DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 Stepping Stones 2 Meeting Highlights 2-3 Carol's Corner 3 Board Meeting Highlites 4 Gardening Events 8 Inside this issue: Roots & Shoots ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # North Office Building, #26 East 1200 North Telegraph Road Pontiac, MI 48341-0416 248/858-0880 Fax: 248/858-1477 This story can fit 175-225 words. If your newsletter is folded and mailed, this story will appear on the back. So, it's a good idea to make it easy to read at a glance. A question and answer session is a good way to quickly capture the attention of readers. You can either compile questions that you've received since the last edition or you can summarize some generic questions that are frequently asked about your organization. A listing of names and titles of managers in your organization is a good way to give your newsletter a personal touch. If your organization is small, you may want to list the names of all employees. If you have any prices of standard products or services, you can include a listing of those here. You may want to refer your readers to any other forms of communication that you've created for your organization. You can also use this space to remind readers to mark their calendars for a regular event, such as a breakfast meeting for vendors every third Tuesday of the month, or a biannual charity auction. If space is available, this is a good place to insert a clip art image or some other graphic. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2003 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2003 DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # Carol's Corner By Carol Lenchek, MSU Extension Program Coordinator & Extension Liaison Have you heard of the Horticultural Gardening Institute (HGI)? This exciting new initiative has been developed by national experts and organizations and provides online interactive learning experiences. It was founded by the MSU Horticulture Department, MSU Master Gardener Program and MSU Global and is located at MSU. The Horticultural Garden Institute has three online courses that we will begin offering this winter. The Art and Science of the SmartGarden™ is based on the American Horticultural Society (AHS) ten tenets of the SmartGarden™, which teach you to practice good stewardship of the earth. This unique self-paced program helps you to learn to select plants that are compatible for your growing conditions, reassess gardening practices to achieve the greatest benefit from your time and effort, and measure every gardening decision against it's environmental impact. Learn to conserve our precious resources and deal gently with the earth while creating a beautiful garden. The Art and Science of Container Gardening features inspiring container garden projects presented online by national experts. Learn the essentials of container gardening: design, soils, fertilizers, and maintenance. Herbaceous Perennials: Identification, Culture, and Garden Attributes. This program was developed by Allen Armitage and provides a wealth of information to help you to make informed decisions when designing, selecting, and growing perennials. You will learn interesting and unique aspects of over 200 herbaceous perennials belonging to 40 genera. Each course will consist of a kick-off session where we will come together and listen to local experts discuss topics related to the coursework and have an online training session. You will be given online access to complete the coursework at your own pace. We will get together again 10-12 weeks later to wrap up the course. If any of these classes interest you, give us a call at 248-858-1639 and we will put you on our HGI mailing list. Where else can you earn educational credits while sitting in your bathrobe at midnight! Look for more information in upcoming issues of Roots & Shoots and the Oakland Gardener. DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # Stepping Stones/From the President By John Humphrey, President of MGSOC Meeting Highlights By Jean Gramlich November Meeting - Chrysanthemums Donald Ellwood of the Greater Detroit Chrysanthemum Society spoke at our November meeting and brought with him a colorful set of slides. There are two categories of chrysanthemums: garden cushions and disbudded uprights. Most of us are familiar with the cushion mums which currently provide our last bit of color for this season. Disbudded uprights, on the other hand, usually grown from cuttings, can be six feet tall. They are disbudded so one flower head can be very large and heavy. Mr. Ellwood grows them in two gallon containers using a soilless mixture. Mr. Ellwood starts his cuttings in 4 inch pots in the greenhouse. As they grow, he plants them in containers, in baskets for a cascade effect, or outside in the garden. Mums like full sun or at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Plant them away from tree roots and artificial light. Grow mums in any soil, but moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5 is ideal. They thrive in soil amended with compost, peat moss, and other organic matter. Fertilize mums with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks or with a time-release 14-14-14 fertilizer. Cushion mums should be planted 18 inches apart while uprights are planted 12 inches apart. When