We are a volunteer group of Master Gardeners that support the Virginia Cooperative Extension in offering horticultural-related education and assistance to the people within the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford and the City of Fredericksburg.

Pardon our Growing Pains

We are in the process of designing a new website to bring you even more upcoming events and helpful information. Please come back and check on our progress!

Meanwhile, our volunteers do their best to keep the website current and up to date as possible.

MGACRA General Meeting

The March MGACRA General meeting will feature Mary Stickley, Manager of Gardens and Grounds for the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA. She has degrees in Horticulture, Landscape Design, and Identification of Woody Landscape Plants. She has acquired her International Arborist Certification and become a Master Gardener affiliated with the Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association.

Mary will speak on “Creating a Beautiful Landscape.” Come learn from an expert the principles of landscape design and pick up some quick tips and techniques for creating a beautiful garden.

Wednesday, February 17^th

Central Rappahannock Regional Library

(1201 Caroline Street)

7 pm

If you have any questions, contact Tina Will at 374-5233

Have you checked out the website for VCE- Stafford?

Be sure to visit the website for the d helpful information and advice.

Stafford Office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension at http://offices.ext.vt.edu/stafford/

You can find information on upcoming events sponsored by the extension office, as well as details on Master Gardener Classes.

Looking for Volunteers!

Annual Tree Seedling Sale

The Tri-county/City Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual tree sale needs volunteers. You will give advice on tree planting and care along with selling seedlings as needed.

It will take place Saturday, May 8^th from 9-4 at several garden sites, the main site being on William Street in Fredericksburg with the sale portion the nearby Free Lance-Star parking lot.

To volunteer or if you have questions, contact Gwen at gpote@vt.edu.

Stafford VCE Office

Volunteers needed to help out at the office answering horticultural questions and performing other related jobs. To volunteer, contact Gwen at gpote@vt.edu.

Spotsylvania VCE Office

Come help at the Spotsy Extension office with the horticultural help-line! Spotsy@vt.edu or 540-507-7570.

Speakers Bureau

Guy gets a ton of requests to give talks each year, way more than he could ever schedule in! We are looking for Master Gardeners or MG Interns who are willing to speak to a group. You can pick your preferred topics and times -- we will contact you when an applicable request comes in, but YOU get to decide if you are available. Remember that educating the public is the purpose behind the Master Gardener program. Contact Gwen at gpote@vt.edu

Upcoming Education

“EcoSavvy Gardening Symposium” -- Saturday, February 27^th in Alexandria. The symposium focuses on the garden life cycle, sustainable gardening, and the garden as part of an ecosystem. $45 for Admission, plus and optional $12 for a box lunch. Contact Gwen at gpote@vt.edu for a brochure or contact Green Spring Gardens for more information at 703-642-5173.

“The Gardener’s Workshop” -- Saturday, February 27^th in King George at the King George YMCA. This is free event from 10am-noon with education on starting seeds indoors and outdoors, going organic, and gardening tools and supplies that make garden chores easy and quick. For a copy of the event flyer, contact Gwen at gpote@vt.edu

“A Fresh Look at Your Landscape” -- Saturday, March 13^th at Germanna Community College in Culpeper. The day of education features speakers from Virginia Tech speaking on the top-ten worst landscape design ideas, woody plants you can’t live without, tough plants for tough times, and gardens of England and Wales. $30 for Active Master Gardeners and $35 for General Admission. Contact Gwen at gpote@vt.edu for a brochure or contact Margaret Hutcheson at mfhutch3@copper.net for more information.

1st Annual Gardening Symposium: “From Garden to Table” -- Saturday and Sunday, March 20^th and 21^st at the Ida Lee Park in Leesburg. This event features “Joe Gardener” host of DIY Network’s “Fresh from the Garden,” Ellen Ogden from “The Cook’s Garden,” and “Dr Bug” from UMD. The cost is $35 for one day or $55 for both days; price includes lunch and wine and cheese tasting. For a brochure, contact Gwen at at gpote@vt.edu.

“Plant Identification” -- Thursdays from May 13^th to June 17^th. This is Guy Musssey’s annual plant and tree identification class. It will meet at 11am or noon. Contact Gwen at gpote@vt.edu for more information.

