Allamakee County Master Gardener Newsletter

Seeds of Wisdom Iowa Sta te Univers i ty Extension — August 2019

Master Gardener Meeting Allamakee County Master Gardeners

August 22, 2019

Waukon Wellness Center 7:00 pm Plant Swap at 6:45 pm outside of Wellness Center

Hosts: Mary T and Connie B Guest Speaker: Patty Scholtes

Agenda:

Roll Call “Garden Flop”

Secretary Minutes

Treasurer’s Report

Old Business:

Review of by-laws (page 2)

Review of fair

New Business:

Voting on 2020 plant sale

Pictures of members in their gardens for the Christmas Tree Fantasy ornaments

Next Meeting

October 24, 2019, Waukon Wellness Center 7:00 PM

October Hostesses: Sallie D, Karren B, Sharon H

Master Gardener Volunteer Hours– Your MG Volunteer Hours: Volunteer hours and Educational hours are important for documenting volunteer status, recognizing mile-stones in a volunteer’s history, and are an important part of Extension’s annual reports to federal and state funding agencies. Data collected from online reporting is used to generate reports about MG impact and help illustrate the value of the program. The MG Volunteer Hours require-ment is - all active MGs must complete at least 20 hours of volunteer service. The MG Educational Hours is 10 hours required annually. In 2018, 1,952 Iowa Master Gardener volunteers provid-ed over 113,000 volunteer hours across the state, con-tributing over $2.7 million to their communities. The fair is over, the year is winding down. Don’t forget to report your Master Gardener hours. This may be done online at http://mastergardenerhours.hort.iastate.edu/

As of July 31 Allamakee had 4 MG reporting 148 Volun-teer Hours and 27 Education Hours.

2019 Purple Ribbon Recipients

Please Pay your Master Gardener Dues at the August meeting or at the Extension Office.

"Thank You" to everyone who helped with the Open Class

Building at the Fair. Be sure and record your volunteer hours.

Seed Savers Tomato Tasting

August 31, Seed Savers tomato tasting

• 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Hayrides (last hayride goes out at 4:15 pm)

• 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Tomato Tasting

• 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Salsa Contest

• 1:30 pm Workshop TBA

• 2:30 pm Demonstration TBA

• 3:30 pm Demonstration TBA

Page 2

Clara L called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm with 15 members in attendance. Roll call was how is your gar-

den doing?

Correspondence was read and past minutes were accepted. Caroll S gave the treasurer’s report. Clara

called for a motion to accept and it was accepted unanimously.

Mary Kay made a motion to pay bills for seeds, pots, soil, Porta Pottys, postage, travel fuel, and picnic food.

Mary T 2nd and all passed the motion.

Mary E gave the plant sale report along with suggestions for future features and adjustments.

Don H and Clara L reported on the Featherstone trip. Don gave a report on the ongoing functions of the

farmer’s market and reviewed some of the rules.

Clara said that the summer webinars were in June due to the subjects presented. Clara also reminded mem-

bers that a review of the bylaws would be done at the next meeting.

Caroll S reported on our donation and ongoing relationship with Seed Savers.

Don H reported that there is an opportunity for service hours to be earned at Waukon Park pulling weeds.

Mary T suggested we make a formal request to have the ceiling of the open class fair building cleaned and

repainted.

Caroll S introduced new internet apps of wildflower identifiers. The links will appear in the newsletter.

Volunteer duty sheets were circulated to sign-up for fair open class building clean-up and set-up, registration

days, judging and display assistants, building monitoring times, and end day clean-up during fair days.

Next meeting is set for August 22 with plant swap. Mary T and Connie B are hostesses. Motion to adjourn at

Master Gardener Meeting Minutes June 27, 2019 - Mary Trebbien

Allamakee County, Iowa Master Gardener’s Bylaw’s Review 2019

Suggested changes by the review committee: Don Haler, Judy Egelalnd, Jane Meyer and Caroll Schreiber.

We are suggesting the print in red is to be removed and the print in green is to be added. A complete copy of the current bylaws will available at our August meeting.

Article III:

2. Master Gardener Intern – is a an active member who:

c. Allamakee County Master Gardeners will pay half (1/2) of the fee to complete the ISU Ex-tension & Outreach Master Gardeners program as long as they join the Allamakee County Mas-ter Gardeners and are an active member. The first twenty five (25%) will be paid after success-ful completion of the educational requirement and the second 25% after successfully comple-tion of the 40 hours of Master Gardener volunteer hours.

