Now then... we are still a good 16 days away from the end of winter and the first day of spring. I know that. I'm also aware that Punxsutawney Phil proclaimed six more weeks of winter on February 2nd and we are not yet out of that. BUT!!! Never let it be said that the fine folks of Louisiana simply sit and wait for the weather to change. Oh no. That does not happen. This is a planning kind of state, my friends!
So, on Saturday, February 20th, my friend, Jo B., and I got up EARLY (it WAS a weekend day!) and prepared ourselves for a day of gardening information and festivities. Yes... it was the long-awaited BEAUREGARD PARISH SPRING GARDEN FORUM... and silent auction. :)
We arrived right at 8:00 a.m. and there were already some folks there, signed in, and raring to go. We got our "goodie bag" and began checking out the offerings and displays. The festivities (actually, the speakers) were scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.
We found a booth filled with VERY enthusiastic Junior Master Gardeners! I particularly liked this booth as there were swords and fishing poles and lots of fun Huckleberry Finn kinda' stuff there!! (Maybe I should consider becoming a Junior Master Gardener?)
There were 3 speakers scheduled for the morning. Each had a specific field of expertise (note the "field" reference... it's subtle... but it's garden-related!). A young lady spoke about tomato plants and some of the concerns that can arise with them. A gentleman discussed specific issues that can cause problems with plants. Another gentleman was a soil expert (as are all young children... but most of us lose that as we age!) and provided information on keeping the soil healthy and productive. All were very informative and enjoyable. They allowed time for questions, which many of us really appreciated!
There were a number of booths surrounding a seating area with a screen for the presentations. There was plenty to look at and a lot of information to be gathered!
I ran across a gentleman who is one of the artists participating at RealArt DeRidder. He does wood carvings... and some very lovely ones, I might add. Apparently nature is his thing. He and his wife had a booth with blueberry plants, jams, jellies... all good stuff... available for us roving gardeners. They are the owners of Gulf Coast Blueberries right here in DeRidder, Louisiana! I very much look forward to his crop coming in!!
If you enjoy gardening and want to have a "little something extra" in your garden, how about a Butterfly House? After all... if you are doing a good job, you should have a lot of winged friends hanging around. And in this part of the state, you invite your friends to "sit and talk for a spell." (I'm not sure how much conversation you will get from a butterfly... but does it really matter?)
These photos are just the beginning of the fun-filled day we enjoyed. There was a lot more but I generally don't take photos of individuals without their permission so you aren't going to get to visually meet:
Keith H. - My new best friend. :) He is an Extension Agent (think County Agent in Texas) at the local LSU AgCenter Research and Extension office here in DeRidder. He is a hoot and did a fine job emceeing the event all day. There were door prizes, speaker introductions, timekeeping... he did it all. I have dropped by the local office here to obtain soil sample boxes and was glad to find him there and with a little time to chat with me. My gardening experience in Central Texas is with rocky, alkaline soil. It is a far cry from the very acidic and totally diggable (is that a word?) soil here in southwest Louisiana. I have a lot of larnin' to do!!
Dr. Charles A. - One of the mini-lectures I attended was facilitated by this gentleman. Absolutely fascinating. Visit his web site at http://www.nativeventures.net/ to get more information. He is an expert on edible plants and has co-authored several books on the subject. (The spousal-unit immediately ordered one of them when I returned with information on this gentleman!) Since we were a small group, he not only showed us the plants that were edible, he passed them around and allowed those of us who wished to do so to nibble on them!!! (Those of you who know me know I nibbled on everything that came by!) What great fun!
The Tomato Lady - You can read about Sara D. here... and I urge you to read the article. It was written last year which was the first year I bought her tomatoes. I am salivating now just thinking about crawfish-stuffed tomatoes with basil pesto!!! (If you want the recipe, email me. It is incredible!) I attended her mini-lecture on tomatoes... and learned a LOT in a very short time.
So... while you might not think you can pack a LOT of stuff into an 8a-3p day, I assure you it is possible. Oh... and I bought a couple of plants, too. Surprised? You shouldn't be. :)
My goodness. I have run long again. I just can't seem to keep these posts at a reasonably short length. My apology to my pal, Joe, in Austin who got me blogging back in my real estate days and made it clear I should be careful to not be too lengthy. :) He probably knew I was a lost cause there.
I do hope you are all happy, healthy, and looking forward to spring. I assure you I am doing just that!!
Until next post...
No comments:
Post a Comment