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University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Table of Contents:

1-5 A Last Farewell to the CCNH Garden 6 Program Coordinator Report 7 2019 Gardening Conference Succulent Wreaths Webinar 8 Congratulations New MGs! 8-11 Gardening at Crisis Nursery—

An Evolving Garden 12-14 Try Organic Food 15 January Monthly Program 2019 Garden Day Workshop

and Spring Festival 16-19 CCMG Impact Statement Nov. 2018

• Please send all contributions for

the Cultivator to Lori Garrett, Lorikgarrett@gmail.com.

• Submission deadline for the next edition is FEBRUARY 15th.

• All submissions must be your own original work.

the cultivator

January/February 2019 The newsletter for Master Gardeners serving

Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion Counties

A Last Farewell to the CCNH Garden

Article and photos by Rosalie Fisher

How do you say goodbye to a garden, a garden that you have lovingly attend-

ed to for twenty years, a garden that brought joy to so many people? That’s

exactly what volunteers at the Champaign County Nursing Home garden had

to do this fall as they completed winter cleanup at the garden for the last

time. Because of the pending sale of the nursing home to a private company,

the garden will no longer be one of Master Gardeners’ Community Projects.

To understand the attachment so many long-time volunteers had to this gar-

den, we need to go back to how it all began and how it evolved over the

years. The garden was created in the early 1990’s when the late Betty Yapp

enlisted the help of a few of her Herb Society friends, including MG-icon,

Phyllis Brussel, to create a garden at the site of the old nursing home that

residents, particularly those with Alzheimer’s, could enjoy. Those volun-

teers brought in divisions from their own gardens to create this new space

and maintained it for several years. In 1998, however, the Master Gardener

program created Community Gardens as a project and including them in

their budget. The nursing home garden became one of the first funded

Mulching Day in the garden! With so many volunteers, even a big job like this didn't take long.

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the cultivator Community Gardens—a boon to the garden—at last, there was money to purchase new plants and a pool of willing volunteers to help maintain the garden. Phyllis Brussel and Carol McClure were named as the

first co-chairs of this community garden, a position they

shared for sixteen years. No doubt the biggest chal-

lenge during their leadership occurred in 2006 when

the county built a new facility just to the south of the

old building. Plans for creating a new garden were

uncertain. As Phyllis said, “It was hard to think of

abandoning this garden we had worked so hard on

and come to love so much.”

Siberian Irises and Peonies are the stars of the garden in spring.

The Northeast Border at the height of summer. The same view in late summer.

The South Border in the fall.

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the cultivator Despite the daunting task, they and other volunteers decided

to “move” the garden to the new location, and in the spring of

2007 they dug up dozens of perennials and shrubs from the

old garden and planted them in a space on the grounds of the

new building. Other volunteers, including County mainte-

nance workers, helped to move a large boulder and an arch

encased in concrete, both of which had been donated in

memory of Betty Yapp, to whom the garden is dedicated.

“We moved it one piece at a time,” added Phyllis.

The new garden was located behind the Memory Care Unit

and was designed specifically for those residents. A circular

walkway around the garden was designed for less confusion

for the residents, and a patio with comfortable seating was

installed just outside the door to the unit to provide a pleas-

ant place for residents and visitors to sit and enjoy the view.

Plants, too, were chosen with the residents in mind. Bright

colors and bold shapes were used to catch their attention,

and common, “old-fashioned” flowers, such as peonies, irises,

and zinnias, were included to perhaps trigger some memo-

ries. Redbud and serviceberry trees, donated by the son of a

former resident, provide a little shade in parts of the garden.

Throughout the garden, the background to these bright

blooms is a peaceful, soothing green of shrubs and foliage.

(Above) The Southwest Corner of the garden is a great example of four-season garden interest. In spring, tall

Japanese irises catch the eye. In summer, daylilies and bright annuals provide color to the green backdrop.

The changing color of the Sumac, bright berries on the Beautyberry, and grasses are the focal points for autumn.

The memorial arch in late summer; earlier in the season two types of clematis climb each side.

