Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture (Roosevelt County)

Long-term successes
A. In a conversation with Jim Brooks, proprietor of Soilutions (a composting and landscape waste recycling firm in Albuquerque), I was told that his $ ¾ million business was the result of Extension an NMSU Extension project begun in the early 1990’s. In response to a request from the City of Albuquerque Waste Management Department, as Bernalillo County Extension Horticulture Agent I began a Master Composter Program attended by Jim Brooks. Although he was already composting, the course taught by NMSU Specialists, local experts, and me provided new information at a depth that improved his knowledge of composting. In addition to knowledge he gained in the classes, he told me that a person to whom I introduced him became his partner in the formation of Soilutions. In addition to the direct economic benefits of job creation and income to the company, the company economically and environmentally benefits the City of Albuquerque by recycling landscape wastes (under contract to the City). These waste materials are used to produce valuable soil amendment rather than contributing to the filling and eventual moving of the municipal landfill to a location farther from the city (increasing costs to city taxpayers and rate payers). These citizens have access to an economical soil amendment to improve their garden soil and reduce irrigation needs. Jim Brooks continues to be a local resource teaching composting and other environmentally wise activities to people in the Albuquerque area and all New Mexico, to work with state and municipal agencies. This continuation of information dissemination was the reason Master Composters were formed. Jim still remembers and discusses the importance of NMSU Extension Programs in this area. (Master Composter education has been incorporated into Master Gardener training since I left Bernalillo County, but in the past year there has been a citizen based effort to reestablish the program and Bernalillo County Extension has been a partner in this process.)

B. John Bulton, director of East Central Ministries (a non-profit faith-based organization), recently told me that the olla production facility that his ministry operates supports 1/3 of his ministry to a disadvantaged community within Albuquerque. This ministry was established in a multi-cultural community with gang violence, drug problems, and chronic unemployment/underemployment. John established the ministry and olla production facility to teach employment skills, provide food support (food pantry) and a clothing closet for the community. This has grown to include a low cost apartment living facility in which life skills are taught, a community garden, an affordable middle school, and a health clinic. All this is supported by donations and the olla production facility. A related consequence is that the production of ollas has improved landscape water use efficiency in numerous residential landscapes in New Mexico and many other state in which East Central Ministry sells ollas. To date I am not aware of any other major producers of ollas, although I have spoken to people who expressed an interest in starting production.

Lawns and landscapes make a big impact on a semi-arid environment and are highly treasured by those that own them. Trees are key parts of any landscape and are treasured by home owners. This agent realizing the need to better understand tree management attended the Think Trees Conference. This conference provided a great insight into tree management and provided useful information that could be applied at the county level. This agent is better prepared to impact the county because of this training.

This agent spends roughly one to two days a week answering questions about lawns, trees, vegetables, insects, and other various small acreage or homeowner questions. These are often simple questions but can be rather detailed and require much time on the phone or researching answers for clientele. Over 70% of the people that receive information about small scale horticulture situations respond that they have learned something from information provided by this agent and will adopt those changes into their home situations. This agent has encouraged residents to utilize soil tests to determine fertilization needs for their home lawns and gardens. Over 50% of the people that have utilized soil tests have adjusted their home garden management to better fit the needs of the garden.

In the fall of 2008 this agent was able to provide a lecture to the retired teachers club on Africanized Bees due to the exposure of the program done in the spring for the emergency responders in the county. This lecture provided the history of the Africanized bee and its establishment in the landscape. Due to their dangerous nature when agitated and the concentration of attacks learning to recognize potential threats is extremely important. Twenty participants were present. All in attendance said that they had learned something new that they didn’t know before and they would change their habits of how they approach a potentially dangerous situation. This program served as a great refresher course on bee safety.

1. Media
TV and newspaper: Numerous readers and viewers have approached me personally at various events and a.)stated that they have learned much about gardening in the Southwest from Southwest Yard and Garden (both print and tv), b.) people attending Extension Programs state that one reason they attend is that they learned from Southwest Yard and Garden (print and tv) that the Extension Service has information that benefits them and they want more Extension information, c.)many questions for the print Yard and Garden are prefaced with a thank you regarding what they have already learned, d.)viewers of tv SW Y&G have requested more shows and some potential underwriters have expressed willingness to help fund production o f new shows.
I have received messages on my office answering machine that just said “Thank you for all you do to help us garden in New Mexico.”

2. Master Gardeners
With specialist assistance Master Gardener programs in the counties are growing and providing increased assistance to the Extension Service agents as stated in the Agents’ impact statements.
Some Master Gardener programs have resulted in significant teaching opportunities for county residents:
Lea Co. – Waite House – the oldest residence in Lovington was donated to the Historical Society and Museum. The museum then gave access to this house to Lea County Master Gardeners to develop a demonstration garden and access to the house as a classroom.
NM Jr. College in Hobbs has been impressed by the Lea County Master Gardener program and has offered to provide classroom space for teaching Master Gardeners, advertising for the Master Gardener classes, and willingness to offer Junior College continuing education credits to people who take the Master Gardener classes.
Santa Fe - Habitat for Humanity has been using Santa Fe County Master Gardeners to design and install water efficient landscapes at the homes they build. The Master Gardeners then teach the new homeowners how to garden appropriately and conserve water.
El Rancho de los Golondrinos has worked with Master Gardeners maintaining a heritage apple orchard to demonstrate historical gardening practices to visitors.
Master Gardeners have maintained demonstration gardens and collaboration with NMSU Extension faculty (George Dickerson’s herb garden and Curtis Smith’s olla garden). This provides hands-on experience for the Master Gardeners who then teach this to their fellow citizens and to visitors to the demonstration garden site adjacent to the County Extension Service office.
Otero - An Otero County Master Gardener has become a regular landscape and garden columnist for the local newspaper providing appropriate information to the citizens of her county.
Sandoval - A demonstration garden in developed in cooperation with city of Rio Rancho, Sandoval Extension Service, and Master Gardener has been highly regarded locally and nationally.
3. Partnerships with other institutions:
CNM (formerly TV-I) – as chairman of the advisory committee for the Landscape Horticulture training program at CNM the Horticulture Specialist was in a position to encourage cooperation between NMSU and CNM. Dr. St. Hilaire on the NMSU end and Paul Zalesak at CNM have developed articulation agreements between NMSU and CNM. Distance learning venues were developed so that NMSU professors could teach some of the classes at CNM and some CNM teaching could be made available to NMSU students as desired by the faculty.
Northern NM Jr. College requested advice regarding landscape problems on the campus in Espanola, NM. A visit by the Horticulture Specialist and County Agent resulted in several solutions to the problems that the Physical Plant director and Grounds supervisor stated that they would implement. They were very thankful for the help and want to increase cooperation with NMSU.
4. As reported in County Agents’ impact statements, specialist support of county agents and county Master Gardeners has enabled them to meet the changing needs of the nursery industry and home gardeners in their counties, to develop educational programs in schools and among the public.
Specialist support of county Extension programs have enhanced agent respect within the counties to the point that they are often the source of information that cities, counties, and other organizations use for referrals.