TAZEWELL COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
NEWSLETTER
October 2008
Meeting:
Time:
Location:
Speaker:
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
6:00 Sharp – Come early and visit
Wiener Roast at Shirley Metz’s home, 2361 N. Morton Ave, in Morton
No speaker. Election of new officers.
Directions to Shirley’s house: Exit 102B - Northbound Morton Ave. is the easiest way to
get here. Approximately 1.3 miles on the left hand side. (A large hotel is being built on
the lot next to my house.) Come early as it will be getting dark early by then. I or the
club will furnish hot dogs, buns, condiments, dining utensils, water and hot and cold
apple cider. I will also have the "fixins" for s’mores. We will also have roasting sticks.
Everyone should bring a dish to pass and a lawn chair. I have some but not enough for
everyone. Orange and black balloons will be flying from my mail box.
Note from our President: “My Dear Gardening Friends: The last month of my term as your
president is here, and I can say it has been a fun ride. Now, as I look at the fall colors
signifying the end of summer, I am already making plans for next year’s garden. I know one
thing, I am going to plant more mums. They have been absolutely beautiful this year. I think
my constant pruning of them during the summer has made them much fuller than usual. I
have a Clematis in bloom now, and the dahlias are lovely. Tomorrow I am going to dig the
dahlias, cannas, and glads. I have put that off for too long. Now is the time. I recently read a
most interesting article about why people are living such long lives now, many to 100+.
According to the author, there are many things that contribute to this. The traits in common
are: happy, live “slow,” walk, read, listen to music, are social, and garden or farm. If I had
any doubts about gardening, this took care of them. Imagine a world full of gardeners over
the age of 80, 90, or 100, with all that knowledge to share. I hope to see you all at our next
meeting. Kathie”
Odds and Ends

There are still MG stepping stones available for purchase. These are a wonderful way
to commemorate your status as a U. of I. Master Gardener, and a great gift idea! The
price is $40.00. Please contact Donna Cothrell for more information, or to purchase.

Please be sure to submit your signed volunteer agreements to the Extension
Office, or bring them to a member meeting. These are critical for the MG to receive
credit for volunteer and education hours.

Please be sure to sign in at all Member meetings, and check for other sign up sheets
for projects that need volunteers.

Remember to turn in your volunteer and education hours to Mike Foley by e-mail
or U.S.P.S. This information should include what MG project you worked on for
volunteer hours, and where your education hour where acquired. This should be done
monthly so Mike is not inundated at the end of the year.
Odds and Ends (continued)

A friendly reminder to all volunteers to wear your name badges when volunteering as a
Master Gardener. Name badge orders through the Extension Office are only filled
once a month on the state level. If you need a new name badge, contact Myrna Leddy.
County Extension Director’s Message from Keith Worner
“Greetings fellow Master Gardeners! All is well in your Extension office in spite of the state
budget. I just returned from our Annual Extension Conference held in Champaign with news
from our Director of Extension, Dr. Dennis Campion, that funding will once again be tight for
state agencies. I do not think this is a big surprise to anyone, but as your county director, I do
become quite concerned. Your Tazewell County Extension has wonderful programs in place
with very talented people to deliver those programs. After many years of scrimping and “just
getting by” we finally have the resources to do some really good things for the citizens of
Tazewell County. As of this writing, Extension is still anticipating receiving the funding
submitted to the governor by the University, but as our Director of Extension pointed out,
anything can happen in a tight economy to change what the final outcome may be. (think last
year when all of our funding was cut by the governor) Having said that, we have options
available to us in Tazewell County to get us through most shortfalls in funding if this should
occur again. Our Master Gardener program should weather the storm if one should arise
because for the most part, we are self supporting.
I hope you have Tuesday, October 28 circled on your calendar. Our last meeting of the year
will be held at Shirley Metz home in Morton starting at 6:30 pm with a wiener roast. We will
also be electing officers for 2009 so come prepared. Since I love to eat, this is my favorite
meeting of the entire year and am looking forward to seeing all of you there!
Just a reminder, as we approach the end of the year, check your hours so you do not come
up short. You need 30 volunteer hours and 10 educational hours to maintain your active
Master Gardener status. If you are having problems with hours, see me.”
University of Illinois Master Gardeners of Tazewell County
Monthly Meeting Minutes from September 23, 2008
Those Master Gardener’s present who signed in: 20 in all, including Michelene Koch, Linda Nash, Ginger
Ross, Dee Hotkovich, Ingrid Smith, Gene Smith, Kathie Pickering, Kathy Baker, Mike Foley, Ella
Maxwell, Sue Eckhoff, Beth Doolan, Phyllis Harlan, Suzanne Cook, Gay Kyle, Earl Kyle, Carolynsue
Wolf, Julian Smith, Shirley Metz, and Beth Wegner.
The meeting began at 6:44 p.m. with Kathie Pickering asking for any corrections or additions to last
months meeting minutes. Hearing no corrections, Julian Smith motioned to accept the minutes, seconded
by Gene Smith. Kathie then asked for project updates. Dee Hotkovich stated that the Washington Comm.
Garden had set a new record this year, with 4600 pounds of produce harvested. Kathie asked for
volunteers to take over for Dee in 2010, so Dee can train the new person next year. There were no
volunteers.
Julian Smith announced that the National Weather Service would be holding a training session at the ext.
office on how to officially measure precipitation. The session was Wednesday, the 24th at 1 p.m. Anyone
interested was welcome to come to the session.
Ginger Ross reported on the Nominating Committee. She and Carol Riekena are still looking for officer
candidates. Please contact one of them if interested.
Kathie Pickering mentioned the existing MG funds, and suggested a spring bus trip to the Chicago
Botanical Garden, with an included training session, as a possible use of some of the funds. This was met
with enthusiastic approval. Kathie volunteered to chair the bus trip committee, and will try to reserve a bus
as soon as the CBG releases it’s training sessions for next year.
Keith Worner requested that all turn in their volunteer hours by the end of this quarter. He then showed a
new emerald ash borer kit that the office has, and stated that the extension office is to be called first if you
find any Emerald Ash Borers.
Ginger Ross then stated that the last MG plant clinic will be in East Peoria at the FOLEPI building on Oct.
4th from 9-12. Anyone interested in working this clinic, please contact Ginger.
After the business meeting, Beth Wegner and Ginger Ross gave a presentation on the award winning
Butterfly Garden.
Ginger then did the Garden Delight drawing, and the meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
Submitted by Sue Eckhoff, Secretary/Treasurer.