(Above) Redbuds, tulips, daffodils, and Hellebores welcome spring in the South Border.

(Right) A variety of types and colors of peonies provide

a bright contrast to all the green growth of spring.

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the cultivator Throughout the years, the garden has provided a

peaceful, beautiful oasis for residents, visitors,

and staff members. In addition, the staff often

uses the garden as a setting for activities for the

residents. While we volunteers usually don’t

have much interaction with visitors to the garden,

we have received many compliments and thanks

from visitors and staff members who appreciate

our efforts in this garden. On MG workdays, when

the staff avoid bringing residents out to the garden,

it’s not unusual to see someone at the window

giving us a friendly wave.

Midweek waterings are another story, however.

Often residents will be sitting on the patio on that

day eating lunch or simply enjoying a few peaceful

moments viewing the flowers and the visiting butter-

flies and hummingbirds. Other residents, out for a

stroll around the building with a relative or friend

and seeing the open gate, will come in and tour the

garden, marveling at the many blooms. One day a

group of residents was enjoying the garden when I

came to water. One gentleman followed me around,

thanking me profusely and calling me an “angel” for

taking care of this beautiful garden. I assured him

that I was just one of many “angels,” but it left a lasting

impression on me of how important this garden was

to the residents of the nursing home.

Because the garden is not accessible to the general

public, many people are not aware of its existence. In

2011 and 2017, however, the nursing home garden

was on the annual MG Garden Walk. Those who visit-

ed the garden during these Garden Walks often were

surprised to find this “hidden gem” and complimented

volunteers on its beauty and the service it provided to

the residents. Several years ago, we decided to add

some plantings outside the gate as well. Now all those

strolling around the grounds can enjoy a small garden

area that gives a hint at what lies inside.

Outside the fenced-in garden, grasses and a variety of annuals and perennials give a hint to passersby of what lies inside the garden.

When the 2018 gardening season began, we knew that

this would be our last year working in the garden be-

cause of the pending sale. What we didn’t know, how-

ever, was exactly how long we would be able to contin-

ue—midsummer? fall? In spite of this uncertainty, we

decided to keep following our mission in the garden

and continue to maintain it as long as possible. The

only change made was that no new perennials were

purchased this year, but otherwise colorful annuals

were planted in the spring as always, and more annuals

were added in the fall.

Several postponements of the sale of the nursing home

meant that we were able to work in the garden

throughout the whole season. But on October 15th, we

held our last workday, cutting back perennials and ti-

dying up the garden for winter. The following week,

tools and garden accessories that had been purchased

over the years with Master Gardener funds were col-

lected and divided among other Community Gardens

and Idea Garden sections. With that task completed,

the gate to the garden was closed, and we said our final

goodbye to this lovely place.

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the cultivator

The Southwest Corner in Winter. [Photo by Bonnie Specchio.]

The development, installation, and maintenance of the Champaign County Nursing Home Garden would

not have been possible without the dedication of countless Master Gardener volunteers. Throughout the

twenty years in this garden, there were always enough volunteers every workday to plant, weed, dead-

head, and complete every other chore to keep the garden looking its best each week. Some helped for just

a season, while others continued to come back year after year. To all of you who helped in some way to

make this the beautiful garden it is, we sincerely thank you.

While it was sad to pack up our shovels and wheelbarrows and leave this garden one last time, we hope

that the new owners recognize its benefit and continue to maintain it so that residents and visitors will be

able to enjoy it for years to come.

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the cultivator Program Coordinator Report

By Tabitha Elder

Mission Driven

What drives you to go about your day? Whether it’s being a caretaker, spending time with your family, contrib-

uting to organizations that matter to you, or going to work every day, you have a passion and feel a need to con-

tribute to the cause. Chances are you have been inspired by a mentor, a family member, or an activist to use the

skills and experiences you have developed to make a difference and to do the right thing. You aspire to be part of

the solution.