3. Associate Master Gardener – is a an active member who:

b. Will help with a minimum of 20 hours on gardening projects in the community.

b. will need a minimum of half the educational and volunteer hours required of the Master Garden-ers to have the status of an active Associate Master Gardener member. Example: Master Gar-deners are required to have 10 continuing education hours (CEUs) annually and 20 volunteer hours annually. Associate Master Gardener are required to have 5 (CEUs) annually and 10 vol-unteer hours annually.

c. volunteer hours may be reported to ISU for annual hours.

c. volunteer hours will be reported to ISU Extension & Outreach using the same regulations and guidelines as the Master Gardeners.

Article VII: Amendments to Bylaws

3. The bylaws will be reviewed a minimum of once every five (5) years.

Page 3

Peach Coffee Cake—Mary Kay Winke 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees Combine the following ingredients: 2 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp Baking Powder, dash of salt, 2 TBSP soft

or melted butter, 1 cup milk and 2 beaten eggs. Pour into the buttered pan, top with a layer of sliced

peaches. Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, 6 TBSP flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg,

6 TBSP soft butter. Bake 30-35 minutes.

I got this article from my sister, Becky. https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-way-to-store-fresh-herbs-last-longer-

Fresh herbs are one of those tricky ingredients to buy since the standard quantity they sell at the supermarket is almost always far more than you need for any given recipe. What's worse, they also go bad quickly in the fridge, so anytime you buy fresh herbs, there's a good chance you're going to end up throwing at least some of it away.

You can certainly grow your own herbs and simply snip off what you need, but short of that, the best way to avoid waste is to store your fresh herbs properly so that they last as long as possible. To do this, we need to divide fresh herbs into two broad categories and look into the optimal storage method that suits each type.

Are They Soft Herbs or Hard Herbs? We distinguish the two types by their texture. Leafy versus woody is one way you could describe it, but to make it simpler, we'll just say soft and hard. Rosemary is an example of a "hard" herb, whereas parsley we'll classified as "soft." You can decide for yourself by looking at the stems. A green, tender stem puts it in the "soft" category, while a brown, woody or thick one makes it "hard."

Soft herbs: ■ Parsley ■ Cilantro ■ Dill ■ Mint ■ Tarragon ■ Chervil ■ Basil (see note below)

Hard herbs: ■ Rosemary ■ Thyme ■ Sage ■ Savory ■ Chives

We've classified chives as "hard" even though they don't actually have stems. The entire herb is the green shoot itself, but the best way to store fresh chives is using the hard method.

The Best Way to Wash Fresh Herbs—It's generally recommended to wash your produce, fresh herbs includ-ed. It's good for food safety purposes. In any case, you certainly don't want dirt, insect parts or other physical contaminants in your herbs, so a quick rinse is a good idea. But rather holding your fresh herbs under the tap, which can damage leaves and break off delicate stems, fill a large bowl (or the sink) with cool water, dunk your herbs in and gently swish them around.

The Best Way to Dry Fresh Herbs—Herbs are at least somewhat similar to lettuce, so you might be tempted to dry them in a salad spinner. Unfortunately, a salad spinner can bruise and break them, even the hardy ones. And because the leaves are so small, they can fall through the openings in the salad spinner basket. Instead, lay out some paper towels on your counter. Lift the wet herbs from the water, allowing excess water to drip off, then lay them on the towel. Cover with a second towel and gently pat the herbs dry. You won't get them 100 percent dry, but that's exactly what you want. Your fresh herbs should be slightly damp, but not still soaking wet.

How to Store Fresh Herbs—For soft herbs, store them standing up in jars of water in the fridge. Fill your jars about halfway with water. Gather up the herbs in a bunch and stand them stems-down in the jar. If the stems are very soft, the herbs might droop a bit rather than standing straight up, which is fine, as long as the ends of the stems are in the water. Next, grab a plastic produce bag and cover the whole top of the jar so that the herbs are completely enclosed. Secure the bag with a rubber band and transfer the jar to the fridge where your herbs will keep for two to three weeks. Note that basil is too delicate for the fridge, so store it in the jar as described, but keep it on the counter (but out of direct sunlight).

For hard herbs, it's even easier. That's because the best way to store hard herbs is rolled-up in a damp paper towel inside a resealable plastic bag in the fridge. And since they're already on a damp paper towel, all you have to do is gently roll them up. If the paper towels are saturated, either squeeze out the excess or use new ones. But if you use new ones, spritz them with water to dampen them first, as dry paper towels won't work as well. Now place the rolled-up herbs in the bag and, without sealing it, transfer it to the fridge. Stored this way, your hard herbs will last two to three weeks. Note that you can store more than one roll in a gallon-sized bag.

