Conference Particulars:
8:30-9:15 General session- Search for Excellence Awards Presentations
We will kick off our 2018 conference by recognizing the excellent service, education, and outreach that takes place in Extension Master Gardener groups across Tennessee. SFE awards will focus on outreach in youth programs, demonstration gardens, workshops and presentations, innovative projects, research, written education, and those serving special needs audiences. We will also recognize individual Extension Master Gardeners whose investments have positively impacted local and state programs, and a program partner instrumental in the past, present and future success of TEMG.
9:15-10:00 General session- Lighting up the night: Fireflies of Tennessee
Lynn Faust is a naturalist who lives in Knoxville, but travels around the eastern United States researching and consulting on firefly studies with many state and national parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Known as "The Lightning Bug Lady", Lynn has an extensive knowledge of the amazing insects whose evening displays light up our summer nights. Join Lynn for an enthusiastic and educational journey through the world of Tennessee fireflies, and we promise you will never look at bioluminescent insects the same again!
10:30-12:15 Workshop Session 1 and 1:45-3:30 Workshop Session 2 (All six sessions are repeated at both 10:30 and 1:45)
1) The benefits of residential trees and diagnosing their issues- Join Eric Bridges and Wes Hopper, Certified Arborists and urban tree enthusiasts from west Tennessee, in this interactive session that will take advantage of the trees in the park as teaching tools. Wes and Eric will share an overview of the many benefits of trees in the residential landscape- from air and water roles to energy and human impacts. They will also explain important steps in diagnosing issues with residential trees to assist you in answering questions from the public and assessing trees in your own landscape.
2) Tennessee turf tour- Our Tennessee landscapes provide quite a diverse palate for a wide range of turfgrass species (and challenges). You will find no better guide to the intricacies of selecting, installing and managing turf across Tennessee than Dr. Tom Samples. Dr. Samples is our UT Extension turfgrass specialist, and he will take you on a walking and talking tour of the park (literal) and the state (figurative) to learn about turfgrass management.
3) Landscape troubleshooting walkabout- Really, who wouldn't want to take a landscape ramble with Carol Reese as their guide? This session is intended to address practical challenges in residential landscapes in terms of selecting and preparing the site as well as choosing and managing plant material. Carol will relay information on assessing landscapes and share tips on sleuthing out issues and limitations to put you on the path to a better understanding of ornamental landscapes.
4) A year of keeping bees in Tennessee - This session will provide information on everything that is required to keep honeybees healthy and productive through an entire calendar year. You will join John Gunter, an experienced commercial beekeeper, who also happens to be the agriculture Extension agent and Master Gardener coordinator in Fentress County. John will relate his experiences to the home beekeeper and share tips and tricks of the trade that will apply to the novice or experienced beekeeper. Weather permitting, John even plans to bring a demonstration hive.
5) Tree identification and current threats to our urban trees- Early spring is a great time to dive into the world of tree identification. Join Joellen Dimond and Karla Kean, Extension agents and EMG coordinators who are very serious about their trees, on an indoor/outdoor, interactive lesson in tree ID. They will also discuss some of the current threats to TN trees, such as Emerald Ash Borer, and what steps we can take to protect our valuable tree resources. Participants are welcome to bring their tree ID books to this session.
6) Wildflower and outdoor photography hike - A visit to Montgomery Bell State Park would not be complete without a spring stroll through the woods. Weather permitting, this session will enable you to join up with some woods and wildflower loving folks (Melody Rose, Justin Stefanski, Linda Robertson and Natalie Bumgarner) for a visit about some of the common and not so common spring wildflowers found in middle TN along with tips for capturing these beauties using photography.
4:00-4:50 General session- Thinking outside the box for EMG outreach- Avenues for sharing horticulture information with our communities are nearly boundless and often limited only by our time and creativity. Join Pam Bennett, who is the Ohio Extension Master Gardener Volunteer coordinator, as she shares some new ideas and experiences in horticulture outreach. From helping the folks next door to Ecuador, Pam has a wide range of outreach experience to share with us in Tennessee.
