Leaflet – November 20, 2019



Get your Floral Grade Poinsettias NOW! Deadline is December 2nd.
PLEASE pass along the 2019 Flyer to all your friends and organizations in which you are a member!

2019 Poinsettia Sale:  Floral Quality Poinsettias make great gifts!
Locally grown by one of the largest growers in the area!
Pick up your order on Dec 6, 2019 from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm.

  • 6 1/2- inch pots in a variety of colors:  Red, White, Variegated, Red Glitter
  • 4-inch pots in Red.
  • Green foil pot wrapper and tax included for all orders!

Order plants online at : https://www.bexarmg.org/ or print the mail-in form.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations

Wonderful news that to our very own David Rodriguez has been selected to receive a 2019 Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence for Extension County Agent. The Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence is the highest employee award given by Texas A&M AgriLife!

David Rodriquez

We are also excited to announce that Angelica Gutierrez, County Extension Agent-Family and Community Health, & Ruby Zavala, Youth Gardens Coordinator, have been selected as recipients of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Superior Service Award.

  • Angelica Gutierrez
  • Ruby Zavala
Congratulations to the BCMG Interns of Class 63 on your graduation on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. We are proud of all of you and are looking forward to all the great things you will achieve in the days ahead!

Welcome New Culinary Docents

Pictured above from top to bottom:
Left side: Janice Tapp,Veronica Long, and Wayne Staysniak
Right side: Kimberly Casillas, George Campos, and Terry Glaser

On Thursday, November 14th in the cold & rainy weather, BCMG president, Grace Emery trained six new docents. Five were interns and one was a transfer from Guadalupe County. The garden is lush and bountiful now and it is easy to educate Bexar County residents to be inspired to have a home garden.  “Produce, Educate and Inspire” is the Culinary Garden Theme” –Grace Emery

DON’T MISS OUT!
All MGs Who: 

  • Complete (and record in VMS) their certification hours by December 15, and 
  • Pay their dues by December 31 

Will receive a new name badge FREE. A second badge may be purchased.

New badges will be available for pick up at the January 16 Rodeo Kick-off meeting. Badges with the old logo are not to be worn after the January meeting. Find more information, and to pay online, visit our website.

MGs & Interns Interested in SABOT Culinary Docent Training: 
Grace Emery will be conducting training for up to 10 docents on Tuesday, December 10th from 10am-12:30pm.  Culinary Docent Training will be at the volunteer office to the right of the SABOT entry kiosk. The door is marked Private. Please wear your badge. Sign up will be available on VMS
Once trained, you will be able to volunteer at the Culinary Garden all year long!

HERE IS YOUR INVITATION TO THE 2019 BCMG HOLIDAY & MEMBER RECOGNITION PARTY!
Please RSVP to Barbara Lutz by Tuesday, December 3rd.

Last Saturday, November 16th was a wonderful time at the Children’s Vegetable Garden at SABOT! There was a vegetable contest and celebration with BBQ hot dogs & sausages. For more fun pics, click here. Thank you to Lou Kellogg for snapping all the pics!

Special thanks to all the Master Gardeners, Interns, & Volunteers who helped and contributed to making this year’s Competition & Picnic at the Children’s Vegetable Garden a fabulous success!

BCMG Reporting Guidelines for Volunteer Hours (VHs) and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Reporting our hours is important for two reasons:

  • Annual Certification – BCMGs must volunteer 30 hours (VH), receive 6 hours of continuing education (CEUs), and attend two BCMG monthly meetings.
  • Funding – Our hours of service (VHs) are reported by AgriLife Extension Service to the state and all funding organizations with accuracy very important, esp. for funding organizations.

See the details of these clarification points on reporting hours at the Members page of our BCMG Website:

  • Report hours as soon as you can
  • Travel “time” is not volunteer time
  • No double dipping
  • Use accurate hours
  • Record hours to the nearest 1/2 hour

NOTE:  Any MG who is not going to meet their required volunteer and/or CEU hours for certification, but wants to continue their active MG status for 2020, should contact David Rodriguez early. Please provide him an explanation of your situation, and a summary of the hours you have recorded in VMS for 2019.

