Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture (Otero County)

Medium Term Objective
1 . & 2.The Otero County Agricultural Agent delivered two power point presentations on two separate dates to 18 members of the Weed and Sacramento, NM community who requested the following topics geared toward their higher elevation growing environment. In the first presentation: deciduous trees, wild flowers, native grasses, high altitude vegetable gardening, high density gardening, cool season crops, and extending the growing season were covered. The second presentation covered these topics: fruit and nut trees, composting and mulching, creative windbreaks, gound covers, and butterfly, bird and fragrance gardens.
Responses from the class participants included: “I can't thank you enough for the incredible amount of knowledge you bestowed upon our group. The Sacramento Mountains will be forever grateful for the new trees and gardens you have inspired your "students" to grow. You did an awesome job doing all that research for us and finding all the specific information we need to be successful stewards of the land up here. It was above and beyond any of my expectations, Beth. Thank you for taking so much time and effort on our behalf. I can't believe you even went to so many local people and got them to share their ideas (and successes and failures) with us so we could benefit from their experience too. I hope you enjoyed the class even half as much as we did because it was fantastic! You did such a great job. Your hand-out material is incredible and I will be poring over it all winter, plotting and planning. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Betsy Shepler” (e-mail)
“Russ and I attended both the 1/3 and 1/10 classes and enjoyed them a great deal. You addressed everyone's issues very nicely and SO thoroughly. We will keep the handouts as references and I know we will go back to them over and over again as we develop our gardening skills up here in the mountains. We are very grateful that you were willing to take so much time to prepare and give these classes. Elaine and Russ Wright, Weed, NM” (e-mail)

3. The agricultural agent also delivered a power point presentation on “Xeriscaping” to seven residents of Holloman Air Force Base. The presentation clarified the term “xeriscape”, described the characteristics of xeric plants, explained the benefits and uses of xeric landscaping, and provided lists of xeric grasses, shrubs, and trees for the Tularosa Basin and surrounding area.

4.The annual Otero Pistachio Growers Workshop hosted 41 commercial and home production pistachio growers from New Mexico and Arizona who received presentations from NMSU Extension Specialists, Director of Research for the California Pistachio Commission, and the Otero County Agricultural Agent. The agricultural agent spoke on the data gathering she did in the local pistachio orchards for the Navel Orangeworm experiment being done by NMSU Extension specialist and the agent. Dr. Carol Sutherland provided information to the participants on management of pests in pistachio orchards and Dr. Natalie Goldberg spoke on the management of diseases in pistachio orchards. (More information on this workshop is provided under Sustainable and/or organic tree fruit, berry, and vegetable production management systems for small farms.) When workshop participants 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”, 82% rated the class a four (38%) or a five (44%), and When asked to respond to the question, “Do you expect to use the information presented in your pistachio orchard?” on a scale of one to five, with one being “not at all” and five being “very much”, 86% rated the class a four (38%) or a five (48%).
When responding to a USDA e-mail entitled “FDA Tells Farmers: We need to learn from you” a local pistachio grower posted the following blog to their website: “I agree, there needs to be basic rules that are generic enough that any and all types of farms, big or small can follow. The GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) manual is an excellent example already in place. We also have an excellent system of disseminating information and help for farmers through the Federal Cooperative Extension Services. Instead of increasing the layers of FDA bureaucracy in Washington DC, to come up with more rules and regulations to follow, it makes more sense to increase the staffing of the local Extension Offices who know their areas, the problems, and the solutions. Presently, those budgets are being cut. How is adding more rules and regulations helpful? The existing laws for food safety are excellent and have given us one of the best food systems in the world. There have been a number of food problems in the last few years that could have been avoided if the existing laws had been followed. My tax dollars are a precious commodity. I’m paying for your visits to all these farms to educate you. Please consider using the systems already in place. --Marianne Schweers http://fdatransparencyblog.fda.gov/2011/08/20/fda-tells-farmers-we-need-to-learn-from-you/

5. As part of the Otero CES office’s effort to inform the public of our office and its programs, the county agricultural agent and home economist annually deliver a power point presentation to the Leadership Otero Class, a group (15 members this year) of mostly political hopefuls that are introduced and updated to various county offices and programs in Otero County. Many of these future community leaders are unaware of the existence of the NMSU Otero County Cooperative Extension Service before the presentation and very impressed with and appreciative of the many beneficial programs the Cooperative Extension Service Office provides after the presentation.

6. The agricultural agent provided a power point presentation to 18 members of the Otero County Extension Homemaker Council, as per their request, on “Rain Water Harvesting”. Different capture, delivery, and storing systems were discussed and compared in the presentation. After the presentation two participants called the Extension office asking for additional information.

7. Being a member of the LEPC, the agent was asked to give a presentation on Agro-Terrorism. This also presented an opportunity for the agent to bring to the groups attention a need for an efficient means of dealing with suspected rabid domestic and wild animals on public, private, and Holloman Air Force Base property and the issue of feral hogs threat to human health and agriculture in Otero County.

