Master Gardeners of Noble County are having a party, and you are invited. Back Porch Party is the Spring Symposium held at West Noble Middle School, 5194 U.S. 33, Ligonier, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March 7.
The Back Porch Party on March 7 features vendors, presenters and more for beginning to advanced gardeners and for any of us in-between. If you register beforehand, lunch will be provided.
9:15 a.m.: The first presenters will be Master Gardeners Mary Heath and Sara Weeks, who will help all of us with the dos and don’ts of container gardening. Their hour-long presentation will discuss soil, containers, design and container placement.
Sara Weeks serves as a Food Specialist/Environmental Health Specialist for the Noble County Health Department in Albion and has been an Advanced Master Gardener for more than 20 years.
Mary Heath, also an Advanced Master Gardener, is a certified equine massage therapist and is an avid practitioner of health and wellness for animals and humans.
10:30 a.m.: This hour brings us John Woodmansee, the Whitley County Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR). Along with his extension work, you can catch his informative articles about Indiana river trees, trees, and shrubs in winter or distinguishing Maple species, to name a few. John will discuss Backyard Fast Growing Trees. He will be offering information to help you decide which trees are right for your yard.
1 p.m.: After lunch, we will hear Isaac Mansfield, Noble County’s Environmental Health Specialist/Vector Educator. Isaac, who graduated from Grace College with an Environmental Science Degree, is the county’s certified tick and mosquito surveillance expert. Mansfield will address the subject of tick and mosquito control.
2:15 p.m.: Noble’s own Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ann Kline, will present a Glyphosate Case Study: Pesticide Controversy. Glyphosate is the herbicide that is found in Round Up but is often used in a more concentrated application for woody shrub and tree invasive eradication. Ann oversees the county’s Master Gardener program, and she is the go-to person for homeowners and farmers with questions about insects, weeds, trees, and plant diseases.
It’s going to be a wonderful day! Please join us and start greening your thumbs for spring. The registration fee of $40 includes a choice of lunch, all the speakers and access to all the vendors. The symposium is also good for five educational hours for those in the Master Gardener program.
To register go to Facebook Master Gardeners of Noble County or Purdue Extension Office – Master Gardener – Events to find the brochure and registration form. Feb. 20 is the deadline to order lunch. We hope to see you there!
Cecilie Keenan is an avid gardener and naturalist in Noble County and the author of The Noble Gardener. Contact her at keenancd@aol.com for information on gardening topics.
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