4-H Junior Master Gardener Program - Great Green Gardeners

Our pilot project has concluded. For our last meeting we harvested the pumpkins we grew and painted them with funny faces. We delivered them with some Halloween treats to a Brainerd area senior center. We had a great time!

Plans are in the making to keep our 4-H Great Green Gardeners club going for 2010. Share your ideas with us on what you would like in a gardening project club. Thoughts on the table are:

Container gardening for fruits and vegetables
Native plants garden
Growing plants from saved seeds
Making our own compost
Learning new ways to extend the growing season in our cold, cold climate

Please let us know your ideas!

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Spectacular!

What is THAT growing on our corn? It's a Great Green Gardener's Great Green Pumpkin!

Which do you think is better for the plant and weed control, mulch or concrete?

Gourds!

Pretty flowers

and a HOT pepper!

Bees at work!

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Submitted by Debbie Monchamp

Beth Hippert from the Crow Wing Soil & Water Conservation District gave an excellent presentation. Not just about soil & water pollution, but naming some of the pollutants, how they harm us, how long they last, how they travel and some plants that help to break down the toxins. She was able to put some of these very academic terms into situations that the kids could understand. It was very eye-opening for us, as adults, who think we understand the problem.

Submitted by Cindy Terwilliger

The meeting started with Kirsten leading the group in reciting our cheer and the 4-H pledge. Debbie introduced guest speaker Beth Hippert who explained ground water pollution and steps in correcting it.

Next Cindy said we'd learn facts about insects. Why learn about insects in a gardening club??? The children knew that insects can be beneficial to plants. Each was asked what kind of insect they'd be if they could choose. Then the group told characteristics insects have while taking turns drawing what was said. We ended up with a butterfly which had all the correct parts for an insect.

• a body consisting of a head, thorax and abdomen.


• two antennae that help the insect smell


• compound eyes


• Six legs attached to the thorax


• two to four wings attached to the thorax


• a mouth which could be chewing, sucking, siphoning or sponging


• a skeleton called and exoskeleton (insects have their's on the OUTSIDE!!)

Our program is nearing it's end. We discussed having a field trip or party then decided on a community service project for an assisted living facility. Sept. 17th was chosen as the date and we will plan what will be done and send email to members.

Outside to the garden! Our pumpkins are growing but, unfortunately, the deer think they are tasty!! We saw damage done by deer to other plants, also. The leaf mulch is doing a good job on keeping weeds down. We picked weeds and took a look at everything.

On the way back we saw a snake that had just finished eating a frog! The lump was very visible and he didn't want to move from the path when we walked by. We respected him and gave him his space. It was an interesting end to our evening.

The Deer Ate Our Pumpkin!

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Submitted by Cindy Terwilliger

Kirsten volunteered to lead the cheer then Sarah Fairbanks and Katrina Adkins from the Black Bear 4-H club taught us the 4-H pledge.

Home activity was to share information found online about a plant. Members told about tiger lilies, hostas, roses, and others.

Four members made deposits on Junior Master Gardener Handbooks and were encouraged to check out the first few chapters. The $15.00 for each handbook will be returned to the family after the handbooks are turned in at the end of our program.

Sarah and Katrina set up exhibits from a variety of projects and explained what is needed to make a good educational display. Their reason for attending our meeting was to encourage new members to take exhibits to the fair and to help make the fair experience better understood.

Sarah went into detail about Flower Gardening and Vegetable Gardening project exhibits. Katrina and Sarah told the difference between a fine art and craft exhibit and what the different colors of ribbons mean. Sarah acted as a judge while Katrina played the part of a 4-H member in a mock judging session to demonstrate conference judging.

Cindy explained fair registration and the premium book. Some of our new families are apprehensive about it all...but said they were doing it anyway!! That's the attitude we like! Debbie, Nancy and Cindy will be at the fair on entry day..... August 3rd from 1:00 to 7:00.... and are excited to see what our kids bring to the fair!

One of our requirements in this project is to let the public know about what we are doing. We decided to decorate a booth at the 4-H building during the fair so all can see the fun things we've done in this pilot project. At the next meeting, we'll make plans and set up a date to work on it.

After snacks we went to the garden. The water schedule was set up with Sydney's family doing the week of July 5th - 11th, Kirsten's family July 12th - 18th, and the Hinrich family July 19th - 25th. Debbie explained that a pumpkin plant has both male and female flowers and that the female flower is the only one to make a pumpkin.

