A “Fall Garden Walking Tour” will be held on Saturday September 25 from 10 am until 11 am at the Spooner Ag Research Station Teaching and Display Garden.  This outdoor walking tour and discussion is sponsored by UW-Madison Division of Extension and North Country Master Gardener Volunteers.  There is no cost to attend.  The Display Garden is located on Orchard Lane ½ mile east of the stop lights in Spooner off Hwy 70.  Watch for Garden meeting signs.
 
Master Gardener Volunteers will walk participants through the Monarch and Pollinator Sanctuary Garden and explain appropriate fall clean up techniques for perennial and annual plants, seed saving and other fall gardening activities.  Kevin Schoessow, Area Agriculture Development Agent will discuss protecting fruit trees from winter injuries, fall lawn maintenance, and how leaves can be turned into next year’s mulch.
 
For more information and contact Kevin Schoessow at the Spooner Area UWEX office at 715-635-3506 or 1-800-528-1914.

​On August 24, starting at 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm; the Spooner Agriculture Research Station and North Country Master Gardener Volunteers will host their annual Twilight Garden Tour.  We have now confirmed the speakers, displays and demonstrations.  There will be no tastings this year as a COVID precaution.  

Featured Speakers (from left to right) 

• Renae Essenmacher, Forester for WI Dept of Natural Resources, focuses on area trees.
• Rue Genger, Associate Researcher at UW-Madison, Dept of Horticulture, will talk about the Seed to Kitchen Collaborative (SKC) vegetable evaluation trials, how SKC links growers and plant breeders with chefs and regional seed companies, and how to get involved with SKC. 
• Brian Smith, professor at UW- River Falls will discuss the latest with growing fruits and vegetables.

The annual Twilight Garden Tour returns on August 24, 2021, 4:00 to 7:30 pm.  The gardens are brimming with vegetables, annuals, and perennials.  Due to continued COVID concerns there will be no tastings. However, the tour continues to feature a trio of speakers and exhibits of interest to gardeners. 
Confirmed speakers:

• Renae Essenmacher, Forester for WI Dept of Natural Resources, will talk about trees.

• Rue Genger, Associate Researcher at UW-Madison, Dept of Horticulture, will talk about the Seed to Kitchen Collaborative .

• Brian Smith, professor at UW- River Falls focuses on growing fruits and vegetables.

UW-Madison Horticulture Educator Kevin Schoessow and Master Gardener Volunteers will be available throughout the gardens to answer your questions.  The exhibits confirmed so far include Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary, Horticulture Inquiry Station, How to Become a Master Gardener Volunteer, Seed to Kitchen Collaborative, Guided Garden Plots, Learn About Soils & Soil Testing, Foodwise, and Preserving Garden Produce. ​

For those who are interested in an in-depth UW-Madison, Division of Extension horticulture course the new Foundations in Horticulture course will begin in September for 12 weeks.  Registration deadline is August 13, 2021.  This course is a pre-requisite for the Master Gardener Volunteer program.   Residents of Burnett, Sawyer, and Washburn counties (and adjacent counties) are among the twenty-seven counties eligible for this initial offering.  It will be offered each fall with limited enrollment.  

Go to UW-Madison, Division of Extension for detailed information on this announcement.  
​

Course Snapshot
What: Online, move at your own pace through 12+ modules with online videos, readings, activities, plus scheduled live webinars. You’ll hear from our Extension experts through our videos and Q&A with the Experts to learn decision making strategies and gardening resources. The course includes an electronic (PDF) copy of the Foundations in Horticulture training manual.

How: This is an online course that uses Canvas and Zoom. You can check if your system is compatible:

• Please check if your web browser is up to date for Canvas.
• Please join a test meeting to check if you can use Zoom.
• If you choose to participate with a mobile device, please download the appropriate apps from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or wherever you download applications.
  • Canvas for iOS
  • Canvas for Android
  • Zoom for iOS
  • Zoom for Android

When: Registration deadline is Friday, August 13 (11:59pm), 2021. The course begins on September 12 and the completion deadline is December 11. The course will remain open 4 weeks longer for those wishing to engage in materials past the December deadline.