Calling All Rodeo Construction Workers!
It’s time to get organized!  Please email Grace Emery your name, email address and cell phone number.  We plan to use emails or text messages to communicate the work agenda for each construction day.  Appreciate you volunteering now to be a member of the 2020 Rodeo Construction Team.

PLEASE NOTE:  Forklift Certification for Rodeo grounds will be held on December 5th at 6:00 pm. This is not a “teaching class.”  This is only for certification. Please email Grace Emery to register or for more information.

    Bags, Bags, Bags!  Collect for  Rodeo Plant Sale!  Drop off at the office, or bring to our monthly meetings!

SIGN-UP for VOLUNTEER EVENTS using the Event Calendar in the VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – VMS.Find number of volunteers still needed, who has signed up, Project Code and even request an event reminder! REMEMBER: If you volunteer for any event and have a last minute change of plans, please contact the coordinator listed on VMS to let them know!

MGs Who Have Completed SABOT Culinary Docent Training!  

Come and complete your  annual volunteer certification hours!  Schedule your shifts today!  November shifts are 10am to 1pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. VMS  has all dates/times for sign-ups! VMS Code 0100. 

Kids, Kows and More Agriculture Expo: Help with youth activity booths focused on gardening, agriculture, natural resources and livestock Wed & Thu, Nov 20 & 21, 8:30am to Noon. Breakfast/Lunch provided. Location for this Agriculture Literacy program : 3201 E Houston St, 78219 (in the new cattle barns). Email your questions to Natalie Cervantes.   Sign up on VMS (Code 1200).

The  Hardberger Park Children’s Vegetable Garden serves homeschooled children ages 7-14. Volunteers are needed to educate children and parents on good garden practices and to assist with program set-up and garden maintenance. Fall Session runs Tuesdays, Now thru Dec 10, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Please email Kathy Breniman if you are interested in volunteering on Tuesdays, or if you would like to join the watering team.

Be the Master Gardener with all the Answers! Volunteer for a shift on our “Ask a Master Gardener” service:  Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 8am. to Noon.  Check our website page for more information on this service. And, email Denise Perez or Nicolas Vazquez to volunteer!  

Help is needed for Set Up at the BCMG Holiday and Member Recognition Luncheon at San Antonio Garden Center on Thu, Dec 5, from 9:30-11am. To volunteer, contact Barbara Lutz.

Help with Poinsettia Plant Sales on December 6, 2019 at the BCMG Office. We need 15 volunteers to help unload the poinsettias from 8:30-11:00 am. We need 10 volunteers to help during pickup from 11:00am-2:30 pm. We need 8 volunteers to help during pickup from 2:30-6:00 pm.
Volunteers can work one or all 3 shifts if they would like. This is a great way to get volunteers hours in if needed!
 If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Vicki Jamvold or call 210-461-2849.

BCMG November Meeting –– TOMORROW
Thursday, November 21st from 6-8pm  

Come and Hear Jay White, owner and publisher of Texas Gardener Magazine, present Pest Free Organically. Jay will discuss the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) triangle and practical, science-based organic control measures that will allow you to grow incredible edibles and ornamentals without relying on “the sides” (pesticides, herbicides and fungicides). An avid hobby gardener, he has earned a B.S. and M.S. in Agriculture. Details on our website.

JAY WHITE

Election for the Board of Directors for the coming year will also take place at our November Meeting. The Nominating Committee has submitted the following slate for the election of the 2020 BCMG Board of Directors: 
President:  Lynn Cox
Vice President:  Muriel Lanford 
Secretary:  Angie Kirby  
Treasurer:  Kathann ElAmin
Membership:  Chris McKnight
 Members-at-Large:  Michelle Hobbs and Art Vasquez

PLANT SALE –– Begins at 5:30 pm!

