Seventeen members of the Montgomery County Master Gardeners and their Extension Educator Tricia Herr met at 6 p.m. June 13 at the fairgrounds.
Ashley Adair, Purdue Extension Organic Agriculture Specialist, presented a program titled “Mushrooms for Your Table — An introduction to growing culinary mushrooms at home.” She included information on mushroom variation, biology, cultivation and culinary application. Ashley ended her program by sharing her recent experience growing and eating blue oyster mushrooms from a kit.
The scholarship committee reported that our first winner of a $500 scholarship was Levi Brush, 2022 graduate of Southmont High School. He was active in the school’s FFA and will be double majoring in soil science and agribusiness at Purdue. Nancy Bowes presented his award at Southmont awards night in May.
Anita Arnold shared that the Nicholson Elementary School Garden is growing well. The school’s garden club will begin meeting on Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting June 14. Priscilla Zachary passed a sign-up sheet for Master Gardeners to volunteer to help with the garden club.
Marie Stocks shared that the Green Issue film series is returning to the Wabash College Fine Arts Center this summer after COVID restrictions stopped it the last couple years. The first event is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. June 28 and is an opportunity for Master Gardeners to earn required education hours.
Andria Grady reported that New Market Elementary has installed their new greenhouse as part of their garden project. They are currently looking for someone to deliver leaf mulch to the garden.
The By-Laws Committee is in the process of studying the club’s by-laws and should have recommended revisions available by the August meeting.
Available Master Gardeners will gather on Saturday to weed and plant the flower bed adjacent to the Montgomery County Extension office in preparation for the county fair in July.
Members again look forward to signing up to work a shift at the Master Gardener booth at the Indiana State Fair, date to be determined. While there, members meet with the public to answer their gardening questions.
The July 11 meeting of the Montgomery County Master Gardeners will be a tour of Chad Hassler’s greenhouse near Crawfordsville.
Following the business meeting, members of the 2022 class of Montgomery County Master Gardeners were honored with a cake and ice cream reception and receipt of their certificates and intern badges. The interns recently completed the 13-week Master Gardener class and passed their test. They can now work to complete the required service hours to become certified Master Gardeners.