Snacks for next time will be provided by the Nibbe family and drinks by the Stock family.

NEXT MEETING JULY 6TH 6:00 AT NORTHLAND ARBORETUM

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Submitted by Cindy Terwilliger

We started with our cheer and Jared recited the 4-H pledge. Nancy asked each to share what they've done in the garden, what they've added to their journal, and to tell about a plant they researched online.

Maggie encouraged us to use ning.com and the Crow Wing county Extension website to keep us informed about club happenings and share what you've done in your gardens at home. You might see photos of yourself, too! Other Minnesota JMG clubs use ning.com and it's fun to see what they're doing. Having each of our Great Green Gardeners as a member of ning.com is one of our pilot project goals.

Home activity for July 6th is the same as last week. Using the internet, research a plant and bring information found to the next meeting to share with the group.

The JMGs were interested in seeing results of the soil that was left in jars of water at our last meeting. The layers of sand, silt, clay and organic matter were visible and Debbie explained each.

Next, Debbie lead a game that taught how we are interwoven with our environment and plants and animals.

Thanks to Nancy for providing our snack that we enjoyed while Debbie read an excerpt from the book "Brother Eagle, Sister Sky." She'll read more from this book another time.

Cindy showed the JMG Handbook that is available to our members for a $15.00 deposit. Handbooks will be available at the July 6th meeting.

Off to the garden! Donated annuals, ornamental vegetables, and flowers the members brought were planted. Thanks to Pauline, Maggie and others who guided the kids in planting. We were amazed at how well the pumpkins transplanted only two weeks ago are doing and he gourd seeds are up!

Debbie explained the newspaper and leaf mulch put down around the pumpkins to help conserve moisture and prevent weeds.

Sydney and her family will provide care (watering and weeding) from July 5 - 11. Water schedule is "as needed" ....not just once a week. We NEED a family to water the week of June 29 - July 4. Please contact Cindy.

On July 6th 6:00 at the arboretum, members from the Black Bear 4-H Club will be showing exhibit ideas, holding a judging practice, and helping with fair registration process.

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Submitted by Cindy Terwilliger

Our meeting began with gardeners sharing journal entries. Most had done some gardening in the last two weeks. Next, we shared what was learned from the compost activity on jmgkids.us.

4-H leader Cindy explained the 4-H Premium Book and registration process. At the July 6th meeting youth leaders from the Black Bear 4-H club will show examples of exhibits and answer questions about registering for the Crow Wing County Fair.

Cindy and Debbie assisted members in looking through soil samples to see what was found. Sand, leaves, sticks, a worm and spider were found along with clay, silt and sand. Members put a cup of soil in a jar, added water and covered tightly. Then it was "Shake, Rattle and Roll" to mix well. We will discover what happened in the jars at the June 29th meeting.

Master Gardener Debbie explained soil tests and lead us in an activity to learn about water. We learned there is very little potable (drinkable) water on earth. A work sheet helped us figure out that only 1 % of the earth's water is available to use as freshwater. We used math skills to calculate how many pounds of water is found in our bodies.

The snacks provided by the Hinrich family gave us the energy needed to get to the garden and put in pumpkin plants and gourd seeds! The sand challenged us in successful gardening had been moved and soil brought in. We will need compost and mulch! Each pumpkin hill got a sprinkle of fertilizer and water.

The Wenstrand and Fisher families will handle watering for the next two weeks.
Wenstrand June 16-June 20; Fisher June 21 - June 27.

Here are upcoming dates of meetings-all starting at 6:00. Please mark on your calendars. Dates for field trips and other outings might be added later.
June 29th July 6th July 20th August 3rd August 17th

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Next meeting is June 15th at the Northland Arboretum, 6 p.m.

Submitted by Cindy Terwilliger

A great night for the Great Green Gardeners….we started planting!! Our meeting began with Nancy leading us in our cheer "Great Green Gardeners, Great Green Gardeners ….GO GREEN!!”"

Guest speaker Mike Borochoff, from Landsburg Landscape and Nursery, explained his job.

Nancy reminded all to check out the websites and do online activities Debbie suggests. Many of our group have joined the ning.com site. All were reminded to continue journaling and blogging about their garden experiences. Online activity on jmgkids.us is the Compost Activity. Share results in your journal.

4-H Leader Pauline Tischman was introduced. She loves to garden.

Before going to the garden we divided into four groups. While we had a snack (watermelon!!! YUM), parents assisted groups in selecting names for each and types of seeds each group would like to plant.