Who: This is open to the general public. It is approved curriculum by the Wisconsin Master Gardener Program as the way to get your gardening education that is required for program enrollment.

​COVID-19 has claimed the North Country Master Gardener Volunteer Association’s annual Plant Sale. 
 
The 2020-2021 calendar years have created challenges for our organization.  The North Country Master Gardener Association will not be hosting the Annual 2021 Plant Sale this May highlighting heirloom tomatoes, a variety of peppers, and native plants.  However, there will be opportunities to participate in several outdoor and online horticultural programs throughout the gardening season to help support the local gardening community.
 
We want to thank all our supporters for their understanding during these challenging times.
Our Meet Me in the Garden series will be conducted outdoors at the Spooner Agriculture Research Station’s Teaching and Display Gardens in soon-to-be announced dates.  These programs have something to offer both beginner and experienced gardeners.
 
More information is available about volunteering with the University of Wisconsin Master Gardener Volunteer program at  https://mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/  The program’s purpose is to help provide information about gardening and natural resources to the public.  Information on local programs and contact information are available at  www.northcountryMGV.org  
 
Keep safe, stay healthy and remember to buy Wisconsin horticultural products in support of our Wisconsin gardeners.


Roseann Meixelsperger, President
North Country Master Gardener Volunteers 

The Wisconsin Master Gardener Program is celebrating Master Gardener Volunteer Week April 5-9, 2021.  Master Gardener Volunteers are an important part of University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension in helping fulfill its mission of researched-based horticulture outreach and education.  Trained and certified volunteers help to improve the lives of residents and communities across the state.  Through hours of community service volunteers assist Extension by answering diagnostic questions, educating the public on horticultural topics, growing and donating food to local pantries, beautifying community spaces, conducting workshops, and more, these volunteers work tirelessly to make Wisconsin an incredible place to live.
​
Locally Master Gardener Volunteers contribute hundreds of volunteer hours each year in communities across Burnett, Sawyer and Washburn Counties. According the Kevin Schoessow, Extension Agriculture Development Educator, for Burnett, Sawyer and Washburn Counties, “These efforts would not be possible without dedicated volunteers and the support of county Extension offices.  Master Gardener Volunteers are the true example of selfless giving and deserve our THANKS”  To learn more about how MGV are making a difference in Burnett, Sawyer and Washburn Counties visit the North Country Master Gardener website at https://www.northcountrymgv.org/   Find out more information about the Master Gardener Program at https://mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/

​Do you enjoy gardening or want to start gardening?  Have you watched the TV show Escape to the Chateau? If you have, then you would recognize the term “potager garden”.  Join us on how to Create a Potager Garden presented by Sue Reinardy, UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, virtually on Zoom on Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 10 am to Noon as part of a celebration of National Library Week at the Sherman & Ruth Weiss Community Library.  Attendees will have a chance to win a special Library T-shirt!
 
Potager is a French term for a kitchen garden.  These gardens can include not only vegetables but herbs, fruit, berries and cutting flowers.  During the presentation you will learn where to site your potager, what plants to include and how to maintain it through the growing season.
 
For the first 15 people who sign up, we will offer them a Take ‘N Make Kit of a Potager Starter Garden.  The kit consists of a container, donated by Marketplace Foods, and seeds and a planting medium donated by Sue Reinardy.
 
You can register for the event by going to the following link – https://bit.ly/3rtyZq9  or by calling the library to register and to receive the link for the Zoom event. We suggest that if you don’t have the free Zoom app, download it before the program begins and go to the presentation at least 5 minutes before it starts. If you have any questions, please call the library at 715-634-2161 or email hlibrary@hayward.wislib.org

​The Ashland/Bayfield County Master Gardeners are hosting two virtual programs “Unsung Heroes of Nature” on February 11 from 6:30-8 pm and “How to Attract Pollinators to Your Home Gardens” on March 11 from 6:30-8 pm. You can find out more about each program and registration information by clicking on the links below. A program link and password will be provided the day before the program by Sarah DeGraff, UW-Extension Bayfield County.