the plants are about 6 inches tall, pinch the ends to promote growth. Repeat after another 5 or 6 inches of growth. If you want lots of flowers, stop pinching in the middle of July and enjoy the show in the fall. If growing flowers to exhibit, after the second pinch pick the best new branches and remove the remaining ones. The general rule is to leave three stems, removing new foliage at the leaf axils to attain the largest flowers. When buds form at the top of the stem, remove all but one per stem. Mr. Ellwood shades some of his container-grown mums from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. for 11 or 12 weeks starting August 1st to stimulate bud formation. Some cushion mums overwinter well, especially with protective mulch applied the last week of November. Disbudded uprights are generally started from cuttings each year. Thirteen different classifications of the flowers are identified by their shape. Mr. Ellwood's slides provided gorgeous examples of many different varieties. Slides showed the whole plant, one specimen flower (some of them absolutely huge), and examples of bonsai mums. He also showed us mums in exotic arrangements for the annual national exhibition. We nicknamed one particular variety of spider mum “Fireworks” for its neon spray of color. I would like to take this opportunity to convey a personal message.  To everyone who was involved in the planning and implementation of our very successful October Master Gardener Society Meeting, I say Thank you!   We had a crowd of 80 for our "Run For The Rose Garden", held in the FAB building at Bower Farm.  We enjoyed the presentation of the White House Garden Video, "Upon These Grounds".  President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln gave us a historic look at the elections of 1864.  His heart rendering version of the Gettysburg address was also memorable.  Rosemarie Attilio made a magnificent and eye- catching sign, directing visitors to our event. Susan Tatus-McClarty and the Master Gardener Singers were in full voice, contributing to the patriotic theme of our gathering. Laurie and Ray Rodriguez videotaped our program as well as recorded the sound. Sheri Trout and Sylvia Schult took digital pictures, which Sheri has since downloaded onto our MGSOC.org website. Our Hospitality Team, headed by Sylvia Schult, did a wonderful job to make us all feel at home. To those who were our guests in the audience, we thank you and hope to see you again real soon.   I also want to send my warmest Holiday Greetings to all of you.  Have a safe and enjoyable season. I look forward to working with you in 2005!   Regards, John  DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # Published bimonthly for Oakland County Master Gardeners and Master Gardener Society members DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # Online SMARTGARDEN™ Program By Karin Andresen Stroscheim Become an eco-conscious gardener; sign up now for The Art and Science of the SMARTGARDEN™! This highly interactive program developed by the Horticulture Gardening Institute and the American Horticultural Society (AHS) is based on the AHS's four SMARTGARDEN™ Regional Guides - a description of each book can be found on the Web site at http://www.gardeninginstitute.com/site/ecomm/store.asp?cat=4). The goal of the program is to teach gardeners in all growing zones how to assess gardening decisions and choices in relation to their environmental impact. Topics include plant selections, conservation practices and site assessment. Self-Study Program The Art and Science of the SMARTGARDEN™ is a unique online program built around a series of interactive self-assessment surveys. The assessments provide opportunities for you to explore new resources and share information and insights with others in the program. The assessment results will help you create a garden plan and refine your gardening practices for being a good steward of the earth. You have access to this self-study program for 12 months. You can return as often as you like to discover new resources, repeat the assessments as you try new techniques, and track your progress. Benefits of Learning Online Innovative, fun and easy Participate in an event that connects you to your local garden community Learn anytime, anywhere, and in any season at your own pace Subscription to the Horticulture Gardening Institute's member newsletter National gardening experts share their love of gardening Access to a virtual gardening community where you exchange ideas with participants One-year AHS membership One-year subscription to the AHS magazine The American Gardener Earn a certificate of completion from the Horticulture Gardening Institute and AHS Earn 12 Master Gardener educational credits upon completion For More Information To sign up, or to find more information, visit http://www.gardeninginstitute.com/ and click on SMARTGARDEN™. As the facilitator for the SMARTGARDEN™ discussion board, I look forward to conversing with you online the Discussion Board! Conifers for Beginners Siegrid Stern has set up an E-mail discussion group about conifers for Master Gardeners who want to learn more about this plant family. The discussion group focuses on anything that is of interest to conifer growers, including common, dwarf and unusual types. A few experienced members of the conifer society will answer your more difficult questions. Join button: http://home.att.net/~siegrid.stern/LINKS.htm. Select the “Conifers for Beginners” link. Note: make sure you subscribe to the correct list. Society Officers President: John P. Humphrey.....