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October 2018

THE GRAPEVINE Columbia County Master Gardener Program

505 N. Columbia River Hwy, St. Helens OR 97051

T: 503-397-3462

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia/master-gardener-volunteer-program

It has been decided to have a newsletter dedicated to just our membership and local

organization. This newsletter will be published once a month and will be edited by

the President of the Columbia County Master Gardener’s Association. Please send

any news items, pictures, etc. to Chuck Petersen @ chpete@centurytel.net by the 25th

of every month.

The President’s Corner Fall is here and the Demo Garden is being put to bed Monday October 1. If you can help with getting it ready for winter it would be appreciated. I have had a meeting with the Fair board and no decision has been made concerning how to charge the Demo Garden for its water use. There is discussion of buying a water meter and installing it on the pipe coming into the Garden and they were looking into the price and feasibility of doing that. The budget for the Demo Garden has a line item for that eventuality but we do not really know how much it may be. I have a feeling if I hadn't mentioned it it may have been forgotten for a while but such is life. Also discussed with the Fair board was the possibility of working in the Garden on Saturdays. The Fair Board didn't have any problem with a work party on Saturday as long as there was a scheduled event with the Grounds open. So we will be checking with their calendar to see if that will work. So with the next year in mind look for a notice that we will be working Mondays and Saturdays so that you are aware of the opportunity and hopefully take advantage of it and support the Demo Garden. Scappoose Bay Watershed Council is holding their annual native plant sale October 13 from 9AM to 3PM behind the Scappoose high School and the Master Gardener BugNutz will be holding a Mason Bee Wash at the same time. If you have Mason Bees and would like them washed or just want to know more about them come on out and see how it is done. (cont. on the next page)…

Upcoming Events at the

OSU Extension Office

October 4 Project Planning Meeting 10:00 am Board Meeting 10:30 am October 4 BugNutz 1:00 pm-4:00 pm October 13 Bigleaf Maple Syrup Workshop 9am (*please call to register) October 15 Beekeeping Workshop 6 pm October 18 BugNutz 1:00 pm-4:00 pm October 24 Mycology 101 6:30 pm (*please call to register) October 25 Chapter Meeting 6:30 pm

Columbia County Master Gardeners Association

CCMG Board of Directors

Chuck Petersen, President

Wes Bevans, Past President

Holly Erickson, Vice President

Brooke McClain, Secretary

Kathy Johnson, Treasurer

LaVina Patterson, Historian

Debbie Broberg, OMGA Rep.

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…(The President’s Corner, cont.) Elections for Master Gardeners Association Board of Directors is coming in October so watch for your ballots in the mail. Please vote for your choice and if you have someone in mind that is not on the ballot and you think they would make a good candidate there will be a space for write-ins. Please do not write in someone who you know doesn't want to be an officer but if you know they would by all means write it in. The October meeting will have the election results and is also the last meeting of the year until January so I hope to see you there.

That is all for now til next time keep it dirty.

~ Chuck Petersen, Columbia County Master Gardener Association President

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Demo Garden Update

Everything has been growing great, also, a Delphinium is getting ready to bloom again. There are still

plants to divide. Monday, Oct. 1, was the last work day at the Demo Garden. In September, there was a

total of 485 lbs. that has been taken to the food bank and there will be more.

On October 1st, we spread Mole, Gopher and Armadillo repellant so maybe we can move these critters to

some other yard. Thanks to Ralph Pauly for telling me about this product.

Your Demo Garden coordinator, ~ LaVina Patterson

HOPE Garden Update

Things are wrapping up at the HOPE garden. New trellises worked well for the tomatoes and cucumbers

grown in raised beds. We have plans for adding more next spring. A big thanks to the volunteers that

tended the garden this year. The HOPE garden provided cucumbers and tomatoes to a successful SEEDS of

HOPE fundraiser dinner earlier this month. ~ Lynn Green

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Mason Bee Wash Coming in October

Mason Bee Wash and SBWC Fall Plant Sale, Saturday, October 13th, 9 am - 3 pm Bring your Mason bee straws and trays, your friends, your friend’s bees, and a small container to take home your cleaned cocoons. This is also a perfect opportunity to add a flowering native plant to your landscape. We know that some of our native bees need native plants; we just don’t know who they are, yet. Your choice may be all it takes to attract a

struggling native bee and help it survive. If you can’t make it to the Sale and Bee Wash, give Deb Brimacombe a call at 503-543-3294 or email bmixtus@gmail.com. The BugNutz will help you keep your Mason Bees clean and healthy. Also, OPB Field Guide will feature our Mason Bee friend, Ron Spendal and Mason Bees he maintains in Washington County. Broadcast schedule on OPB-TV:

October 25th: 8:30 pm October 28th: 1:30 am October 28th: 6:30 pm ~ Debi Brimacombe

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Slugs at the Scappoose Farmers’ Market

