We will put the 8 1/2" by 11" poster onto construction paper for display.

When can you turn them in?

1. At the Plant Clinic on Sunday, October 21

2. At the Ag School office Monday-Friday, October 22-26

3. At the door on October 30. (Not the best option!)

Posted by Ron Wolford at 11:18 AM | Permalink |

October 10, 2007

Volunteer for Creatures of the Night

It's that time of year again to get out your vampire teeth,as we will once again celebrate the "falloween" season by hosting snakes, owls, and bats here at the Conservatory on Saturday, October 27th from noon to 3:00pm. This event, called Creatures of the Night, is a fun family event that many of you have helped out with in the past - and we need your help again. Because our event coincides with the final weekend of the Niki in the Garden sculpture exhibit, we are anticipating a much larger crowd than in past years and must have all helping hands on deck.

The volunteer shift for Creatures of the Night is from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. *

*We do have a limited amount of short shifts available. These run from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., and from 12:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Though we hope you can volunteer for the main shift time, let us know if one of these might work better.

Staff and volunteers will be positioned throughout the Conservatory to "share an animal adaptation trick, and give a treat" to kids and families while animal presenters introduce their live nocturnal friends. In addition to the "learn a trick, get a treat" stations, there are lots of slots available for volunteer activity facilitators. (Don't worry, the animals come with their own presenters, so none of you will be stuck holding a snake.)

We are also hosting Creatures of the Night training on Thursday, October 25th, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room. Though this training is not mandatory for volunteering on the day of the event, if you can attend, it will help things run much smoother as it will provide us volunteers who have a comprehensive picture of the whole event.

4PLEASE NOTE: Even if you have already signed up to volunteer for this event, please e-mail me at hpicciuca@garfieldpark.org to confirm your commitment and to let me know if you will be attending the training. Also, you don't need to pick a volunteer position, but if you have a preference let me know – otherwise we will schedule you where we need you. I will be sending you a confirmation e-mail a few days before the event to let you know where to park, where to check in, what to wear, etc, so keep an eye out for it.

Positions Available:

Welcome Person @ Greeting Table

Activity Station Facilitators:

Popcorn Hand Snack-tivity

Grow-In-the-Dark Necklaces

Face Painting Station

Bat Origami

See-Through-Seed-Bracelets

Nectar Cup Activity

Spider Plant Planting

Garlic Planting AKA Veto the Vampire

Interpretation Station Facilitators:(We will provide information for you to present, and your job will be to give out both interesting information, as well as prizes- some of you will be stationed next to the animal presenters, but will not be presenting the animals, FYI):

1. Secret Senses- Sight Station

2. Secret Senses- Smell Station

3. Secret Senses- Hearing Station

4. Secret Senses- Touch Station

5. Secret Senses- Taste Station

6. Snake Fact Station

7. Firefly Facts Station

8. Fruit Bat Fact Station

9. Owl Station

10. Luna Moth Station

11. Worm Station

Thank you again for your continued help and support.

Hope to see you all soon!

Harmony Picciuca

Garden and Volunteer Programs Coordinator

Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance

300 N. Central Park Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60624

773.638.1766 x 24

hpicciuca@garfieldpark.org

Posted by Ron Wolford at 10:49 AM | Permalink |

October 5, 2007

Illinois Master Gardener Program Certifies Professional Volunteers

They don't call it "Master" Gardener for nothing. Contrary to what some may believe, the Illinois Master Gardener program is not a program for casual garden hobbyists -- it's a knowledge-based horticulture program with a hefty time commitment both for the all-day classes that meet once a week from January to April, as well as the promise to volunteer 30 hours per year after completing the course.

However, the fact that 600 to 700 people become Master Gardeners in Illinois each year demonstrates that the time must be well worth the level of commitment.

"It is a big time commitment, but the people who are accepted into the program are serious about gardening and sharing their knowledge with the public," said Monica David, University of Illinois Extension coordinator for the Master Gardener program.

Automatic acceptance into the program may be another false assumption. "There's an application process. People who are interested in becoming a Master Gardener should contact their local Extension office. They are interviewed in the fall and begin the course in January. We're looking for people who want to share what they've learned with others," said David.