……............248-542-8213 Vice President: Tom Hershberger…….….......586-573-3954 Secretary: Ruth Vrbensky...… ………............248-969-6904 Treasurer: Julie Bird...……… …...................248-358-3277 Team Administrator: Sherry D. Jones……….248-442-9866 MSU Extension Liaison Carol Lenchek....…..……………….................248-858-0900 e-mail...………….………….......lenchekc@co.oakland.mi.us Team Leaders Bowers Farm: Martha Humphrey e-mail……………..….…...babylon6@ameritech.net Education/Volunteer Committee: position open Grants: Clay Ottoni………………………….248-454-9800 e-mail……………………......clay.ottoni@juno.com Hospitality: position open Membership:Tom Hershberger....……........586-573-3954 MGSOOC Newsletter: Marilyn Citron.......…........……........248-645-5515 e-mail...…..………............mcwrites@sbcglobal.net Nomination Committee: Tom Hershberger.......…...…..............586-573-3954 Programs: John Humphrey.……......…........248-542-8213 Trips & Tours: Sandie Parrott.....……........248-394-1532 Website Administrator: Sheri Trout..…..248-328-0557 e-mail................................sheri@oaklandweb.com Volunteer Opportunity Contacts Oakland County Farmer's Market Info Booth Royal Oak Farmer's Market Info Booth Rochester Farmer's Market Info Booth Farmington Farmer's Market Info Booth (April 1st through September 30th) Ruth Parulis…….....………...............248-682-2909 e-mail…….…………...ruthpreston2909@msm.com Bowers Farm Manager: Mark Seeley.......248-341-6475 e-mail.......………….........mseeley@bloomfield.org Ask a Master Gardener...Helping People Grow: Denise Jones..….....586-944-8543 Continuing Education Committee for Oakland County: Jody Roeder.........………................248-642-7375 Tollgate Gardens: Rene Cottrell................248-398-2562 e-mail..........................................tyrenee@aol.com Calendar General meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Bowers Farm, 1219 East Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 from April through October. From November through March, General Meetings held at MSU Extension Office, lower conference room, 1200 North Telegraph Road Pontiac, MI 48341 December 1, 2004: Roots & Shoots mailing December 1, 2004: Calendar submissions for Jan/Feb/Mar due to Secretary December 1, 2004: General Meeting - 6:30 PM at Farm Activity Building at Bowers Farm. Education: Holiday Potluck December 31, 2004: Society Membership applications and dues deadline January 1, 2005: Deadline for Roots & Shoots (Feb/Mar issue), includes calendar from Secretary and program schedule from Programs team leader for Feb/Mar/Apr January 1, 2005: Calendar Published for newsletter and website   January, 2005: Classes for New Master Gardeners January 5, 2005: General Meeting - 6:30 p.m. at Extension Office, lower level classroom. Education: Janet Macunovich, “Armchair Gardener: Dreaming of Color - Get ahead during the Winter off -Season” January18,2005 (Tuesday): Board Meeting - 7:00 p.m. Extension Office, First floor lobby (This is a date change) January 31, 2005: Membership deadline for inclusion in Directory February 2, 2005: General Meeting - 6:30 p.m. at Extension Office, lower level classroom. Education: William Horman, “Lilacs”   MASTER GARDENER SOCIETY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION - OAKLAND COUNTY Bringing Knowledge To Life ROOTS & SHOOTS, PAGE # DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005 North Office Building, #26 East 1200 North Telegraph Road Pontiac, MI 48341-0416 248/858-0880 Fax: 248/858-1477 Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Dr. Emma Brooks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248/858-0885 County Extension Director E-mail: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . brookse@co.oakland.mi.us Carol Lenchek... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248/858-0900 Extension Program Coordinator E-mail: ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...lenchekc@co.oakland.mi.us Cathy Morris . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248/858-1639 Clerk & Contact for Certification Volunteer & Education hours E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . morrisc@co.oakland.mi.us Yard and Garden Hotline…………….…….248/858-0902 Charlene Molnar, Horticulture Advisor Hours of operation vary with seasonal needs. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status. MSUE-Oakland County Office Contacts Food Safety Hotline Sylvia Treitman 248/858-0904 4-H Youth Programs Tom Schneider 248/858-0889 Michigan State University Master Gardener Program Mary McLellan, State Coordinator 517/353-3774 Building Strong Families Dawn Koger 248/858-0897 Youth and Community Development Christy Hicks-Bowman 248/858-0889 Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program Matt Dykstra 248/858-5198 Roots & Shoots is a joint publication of M.S.U. Extension - Oakland County and MGSOC. Deadlines for submitting information or articles to Roots & Shoots are: Submission Deadline Issue Dates January 1 February/March Issue March 1 April/May Issue May 1 June/July Issue July 1 August/September Issue September 1 October/November Issue November 1 December/January Issue The Oakland Gardener only accepts submissions via e-mail. E-mail needs to include a description of request, contact person's name, phone number and e-mail address. This info will be “cut and pasted” into this online newsletter. Map to Bowers Farm Two years ago, in the December issue of Roots and Shoots, we explored the herb “garlic” under the heading of Herbal Lore. Garlic has a very long history. DNA evidence of garlic was found in tombs dating back to the Neolithic Period. The Egyptians praised garlic for giving strength, speed and endurance to the slaves as they built the pyramids. Bullfighters carried garlic to prevent the bulls from charging. Jockeys in Hungary carried garlic to prevent another horse and rider from getting ahead of them. In India, garlic is worn to protect people from evil spirits and spells….and the lore goes on and on. This past spring, while attending the Michigan Herb Conference in Lansing, a whole new idea about garlic was presented. Of course, the main topic for the conference was garlic, since it is the herb of the year. One of my favorite speakers was Patricia Reppert, also known as the “Garlic Goddess.” She came out wearing a crown of garlic on her head and continued to capture the audience with her knowledge of the spice. Patricia spent one day on the “Healing Power of Garlic”, explaining how to use the herb to enhance the body's immune system. Notice that there is no smell when you first peel a garlic clove. In order for the active ingredients to become useful, the bulb must be cut, pressed or bruised. That's when the medicinally active component, alliin is converted by the enzyme allinase, to allicin, the compound responsible for garlic's characteristic odor. This takes about 10 to 12 minutes to develop and after 20 to 30 minutes, allicin peaks. So she suggests that you chop your garlic ahead of time and let it stand to develop its flavor. The second day was devoted to the culture of the plant. The differences between “hard neck” and “soft neck” were discussed. Soft neck garlic will keep longer in storage and has many small cloves. “Hard neck” garlic has larger cloves, and is considered the “caviar” of garlic by professional chefs. The hard neck garlic in May develops a seed head on a stalk growing from the middle of the. If left until it “curls”, it can be cut off and used in cooking. Seed heads are very tasty when sautéed, or added to a roast. I have even noticed recipes in one of my fancy Italian cookbooks for “scapes”, as they are called. When allowed to dry, they form tiny bulbils in the “beak” end. These can be used in cooking or planted and allowed to grow into new plants for two years. Which brings me to the reason garlic belongs to the “Wild Edible Greens” column. One warm summer day this past July, a friend and I decided to cool off in a small lake in a nearby park. The lake is carved out of the woods, with nothing around but the man-made sandy beach, a few picnic tables and rest rooms. As we enjoyed our day, I noticed over to one side, along the edge of the woods, a patch of plants standing up, nodding in the breeze. When I took a closer look I realized it was a patch of wild garlic, with curled “scapes” extending from the plants. I broke off one scape and returned to the picnic table to examine the find. Sure enough, as soon as I broke into the skin, the aroma of garlic filled the air. I tasted one bulbil to my friend's surprise. She asked, “Do you know what you're eating?” Finally, I convinced her to try a tiny bulbil too. She was delighted and probably reassured that in fact, it really was garlic. California grows most of the garlic where devotees call themselves lovers of the “Stinking Rose.” A café in Berkley CA held one of the first garlic festivals in the U.S. in 1976 and has continued the tradition ever year since. The largest garlic festival is held in a small northern California town, Gilroy, where they compete for recipes, braiding, and of course, the garlic queen. Our Garlic Goddess, Patricia Reppert, reported that the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival in Saugerties NY, held the last weekend in September, hosts more than 80 growers from the northeast and Canada. For more information check her website at www.garlicgoddess.com Feeling sniffly and rotten? Try this recipe we acquired at the conference: peel and chop 3 cloves of garlic; let them sit for 20 minutes. Warm 1½ cups of homemade chicken broth with 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger. Add garlic to the simmering broth, turn off the heat, and let it seep. Snuggle up in your favorite blanket and sip the nectar. Gardening Events & Education Call to Order: 7:02 p.m. In Attendance: J. Humphrey, J. Grant, R. Vrbensky, J. Bird, S. Jones, C. Lenchek, Martha Humphrey, S. Parrott, Sylvia Schult, Tom Hershberger. Guests: Diane Rix, Linda Clark-Swan, Debra Ellis Excused: DeeAnn Bauer, Marilyn Citron, Terry Ohrstrom, Clay Ottoni Quorum present Secretary Report: Board meeting minutes from August 16, 2004 were presented. Motion: R. Vrbensky moved to approve the minutes of August 16, 2004 as presented. J. Bird seconded. Approved Treasurer Report: August 17 - October 17, 2004 report on file Motion: J. Bird moved to increase gifts to Friends of the Rouge, Capuchin