One person who inspires me to be part of the solution is ecologist and activist Rachel Carson. A naturalist known

for educating the public about the misuse of pesticides, Carson appealed for new policies before Congress to pro-

tect human health and the environment. In her book, Silent Spring, she was able to paint a picture through prose,

showing the shocking results of pesticide use on the natural environment. The first two paragraphs place you in a

town “in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony in its surroundings.” The setting is beauti-

ful with a backdrop of golden grain fields and fruitful orchards, colorful wildflowers, viburnum, and ferns, and

foraging wildlife of foxes, birds, and deer. In paragraph three, the setting turns melancholy and dark when we

find out a “strange blight crept over the area and everything began to change. Some evil spell had settled on the

community and mysterious maladies swept the flocks of chickens; the cattle and sheep sickened and died.” While

this introductory setting was fictional, Carson used real situations throughout her book to show the effects of pes-

ticide use on the environment. Through her writings and activism, she taught us that we have an obligation to

take care of our environment and to fight for what is right. She inspires us to do our part in protecting the envi-

ronment for healthy living and teaches us how we can protect nature.

It’s no surprise that Carson’s activism caused an environmental movement, and the public became increasingly

aware of their impact on nature. As Master Gardeners, you are actively taking part in this movement to educate

and to provide healthier lifestyles through gardening. Whether you spend volunteer time designing landscapes,

using the soil to grow food that nourishes us, or teaching others the health benefits of gardening, you have acted

on the mission to “help others learn to grow.” Like Rachel Carson, you are passionate, fearless, patient, creative,

and courageous.

What you do matters, and I’m on a mission to share your story. You can expect an increase in publicity this year

through social media, blog posts, direct mail communications, emails to subscribers, and communications with

new and existing partnerships.

We are also working hard to bring back the speaker’s bureau. There are many volunteers who are skilled pre-

senters and educators who are willing to volunteer in this position. The plan is to collect those topics and develop

an online request for presentations on our website. We will communicate this service in a letter to be mailed to

schools, libraries, and other organizations of interest. Using other communication tools like Facebook, press re-

leases, newsletters, and community outreach will also be part of the marketing plan.

Volunteers have met to discuss further development of the Communications Committee. My hope is that this

committee will be a team of volunteers and Extension staff who will focus on publicity efforts for all Champaign

County Master Gardener events and programs.

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the cultivator 2019 Gardening Conference

Purdue University Extension and University of Illinois Extension are pleased to collaborate to offer their annual Bi-

State Gardening Conference, being held at The Beef House Restaurant at 16501 Indiana State Road 63, Covington,

Indiana, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2018. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. EST (4:30 p.m. CST), and the presenters will

begin following a Beef House buffet dinner.

The Green Pathway to Invasion: Invasive Plants and Landscaping

Speaker: Chris Evans, University of Illinois Extension Forester

While invasive plants are nearly universally recognized as a major threat to our natural ecosystems, this wasn't

always the case. In fact, we have a checkered past in terms of actions taken to introduce and promote exotic plants

that ultimately ended up being invasive. Many of the worst invaders started out as landscape plants. Join Chris Ev-

ans, Extension Forester with the University of Illinois, as he explores the history of invasive species in the land-

scape trade, why some plants end up becoming invasive, invaders that are still in the ornamental trade, and what

we as landowners and concerned citizens can do to help.

Gardening Under the Influence (of Myths)

Speaker: Bill McKnight, a.k.a. The Mad Botanist

Many gardening practices result from blind faith acceptance of something they were told and often are irrelevant

or counter-productive. These methods, many of them commonly employed, often have no scientific basis, are devel-

oped from an underlying truth, or are simply too ingrained. Bill will expose and discuss many of these myths. Bill

McKnight is a botanist and author of “Rantings of a Mad Botanist: A Comprehensive Guide to Gardening and Land

Use Practices Emphasizing Central Indiana.” Bill is also past president of the Indiana Academy of Science, as well as

a former museum curator, biology teacher, and 2018 Indiana Plant & Wildflower Society Conference Chair.

The cost for the program is $20, which includes dinner.