“Spring Wild Flower Symposium” -- May 14^th-17^th at Wintergreen Resort, Virginia. The topics focus on native wildflowers, ferns, native birds, and ecosystems. For more information, contact 434-325-8169 or email info@twnf.org.

“2010 Master Gardener College” -- Save the Date! The college will be June 24^th-27^th at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Benefits for Being MGACRA Members!

Members of the Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area (MGACRA) can get discounts at more fabulous local businesses. The Stone and Mulch Center in Stafford is also supporting the Master Gardener mission by offering discounts to MGACRA members.

Stone and Mulch Center is offering a contractor’s 10% percent on mulch and stone related products. It is located at 78 Shelton Shop Road just south of the Bloom shopping market off Garrisonville Road.

Manual Therapy Solutions (2300 Fall Hill Avenue, Suite 211, Fredericksburg, VA 22401) specializes in helping restore flexibility, balance, and ease of movement when chiropractic or massage isn’t helping. Carol Orrell, the owner and fellow Master Gardener, is offering MGACRA members a 15% discount. Visit Carol’s web site at www.manualtherapysolutions.com.

Riverby Books (805 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401) offers a wide variety of gently used books, including gardening books. Owners Paul & Steve Cymrot will give MGACRA members a 20% discount.

Grounds Keepers of Old Towne Fredericksburg (11515 Old William Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401) is located just on your left as you are going into downtown on William Street going East from Routes 3 and 1. They are offering 20% discount on all plants and garden items, save for the statuary, which is being offered at 10%.

Membership in MGACRA

Your membership dues help keep the Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area (MGACRA) going! We use the money to support many Master Gardener projects as well as paying for the expenses at the annual picnics and Gala ceremonies. The funds are also used to publish “The Latest Dirt” newsletter and for continuing education programs like getting speakers for our monthly general meetings.

Membership is currently open to all Master Gardeners and interns.

Please consider joining to help MGACRA continue to contribute to the community and support the MG programs. Dues are $20 a person.

You can bring your check made out to MGACRA to the General Meetings, to the Stafford Extension Office, or you can mail them care of MGACRA to PO Box 339 Stafford, VA 22555.

Volunteer Spot

Place, time, & contact info

Ferry Farm

Thursdays

9am-12pm

Gwen at gpote@vt.edu

Kenmore

Tuesdays

9am-12pm

Gwen at gpote@vt.edu

Belmont

Wednesdays

9am-12pm

Terry Drew

Gyrene05@aol.com

Mary Washington House

Thursdays

9am-12pm

Pat Lovett

PTLovett@aol.com

Chatham

Fridays

9am-12pm

Sara Broyles

sarajanice@verizon.net

Stafford Extension Office

Gwen Pote

gpote@vt.edu

Spotsy Extension Office

Spotsy@vt.edu

Spotsy Plant Clinic

Gordon Road

April through September

Saturday mornings

Karen Ehrhard

tkaze@aol.com

Salem Church Library Plant Clinic

February through April

Mondays 6-8:30pm

Karen Ehrhard

tkaze@aol.com

Porter Library Plant Clinic

May through August

Tuesdays

Karen Ehrhard

tkaze@aol.com

Smoot Library Plant Clinic

May through August

Saturdays 9-12

Regina Prunty

rprunty@vt.edu

Falls Run Plant Clinic

February through November

Saturdays 8:30-12

Chuck Heath

chuck@skibuff.com

PD 16 Master Gardener Message Board

Master Gardeners have their own message board to post messages and chat! Here area Master Gardeners can socialize and talk about gardening. Sign up! It is free, and is only open to Planning District 16 MGs (MACRA and Non-MACRA Members).

You can list upcoming projects, exchange information, plants, ideas, etc!

To sign up, go to:

MGACRA-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Then, to post a message, go to:

MGACRA@yahoogroups.com

If you need to unsubscribe, go to:

MGACRA-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

List owner:

MGACRA-owner@yahoogroups.com

The moderator is Laurie Clarkston. Contact her at garadh@verizon.net or call 540-582-2699

Click Here for Hours Forms

Click Here for MGACRA Bylaws