Kitchen and Bittersweet Farm to $500.00. R. Vrbensky seconded. Approved. Motion: J. Bird moved to increase Master Gardener Extension donation to $500.00. S. Jones seconded. Approved. Motion: J. Grand moved to suspend garden bench with MGSOC plaque grant motion from the 8/16/04 meeting. R. Vrbensky seconded. Approved Motion: J. Bird moved to approve the treasurer report dated October 17, 2004 as presented. J. Grant seconded. Approved. J. Bird also prepared and distributed to team leaders, the budget worksheets. Team Administrator: No report Calendar: J. Humphrey noted corrections to the 2005 regarding nominations of correct offices. Updates and corrections will be made by secretary and forwarded to all officers and team leaders as well as updated on the website. Team Reports: Bower's: Martha Humphrey. Report summary: participation has increased. The Open Barn was again successful with many inquiries into the sensory, rain and vegetable gardens. Our efforts are being noticed and appreciated. Program Support: T. Ohrstrom absent but a report was submitted outlining activity and gross sales from Sept 1- October 6. Communications: no report Grants: no report. Sylvia Schult suggested/requested that scholarship money be put aside for MGSOC members to attend International, national and state Master Gardener conferences. It was noted that Clay Ottoni is incorporating this into his guidelines for the team and this suggestion should be forwarded to him. Hospitality: S. Schult reported. Report summary: Reviewed hospitality budget and expenses incurred. She noted that her 2004 budget to date included items that were actually 2003 budget items. J. Bird noted and will correct budget. Items discussed: 1. Entertainment for Dec '04 general meeting and potluck. 2. Concerns have been brought to Sylvia's attention that members do not receive reports from teams. It was noted that all reports are available for any member to review - they only need to contact the Secretary to make the request for the copies. 3. Some new members have not been receiving the newsletter by email and want to know when they will. It was noted that they are to retrieve it from the website - MSGOC.org. Changes stating this clarification will be made on the member application form for 2005. 4. Sylvia submitted her resignation. Recommended Diane Rix, but Diane respectfully declined. Programs: John Humphrey reviewed the 2005 list of scheduled speakers. See calendar. Motion: J. Humphrey moved to request an additional $300.00 for the programs budget to cover expenses for December 2004 meeting. J. Bird seconded. Approved. Sylvia suggested that members bring a child's gift to the Dec meeting to be donated to the Capuchin Kitchen. Julie Bird to contact Brother Rick for information. Membership: Tom Hershberger stated that we have 209 paid members to date. Dues will be reduced to $15.00 for all renewals and new members. Volunteer Day is Nov 9, 2004 - our time is 10:15-11:00am. Once the dues change is announced at the November general meeting, then it will be published in the weekly OG email notice. Nominations: J. Bird reported. Due to Tom Hershberger being a candidate on the ballot for Vice-President he withdrew from his duties as nominations team leader. J. Bird and J. Humphrey printed the ballots on postcards - 209 were sent out with a biography on each candidate. Each postcard was stamped and contained a return address. 60-70 have been returned so far. Ballots are being returned to J. Bird Cost:$160.00 Trips and Tours: Sandie Parrott reported. Summary: Michigan tour in 2005 to work way to Traverse City. Targeting 4-day tour vs. 3-day. Details should be ready for Dec board meeting. Newsletter: No report. Website: No Report Coordinator: Carol Lenchek presented. Stated concerns over e-commerce question that Sheri Trout proposed/asked about in email. Mary McClellan has many concerns with MG merchandise being sold on the MGSOC website as well as all the aspects of e-commerce i.e. Credit card fees, shipping, returns, etc. After discussion, the board agreed that e-commerce is not something we want to take part in. Any products featured on our website will only be available at general meetings or at special events that the project support team will be present at. Old Business: none New Business: Board meeting changes. November Board meeting will be moved to November 8, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. Meeting to be held in lobby of extension building once probation approves. Also Dec 1, 2004, there will be a mini-board meeting. Motion: R. Vrbensky moved to adjourn the meeting. J. Bird seconded. Approved. Adjourn: 9:53 p.m. Ï All reports and submissions are available to every member upon request from the Secretary. Master Gardener Society of Oakland County Highlights of Board Meeting - October 18, 2004 (Board Minutes Continued on page #) (Board Minutes Continued from page #) Meeting Highlights By Jean Gramlich October Meeting - The White House Gardens On October 6 the Master Gardener Society held a gala celebration of this election year. We opened the program by singing the national anthem together. We viewed a video, On These Grounds, about the gardens surrounding the White House. Produced by the White House Historical Association, the video chronicled changes in the 18 acres over the years, reflecting