How to Store Fresh Herbs So They Last Longest and Never Waste A Bunch Again— Submitted by Mary Kay Winke

Cooks Nook

Page 4

There are lots of websites and sources for identifying plants. I am going to write about two free apps I use on my iphone and two websites I use on my computer. Plus, I have listed some suggested sites to browse.

iphone (maybe any smart phone) apps:

My favorite is “Iowa Wildflowers”. You start with 1957 plants. Then down select from there. I typically nar-row it down to 1 - 4 plants to make final selection. They have several nice pictures of the selected plant. Plus, the Latin and common names are provided along with a lot of additional information about the plant. To get the app, go to your app store and select Iowa Wildflowers. The icon looks like a wild rose. I use this one for identifying plants in our prairie.

I am still learning to use “PlantSnap”. Take a picture of the plant or use an existing picture that is on your phone. It will give you the Latin and common names and information about the plant. It will even tell you where you can buy the plant. Once again go to your app store to find PlantSnap. The icon is a square with a circle in the middle with a leaf sticking out of the top. I use this one for more domestic plants.

websites:

Both of the websites below have Latin and common names along with pictures and information about the plants.

www.uswildflower.com - This website has a long list of Iowa wildflowers and information about plants.

www.iowadnr.gov – With this website you will need to type “identify plants” in the search area. They will have information available about invasive plants and poisonous plants in addition to other information.

Browser Sites:

The three browser sites below are examples of sites that will provide you with a long list of websites for re-search. USDA (United States Dept. of Agricultural) is such a large website, you will want to down select for your search, for example, “flowers” or “grasses”.

Type into your browser USDA Wildflower identification or type USDA flower database to research flowers. Type into your browser USDA grasses identification to research grasses. And don’t forget to type into your browser ISU Extension & Outreach Plant Identification. They will provide

brochures for lots of different plants.

Identifying Plants—Caroll Schreiber

On Tuesday, July 23, Mary Techau and Don Haler presented "Limited Space Gar-dening" to 14 seniors at the Wellness Center.

Volunteering at the 2019 Allamakee County Fair

2019 Master Gardener Picnic

Page 5

Have you ever wondered what the “dog days of summer” mean? According to National Geographic, “the phrase actually had nothing to do with dogs, or even with the lazy days of summer. Instead, it turns out, the dog days refer to the dog star, Sirius, and its position in the heavens.” The star Sirius rises just before the sun in late July, the hottest time of the year. I think we are in them. A BIG THANK YOU to all those who helped with the cleaning and getting the building ready, entry day, guarding the building, or clean up on Sunday for the Allamakee County Fair. In spite of the extreme heat on Friday, it was another successful fair. Exhibits were down a bit; but despite the spring weather and heat during the fair, the floral exhibits were beautiful. We have had a very busy summer. In June there were three webcasts that were excellent, the road trip to Featherstone Farm in Rushford, MN, and the fair. As we all (I know I am) are getting older, stiffer, and having more aches and pains, it is important we keep “fit” when doing our gardening. At the August meeting, Patty Scholtes will be presenting Tai Chi. Patty says “Tai Chi originates from ancient China, nowadays it is practiced throughout the world as an effective exercise for health. Tai Chi consists of fluid, gentle movements that are relaxed and slow tempo. It can be practiced almost any-where and is a suitable form of exercise for just about anyone.” Thank you to Don for arranging this. At out last meeting, it was mentioned about a plant swap. If there are any plants for a swap, please bring them early and we should be able to do a swap prior to our meeting outside of the building. Don’t forget to have a picture taken of you in your gardens for the hospital’s Christmas Fantasy ornaments. AND – did you know that August 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini on your neighbor’s porch day? That may be why my zucchini did not grow this year. I had been making plans since I learned about it too late last year to participate in any shenanigans. Oh well, there is always next year!

Clara’s Clippings - Clara Lensing, President

I worked outside this morning doing some weed eating and intend to go back out again this afternoon. The weeds are winning at my house although the garden is looking very good, better than last year. Rick's okra is setting on pods and there are green tomatoes. The beans are finally looking better after Judy informed me that rabbits do not like blood meal. I need to thin the carrots and beets as they germinated very well this year. Fair is over for 2019, again the Master Gardeners did their share even though it was hot and hotter. The Open Class Building had some very nice entriess and more than 2018. Four of our members contributed their share....thanks to you all...and to the others I make this challenge. Next year make it a goal to enter at least one item. I know I have antiques and quilts even though I may not have produce or flowers. While working in a flower bed I noticed three small 1 inch Monarch caterpillars on the Swamp Milkweed. Have seen several adult Monarchs in the Prairie field. I love it. Take some time to sit and enjoy the delightful summer days.