Click here to register online.

Succulent Wreaths Webinar Tuesday, January 29 @ 1:30 p.m.

In time for Valentine's Day, bright and textured succulent wreaths are living plant wreaths for any occasion. Join

Bruce Black, Horticulture Educator, to learn about what are succulents, their biology, how to build your own

wreath, and how it needs to be cared for.

You are registering to attend this SKYPE program at the Extension Office, 801 N. Country Fair Drive, Suite D.

Free event. Open to the public.

To watch this webinar from "Anywhere USA" at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 29 or from "Anywhere, USA" at 6:30 p.m. on

Thurs., Jan. 31, click here or go https://go.illinois.edu/fourseasons to register.

Recordings will also be available the following week on the Extension YouTube channel. Click here to view the

YouTube channel or go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEYBGqFXZS6Sn37n1mVcY1g.

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the cultivator

Gardening at Crisis Nursery – an Evolving Community Garden

— or —

Phase II : How to Build a Garden from Sticks and Stones and

“Secondhand” Plants . . . a continuation of a garden story

by Kathy Young

Photos by Tabitha Elder, Mary Nielsen, Kathy Young,

or courtesy of Crisis Nursery (https://www.crisinursery.net)

The last time we told the story of the early days of the Crisis Nursery

Garden was in The Cultivator, May/June 2016 Issue. We left off with

the “crisis” in the garden, in later winter of 2015, when the gardeners

were notified of the wonderful news that the facility was expanding to

serve more children. Presence Hospital, Now OSF, had donated the

rest of the block occupied by the Crisis Nursery and a large State Grant

for expansion of the facility was going to be announced very soon.

However, the expansion would be in place of the existing garden. A

collective gasp was heard through the room as some gardeners saw

this as demolition, while others tried to think in terms of dismantling

and invoking a fresh start.

For those of you unfamiliar with the history of the garden, The Crisis

Nursery Garden, at 1309 West Hill Street in Urbana, began in 2001

when a new facility was built to replace the small house on the campus

of Covenant Medical Center. Sponsoring this garden was a natural

choice for the U of I Extension Master Gardeners. The Crisis Nursery

(CN) serves children, from newborn to six years of age, whose families

are in a crisis situation. The Crisis Nursery Garden would be educa-

tional and a place of respite for children and families. The CN program

offers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week crisis care for children when their

family has no other resource for their care. Each child in their care benefits from a safe, secure environment, nutri-

tious meals and lots of tender, loving care. The CN is known as the “Island of Safety” and is dedicated to the preven-

tion of child abuse and neglect through the provision of emergency intervention, respite care, and support to fami-

lies in crisis.

Congratulations to Jeanette Donaldson and Jim Hannumon for completing their internships!

They are now active certified Master Gardeners.

Please be sure to congratulate them on their accomplishments.

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the cultivator During the Spring and Summer of 2015, the gardeners

worked feverishly to salvage plants they wanted to keep,

and sell others to build a fund to replant the garden when

the time came. Many treasures were discovered in areas

where stepping stones made by the children had sunken

or become buried under compost and mulch throughout

the years. Tools, signs, and statuary from the garden were

stored along with CN’s supplies at a storage facility some

distance from the facility.

As gardeners, we felt the loss of the garden very strongly and wor-

ried that the children and staff would miss the green space as well.

To fill the void, we partnered with Master Gardener President and

Landscape Designer, Jessica Lopez, to engage as many gardeners as

we could to “dream big.” We started meeting in January of 2016 to

design the new space inside the white fence on the east side of the

building. As we brainstormed, a pretty ambitious vision for seven

different gardens emerged that would fill the entire border inside

the fenced play area.

Over that Spring and Early Summer, the gardeners broke into

groups and began to seriously plan for when building construction

ended and gardening could commence. Once we had a plan, we

presented it to the CN Director and Volunteer Coordinator for their

consideration and approval. Keep in mind, we were dreaming big,

but sometimes practicality must prevail. They brought experience

and foresight to the project and convinced us to start with just four

of the intended gardens:

1. Farmer MacGregor’s Vegetable (and small fruits) Garden,

2. an Herb and Sensory Garden,

3. a Dr. Seuss’ Lorax themed Reading Garden, and

4. a Butterfly Garden.