How exciting to finally get in the garden! Our plot originally had another purpose and sand had been spread on top of the soil. Great Green Gardeners used buckets to move sand and haul in black dirt. Mike Borochoff volunteered to bring donated compost to keep on hand to amend our soil.

Debbie talked about garden safety. Cindy showed hollyhock seeds collected last fall. Debbie explained planting depth then club members planted hollyhock and sunflower seeds along the garden wall. Marigold seeds saved from Debbie’s garden were planted along the side. A chive plant was donated and put in place.

A Weekly Weed and Water Schedule was set up.
Kaytlin and Kirsten have June 2nd-6th.
Jillian has the week of June 7th - 13.

Anyone may send Cindy a garden quote to be added on the next schedule form.

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Submitted by Cindy Terwilliger
Great Green Gardeners 4-H JMG Club - June 1st Meeting Activities

Our Master Gardener leaders have another great meeting planned for us, and…guess what? We will be working in our garden this time!

It was exciting to see some of you joined the ning.com site prepared especially for Minnesota’s Junior Master Gardener Clubs. One or our goals will be to use this site, and the Crow Wing County site Maggie created just for us, as the basis for communication.

HOME ACTIVITY: Go to www.jmgkids.us and do Chapter 1, Level 1 Activity. Select one or do all. Remember to journal your experiences and ask parents for guidance, if needed.

ACTIVITIES:

BRING:

DRESS APPROPRIATLEY FOR GARDENING:

TIME CHANGE:

REFRESHMENTS:

A big "Thank You!" to all our volunteers!!

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There are two websites that have been created for our Junior Master Gardener program.
1. 4-H Junior Master Gardener Program in Crow Wing County: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/fulle280/extensioncwc/
The county site is designed for the general public - friends, family and others - to learn about our Great Green Gardener's Club/project. Since this is a brand new pilot program, we want others in our county to be sure to know what we are doing!

How to participate: Email your questions, comments, stories, photos - whatever you would like to add to the county JMG website to Maggie at: mnext-crowwing@umn.edu

2. MN 4-H Junior Master Gardeners on ning. com: http://mn4hjmg.ning.com/profiles/blogs/crow-wing-county-great-green

The JMG ning.com website is designed for all Junior Master Gardener Club members and leaders to share their project experience and questions with one another - BY INVITATION ONLY.

How to participate: You must receive an invitation from 4-H Leader Cindy. Once you reply to her invitation, as a club member or leader, you will be approved to set up your own individual JMG webpage. See sample pages at: http://mn4hjmg.ning.com/profiles/profile/show?id=Maggie&; http://mn4hjmg.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?user=3elnj24vy5ppb. As you can see, there are many options (templates) available so you can choose just how you want your page to look!. Once you create your page you can post pictures, blog, add media and invite friends and family.

If you have any questions about how to use either site, let Maggie know at: mnext-crowwing@umn.edu

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Great Green Gardeners 4-H JMG Club Updates
May 18th, 2009

Fifteen excited young gardeners attended the May 18th meeting. Master Gardener Nancy explained the Master Gardener program and 4-H Leader Cindy gave out the ning.com and our county’s JMG web addresses and told how using them fits into the 4-H SET goals.

Activities started with Master Gardener Nancy leading the group in a Great Green Gardeners Cheer! Then she asked youth to draw a Hamburger Plant. This request received puzzled looks as no one had heard of that type of plant! After they drew their versions of a Hamburger Plant, club members told about ingredients found in a hamburger and how each item comes directly, or indirectly, from plants.

Parents assisted Master Gardener Debbie in helping small groups discuss parts of a plant and types of food we get from each part. Example: plant part-leaf, food that is a leaf - lettuce.

After a snack break, 4-H Leader Cindy explained the word ‘dissection’. Each young person got a flower and, starting with the petals, learned about the insides of flowers and function of each part. The magnifying glasses provided gave all a close-up look! Parents assisted.

We ended our meeting with a walk to the garden. Debbie explained the challenges of creating a garden that, at present, looks like a sandbox!! Club members took turns reading backs of seed packets and told what each piece of information meant. We posed for our first club photo!

It was a beautiful, spring evening that left us feeling ready to start gardening!

HOME ACTIVITY
At http://www.jmgkids.us Type ‘Chapter 1’ in the search box. Go to Level 1. Activities and Chapter 1. Plant Growth and Development. Pick one of the three choices to complete. Do more if you’d like. Share which activities you completed and what you learned in your journal.

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