Ramblings—Mary Kay Winke

Featherstone Farm is a 250 acre certified organic farm located just outside of Rushford, MN. They grow a wide variety of vegetables. They have summer share CSA and winter share CSA.

We were given a tour and talk by the owner Jack Hedin. He has been working with an agronomist from the Uni-versity of Minnesota and they have determined that the soil on his farm if rated would be an A+. He is also start-ing to build high tunnels so that he can grow tomatoes and greens all year round. In high tunnels, vegetables are grown in the soil. I bought a couple of tomatoes at a farmer’s market in early June that were grown in a high tunnel. Their taste and flavor was just about as good as our summer tomatoes. Featherstone's produce finds it’s way to the Twin Cities to be distributed to Whole Foods, etc. They also send to Co-op’s in the area and some eating establishments.

I saw a picture of the farm posted on the wall at Decorah’s Oneota Co-op which sells their vegetables. Jack’s enthusiasm for his farm was very refreshing to hear.

After leaving the farm we stopped in Caledo-nia and had lunch at The Farmhouse.

Good food, good company and a charming house.

Featherstone Farm Road Trip on June 20—Connie Benedict

Farmers Markets

Page 6

Celebrating its 40th year in Iowa, the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Master Gardener program will hold its core training sessions this fall for individuals interested in becoming Master Gardener volunteers.

The Master Gardener program is looking for people who are passionate about volunteering and gardening. No previous garden knowledge is required. The program equips participants to grow in knowledge about gar-dening best practices. After the training, Master Gardeners volunteer in their community, making significant contributions such as giving vegetables to food pantries and maintaining demonstration gardens at Iowa’s county fairgrounds. “Master Gardeners provide volunteer service across Iowa,” said Susan DeBlieck, ISU Extension and Out-reach Master Gardener coordinator. “They are excellent community resources who create partnerships in their community to enhance school gardens, provide educational opportunities and host plant sales.” Training sessions will begin as early as mid-August in order to take advantage of daylight for hands-on activi-ties and tours. The expanded flipped classroom model that was implemented in 2018 will continue this year. Lectures that were previously given during classroom sessions are now available to be watched at home, freeing up class time for hands-on activities and tours of local gardens. In 2018, Master Gardener trainees visited nearby or-chards, wetlands, vegetable gardens and many other locations to learn hands-on skills. The Class on Campus training session will be held on Oct. 19, bringing all Master Gardener trainees together for hands-on workshops with ISU Extension and Outreach instructors. Training sessions will be held throughout the state; contact your local ISU Extension and Outreach county office for training location and start date. Those interested in the course can apply at https://mastergardenerhours.hort.iastate.edu/application-form.php. Training fees of $195 are due in the fall. After completing the course, Master Gardener trainees volunteer within the community, volunteering 40 hours. To maintain Master Gardener volunteer status, they vol-unteer 20 hours per year and build their gardening know-how by participating in 10 hours of continuing education. Individuals not interested in becoming a Master Gardener volun-teer can still receive training. The ProHort program allows indi-viduals to gain knowledge while earning a certificate of comple-tion. Cost for the ProHort program is $550 and does not include any volunteer requirements. Nearly 2,000 Master Gardeners were active across Iowa in 2018, compiling over 113,000 volunteer hours. Master Gardeners vol-unteered nearly 60 hours each, significantly more than the 20 hours required. Those volunteer hours are valued at $2.7 million.

Registration Open For Master Gardener Training

The area Farmers Markets are looking for local growers, producers, bakers and crafters for the upcoming season. Find your local farmers’ market at the following locations: Allamakee Farmers Market, Allamakee County Fairgrounds, Weekly Market on Mondays (June – Septem-ber) from 3:30-6:00 PM For market rules and registration forms, contact the Allamakee County Extension office at 563-568-6345 or check online at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/allamakee/info/farmersmarket.htm Lansing, Main Street Plaza, Weekly Market on Saturday mornings (Now—September) Please contact 563-538-9229

"Butterflies are self-propelled flowers." Robert A. Heinlein

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein

"All gardeners know better than other gardeners." Chinese proverb

"Trees and plants always look like the people they live with, some-how." Zora Nearle Hurston