This 4-H club grew basil seeds that were in space and so can you…

The seeds are still available from NASA, as of this writing. Just go tothis webpage:

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/plantgrowth/joinchallenge/index.html

Here’s how they did in Oneonta:

The Oneonta Junior Scientists 4-H Club sent away (over the internet) for basil seeds that were flown by the space shuttle in the summer of 2007.  The seeds arrived in Oneonta in November and the club saved them until early spring. In March of 2008 the packet was opened at a club meeting and the number of seeds were counted. There were enough seeds to give each member 3 each, and the remaining six seeds were given to the 3rd grade science teacher at Greater Plains and a 4th grade teacher at Valleyview Elementary Schools in Oneonta.  In all, about 20-25 seeds were in our packet.

Club members planted the seeds in growth chambers configured from 3-liter soda bottles, and the growing medium was a mix of perlite and vermiculite.

Each member was given a thermometer to use inside their chamber to monitor temperature.  This was very important when the chamber was exposed to direct sunlight.

We used an organic fish and seaweed fertilizer as a nutrient. All of the seeds sprouted in the club members chambers. As time went by, some club members kept record of growth rates.

Two of the basil plant chambers were displayed at the Otsego County Fair this past summer.  In fact, these two plants are still thriving, and each of them has produced seeds.

One of the club members who had one of these plants has already planted and began growing a second generation of basil, using these seeds!

And I hope your report how well these cultivars of basil did at Cornell Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners website: http://vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu/

Diagnostician and hort educator staff answering clients question should attend this workshop Nov 4th (8:00am-12:00pm) Carmel, NY, DEC Credits available, registration required.

details in this PDF
Jennifer J Stengle
Assistant Educator,
Environmental Horticulture & Natural Resources
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County
845-278-6738

NEWS RELEASE FOR:  IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACT:  Sandra Weigel, Master Gardener

Tues. August 21, 2008
phone: (315) 636-9511 or cell # (315) 420-2803
e-mail: sdweigel@dishmail.net <mailto:sdweigel@dishmail.net>

Travel to Maine with Master Gardeners, OCT 10-13, 2008

Travel by luxury motor coach through the Berkshire Mountains and view the spectacular display of fall foliage on your way to OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE.  Enjoy the afternoon traveling back in time and reliving daily life in the Colonial era, late 1700’s to early 1800’s, at the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast. Dine at an historic inn before continuing to PORTLAND,ME.    On Sat. we start with the MAINE WILDLIFE PARK, where moose, mountain lion, bear and birds of prey that have been rehabilitated can be viewed.  Next is PINELAND FARMS, a 5,000 acre complex with hiking trails, gardens, a creamery where award-winning cheese if crafted from the milk produced by the prize-winning herd of herefords.  A country store offers their hand-crafted cheeses and other Maine products for sale.  We will lunch at COLE FARMS, a local eatery for 60 years and then visit a working SHAKER VILLAGE.  We will tour the Sisters’ Workshop, the Folk Art Museum and visit the Gift shop.    Sunday we will be on the coast, touring PORTLAND’S WATERFRONT historic district, SHOPPING IN FREEPORT, visiting PORTLAND HEAD LIGHT, a lighthouse in Fort Williams Park and topping off the day with a traditional LOBSTER BAKE.    Monday we will be traveling homeward, with a stop at TOWER HILL GARDENS, featuring several themed gardens to stroll through and a cafe.  Dinner will be in the Berkshires before the last leg home.  This trip is truly the ultimate New England Experience and will provide treasured memories.

$689 per person (dbl occupancy) includes luxury motor coach transportation, 3 nights accommodations, daily breakfast voucher, 3 dinners including the lobster bake and all entrance fees.  Reserve your space now , space is limited.  CALL (315-636-9511) or E-MAIL sdweigel@dishmail.net <mailto:sdweigel@dishmail.net>
or mail your check to Vistas Unlimited 13 East
Lake ST. Skaneateles, NY 13152

Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Master Gardener Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension Cayuga County.

Join us for a special celebration!

Bob Beyfuss is retiring at the end of the year after more than 30 years with Cornell Cooperative Extension! We hope you can join us to celebrate a career that has left an indelible footprint on Greene County, the Catskill region and beyond.

Friday, September 19
4:00 –7:00 p.m.
Siuslaw Model Forest
(Across from the Agroforestry Resource Center)

Please RSVP by September 10 returning this form (pdf)

Angela Tallarico
Senior Extension Administrator
Cornell Cooperative Extension Greene County
Agroforestry Resource Center
6055 Route 23, Acra, NY 12405
Phone: 518-622-9820 X21

Save the Date!

