Purchase
Area Master Gardener Association
(PAMGA)
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(PAMGA) |
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"Plant a Seed" Grant In 2004, PAMGA received an award of $500.00 from The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc. for its "Plant a Seed" grant application. PAMGA added $125.00 to the award making a total of $625.00 available dollars. This money was used to develop a curriculum to introduce youngsters to the fun and importance of gardening. January 12, 2005, PAMGA members began exploring horticulture with Cindy Glisson's Seventh Grade Second Module Science Class at Paducah Middle School. This page charts our progress and provides information used in various activities during Spring, 2005. "Plant a Seed" Curriculum
Wins April 20, 2006, during the state convention of The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc., PAMGA learned one of its members received the Environmental Action Leadership Award. The award recognizes a "club member who plays a leading role in environmental activities in the community." The award application was based upon Carol Ullerich's development of the Plant a Seed curriculum. In June, PAMGA learned the Plant a Seed program also won the National Youth Horticulture Education Award. The five-month program touched many facets of gardening, incorporating both hands-on activities for the students as well as classroom visits by agriculture and horticulture experts. Each new activity built upon something learned the prior week. Students were required to think on their feet as they were often given only a few minutes to make a decision. Sometimes they were required to do outside research. They also learned teamwork since many activities were done in a five-student team. Because the boys were responsible for living things, they developed a strong sense of ownership and passion. Each morning they rushed into the classroom to look for changes in their bulbs, cuttings and veggies. While Carol Ullerich selected the weekly topics and arranged for the speakers and supplies, she was ably assisted by an eager group of five to six Master Gardeners in the classroom. One even brewed "manure tea" when the boys said they wanted to fertilize their tomatoes, radishes and carrots with manure during the vegetable growing competition. They chose manure because P. Allen Smith said his brother gives him a load of manure for his birthday each year and manure really makes his garden grow. When the boys learned manure tea was not recommended for edible crops they chose more traditional fertilizers. Many thanks to these Master Gardeners for their contributions: John Bichon, Annie Broyles, Pinky Dodson, Shirley Edwards, Beth Garey, Brenda Johnson, Nova Nuckolls, Betty Park, Jim & Phyllis Petcoff, Carolyn Roof and Sally Wilkins. Thanks also to Phelps Farm Service, Charlie Thurman of Schmidt Farms, David Baumer of Baumer Farms, Bill Black, Pat Spoden, James Armstrong and Donnie Edwards for giving presentations throughout the semester. For the boys, the favorite topic was clearly bonsai - a topic they requested during their first meeting with the Master Gardeners in January. While bonsai was not on the original curriculum, it was added and turned out to be a favorite for the teachers and Master Gardeners too. Randy Davis brought several bonsai specimens from his own collection and talked at length about plant selection and pruning tools. Afterwards, a few of the boys started their own bonsai experiments. Other highlights included a classroom chat with garden authority and television personality P. Allen Smith who was in town for Garden Gurus; honeybees; butterflies and determining the age of trees. For Mother's Day, the boys received a one-hour session on floral arranging and the following day they were given supplies and 45 minutes to create a design evocative of "The Lord of the Rings." The smiles on the faces of the boys with their creations was all the evidence Master Gardeners needed of the effectiveness of the "Plant a Seed" program.
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Purchase Area Master Gardener Association, 2705 Olivet Church Road, Paducah, Ky 42001 270/554-9520 FAX 270/554-8283 www.pamga.org |