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Impact Report

For plan Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture (Otero County)
Date October 28, 2011, 11:43 pm
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report Short Term Objective The 2011 Otero Master Gardeners class has 31 new class members and 8 to 15 veteran Master Gardeners attending the 12 class course which is presenting information on climatology, soil hummus and mycorrhiza, fruit and nut trees, weeds, irrigation basic, entomology, turf, vegetable gardening, plant diseases, soil basics, urban wildlife management, vegetable gardening in hoop houses, basic botany, mulching and composting, xeric plants for landscaping, and ornamental trees/urban forestry for Southern New Mexico taught by NMSU Extension specialists, the New Mexico State Climatologist, a State Forester, a successful local greenhouse grower couple, a successful soil biology businessman, and a local wildlife specialist. In an evaluation for the first half of the courcs,class members were asked to respond to the question, “Did the class increase or enhance your knowledge of the topics discussed?” on a scale of one to five, with one being “not at all” and five being “very much”, 92% rated the class a four (16%) or a five (76%). Each year five or more members of the Master Gardeners class opt to join the Otero Master Gardeners Association which has grown to a membership of 61 gardeners, who, this year answered questions at information booths at the Otero County Fair, Earth Day in the Park, Arbor Day at Holloman Air Force Base, and Alamogordo Home, Lawn, & Garden Show; presented a vegetable gardening demonstration to 601 Otero County fourth graders at Kids, Kows, and More; spoke to local service organizations; cared for their Butterfly Garden at the Zoo, provided assistance to elderly gardeners who can no longer till their garden plots in the Spring; planted and cared for the xeric demonstration planter at the county fair; assisted local homeowners with landscaping and gardening problems; provided one-on-one answers to questions from neighbors and inquiries to the extension office, served in an advisory capacity to local teachers for their school gardens and greenhouses, and assisted their fellow Master Gardener members with home horticultural projects and problems for a total of 3,899 volunteer hours contributed by 54 Master Gardener volunteers. Response to CES Office Agricultural Inquiries - In the reporting year from October 2010 to September 2011 the Otero County Agricultural Agent responded to 1,326 agricultural inquiries to the Cooperative Extension Service Office. The following are response from some of the growers served: “Thanks sooo much Beth [for the e-mail ‘Growing in the Tularosa Basin’]. “[The Cooperative Extension Service Office is] a huge wealth of knowledge & help! Nancy Lubke” (E-mail reply 10-27-2011) “Thank you for stopping by our house and taking a close look at our trees. We found your e-mail very enlightening and full of valuable information.” --Joe and Blanca Arroyo (thank you card) “Cooperative Extension Service, Thank you very much for the wonderful information you shared with me and mailed to our home. It was very helpful. I now know much more about our native trees, shrubs, and flowers. Thank You! -- Delia Holloway “Thank you for going the extra mile. Sandy really enjoyed the packet on the pecan trees. She likes the paper you sent about what to do month-by –month. The paper on the cacti was very informative. Again, thanks for a job well done.” – Beth Lucero (thank you card) “Thank you very much for prompt reply and for the information you sent on pecan problems. Thanks also for the [local harvesters and shellers] contact people and their phone numbers.” Ronald Moorehouse (thank you card) “Thank you for being so diligent and your follow ups. I have been keeping a close eye on the few trees that are having this problem and have seen new leaf growth just within the last couple of days. It is just a few new clusters but encouraging none the less. I will keep you posted on their progress. Once again, I really appreciate you and all the good folks in your office. You girls rock!” Jeff Haden (e-mail from local Pistachio Grower)