Friday, September 19
4:00-7:00 p.m.

Mark your calendar for Bob Beyfuss’ retirement reception. After more than 30 years with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Greene County, Bob will be retiring at the end of 2008. In keeping with Bob’s legacy in Greene County, we will be hosting an outdoor reception in his honor at the Siuslaw Model Forest (across from the Agroforestry Resource Center in Acra, NY). More details to follow!

Angela Tallarico
Senior Extension Administrator
Cornell Cooperative Extension Greene County
Agroforestry Resource Center
6055 Route 23, Acra, NY 12405
Phone: 518-622-9820 X21

Happening in Oneida County…

Festival Brochure (PDF)

Saturday, June 28
9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Farm & Home Center
121 Second Street
Oriskany
For directions:
(315) 736-3394 or visit
http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/oneida

Do you give quizzes or exams as part of your MGV training?

Some counties do and here is an example of an exam from Holly Wise, Extension Educator Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County. Exam.

Do you have exams or quizzes you are willing to share with your colleagues around the state? send them to Lori (bushway@cornell.edu)

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop
March 15, Spencer, NY
Learn how to prune apple trees at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s ‘Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop’ on Saturday, March 15, 9:00 a.m to noon, at Brian Caldwell’s Orchard, 303 Gunderman Rd, Spencer, New York.

Instructors Rick Reisinger and Brian Caldwell will demonstrate pruning techniques and discuss the theory of how apple trees grow. Both instructors have decades of fruit tree experience on their own orchards and at Cornell’s orchard in Ithaca. The focus of this year’s workshop will be on establishment and maintenance pruning of an apple orchard, rather than on renovating overgrown trees. The workshop will be held outside the orchard so dress for the weather.

The $10 fee includes light refreshments. Pre-registration is required by 4:30 p.m. March 14. For questions, driving directions and to pre-register, call 607-687-4020.

Introduction to Growing Stone Fruit
June 7, Watkins Glen, NY
Learn how to grow peaches, plums and cherries at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s ‘Introduction to Growing Stone Fruit’ workshop on Saturday, June 7, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Reisinger’s Orchard, 2750 Apple Lane, Watkins Glen, New York.

Orchardist Rick Reisinger will discuss site selection, planting, and fertilization. Cornell fruit pathologist Kerik Cox will teach how to ID and manage diseases, and there will be a small scale sprayer demonstration. The instruction will be geared towards serious home gardeners and people interested in starting a small scale commercial orchard. Emphasis will be on sustainable production practices.

The workshop will be held in the orchard so dress for the weather. The $10 fee includes light refreshments. Pre-registration is required by 4:30 p.m. June 5. For questions, driving directions and to pre-register, call 607-687-4020.

Molly Shaw
South Central NY Ag Team
Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
CCE Tioga
56 Main St, Owego, NY 13827
ph: 607-687-4020
f: 607-687-3619

Put a little spice in your garden botany training session with your new and active Master Gardener Volunteers with this Jeopardy game created by our talented Anna Snider in Westchester County CCE

She says in her last training:

It was a lot of fun and the MGVs loved it. The icing on the cake was that we borrowed some buzzers from 4-H so we could tell who buzzed in first!

Get the PowerPoint Garden Botany Jeopardy here. You must enable macros to get the buttons and sound to work. Go to tools, options, security and then macro security. Set it to medium and restart PowerPoint.

Anyone else created a jeopardy training tool or any other clever activity. Please share. Lori

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Livingston County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 158 Main Street, Mt Morris, NY
1 pm-3 pm
So You Want to Be a Berry Farmer?
Cornell Berry Extension Support Specialist Cathy Heidenreich from the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca will present a program on berry growing on Tuesday, February 26 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension building in Mt Morris from 1 to 3pm.
The program will point out the keys to successful commercial and non-commercial berry farming including marketing, startup costs, site selection, preparation and layout, cultivar selection and planting, crop production and management, labor, and profitability. Strawberries, brambles, blueberries, currants and gooseberries will be included in discussions. Topics include nutrient management, weed, insect and disease management, trellising, irrigation and more. Printed materials are included in the presentation and production guides for brambles, highbush blueberries and strawberries will be available to examine for ordering.

There is no fee, but registration is suggested to assure notification of any change in scheduling. Phone 585-658-3250 for registration or questions.