David said that five years ago they added an online course in order to accommodate people who work full time or for other reasons could not attend the classes in person. "I have about 60 people taking the online class each year. It's been very successful," she said.

MaryAnne Spinner who lives in Chicago took the online Master Gardener course. "The main reason I took it online was that I do quite a bit of traveling, and knew I would have to miss a couple of the in-person classes while out of town," said Spinner. "With the online program, we were given a couple of weeks to complete each unit, so I was able to work around my travel schedule.

"One thing that really surprised me about taking the course online is that I felt as if I were part of a 'community' of Master Gardener interns," said Spinner. "I thought I would miss the camaraderie that develops among individuals taking the course together, especially since I'm a rather social being. Sitting at the computer seemed like it would be a rather solitary venture, but Monica David encouraged all of the on-liners to communicate with each other via bulletin boards, and she was the glue that held us together, encouraging and mentoring us. I'm still am in contact with members of my online class, and have also found that I had no trouble making friends with the Master Gardeners who had taken the in-person course when I got to meet them at monthly meetings and other Master Gardener functions."

And, what about the commitment to give back 30-volunteer hours per year? David said that most graduates actually give much more than 30 hours. "They write newspaper columns, give talks at libraries and civic groups, host workshops, help diagnose plant diseases at walk-in plant clinics, work with youth programs in schools and with 4-H, scouting, and lots of other community programs."

Spinner's first sustained volunteer activity began in the summer of 2002 and continued for three years. She was as a part of a team of volunteer gardeners who maintain the plantings on the grounds at Lincoln Park Zoo. "Because of the large number of volunteers at Lincoln Park Zoo, it has been able to maintain its policy of charging no admission fee, unlike most urban zoos worldwide."

In 2003, Spinner became the founding manager of the Cook County/Chicago Master Gardener Electronic Plant Clinic which has led to appearances on a gardening radio show, and to a Q & A column that runs in a large number of community newspapers. She also writes articles for A Gardener's Place (online at web.extension.uiuc.edu/cook/gardener/), "To date I have written 16 articles on topics ranging from tomato blossom end rot to global climate changes," said Spinner.

"This year I became one of 10 Cook County/Chicago Master Gardeners to participate in a pilot Master School Gardener program," said Spinner. "We each serve as a volunteer resource person for a Chicago public school. I was assigned to Philo Carpenter Elementary School. I assisted the three teachers, coaching the student-gardeners in designing and planting their existing pizza garden, as well as a new sensory garden, and as of my last visit a week ago, the gardens were looking fantastic," said Spinner.

David said that the programs are based on funding, volunteer interest and the needs of the county. Master Gardeners volunteer within their own county, so David said that if there is, for example, a detention center in the community, the Master Gardeners in that county may develop an educational program there. She described an elaborately orchestrated program developed by the Garden Writers Association entitled "Plant A Row for the Hungry" that links Master Gardeners, garden plots, farms, and farmers' markets with food banks, providing fresh produce to needy families in Illinois. "The Plant A Row for the Hungry program is just one of so many programs that Master Gardeners participate in throughout the state of Illinois.

"This year we have an opportunity to raise additional funds for programs and scholarships in Illinois," said David. "Fine Gardening will donate $10 from each new one, two, or three-year subscription to the magazine. This is a great way for people to get a subscription to Fine Gardening Magazine and support the Illinois Master Gardener program without spending any more money." Information on how to subscribe to the magazine is available at FineGardening.com/IL or by calling 800-888-8286.

For more information about the Cook County/Chicago Master Gardener program including how to apply, contact Elizabeth Bruhns at ebruhns@uiuc.edu or call 773-233-0476.

Posted by Ron Wolford at 9:46 PM | Permalink |

October 3, 2007

Great Volunteer Opportunity: Alice Waters: Edible School Yard

Good morning Master Gardeners,

On Saturday, October 6, Alice Waters of the Edible School Yard fame will be visiting the Green City Market and the Lincoln Park Zoo Edible Garden. Ms Waters will visit the garden from 10:30 until 11:20 a.m.

Jeanne Pinsof really needs some help for this event. She would like to have both the small and large garden open for this visit. If you can help out at the Lincoln Park Zoo Vegetable Garden from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 6, please contact Elizabeth ebruhns@uiuc.edu or call 773-469-8037.

