Smart Gardening booth will be on display at the Boyne City Farmers Market. The canopy will be set up and materials laid out on card tables. MGs with Smart Gardening credential are invited to come for the whole time or any part of the setting up (8:30 am), promoting the MSUE SG Tip Sheets (9 am to 12:30 om) and taking down (12:30 to 1 pm). Come enjoy the market and meet area gardeners! Contact Frances Paris at nomimastergardeners@gmail.com to let her know you are joining the NMMGA team at the Farmers Market.

The Walloon Lake Association is raising funds through a native plant sale. The 3 pm to 6 pm outdoor sale is at 4060 N M-75 which is in the center of the Walloon community. We are hosting a Smart Gardener table at this event. Call/text Frances Paris at 248-807-1546 to join the table of NMMGA members and support the work of including native plants in gardens.

Join me at the Emmet County Fairgrounds, 1129 Charlevoix Ave. (U.S. 31 S) Petoskey, MI  49770. Closest major intersection is U.S. 31 and U.S. 131 North. Use the entrance off Eppler Road. This morning we will be working at the gatehouse entrance to the fairground. The area will be covered with a weed barrier and covered with mulch. The goal is to create an inviting colorful space that is low maintenance. The design has been prepared and plants and materials are purchased. Join us as we transform the gatehouse. Questions? Call/text Midge at 248-330-0636.

Join me at the Emmet County Fairgrounds, 1129 Charlevoix Ave. (U.S. 31 S) Petoskey, MI  49770. Closest major intersection is U.S. 31 and U.S. 131 North. Use the entrance off Eppler Road. This work session will focus on the area by the fairground office where the grasses and lilacs are. We will be cleaning up lilacs by deadheading, pruning, removing unwanted shoots, and pulling a few weeds. When that is done, mulch will be spread. Questions? Call/text Frances at 248-807-1546.

Pollinator Week 2024 is a celebration of the vital role that pollinators play in our ecosystems, economies, and agriculture. Under the inspiring theme "Vision 2040: Thriving ecosystems, economies, and agriculture," this year's event urges us to envision a future where pollinators not only survive but thrive. These essential creatures, including bees, butterflies, moths, bats, beetles, and hummingbirds, are the unsung heroes behind the food we enjoy and the beauty that surrounds us. As we reflect on the interconnectedness of our world, let's unite in a collective effort to protect and preserve these crucial pollinators. By understanding the impact of our actions on their habitats and embracing sustainable practices, we can pave the way for a flourishing future. Join us in celebrating Pollinator Week 2024, and let's cultivate a world where both nature and humanity thrive in harmony. Explore our resources, learn about pollinator-friendly initiatives, and be inspired to contribute to the vision of a greener and more sustainable tomorrow by clicking here.

This is the first morning work session at the Emmet County Fairgrounds, 1129 Charlevoix Ave. (U.S. 31 S) Petoskey, MI  49770. Closest major intersection is U.S. 31 and U.S. 131 North. Use the entrance off Eppler Road. More specifics on the work we will do to be posted here. Questions? Call/text Midge at 248-330-0636

Unlock the secrets of a bountiful backyard harvest with Derek Plotkowski, a distinguished Fruit Educator from MSU Extension. Join us for an engaging presentation in which Derek will share his wealth of knowledge on cultivating and caring for a variety of fruits in your own backyard. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, Derek's passion for fruit will inspire and empower you to create a backyard oasis of delectable delights. All Michigan Master Gardeners were invited to this free series of webinars. Once registered, you will have access to previously recorded webinars and all future webinars in this 2024 series. Each webinar counts as 1 hour of MG education requirements. For more information and FREE registration, click here.

Thursday late in the day starts the preparation for the NMMGA Annual Plant Sale hosted by the Emmet County Fairgrounds in the large barn. GPS address is 1129 Charlevoix Avenue, Petoskey, MI. Enter the fairgrounds off of Eppler Road which intersects with Charlevoix Avenue (M31). Plant and donated marketplace items to be dropped off. Please identify the plant. ID stakes and markers available at the drop off. Please refer to an email sent by the president on May 9 to sign up as a volunteer to receive the plants and marketplace donations.

U of M Biological Station Summer Lecture Series: Brave the Wild River, 7:00 pm, Gates Lecture Hall, University of Michigan Biological Station 9133 Biological Rd., Pellston, MI 49769. Melissa Sevigny, the author of the book “Brave the Wild River,” will visit northern Michigan to give a talk as part of the historic scientific field station’s 2024 Summer Lecture Series. The event on the Pellston campus is free and open to the public. Sevigny’s book, which was published in 2023, is about Drs. Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter, U-M botanists who mapped the botany of the Grand Canyon in 1938. The book includes both of their ties to UMBS, including Clover’s summer lectures about her grand adventures. Sevigny is the science reporter at KNAU (Arizona Public Radio). She has worked as a science communicator in the fields of space exploration, water policy and sustainable agriculture. Her stories have been awarded regional Edward R. Murrow awards and featured nationally on “Science Friday.” For information on this presentation click here and other lectures in the series click here.