The gardens would all be located along the far east wall of the

fence and serve to draw the children through the play area and

across the green space. Pictured on the next page is the original

plan with all seven gardens depicted. The right-hand side of the

plan represents the four gardens to be implemented, and the east

end of the play area.

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the cultivator The gardeners had a plan and were anxious

to get started, but construction was delayed

multiple times. We tried to wait as patiently

as we could through the summer of 2016

and were finally allowed into the proposed

garden area later that summer. In accord-

ance with our educational mission, we

learned about soil composition and clearing

and preparing beds,. That fall, we cleaned

out some glass and bricks, but not as much

as our predecessors had to deal with in

2001 and 2002. The contractor made every

effort to keep as much of the construction

debris out of the area as possible.

Spring 2017 brought us into the gardening

season in earnest. All but The Reading Gar-

den got a jumpstart and took shape quickly. Of all the areas, the northeast corner was the toughest area to prepare

as it needed more cleanup and amending than most of the other areas, but the majority of the Reading Garden

structure plants went in along with a long bench for resting, and stumps of varying sizes for the children to clam-

ber and sit on. In the summer of 2018, a pergola was donated and constructed by volunteers to provide a future

shade structure for the Reading Garden. There have been additional changes since these photos were taken. The

stepping stones have been rearranged and painted by college students who joined us on a Volunteer Day.

We also dipped our toe into grant writing, as we submitted a proposal for funding under the 2017 State mini-grant

program to help with rebuilding the garden. The proposal featured a collaboration with Extension Nutrition Edu-

cators. Although we were unsuccessful in acquiring the grant, we forged ahead with funds available from the CN,

our plants sales, and the MG budget to do what we could with the collaboration to grow, harvest, wash, and deliv-

er produce, and provide education on preparing the harvest to the CN staff, children, and their families.

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the cultivator

The program has become robust and a source of pride for every-

one involved. One family, in particular, who had fallen on very

hard times told their family educator that our produce was what

kept them going until they found better means and provisions.

We’ve learned a lot along the way about design and costing out

the plants, site cleanup and soil amendment, and—especially im-

portant—don’t scare off Interns by spraying them with cold wa-

ter during a water and equipment training session!

The relationship with the Crisis Nursery continues to deepen and

one begins to think “be careful what you wish for.” In accordance

with new Department of Children and Family Services require-

ments, the gardeners were recently asked to participate in the CN

new volunteer orientation to prepare for closer contact with the children.

This required attendance at a presentation, some videos, a tour, paper-

work and fingerprinting. Do you know how hard it is for gardeners to sit

still in a conference room? It was a sight to behold. But at the end of the

day, we came away with a sense of pride that we are becoming stronger

partners with the Crisis Nursery Staff.

It’s been nearly ten years since the Crisis Nursery Garden opened its

gates to the public, but with the phoenix rising out of the ashes, so to

speak, it’s once again time to show the public what the children and their

families are able to experience in the nature of the garden. Please join us

on the 2018 Garden Walk as we partner to celebrate this phase of the Cri-

sis Nursery Garden and the 35th Anniversary of the Crisis Nursery. To-

gether, the Crisis Nursery, OSF, and the Champaign County Master Gar-

deners create an “Island of Safety.”

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the cultivator Try Organic Food . . . Or, as your grandparents called it, food!

Article and photos by Tabitha Elder

Have you ever seen those magnets or eCards that say, “Try organic food….or as your grandparents called it, food!”?

It’s true, what we now call organic food is what our grandparents and their grandparents before them and every

person consumed since the beginning of time.

Chemicals didn’t become so widespread until the 1940s, after World War II, when it saved the U.S. potato crop

from being destroyed by pests and disease (serc.carleton.edu, Agricultural Pesticides and Human Health). What

we didn’t know at that time was the harmful side effects of using pesticides and fungicides on our food. In a rush

to provide for the masses, we also forgot the importance of soil care and crop rotation, which naturally prevent

pests and diseases.