We cannot guarantee that you will have time for a conversation with Ms Waters, but you will get to meet her. We think this will be of special interest to Master School Gardeners and the Crew of Lincoln Park Zoo Garden, but any Master Gardener may apply. I'll accept the first four who apply.

Thanks, Elizabeth

For more information on Alice Waters:

www.chezpanisse.com

www.edibleschoolyard.org

Posted by Ron Wolford at 12:07 PM | Permalink |

October 3, 2007

Wanted: Citizen Scientists to Track Wild Bees in Illinois

Honey bee colonies are in decline in many states, but little is known about their wild cousins, the bumble bees, or, for that matter, honey bees living on their own in the wild without beekeepers. A new initiative from the University of Illinois seeks to build a better record of honey bee and bumble bee abundance and distribution in Illinois by recruiting citizen scientists to report on wild bees seen anywhere in the state.

Beginning Thursday (Oct. 4) the BeeSpotter Web site will connect bee enthusiasts to resources that will help them identify local bees, post photographs and enter geographic information about wild bees seen in backyards, parks or other Illinois locales.

University of Illinois entomology professor and department head May Berenbaum will announce the Web site launch during a presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center on Thursday. Her presentation, on the ongoing pollinator crisis in North America, will describe the widespread decline in the viability of animals that transport pollen and allow most of the planet's flowering plants to reproduce.

Berenbaum has testified before Congress on colony collapse disorder, a mysterious malady of North American honey bees. She also chaired the National Research Council committee that reported this year on the status of pollinators in North America.

The idea for the BeeSpotter Web site emerged from recommendations in that study, Berenbaum said. A key finding was that too little information on pollinator abundance and distribution has been collected, particularly in the U.S.

"We don't know what is going on with pollinators because America has never deemed it important enough to try to keep track of its pollination resources," Berenbaum said.

"Given that 90 crops in the U.S. agricultural sector depend on a single species of pollinator, and other crops depend on other pollinators, it would seem that for economic reasons alone this has been a serious oversight on our part," she said.

There are too few pollination experts in the U.S. to bridge the data gap, she said. The new Web site seeks to address the problem by involving citizen scientists in bee-monitoring efforts. Participants will feed their information into a database, interact with experts in the field who will answer their questions and connect them to other resources, such as the Illinois Natural History Survey database of North American bees.

BeeSpotter will provide a bee family tree, with biographies of the honey bee and each of the 12 species of bumble bees in Illinois. It will include a summary of the status of North American pollinators, with visual keys for identifying bees and distinguishing them from other insects. A data entry site will allow visitors to post digital photos, plot the location and describe the characteristics of bees they have seen.

More content will be added to the Web site throughout the fall, including information about the honey bee genome, the economic impact of bees, how to avoid and treat bee stings and how to build a bee-friendly garden.

Berenbaum's presentation, "Disappearing Bees," will be at 6 p.m. in the fifth floor Millennium Park Room of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington Street.

Image: Timothy Haley, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

To view or subscribe to the RSS feed for Science News at Illinois, please go to: http://webtools.uiuc.edu/rssManager/608/rss.xml.



Posted by Ron Wolford at 11:02 AM | Permalink |

October 3, 2007

Master Gardeners Needed at Science Carnivals

Master Gardeners,

We could still use your help with the Insect Petting Zoo on Saturday, October 6 at North Park Village Nature Centeror Saturday, October13 at Kennedy King College.

Extension will be providing it's infamous Insect Petting Zoo, as well as, an Informational Table. Please set some time aside and join us to show off these incredible creatures. If interested please contact Nancy Kreith at nkreith@gmail.com

The Insect Petting Zoo and Info Tablewill be included at each event below from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Neighborhood Science Carnivals - Science in the City

October 6 - North Park Village Nature Center - 5801 North Pulaski Road

October 8 - Garfield Park Conservatory – 300 North Central Park

October 13 - Kennedy King College - 6343 South Halsted

Participate in hands-on science and technology activities at the City's first neighborhood science carnivals. Witness an interactive robotics competition; learn about science activities that you can do at home; and listen to specialists in the fields of science and technology. Free

To volunteer contact: Nancy Kreith at nkreith@gmail.com or call 773-233-0476.

Posted by Ron Wolford at 9:45 AM | Permalink |