Master Gardeners of the Tanana Valley
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Master Gardeners of the Tanana Valley
"Cultivating Gardeners" in Interior Alaska

Meeting the first Tuesday of each month, usually at the Fairbanks Food Bank, located at 725 26th Avenue.
 

Bluebells by Di Griffin

 Alaska
Greenhouse
& Nursery Conference Coming in January!
Sign up now!
Bleeding Hearts

Note: There is no membership meeting in January.

ALASKA GREENHOUSE & NURSERY CONFERENCE DATES

The 2009 Alaska Greenhouse & Nursery Conference will be held January 27 & 28 at the Anchorage Marriott Hotel, downtown.

POLAR GROWER TRADE SHOW

Registration for the Polar Grower Trade Show, held in conjunction with the conference, will be sent out shortly along with the conference code for registering with the hotel. Businesses and organizations who have registered for the trade show by December 11 will have their name printed in the conference brochure.

NEW THIS YEAR

The 2009 Alaska Greenhouse & Nursery Conference will be held back-to-back with the Alaska Peony Growers Conference which is being sponsored by the Alaska Division of Agriculture for the state's emerging cut-flower peony industry. The dates for the Alaska Peony Growers Conference are January 26 & 27. Each event will run for a day and a half. 1/26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., & 1/27, 8 a.m.-noon. For the Greenhouse & Nursery Conference, the times are 1/27, 1-5 p.m., & 1/28, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

CONFERENCE BROCHURE

The brochure which will include information for registering for both conferences is scheduled to be mailed out mid-December. The full slate of conference speakers will also be available for viewing on the Internet at that time.

SPEAKER SUGGESTIONS NEEDED

Speakers are still needed for the Alaska Greenhouse & Nursery Conference. Suggestions for someone who could address flowers, greenhouse operations or energy issues relating to the industry would be appreciated. There are 3 time-slots available for 30 or 45 minutes each.

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

Sponsoring a break or speaker expenses helps to keep conference registration fees reasonable. Participant scholarships are also appreciated.

CONTACTS

Julie Riley, Horticulture Agent, Anchorage
Jeff Smeenk, Commercial Horticulture Specialist, Palmer
UAF Cooperative Extension Service
Anchorage 907-786-6300
Palmer 907-746-9470
 

11/18/08 - New Alert - Recycling for Fairbanks

Alaska Grown

We need your help! Spread the word!

The Division of Agriculture is sponsoring an "Alaska Grown Eat Local Challenge" to promote purchases of Alaska Grown products. It has been a rough summer for our growers & producers - they need local support!

Please visit www.alaskagrown.org for more information.

Teachers - get your students involved!
Media - visit a Farmers Market, Farm, Restaurant or grocery store and ask about Alaska Grown!
Consumers - make substitutions in your buying practices next week (& always!) and buy more Alaska Grown produce! And tell your friends & neighbors.

Take the survey! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=0tGLhFxfKjP_2fDs9Eh0AiFA_3d_3d

Supporting Alaska Agriculture is important - find out more, tell your story & make a difference. Please call or e-mail me if you have any questions. If you'd like a file copy of the poster I'd be happy to send it - it is a large file (5MB).

Thanks, and have a great day!
 
Michele Hebert, Land Resources Agent
Cooperative Extension Service
University of Alaska
PO Box 75-8155
1000 University Ave.
Fairbanks Alaska 99775-8155
Phone 907-474-2423

2009 Spring Garden Workshop

This workshop is scheduled for March 9. One of the featured speakers is Cass Turnbull from Plant Amnesty in Seattle. If you have any trees or shrubs in your yard, you will want to attend this session. Cass is an expert at pruning plants for both their beauty and health. You might want to visit her web site. The address is as follows: http://www.plantamnesty.org/home/index.aspx

Sustainable Agriculture Conference

The 2009 Sustainable Agriculture Conference dates has been changed for national speakers etc. The new information is a follows:

Dates: March 17-18, 2009 (Tuesday and Wednesday) at the Fairbanks Princess Lodge, from 8-5 p.m.

NATIONAL SPEAKER: George DeVault, farmer and new Executive Director of Seed Savers.

Alaska State Garden Club Convention this July

The Fairbanks Garden Club and the North Pole group will be hosting the Alaska State Garden Club Convention during Golden Days 24, 25 of July 2009 at the River's Edge Lodge.

The Flower Show is open to the public with registration Friday, July 24 from 8:30 to 10:30 and judging of the show from 11:00 to 12:00. Public viewing from 1-5 on Friday and Saturday. The theme is "Fantastic Flower Fantasies in Fairbanks" for both the flower show and the convention.

Coming Events:

  • Friday, December 5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the UAF Wood Center Lower Level, GBG Holiday Sale.

  • The Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District is having an open house, 12/8, 3-6 p.m.

  • Monday, January 26 & 27 Peony Growers Conference. 1/26, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., & 1/27, 8 a.m.-noon at the Anchorage Marriott, downtown. More info above.

  • Tuesday, January 27, 28, 2009 Alaska Greenhouse & Nursery Conference at the Anchorage Marriott, downtown. 1/27, 1-5 p.m., & 1/28, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. More info above.

  • February 10-11. Potato and Vegetable Growers Conference, Palmer Depot.

  • February 18-22, Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle. Visit http://www.gardenshow.com

  • The 2009 Spring Garden Workshop will be held on March 21, 2009. Cass Turnbull from Plant Amnesty in Seattle has been booked as one of the featured speakers. See more info above right.

  • March, TBA SARE Conference & Organic Growers School

  • March 22-26 International Master Gardener Conference. "New Frontiers in Horticulture & Gardening" Las Vegas. Register online at http://www.unce.unr.edu/imgc/

  • July 24 & 25, Alaska State Garden Club Convention & Flower Show, at River's Edge Resort. "Fantastic Flower Fantasies in Fairbanks" hosted by Fairbanks Garden Club and North Pole Garden Club. Information, (907) 374-9871 or email betty[at]seki.com  More information above, right.

Don't forget to check out the Volunteer page. Opportunities for Master Gardeners are added as soon as we hear about them.

Related Forums & Websites

It used to be called the University Experimental Farm, and the gardens and greenhouses are still used by researchers. A great place to volunteer!

Billed as "America's largest club of gardening enthusiasts." membership allows you to, among other things, become a garden product tester (you get to keep them), You can join by the year, or buy a life membership.

Website of the society formed to support the Georgeson Botanical Garden. See their website for upcoming events.

The website of the organization that is the major authority on gardening in Alaska. Click on "Publications" to find a list that you can order from. They also offer Master Gardening classes - the one for the interior is held beginning each March. In Southcentral, it is usually earlier in the winter.

This is the Anchorage branch of the Alaska Master Gardeners. Links to lots of good information here, including a link to information on the Master Gardener Correspondence Course.

This page last updated 01/07/09

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