Until there were chemicals, a potato was a potato. . . a tomato was a tomato. But now that chemicals are so widely

accepted, the government requires farmers to label potatoes and tomatoes grown without chemicals as

“organic.” For a farmer to be able to carry an organic label, an operation must put multiple organic practices into

place and pay fees. All the costs add up, resulting in higher prices for organic products. Some of these costs in-

clude a requirement to build barriers in order to prevent pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides from coming into

contact with our chemical-free produce. Additionally, water runoff from chemical farming operations is an issue

that can also result in a costly expense.

Before chemical use became the norm, organic food was the only option on grocery store shelves. Now we must

pay premium dollar for organic foods if we want to rid our diets of chemicals. Food that isn’t really food or has no

nutritional value is inexpensive and readily available. But having food that is pure, without chemicals, and full of

nutritional value is difficult to find in our area and it is expensive. The entire system seems a little backwards.

Why should we have to pay more for the food we really should be consuming?

So how do we get back on track—get back to our roots? Organic farmer, Mary Jane Butters, has it figured out.

She says, “I think we need to take back our language. I want to call my organic carrots ‘carrots’ and let other farm-

ers call theirs a chemical carrot. The other farmers can list all of the ingredients that they used instead of me hav-

ing to be certified. The burden is on us to prove something. Let them prove that they used only 30 chemicals in-

stead of 50 to produce an apple.” At Clean Acres, we say right on!

In order to “take back our language,” we will need to go up against big corporations that have deep pockets. Lead-

ing a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t be motivated by money or politics or be a social or ethical debate. Unfortunately,

that is the backwards way our current food system works. We can turn it around with one simple decision—be

informed, be educated, and make a stand by buying organic or chemical-free as often as you can.

Many people who don’t buy organic believe they can’t afford it. But is it really that expensive when you take eve-

rything else into consideration? There are so many hidden costs when it comes to purchasing and consuming pro-

cessed/chemically-laden foods. One major cost is the lack of nutritional value of processed foods. Our health is

increasingly at risk due to the way that foods are packaged because chemicals used in packaging materials can

leach into food. Furthermore, the mechanization of processed foods means more handling and shipping, causing

greater risk for contaminated foods.

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the cultivator There are hidden medical costs associated with consuming non-organic and processed foods. It’s been document-

ed that heart disease, diabetes, cancer, metabolic disorders, asthma, learning disabilities, neurological disorders,

and obesity cases have significantly increased over time. “Google it” and you will find that many respected agen-

cies have reported on links between chemicals in our foods and poor health.

Not only are chemicals negatively affecting our health, they are detrimental to the environment. The United Na-

tions’ Food and Agriculture Organization conducted a study in 2007 and noted that 1.6 billion tons

(approximately 40%) of food is wasted, contributing to an equivalent of 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide emis-

sions. Food waste sitting in landfills also “breaks down anaerobically and produces methane; methane is 21 times

more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas” (Environmental Protection Agency). Other environmental concerns

are the loss of biodiversity, excessive use of water, and reduction of soil fertility.

As many of you know, I run a small farm business in rural Piatt County. This was a blog post that I wrote in April

2016 and sums up the motivation behind implementing the farm plan. When we started four years ago, we were

a CSA (Crop Shared Agriculture) business providing fresh produce to shareholders. Locals paid $20 for a full bag

or $10 for a half bag of whatever was fresh that week. I partnered with a neighbor friend, and we had over an

acre of twenty-five different varieties of fresh vegetables growing between three different properties. We both

worked full-time and it was hard keeping up with the plots, but we were driven to work toward this mission.

My business partner and I have experienced the typical American family illnesses, where chronic diseases and

cancer were the leading causes of death of our loved ones. We were both raised on processed foods and see how

hard it is for our parents, aunts, uncles, and siblings to change their eating habits. Joining the movement and

growing local chemical-free produce was one way that we could do our part to promote healthier lifestyles and to

prevent other families from having to experience the hard times and heartache that we have experienced.