This is the first work session at the Emmet County Fairgrounds. Emmet County Fairgrounds, 1129 Charlevoix Ave. (U.S. 31 S) Petoskey, MI  49770. Closest major intersection is U.S. 31 and U.S. 131 North. Use the entrance off Eppler Road and meet in the parking lot close to the community center. We will be planting a variety of plants, both annual and perennial at the entrance. Near by, we will be planting more native plants in a new demonstration garden. We have some tools. Bring a kneeling pad if you need it and a trowel for planting. I have an extra kneeling pad. Questions? Call/text Frances at 248-807-1546.

This multi-day festival starts April 29 and continues through June 2. Les Cheneaux Islands, MI. Celebrate the legacy of Aldo Leopold – one of American’s most influential naturalists. Activities include paddling excursions, orchid and wildflower tours, birding trips, presentations, and many other nature-based activities. Experience the woods and water that formed Leopold’s early impressions of the natural world as we honor the mark he made on conservation and the environment. Registration opens April 1: https://www.aldoleopoldfestival.org

We will be meeting at the Greenwood Cemetery Arboretum, 105 Greenwood Cemetery Rd, Petoskey, MI 49770. Tour the arboretum with our member, Kyle Hempstead. Map of cemetery location: click here.

Presenter: Asia Dowtin, PhD, MSU Assistant Professor of Urban Forestry What is urban forestry? Why is increasing biodiversity of urban forests a goal? Whether you're a devoted lover of trees or newly wondering about trees in your neighborhood, you will leave this talk armed with new information and a passion for urban trees. In this talk, Dowtin explores Michigan's urban forests using the Tree Diversity Reporting Index, a powerful tool designed to assess biodiversity. Discover insights into how well Michigan municipalities report urban forest biodiversity, the current state of biodiversity in our urban landscapes, and guidance on how to incorporate increased biodiversity into urban forest management plans.  All Michigan Master Gardeners were invited to this free webinar series. Once registered, you may enjoy the benefit of viewing the previously recorded webinars and access to all future webinars and subsequent recordings. Each session counts as 1 hour of education requirements. For more information and FREE registration, click here.

Events related to Arbor Day of interest to Master Gardeners will be reported here.

Boyne City will host a Smart Gardener information table at the Arbor Day Celebration at the Veteran’s Park Pavilion. Volunteers can meet at 9:30 to set up with the Arbor Day celebration starting at 10 am. Free tree seedlings will be available to people attending the event. Tree seedlings from the Friends of Boyne River and Boyne City Garden Club are red maple, white oak, gray birch and tulip trees. The City is giving away are red pine, white pine, blue spruce and Norway spruce.

A free presentation at the Charlevoix Public Library, 220 West Clinton St. Charlevoix, MI 49720 in the Community Room. Grass River Natural Area’s Education Director, James Dake, will be at the library and will help us think spring! This colorful and warm photography presentation looks at over a dozen of our local species. The wildflowers of our region have amazing adaptations for their survival. We will see how their beauty is only outmatched by their wondrous feats, like their abilities to melt snow, change from male to female, shoot seeds long distances, cure ailments, or trick insects into helping in their survival. Discover methods of seed dispersal, pollination, medicinal and edible properties, and reproduction of our beloved wildflowers that rival exotic plants around the world. Registration not necessary. For information click here.

Members will meet at Polly’s Planting and Plucking Garden Center at 8695 M-119, Harbor Springs, MI 49740. Please note the change in starting time to 3 pm. View Map to Polly’s We will have a tour of the greenhouse, a container gardening demonstration, soil health discussion, and fertilization tips. Member meeting to follow at 4 pm at the nearby MSU Extension office, 3434 Harbor-Petoskey Road.

A panel will be discussing ‘No Mow May’ and its alternatives. Registration not required.  This timely topic and related discussion will offer interesting dialogue, especially as we begin to prepare our gardens for spring and think about the various efforts to increase biodiversity in our yards and communities.

Watch your email for your MMGA newsletter with the Zoom information.

Presenter: Christine Charles, MSU Extension Educator
What does it mean to have a healthy soil and what are people talking about when they talk about regenerative agriculture? Join us for a conversation about planting with the soil in mind and using holistic management practices. All Michigan Master Gardeners were invited to this free webinar series. You will then have access to all previously recorded webinars and the rest of the webinars in the series. Each session is worth 1 hour of continued education. For more information and FREE registration, click here.

This zoom meeting is hosted by Michigan Garden Clubs. Kelly McLelland MSU Community Food Systems Educator will kick off the Feed America-Michigan initiative. Learn how the bounty from our gardens can be donated to help combat food insecurity in the state instead of ending up in the compost pile. Food waste is the third largest contributor to greenhouse gases. Find out how to join MGC’s “Gardening With Purpose” initiative this summer to be a part of the solution! One hour Master Gardener Educational Credit. Go to Zoom and Use meeting ID 912 729 4983 and passcode: mgcmeets

Regularly scheduled membership meeting on Zoom. . Education program: MSUE with Amanda Foster, 4-H Program Coordinator; Wendy Wieland, MSU Product Center (works with businesses like Bear Creek Organic and Coveyou Scenic Farm); and Adam Koivisto, District 14 MSUE Director.