Written By: Mary Anne Giangola, Hall County
Photo Credit: Don Linke (Click on any image to see a larger version)

On Saturday morning, attendees arriving at the First Baptist Church Gainesville were given handsome black swag bags imprinted with the Conference logo and filled with goodies. They found vendor displays brilliant with plants, flowers, bulbs, birdhouses, stationery, and many other goods to delight a gardener’s heart. Two speaker/authors were already personalizing books attendees had preordered. Many attendees found they had already won a door prize.

As attendees arrived they were also able to look over the items available for the Silent Auction.

Inside the Conference space, guests enjoyed a continental breakfast and chose seats at the fall-theme decorated tables. Many planned their bidding strategies for the Silent Auction.  Hall County Extension Agent Garrett Hibbs and GMGA President Beth St Jean, welcomed everyone then called the Conference to order.  Dr. Sheri Dorn, UGA Senior Public Service Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, thanked the Hall County Master Gardeners for their work in producing the record-breaking Conference.  Beth welcomed Master Gardeners representing 28 counties in Georgia, as well as visitors from Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee and recognized the coordinators Shantha McDonald and Mindy Wade for their tireless work. 

This was a GMGA meeting and Voting members were asked to cast their ballots for the 2024 Board. Beth also recognized Rose Marie Hardman for her tireless work as the District Director for NE4 with the GMGA 2023 Outstanding District Director Award.

Dr. Phil Williams, Past GMGA President, presented the Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Agent of the Year award to Garrett Hibbs, ANR for Hall County. The announcement was met with warm applause and a standing ovation.

Program

Garrett Hibbs, Hall County ANR, was Master of Ceremonies, introducing each speaker, calling break times, lunch, and breakout sessions.  During each break, participants had time to view vendors’ wares, bid at the Silent Auction, and have their books signed.

Marianne Willburn shared her “Big Dreams, Small Gardens” philosophy (also the title of her book.) Willburn is an opinion columnist, author, and horticultural speaker. She advises the audience to look for inspiration in other gardens and to make the ideas their own. Take photos throughout the process as a reminder of progress. Even on the smallest plot, or a balcony, a gardener can create manageable projects. She recommends seeing parts of one’s own landscape as “rooms.” Take photos of what you like and switch them to black and white to analyze light/dark color and texture contrast, she counsels.

Diane Flynt, author of Wild, Tamed, Lost, Revived – The Surprising Story of Apples in the South, told of the long history of apples in our region, where 2,000 varieties once were grown by small farmers, labored over by enslaved people, and cultivated by Cherokee bands. By the mid-1930s, however, southern apple farms fell victim to new technologies, Prohibition, and tourism interests. Southern apples had been carried to northern and western parts of the county as populations moved. Soon, apples from other areas dominated the market, with diminished diversity. As farmers sold their land and moved to the city, the South lost much of its apple culture. But in recent years, pomology has been making a comeback in the South. Flynt recognized efforts of a few long-timer farmers, horticulturalists from the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Horne Creek Living Historical Farm in Pinnacle, NC, and the Heritage Apple Orchard and Education Center in Blairsville, GA. Flynt especially called out praise for Joshua Fuder, UGA Cooperative Extension Agent for Cherokee County for his work at Blairsville.

At the lunch break, attendees enjoyed their choice of boxed lunches, stretched their legs and selected items from vendors.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Barbara Jones shared her wisdom on “Supporting Birds, Butterflies and Beyond” by imparting her passion for birds, and how to support them with a habitat alive with the insects they eat, and advice for choosing and cultivating native plants in the landscape. Barbara, in addition to being a Master Gardener since 2017, has earned a Certificate in Native Plants with a Plant and Pollinator Specialization, and is a Master Naturalist.

Otis Sisk recognized the challenge of Successful Gardening in Georgia’s Soils and gave practical and product advice for creating long-term stability by fixing the structure of the soil. Think kelp, molasses (from powder), and liquid nitrogen. Filter water to remove chlorine. Buy good seeds, and look for “super-survivor” cultivars. Sisk, Owner of Green Prism Consulting, is an arborist and passionate speaker on all things trees. 

Nathan Wilson stepped in to cover “Growing Cut Flowers & Using Them in Arrangements” due to illness of the scheduled speaker. Nathan’s blend of knowledge as a nurseryman, and his native humor, meant that the attendees learned the best plants to grow together in a season for flower arrangements, and tips and techniques for creating colorful and stunning displays. Wilson is Owner of Lanier Nursery and Gardens.

AFTERNOON

Carol Reese blended her delightful humor, soft Southern accent, and in-depth knowledge of natural landscapes to keep the afternoon audience informed and entertained. She challenged the group to see how wild, unruly nature can be part of landscape design. What we often think of as nuisance plants and pesky weeds have value as food for specific pollinators and are critical to their survival. The lowly sweetgum tree, for example, provides nectar for the ruby-throated hummingbird in the Spring, and later is host to 30 species of butterflies and moths. Jewelweed has a 43% to 48% sugar content that hummingbirds love, and it makes a good salve for poison ivy rash. Reese advised “embrace imperfection,” and appreciate incompleteness, as in the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi.

CONCLUSION

The day ended with last visits to vendors and announcements of Silent Auction winners. At last, it was time for attendees to begin their journeys home. The Hall County Master Gardeners were grateful for your attendance and look forward to seeing you in Henry County in 2024!

The Board of the Georgia Master Gardeners Association would like to extend a most grateful congratulations to the Hall County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers for pulling off a great 2023 Annual Conference!   We would also like to than the vendors who participated as well as the local sponsors who supported this effort.  Please check out the Vendor and Sponsor tab on the website. 

The 2024 Annual Conference will be hosted by the Master Gardener Extension Volunteers of Henry County on October 4 and 5, 2024. Henry County also will be celebrating the 45th Anniversary of their Master Gardener Program! Stay tuned to this website for 2024 details!