During this mission, we have taken one acre that was in a corn and soybean rotation and turned it into a chemical

-free production plot. It’s been a fascinating journey. We put a lot of research into crop rotation, companion

planting, and organic farming practices. The acre is now able to hold moisture when needed and drains excess

water when we have heavy rains. Soil counts

have increased, we have seen an increase in benefi-

cial insects and pollinators and a decrease in detri-

mental pests, and wildlife diversity has increased

each year. To even further lessen our carbon-

footprint on the farm, I’m now researching ways

that we can make the acre an edible landscape with

central Illinois natives.

Bird’s eye view of Clean Acres Farm.

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the cultivator The farm is constantly changing, which is one of

the best parts of working in this field. Speaking of

changes, my business partner moved back home

to Cleveland, Ohio two years ago. The first season

after she left, I cut back on the amount of CSA

shares I offered since I was a one-person opera-

tion on a one-acre farm. Even though I cut back

half of production, it was very difficult to keep up

with the demand. I realized I had taken a step

back from the mission and was now providing

fresh local produce to fewer people, and some-

thing had to change.

I decided to partner with our local grocery store

this past year, selling our produce wholesale, of-

ten the morning that it was harvested. It was a

success and we were able to help more families

than with the CSA model. Another benefit to sell-

ing at the local grocery store is that all produce is

SNAP-eligible, which allowed us to get back on

track with our mission to provide for households

that can’t afford organic.

I look forward to sharing our progress with you

as our farm plan continues to progress. And,

from one gardener to another, I wish you happy

winter garden planning!

The nieces and nephews love to help on the farm! (Left) My nephew Leland and family helped harvest sunflower seeds this fall. (Above) Niece Kate returning from a wagon ride through the sunflower maze (behind her).

Staging produce pictures for Facebook posts announcing

a fresh delivery to the store is a favorite hobby.

Sunflower vases and tomato harvest going to market. My market table at our local grocery store’s fall festival this past October. We had salsa and roasted sunflower seeds samples and items for sale from the farm.

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the cultivator January Monthly Program

Health Benefits of Interacting with Nature

January 22 @ 7:00 PM

Champaign County Extension Office Auditorium

Presenter

Dr. Matthew Browning, Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and

Tourism, and Director of the Virtual Reality and Nature Lab, College of Applied Health

Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Topic

Living near and spending time in greenspace can improve our mental and physical

health. Understanding the connection between health and exposure to nature exposure is particularly important

for our increasingly technological-connected and urbanized society. In this talk, Dr. Browning will explore the

health benefits we gain by spending time in nature, and explain the mechanisms that can produce these protective

benefits. He will also discuss the current research on the recommended “dosage” of nature exposure, and promis-

ing and innovative techniques to increase people’s time in nature.

2019 Garden Day Workshop and Spring Festival—March 9th

Join us for this year's Garden Day Workshop and Spring Festival, filled to the brim with everything plant lovers en-

joy: phenomenal speakers, vendors, a delicious hot lunch, a silent auction, raffle baskets and door prizes. It is a

great way to shake off the winter doldrums and get inspiration for this year’s garden.

This year’s annual event will be held on Saturday, March 9, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Danville Area Community

College. Doors open at 8 a.m.,—start shopping the vendors and making bids on silent auction items.

Speakers and topics of this year’s event will include:

• Amanda Krabbe - Designing a Downsized Garden

• Mary Ann Metz - Hydrangeas 101

• JoEllen Sharp - Deer Can Cost You a Lot of Doe

• Ryan Pankau - Invasives—What Every Gardener Should Know

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Breaks will occur for lunch, prepared by DACC Culinary Arts School, to shop the gardening vendors, and participate

in the silent auction. Master Gardeners who attend will receive four continuing education hours.

Click here to register online.

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the cultivator

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the cultivator

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the cultivator

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the cultivator