Hey everyone!

I just had to come share this news with everyone I got accepted into the Master Gardener program at the URI (University of Rhode Island) for the spring semester Satarting January 15, I'm going to be taking a 2 1/2 hour class every Wednesday night from 7-930. The class runs from January 15 to May 7, and in order to receive the full credit for the class, I have to not only complete the classroom portion but also 50 hours of time at the URI Agricultural booth at the mall. Hopefully, this is the springboard I need to get the heck out of tech support Wish me luck

Eric

 

Hi Eric,

I'm wishing you luck! Let us know the details about completing that course. Wow, that must really be involved.

I called our Extension Service last year to find out what to do about the saw fly larvae. Of course, I didn't know what it was until I talked to them. I was very surprised (and pleased) to learn that they forwarded my question on to a Master Gardener who volunteered for that specific time.

The Master Gardeners always have a booth at our Flower/Garden Show in Feb. Gardeners are always ready to help others. I know you'll be a great representative.

Also, good luck at getting out of that cubicle. Well, at least you can start plants while at work.

Gami

 

Way to go Eric

Good job Bud, we are all very proud of you!

I know you will succeed, because you are a real DIYer

Your Friend, Miguel

 

Bomber,

Congratulations!! This is great. I sure hope this takes you where you want to go. Please let us know how it's going along.

Newt

 

Hey gang!

Thanks all for your support. Hopefully this is the platform I need to take off, but if nothing else, it is defintely something I've been wanting to pursue for quite some time now My dream is to do what Miguel (Marturo) does now; commercial grower. This is definetly a step in the right direction. Don't worry, Newt. I will be providing frequent updates during the course of the semester

Eric

 

Wow, Bomber, I envy you!! If given another chance, I would go into horticulture as a career. Who knows, maybe that will happen yet before I get too old to dig in the dirt!

I sure hope that you garden organically like Marturo does. I have several sites that I can refer you to if you do. You probably already know of them, but maybe there's a new one that you don't know of. I found a wonderful one about peat moss and the hazards to the environment of using the stuff. It a Chesapeake Bay area site. Interested?

Newt

 

Newt,
I try to go organic, but sometimes when the pests get to be too much, the good ole' Diazinon comes off the shelf in the garage. The greenhouse I guess you could say is all organic because the bugs cant get in, so there is no need for chemicals. I'm always look for any gardening web sites, and I know every one else is also. Don't hesitate to post them

Eric

And for those of you who would like some more info, here is the website:

http://www.uri.edu/ce/ceec/mastergardener.html

 

Hi Eric,

I looked at the site and found it very interesting and informative. The only part I would have a problem with is recommending to people many of the pesticides that recommend. I remember calling my local extension service and they recommended I use some toxic stuff.

Here's some links to organic solutions for pesticide and herbicide use and a couple to research things like Diazinon. Hope they help.

http://ace.ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/
http://msds.pdc.cornell.edu/msdssrch.asp
http://pested.unl.edu/

http://www.co.broward.fl.us/ppi00200.htm
http://www.gardensalive.com/index.asp?bhcd2=1033607475
http://www.ghorganics.com/page9.html
http://www.buglogical.com/index.shtml#catalog
http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/biocontrol/biocontrol.html
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/020515.htm
http://www.abcbirds.org/pesticides/FAQs.htm
http://nematode.unl.edu/
http://www.pesticide.org/factsheets.html
http://www.audubon.org/bird/pesticides/index.html
http://www.biconet.com/
http://www.ourgardenpests.com/
http://www.planetnatural.com/tableofcontents.html

Do read the 'Considering Peat Moss' link. It will change your mind about using peat moss.
http://www.ondelmarva.com/


Have fun reading.
Newt

 

Hi Eric this is realy nice (http://www.uri.edu/ce/ceec/mastergardener.html ) I wish they had something like that when I was your age

I could not give away Organic advice in 1972 for free. Today I am asked by garden groups, to speak on subjects ranging from building the soil for maximum Bio activity, on to how to treat fungal infections, without using petro Chemicals.

Did I do all this since 1972? No of course not, the Public changed all by themselves. Oh Maybe Organic Farmers stayed the course, but it was the Gardening public who, one at a time decided to change to poison free growing, of their food & around their homes.

I think that the masses tend to learn in a herd mentality, meaning when the normal becomes Organic, the herd tends to follow the leaders. Then Organic becomes normal.

Today we have garden shows & Magazines that have for decades just repeated the same old Kill em all & let God sort them out. Hey for decades that made the US a garden of eating growing so much we lead the world.

Then as each Decade came and went we started to notice that our kill it all approach was starting to kill us also. Why would it not Poison stop at nothing that's it's job.

Eric I think that you will find a much smarter gardener than those who years ago, just took the Chemicals Companies word for it & sprayed this & that. Today people my age have known at least 5 people our age, & 1 or 2 your age, who have died from Cancer. I'm only 50. Doctors did not even suspect Cancer before you were 60 or more years old, when I was your age. What went wrong? Where did this plauge come from? What we ate on our food?

The gardeners you will be dealing with, will want to avoid the Chemical roulette, & want to know what really works. Good thing it's 2002 & not 1972 Huh?

Ten years ago the product Sluggo that a kid can eat, and end up with a belly ache, instead of in the Morgue. I believe this & many more nontoxic to Humans products, have been known of for many decades. So why were they not for sale?

No demand, unless you count that handful wackos who grew Organic. Now today, the Organic Panic has not only made it worthwhile being a Grower, but also if you are in the Bussiness it's time to pull all those non toxics out of the file cabinets, & put them on store shelves, growers are buying.

Look at one product, Sluggo. I can buy 2.5 pounds, it covers 2,500 square feet. We put a 1/2 teaspoon around 3 Napa plants, forget about night patrols, get a good nights sleep. We kill more slugs while sleeping, than we did using rubber gloves & head held flash lights & buckets of Quick lime, picking up maybe 70 percent of the Slugs.

This fall I believe will be the first fall we will have hole free, Fall plants free from slug damage. I believe if this trend continues we will see more and more products coming out each year.

When we take on new customers, some things they want to know is, how you build your soil & with what. When you have pests. What do you use to control them. I feel like I am interviewing for a job

This is what I have been waiting, for a long time to hear. These people don't grow Gardens they buy, what someone else grows. Can you imagine what questions, the Gardeners are asking? How long do you Compost your fresh Manure, before putting it on the fields?

It will be a great adventure for you. It has been the hardest job, I have ever loved doing. I so glad that it's far from over, in fact I believe it's only begining. We are going to see & learn things about Gardening & Farming we have only dreamed of so far.

Another Marturo Novel,

 

Eric - Congratulations! This is a perfect step in the right direction for you. I am so happy for you.

Marturo, as usual, your "novel" was a great read - don't stop!

Newt, I have printed out the websites you listed - thanks for including them here!

Again, Eric, YEA!!!!!!

Liz