7:00 PM Friday evening optional activities
1) Homemade herbals- A mini-workshop- Roxi Phillips, a Tipton County Master Gardener and experienced herb enthusiast, will share some of the historical and current uses for homegrown herbs. Following her presentation, Roxi will lead the group in a hands-on activity to prepare a homemade herbal scrub for everyone to take home. (by registration only- supplies are limited)
1) Insect pinning- Amy Dismukes and David Cook will share their love of insect collections by teaching proper techniques for pinning and displaying insects for education and identification. This will be a hands-on session to prepare you to make your own insect displays.
Saturday, April 7th, 2018
8:45-9:30 General session- The not so usual plants for the landscape
Plant admirers are constantly in search of new and different treasures for their home landscape. Well, Lucas Holman, an experienced plantsman and new Wilson County horticulture Extension agent and EMG coordinator, is here to suggest some plants for your landscape that aren't 'run of the mill'. So, come and welcome a fellow Plant Geek to our TEMG program and take home some great ideas and options for your own landscape.
11:00-12:00 Breakout Session 1
1) What are they really thinking? Using surveys to enhance your local TEMG group- Take a peek behind the curtain of surveys to see how they can change the way EMGs learn, serve, and connect with each other to enhance outreach and retention in local groups. This session will rely on the expertise of debb Wilcox, survey guru and Davidson Co. MG along with Davidson Co. agent and coordinator David Cook and Natalie.
2) Community gardening in Tennessee- Urban community gardens present a unique opportunity to teach residents about horticulture and produce food for the local area. Join Jerry Ramey, president of the Northeast TN Master Gardeners and active leader of several Kingsport community garden projects, for ideas and insights on starting and maintaining community gardens.
3) Junior Master Gardeners and the Learn, Grow, Eat and Go (LGEG) program - Learn from Tammie Browning and Dixie Seaton, who are experienced EMGs and JMG leaders from Sevier County, which has had JMG Clubs since 2009. Out of growth, they have developed both K-2 and senior high JMG programs to add to the existing two JMG clubs. In this interactive session, they will share experiences from their local JMG group and provide an introduction to some of the opportunities that LGEG can provide in linking EMG efforts with FCS and other Extension program areas in the county.
4) Arboretums and Extension Master Gardeners - Join two of Wilson County's most passionate tree advocates, Carol Walenga and Flo Moore, for a session on the opportunities for EMGs in establishing and maintaining arboretums. Carol and Flo play a key role in the Baddour Parkway Arboretum in Wilson County and will lead a discussion on those efforts and how those lessons might be put to use in your area.
5) Novel ideas for educational outreach - With an ever-changing culture, our EMG programs need to continue to create new opportunities and programming to meet the needs of a range of audiences. Gregg Upchurch, agent and EMG coordinator from Cumberland County, will cover some ideas for short presentations, interactive sessions, and share how EMGs are integral to a range of Extension outreach.
1:45-2:30 Breakout Session 2
1) Citizen science in action- Tennessee Home Garden Variety Trials- Join Natalie for an introduction to the new home vegetable trial program where gardeners across Tennessee are becoming researchers by sharing their evaluations and opinions on cultivars new and not so new to help inform other gardeners about the best cultivars for their region. We'll visit about the results from last year and highlight some of the ways this trial can be an asset to EMG outreach. There might even be some seeds flying around...
2) Tomatoes- diseases and disorders- "What is wrong with my tomatoes?" is one of the most common summer questions Extension agents and EMGs hear from residents. We can help with that question. Join Amy Dismukes, Williamson Co. Extension agent and EMG coordinator for a diagnostic tour of the rots, scars, blights and mere blemishes facing TN tomato gardeners and suggestions on how to deal with them.
3) Insect pests- the usual and the unusual - One of the joys of gardening in the mid-south is the 'interesting' range of pests that might appear at any moment on our plantings. Take this TN pest tour with Dr. Chris Cooper, star of 'The Family Plot' (oh, and Shelby County Extension agent and MAMG coordinator), to learn about identifying and controlling some of our old faithful pests as well as emerging threats.
4) Attracting wildlife in the home landscape - Our tour of the natural wonders of TN forests and the horticultural joys of TN lawns and gardens wouldn't be complete without connecting those habitats and plants with the abundant wildlife they can support. Join Carol Reese, for an entertaining, but eminently practical session focused on designing and managing our home landscapes to attract and support a range of two and four footed creatures.
2:45 Silent Auction closes. Pick up items at 3:30
2:45-3:30 Closing remarks- Dr. Natalie Bumgarner