  • Super Pansies – 6 packs @ $5 each, or Flat of Eight  6-packs for $35 (save $5)
  • Snapdragons – 6 packs $5 each, or Flat of Eight  6 packs for $35.00 (save $5)

While they last!!!

Bexar County Master Gardener (BCMG) Educational Seminars/General Meetings are held in the afternoons (seminars) and evenings (General Meetings) of the third Thursday every other month at 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, 78230.  For more information contact the BCMG President. 1 CEU; BCMG Code 002.

BCMG BOARD MEETING will take place 3 -5 pm on Thu, Nov 21 at 3355 Cherry Ridge 78230.. If you are interested in placing items on the agenda, email President Grace Emery by Fri, Nov 15. All members are welcome to observe the meetings; however, in order to accommodate seating, please email President Grace Emery that you will be attending.

See all the Details for Classes in the Bexar County area on the MG Calendar! Classes listed below may be of special interest to you:


NOVEMBER BCMG Monthly Meeting & Educational Seminar:  Meet Jay White and learn all about being Pest Free Organically on Thu, Nov 21, 6-8pm at 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, 78230. 1 CEU per hr presentation; Code 002

15 Bugs Every Gardener Should Know will be presented by Molly Keck on Thu, Nov 21 from 7-8pm at Guadalupe County  MG Meeting,  210 East Live Oak, Seguin 78155. CEU Code 001; 1 CEU

The Peterson Brothers Nursery Tour is scheduled for Fri, Nov 22 at 10 am. This field trip is for BCMG Interns and Palo Alto Horticulture students, BUT, an additional 10 MGs may attend. Please email your request to David Rodriguez. First come, first served! 1 CEU per hr; Code 001

Just Announced!!   Fruit Tree Seminar, hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. You won’t want to miss one! Everyone wants their own orchard!  Learn from the best experts in the area on January 24, 2020 at the San Antonio Botanical Garden.  Flyer & Agenda HERE. Space is limited and this class will fill up, so be sure to register early!  No registrations at the door. 7 CEUs; Code 001

JMG National Leader Training & 20th Anniversary Celebration, February 24-26, 2020 in College Station. Details Online. 1 CEU per hr; Code 001

Earn one CEU of the minimum six CEUs required for Master Gardener re-certification by listening to at least one archived WOAI 1200 AM Lawn & Garden Show podcast. Or, earn one CEU (of minimum six required CEUs) by listening to a LIVE broadcast of the WOAI 1200 AM Lawn and Garden from 7-10am on a Saturday morning.  You can only record one CEU per year using the radio broadcast option!   VMS CEU Code 001

Watch for 2020  TEXAS MASTER GARDENER ADVANCED COURSES offered at the TMGA website.  If you are interested in attending any courses, please email David Rodriguez, Extension Agent-Horticulture, Bexar County. BCMG CEU Code: 001.

Get Out Your 2020 Calendar: The Texas Master Gardener Assn Conference will be hosted by the McLennan County Master Gardener Association May 12-14, 2020 at the Waco Convention Center. Conference hotels are already filling up!  Check out the planned Speakers, Tours, Workshops  & Breakout Sessions by viewing the slide presentation from the August TMGA Director’s Meeting.

Great Gardening Events on the BCMG Calendar.  Bookmark the Calendar and visit it frequently!  Here is a sampling of what is coming up:

From Sam Womble, Bexar County Extension Agent- Ag and Natural Resources:  Check out the Seminar Flyer for  “First Things” Considerations for Industrial Hemp in Texas with Dr. Calvin Trostle, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agronomist.

David Rogers’ Big Bugs, larger-than-life sculptures, at the San Antonio Botanical Garden NOW thru December 8th.

Tickets on Sale Wine Down at the Garden, Sat, Nov. 16, 2019 | 6 – 10 p.m. (Details Here). Both events at SABot, 555 Funston, 78209.