Allen McMillan and I took the ODA slug poster to the Scappoose Farmers’ Market as a way to attract conversation. To our surprise, we attracted many people and most were really curious about slugs, way more curious then disgusted or grossed out. We expected that we would be talking about controlling slugs and I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about fall baiting, but almost everyone just paused in fascination. They pointed out the Banana and the species they recognized in their yards. They were almost unanimously kind hearted and respectful comments. There were a few questions neither of us could answer, such as “why do they climb the side of my house”? It made me a little less critical of the little creatures enjoying the strawberries ripening in my garden. Ironically I never found a reasonable account about why the slugs were climbing walls, but I did find ODA’s ID booklet “Slugs and Snails in Oregon” by Joshua Vlach’s, available in pdf format. It may be that the slugs climbing the wall are just confused about the difference between houses and trees, or they might be looking for food or, even though they are hermaphroditic, a mate. To learn more about the slugs in your yard and garden check out these references. ~ Debi Brimacombe Poster: https://www.flickr.com/photos/oragriculture/18356765591/in/album-72157631731806239/ Booklet: Slugs and Snails in Oregon by Joshua Vlach, ODA https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/sites/agscid7/files/vlach-2016-odaguidemolluscs-forweb.pdf OSU Slug Portal: https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/slug-portal https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/slug-portal/life-slug/slug-activity-predictor

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Columbia County Master Gardeners Association Board Meeting Minutes

September 6, 2018 President Chuck Petersen

A board meeting was called to order at 1020am on Thursday September 6, 2018 at the St Helens OSU extension office. The President was in the chair and the secretary was present.

Housekeeping:

Secretary’s Report – Minutes of August Board Meeting - accepted

Treasurer’s Report – Packet dated 9/5/18 provided and accepted – Treasurer request for 2019 committee grand total budget suggestions by 9/20/18; Question asked if per diem is a budgeted item – although it is not, it can be presented for vote by members

Correspondence – OMGA Leadership Forum on 9/14 to address communication between state and county leadership

Committee Reports:

OMGA Rep – Leadership meeting on 9/14 and Director meeting on 9/15 – Quarterly report to be presented

CC Fairgrounds Garden – Gopher repellent purchase discussed in earlier planning meeting o Last work party scheduled for 10/1 o Plants donated by Linda Perry are available to any who are interested o Number of weekly volunteers remains low

Old Business:

Nominating committee report – LaVina – Nominations garnered for all but President position

Possible speakers for 2019 MG graduation – Chip

New Business:

Budget/Finance committee selection – Chuck to conduct

General Liability Insurance – PAID and Certificate of Liability sent to HS for Spring Fair 2019

Board Bonding – $1 Million in the event of potential financial loss

Extension Educator Grant check in the amount of $500 received and given to Treasurer for deposit

Request by Lisa Brook for $40 gift card purchase for Chip to celebrate 40th Anniversary with OSU – granted

Meeting adjourned at 1043am

~ Brooke McClain, Secretary Chinook Salmon can weigh up to 125 pounds.

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Columbia County Master Gardeners Association Chapter Meeting Minutes

September 27, 2018, 6:30 p.m. President Chuck Petersen

“Fruit and Tomato Tasting Event “

Thank you, Sandy and Wes, for providing refreshments this evening!

Business Meeting:

Secretary’s Report – June Chapter and July-September Board minutes – accepted – suggestion made to list all

those present at board meeting in the minutes

Treasurer’s Report – 2018 Account Balances as of 12/31/18 printed 9/26/18 provided and accepted

Committee Reports

o OMGA – G2 – 283 attendees

$19K total profit with $6K through the silent auction

No decision made in regards to changing G2 event into smaller individual county events

“Mini College” name will remain since “G2” was not well received

Next International MG conference to be held 6/16 – 6/19/19 in Valley Forge, PA

Discussion regarding $289 mil lawsuit awarded to man affected by Round Up use

OSU working to improve MG program to include more hands-on training and requiring fewer

payback hours (50)

New logo creation for each county

MG members who are 80 years old are exempt from paying dues, though county is

responsible for paying their OMGA portion

Mention of “signature requirement” – more information is needed

o CC Demo Garden – Monday 10/1 is last day in the garden; 480lbs have been donated MTD; several

plants are available to anyone interested

Fairground Board will allow Saturday work

Water bill asked for

Sally Ann Larson thanks CCMGA

o Nominating Committee – Positions for President and Historian nominations solicited

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New Business:

General Liability Insurance – Any event hosted by CCMGA is covered; accident insurance is also held

Board Bonding – The Treasurer is bonded in the event of financial loss

Old Insect and Plant Books – suggestions made to raffle off at monthly chapter meetings; provide to S2S classes;

donate to HS or Alternative school; present to library to be included as periodical

Next month – Budget discussion

Upcoming Events:

Scappoose Bay Watershed Council Nursery Fall Native Plant Sale and Mason Bee Wash – Saturday October 13,

9am – 3pm Behind Scappoose High School

We would like to hear from you Master Gardeners!

Newsletter contributions

Field Trip Ideas for Fall/Winter 2018 or 2019

Chapter Meeting speaker suggestions

Please continue to submit volunteer hours

Meeting adjourned at 705pm

~ Brooke McClain, Secretary Pears ripen off of the tree.