Long-Term Objectives
A class on “Xeric Plants for Southern New Mexico” is presented in the Master Gardeners course each year, the agricultural agent delivered a power point presentation on “Xeriscaping” to residents of Holloman Air Force Base, NMSU publications on xeric plants for Southern New Mexico are provided at Master Gardeners information tables, at growers workshops measures for water conservation in orchards, such as mulching and green manure crops are presented, and all clients inquiring about ornamental plants and landscaping for this area are given information and publication on xeric plants, the publication “A Waterwise Guide to Trees” from the NM Office of the Sate Engineer, and an explanation of the limited non-brackish ground water in the Tularosa Basin.
One client’s response to these efforts was, “Cooperative Extension Service, Thank you very much for the wonderful information [NMSU website/publications on Xeriscape Plant Specimens] 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”

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)

Short Term Objective

The 2010 Otero Master Gardeners Association has 34 class participants who will finish the course in December 2010 and at that time have the option of joining the 56 member Otero Master Gardeners Association who have faithfully assisted the Agricultural Agent in extending the knowledge acquired from the NMUS Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardeners Classes and their own growing experiences to county residents through information tables at Arbor Day, Earth Day, Otero County Fair, two events at Holloman Air Force Base, speaking to local Service Organizations, designing and maintaining a Butterfly Garden at the local zoo and being present to answer questions on Earth Day when butterflies were released.
Data collected from the 2010 Otero Master Gardeners Class yielded the following:
1) All class participants expected to use the information presented in the classes in their gardening, landscaping, or orchards.
Class members reported that they increased their knowledge of the topics taught by 71% (averaged) when responding to the question, “By what percentage did this class increase your knowledge?”
Of the classes tallied so far 91 % of class members rated the classes “excellent” and 9% rated the classes “good”.
Kids, Kows, and More also provided an opportunity for Otero Master Gardeners and the Agricultural Agent to teach one of the stations on “Gardening”, and help with the general activities.
Through the efforts of a Master Gardener, a meeting was set up with five city officials and the Agricultural Agent to inform and establish a line of friendly communication with the city on such topics as: Xeric Species for the Tularosa Basin, Common Disease and Pest Problems, and Proper Watering Techniques with Our High pH Water.
The Agricultural Agent was accompanied by the new Otero Master Gardeners Association president on home visits for two days for the purpose of training the new OMGA president and eventually other Master Gardeners for important things to look for when making home visits in response to CES office inquiries when the Ag. agent is out of town.
The Agricultural Agent responded to 1370 inquiries via E-mail, phone, or walk-ins to the Cooperative Extension Service office. Approximately 25 inquiries were not responded to due to client not home when call was returned and/or made home visit was made, or nonworking phone number.

Medium-Term Objective

The Agricultural Agent provided the following programs and presentations for Otero County residents:
1) “Growing in a Hoop Greenhouse” presented to 72 Mountain View Middle School Students prior to the opening of their school’s Hoop House.

2) “2010 Otero Pistachio Growers Workshop” at the Otero CES office was attended by 39 backyard and production growers. The Agricultural Agent did not give a presentation. Both backyard growers and large production pistachio growers attended. Of those in attendance and responding to the workshop evaluation 97% said the workshop increased or enhanced their knowledge and 97% said they expected to use the information presented in their pistachio orchards.

3) “2010 Otero Pecan Growers Workshop” at the Otero CES office was attended by 40 Otero county growers - both backyard and production pecan growers. The Agricultural Agent spoke on “Markets for Pecans”.
“High Altitude Gardening - Container Gardening” was delivered to 45 members of the Sacramento Mountains Senior Center in Cloudcroft.

4) “High Altitude Vegetable Gardening - Container Gardening” was presented by the Agricultural Agent to 45 members of the Sacramento Mountains Senior Center in Cloudcroft.

5) “Services Provided by the Otero County Cooperative Extension Service Office” was presented to 30 participants of the “Leadership Otero” class by the Otero County 4-H Home Economist and the Agricultural Agent.

6) ) “2010 Otero County Master Gardeners Class” was provided to 34 class members and 5 to 10 additional OMGA members. Class were scheduled once a week for 13 weeks (with one week off for Thanksgiving) on the following topics: Basic Botany, Xeric Plants, Soils, Weeds, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Plant Diseases, Vegetable Gardening, Fruit & Nut Trees, Pesticide Misuse, Community Forestry, Wildlife Management, Vegetable Gardening in Hoop Houses, Composting, Fig Trees, Irrigation Basics, Water Harvesting, and Xeric Landscaping. The Agricultural Agent presented “Plant Propagation” and all other classes were presented by NMSU Specialists, NM State Forestry Division Urban Forester, and local growers/Master Gardeners/Farmers Market Vendors.

Long Term Objective—

Correct watering techniques and mulching of plants, shrubs, and trees is discussed with, or printed information disseminated to, at least 60% of the agricultural inquiries made to the Otero CES office. Salt damage due to shallow frequent watering is the most frequent problem seen by the Agricultural Agent and less frequent deep watering along with the use of a mulch material is encourage as clients are explained the benefits to the plants and the savings they will see in their water bills.

Medium-term successes

Eddy County
Living Desert State Park, Eddy County Cooperative Extension, and the NMSU Extension Horticulture Specialist offered a Water Wise Landscape workshop attended by 38 citizens. This is an annual event that has resulted in increasing knowledge of plants and techniques to conserve water in Southeastern New Mexico landscapes. Attendees report successful changes in their landscape and irrigation practices as a result of this annual workshop.

Santa Fe (on-going projects) -
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.

CNM (formerly TV-I) – as chairman of the advisory committee for the Landscape Horticulture training program at CNM the NMSU Extension 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.