A note from your Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator
Spring Gardening Extravaganza: Designing Your Northern Cottage Garden
There are still openings in the "Creating Wildlife Habitat on Your Property" series
University of Minnesota Extension five part webinar series on how you can create wildlife habitat is underway, but there is still time to join!
The remaining webinars will take place online on Monday, April 3rd, 10th & 17th from 7-8:30 p.m. (All webinars from this series will be shared with registered participants following the final session). Each session will focus on a different aspect of wildlife habitat management including different species groups and selecting a site, as well as the development, establishment, and maintenance of habitat for those groups. Species highlighted in April include habitat for aquatic species, habitat for mammals, and the last session will be a deep dive on habitat for deer.
The cost for this series is $100, however the fee is waived for landowners and residents in St. Louis, Carlton, Cook, Pine or Isanti county. To receive your waiver code, you must contact Mercedes Moffett PRIOR TO REGISTERING. moffe029@umn.edu or 218-384-8681 Register at z.umn.edu/WildlifeHabitatSeries2023.
2022 Master Gardener seed trials results are in
"Peppery but never bitter." "The healthiest plant of all varieties." "A clear loser."
Those are some of the takeaways from testers who know their stuff: University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener volunteers, reporting the results of their annual seed trials.
Winners from the 2022 trials were announced this week by Extension Master Gardeners, now in their 41st year of testing seeds to determine what grows best in Minnesota’s gardens and backyards. This year’s seed trials focused on varieties of Brandywine tomatoes, okra, burpless cucumbers, daikon radishes, Chinese cabbage and large purple eggplant. Floral seed trials looked at annual asters and dwarf sunflowers. This year, 233 Master Gardener volunteers throughout 51 counties tested seeds from 48 varieties in home gardens as well as ones located in 14 community settings and two school gardens.
"Because of our short growing season and harsh conditions, very few of the seeds you find at a garden center or catalog come from Minnesota," said Sue Schiess, a Hennepin County Master Gardener who has overseen the volunteer seed trials for about 10 years. "While the weather is never the same twice, and growing conditions vary across the state, the statewide participation of so many devoted Master Gardeners yields sound, research-based advice for the home gardener."
Schiess has this preview, "If you want to grow good burpless cucumbers, stick with 'Tasty Green' and avoid 'Early Spring,' which may grow well elsewhere but not in Minnesota."Check out the 2022 seed trials results.
Local Food Fair to Return - Save the Date!
25th annual Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference (WALC)
The Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference is back! This year marks the 25th anniversary of this event. The conference is open to individuals with an interest in women’s agricultural leadership regardless of gender, age or affiliation, and offers an opportunity to network with ag leaders within the industry. This event is happening on Wednesday, April 12th at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Participants can choose from 10 different breakout topics including:
View on the 2023 Farm Bill presented by Amber Glaeser, Director of State Government & Industry Affairs, Land O’Lakes, Inc., Staci Martin, Director of Government Relations, AgriBank, and Lauren Servick, Director of Marketing and Public Policy Engagement, Minnesota Pork
FarmHer Nutrition: Fueling Ourselves to Be Better presented by Kennedy Youngren, MS RDN LD, Registered Dietitian, The Legendairy Dietitian
Ag and Fertilizer Market Update presented by Crystal Carpenter, Market Analysis Manger, The Mosaic Company
Giant pumpkin seeds available at the Extension Office
Have you ever wondered how to grow a giant pumpkin? There is more to it than meets the eye! The Carlton Extension office has obtained a limited number of “Big Max” pumpkin seeds and we are offering them to families at no cost (one packet per family please). The "Big Max" has been known to grow up to 100 pounds. (Not quite a national record but still impressive!) This is a fun way to show your kids how things grow and where our food comes from.
Growing instructions will be included with each packet. Stop by the Extension Office to pick up your seeds or call Ann at 218-384-8684 for more information or to be connected to a Master Gardener to answer questions.
In 4-H, all youth are welcome!
4-H is an out-of-school, hands-on learning program for anyone in Kindergarten through one year past high school (grade 13). Youth choose a project that’s interesting to them and explore it with peers and caring adults. 4-H clubs are groups of youth who want to learn together and meet in every part of Minnesota.
What can I do in 4-H?
The sky’s the limit! 4-H offers learning experiences in science, photography, agriculture, healthy living, civic engagement and much more. We have one-day events, year-long projects and everything in between. There are many ways to try 4-H.
Read this month's 4-H newsletter to explore the opportunities waiting for you!
Carlton County Extension Staff
Tracey Hartung, Administrative Specialist thartung@umn.edu
Mercedes Moffett, Agriculture Educator, moffe029@umn.edu
Ann Rust, Vol Coord & Horticulture Assist rustx048@umn.edu
Katie Siltanen, 4-H Educator silta006@umn.edu
Email: mnext-Carlton@umn.edu
Website: https://local.extension.umn.edu/local/carlton
Location: 317 Chestnut Avenue, Carlton, MN, USA
Phone: 218-384-3511
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UMNExtensionCarltonAg/