Learn more about gardening and cooking healthy or keep your youngsters learning and playing at the 2016 Fall Garden Fest, held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Trietsch Memorial UMC Family Life Center, 6101 Morriss Rd. in Flower Mound. Admission is free to the event, which is sponsored by the Denton County Master Gardener Association and features dozens of vendors and a fund-raising silent auction.
Educational presentations begin at 9:30 a.m., with chef Charles Youts of the Classic Café in Roanoke, who will discuss “Eating Fresh” as he prepares foods made from seasonal vegetables and herbs. Two additional one-hour programs will be presented twice that day at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. They feature Janet Gershenfeld, Master Gardener, discussing “Edibles in your Landscape” and Steven Chamblee, chief horticulturist at Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, presenting “Garden Harmony 101.” Informational booths will address the following topics: bees, monarch butterflies, gourds, veggie gardening, herb growing, container gardening, Earthkind, landscape design, worm composting, hypertufa, growing grapes, water conservation, propagation, tree care and becoming an Urban Citizen Forester.
Attractions for All Ages
Dozens of vendors and craftspeople will be on hand, including Unique Yard Art outdoor decorations, SkyHome Texas bird houses, Juice Plus Tower Garden hydroponics, La Bella Vita Boutique clothing and décor, Busia’s Balm handmade lotions, Basket Jacket for hanging plants, Expressive Creations in glass, Adirondack outdoor wooden furniture, Angee and Teresa’s Gardening Stones, Earth Kind Services organic compost, R&E Plants for butterfly gardens, Land O’ Lakes Quilt Guild, Painted Flower Farm’s Texas natives, Chromatic Ecstatic watercolor art, Laguna Madre Traders’ pottery and yard décor, Garden Gems garden accessories, Designed by Us handmade jewelry and dog collars, Clay for Home and Garden pottery, and Elemental Candela Organics’ clean-burning candles.
Activities for children include Dianne’s face-painting booth, learning about science with Junior Master Gardeners, information on beekeeping, meeting with Denton County 4-H Club members, talking to an entomologist about bugs, planting daffodil bulbs to take home, learning about snakes and studying wild animals of North Texas with the Elm Fork Master Naturalists.
A silent auction will offer a variety of treasure. Refreshments will be available from the 4-H club concession. For details, visit dcmga.com or look for the Denton County Master Gardener Association on Facebook.
Become a Master Gardener
Denton County residents who are interested in becoming a Master Gardener are invited to the organization’s Round Up meeting from 10 a.m. until noon on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Joseph A. Carroll Building, 401 W. Hickory St. in Denton. County residents wishing to apply for the 2017 Master Gardener training program must do so no later than Oct. 14. Attending the Roundup is not required for new class members, but everyone must complete and submit an application form, which is available online. For complete details, including all requirements for new members, visit www.dcmga.com.
The DCMGA is an educational initiative affiliated with the Texas Master Gardener Association and Texas AgriLife Extension Service within Texas A&M University. The program aims to increase horticultural education and projects in Denton County through training and volunteer efforts. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides equal opportunities in its programs and employment to all persons, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.