Seventeen members of the Montgomery County Master Gardeners Association met at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds at 6 p.m. Nov. 7. The secretary’s and treasurer’s reports were approved.
A new Master Gardeners basic training class is beginning Feb. 7. Format for the class is hybrid with Tuesday evening two-hour sessions occurring virtually and Thursday evening one-hour sessions happening in person at the Montgomery County fairgrounds. Cost is $180 per person or $280 per couple. Anyone interested in joining the class should inquire at the local extension office.
The nominating committee presented their slate of officers for 2023 and they were elected by ballot. President will be Sheri Bethard; vice-president Nancy Bowes; secretary Marie Stocks; treasurer Karen Thada; and outreach director Andria Grady.
For 2023, the scholarship committee recommended continuing with the $500 scholarship that was begun in 2022. Montgomery County residents working towards a higher education degree in horticultural or plant-related fields would be welcome to apply. The committee also recommended a grant of $40 per person for any Montgomery County resident taking the MG basic training class, up to a total of $500. Both recommendations were approved by the association. A thank you note from Levi Brush, the 2022 scholarship recipient, was read. Levi will be invited to speak at an upcoming meeting.
The plant sale and exchange committee has been meeting to determine the format for next spring’s sale. They are investigating adding vendors and speakers at the sale.
Several of the association’s projects were discussed. The Nicholson Elementary Garden received an addition of manure this fall and is all buttoned up for the year. Over 1,000 pounds of produce was donated to the FISH food pantry from the garden this year. A seed library is being developed in cooperation with the Crawfordsville District Public Library and would provide free seeds to interested gardeners. A monarch waystation is also being planned at the fairgrounds and will be accessible by the public. The Bi-State Gardening Conference, to be held at the Beef House, is coming up Jan. 25. Extension Educator Tricia Herr reported that plans are being made for fourth grade ag days sometime in April 2023.
The December meeting will be a movie night with the PBS video “My Garden of a Thousand Bees” being shown. The movie follows acclaimed wildlife filmmaker Martin Dohrn, who, locked down by the coronavirus, turned his lenses on the surprising and spectacular bees living in his own urban garden in Bristol, England. Members should bring a snack to share.