various interests of the White House occupants. Washington D.C. was actually built on swampland; it would probably be illegal to develop such an area today. Planning for our nation's capital began in the 1790's. John Adams and his family moved into the White House in 1800. Thomas Jefferson, truly a Renaissance man with great political, architectural and horticultural skills, completed the first landscape plan while he occupied the White House. Unfortunately, the White House was burned during the War of 1812. John Quincy Adams was an avid gardener and wanted the White House garden to be a museum of plants. In 1853, a greenhouse was built, several more being added over the years. The greenhouses were demolished to make way for offices during Teddy Roosevelt's administ! ration. Mrs. McKinley had a great interest in roses and started the famed Rose Garden during her husband's tenure. During the Wilson era, magnolias, crabapples and various shrubs were added to the Rose Garden. Frederick Olmstead, the famed landscape architect, designed landscape plan in 1932 for the White House grounds and for Lafayette Park, which became part of the president's park. Lafayette Park accommodates large crowds; protestors have used the area to express publicly their opinions on the issues of the day. Jacqueline Kennedy set aside spaced and designed an area known as the First Lady's Garden. Ten full-time gardeners tend the White House gardens. They plant 33,000 tulip bulbs each year and trim the stately trees on the North lawn. The gardens used to be open to the general public; however, due to security concerns, they are now only open for special occasions like the lighting of the National Christmas tree and the Easter egg roll on the White House lawn. After the video, John Humphrey introduced Abraham Lincoln who gave us a history of the election of 1864. Although that event took place 140 years ago, listening to the tale of political intrigue and infighting and general nastiness made me think that although communication methods have changed, the underpinnings of politics have not. After Lincoln's speech, the Master Gardener Singers led us in patriotic songs to celebrate our democracy's ability to withstand the trials and tribulations which have beset us. I leave you with two interesting quotations: Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time. E.B. White Democracy is essentially anti-authoritarian - that is, it not only demands the right but imposes the responsibility of thinking for ourselves. Bergen Evans Garlic: Herb of the Year 2004 By Diane Opria Michigan Master Gardener Association, St. Clair County - Winter Lecture Series Join the St. Clair County Master Gardeners for a four -educational session. Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - Vines and Climbing Plants - Ann Hancock, MSU Horticulturist presenting. Tuesday, February 8, 2005 - Tough Plants for Northern Gardens - Felder Rushing, presenter on HGTV and the Discovery Channel as well as author of Passalong Plants and Gardening Southern Style. Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - Woody Plants - Steven Nikkila, co-owner of the landscape and garden design firm Perennial Favorites. Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - Perennial Ground Covers - Pam Palechek owner of Petal Pushers, a garden design and maintenance company. Order the four-class series for the gardener on your Christmas list ($45) or signup for individual sessions ($12.50). Each class earns two hours of educational credit. Call (810) 385-3289 for more information. (Garlic Continued on page #) (Garlic Continued from page #) Election Results By Julie Bird, Membership Election co-coordinator & Treasurer On Monday, October 11, 2004, 208 ballots were mailed to all MGSOOC members according to the MGSOOC by-laws. A short bio of all the candidates was included with the ballot. Ballot returns were pretty good with 112 sent back to election central. A few members wrote a note with the ballot praising the new voting system and commenting that the people running for office were too good. Some people either voted for both or neither VP candidates. The Vice President slate had two good people running for the position: Tom Hershberger and Sandie Parrot. Tom Hershberger was elected in a close race. Ruth Vrbensky, who ran unopposed for the Secretary position, was given a great vote of confidence by fellow MGSOOC members. This was also true for Sherry Jones who ran unopposed for the Team Administrator position. As election co-coordinator, I'd like to thank John Humphrey for assistance preparing the ballots. Also, thank you to all MGSOOC members who responded to our new voting system. Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way to the MGSOOC Holiday Potluck Join us for fun, laughter and merriment : Wednesday, December 1, 2004 6:30 pm to 9:00pm (or 9:30pm) Bowers Farm, Farm Activity Building located at Activity Road entrance (closest to Adams Road) 1219 East Square Lake Road; Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 Bring: A main dish, vegetable, salad, veggie tray, appetizer or dessert to pass A wrapped gift worth no worth than $10. A new, unwrapped toy or new clothing item for ages birth to 12 years to donate to Brother Rick Samyn from the Capuchin Monks. Listen to the Impresario Barbershop Quartet