Upcoming Workshops

Here are some gardening and homesteading
workshops coming up in Central Florida.
See ya there!

Lake Alfred Farmer's Market

Saturday, September 29, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

On the corner of Haines and Seminole,

Lake Alfred

Visit the Polk County Master Gardeners on the last Saturday of each month at the Farmer's Market. Get up-to-date program information, bring in a plant or insect for diagnosis, obtain helpful gardening literature.

The Edible Landscape: Perennial Vegetables

Thursday, October 4, 10:00 a.m.

Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve,

900 Mackay Blvd.,

Lake Alfred

The Polk County Master Gardeners present a workshop on the first Thursday of each month at the historic home at Mackay Gardens. This month they will teach you how to integrate delicious and nutritious food plants into your ornamental landscape. Discover the joys of little known and tasty plants. No registration is required.

Backyard Gardener Festival and Plant Sale

Saturday, October 6, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service,

1702 US Hwy 17 South,

Bartow

The Polk County Master Gardeners present this annual festival. Workshops will be offered throughout the day. Free information about gardening and landscaping. Free soil testing. Purchase Florida-Friendly plants, rain barrels, books, melaleuca mulch and yard art.

For more information call (863) 519-8677.

Workshop schedule:

9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m. Florida Friendly Plants

10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m. Growing Vegetables and Herbs

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Gardening to Attract Wildlife

12:30 p.m.- 1:15 p.m. Composting with Worms

Ornamental Grasses for the Landscape

Wednesday, October 24, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.

Lakeland Electric Building

501 East Lemon Street,

Lakeland

Must have I.D. to enter building

This workshop will teach you how to use ornamental grasses in your landscape. This lunch and learn class is free of charge and lunch is provided. Sign up now to reserve your space! This workshop is presented by the Florida-Friendly Landscaping program and the City of Lakeland Water Utilities.

Lake Alfred Farmer's Market

Saturday, October 27, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

On the corner of Haines and Seminole,

Lake Alfred

Visit the Polk County Master Gardeners on the last Saturday of each month at the Farmer's Market. Get up-to-date program information, bring in a plant or insect for diagnosis, obtain helpful gardening literature.

Composting Workshop

Thursday, November 1, 10:00 a.m.

Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve,

900 Mackay Blvd.,

Lake Alfred

The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program will present a free workshop on how to create compost, no matter how much space, time or "stuff" you have!

No registration is required.

Canning Class, Pressure Canning: Vegetables and Meat

November 7, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service

1702 US HWY 17 South,

Bartow

Learn how to can vegetables, meat and seafood. This class will teach you what equipment you need, how to use a canner, how to use a recipe and canning safety. Class is $10. Register with Mary Beth Henry, (863) 519-8677 ext. 110 or mbhenry@ufl.edu.

Canning Class, Water Bath: Sweets, Pickles & Fruits

November 7, 1:00 p..m.-3:00 p.m.

UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service

1702 US HWY 17 South,

Bartow

Learn how to can fruits and make jams and pickles. This class will teach you what equipment you need, how to use a canner, how to use a recipe and canning safety. Class is $10. Register with Mary Beth Henry, (863) 519-8677 ext. 110 or mbhenry@ufl.edu.

Lake Alfred Farmer's Market

Saturday, November 24, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

On the corner of Haines and Seminole,

Lake Alfred

Visit the Polk County Master Gardeners on the last Saturday of each month at the Farmer's Market. Get up-to-date program information, bring in a plant or insect for diagnosis, obtain helpful gardening literature.

Lake Alfred Farmer's Market

Saturday, December 29, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

On the corner of Haines and Seminole,

Lake Alfred

Visit the Polk County Master Gardeners on the last Saturday of each month at the Farmer's Market. Get up-to-date program information, bring in a plant or insect for diagnosis, obtain helpful gardening literature.

Anne Yasalonis

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program Coordinator

UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service

1702 U.S. Highway 17 South,

Bartow, FL 33830

P: 863.519.8677 ext. 121

E: anneanne@ufl.edu

W: http://polkfyn.com

Thrifty Thursday-Bird Buffet

We stopped buying birdseed long ago.

It is one of those things that is now considered a luxury,

and it doesn't fit in the budget.

One thing we do to provide for nature

is to use native plants in the landscape

that have berries or attract insects that birds might like.

Here's another idea that may attract birds to your yard.

It's also a great homeschool project!

This recipe was found in

Birds & Blooms magazine.

Homemade Suet

1/3 loaf stale dry bread

1 can fruit cocktail

1/2 C peanut butter

In food processor, break down bread,
along with fruit cocktail.

Mix with peanut butter in large bowl.

Place in mesh bags and hang in trees.

I didn't have fruit cocktail, so I used some pineapple

that needed to be used up.

Instead of mesh bags, I cut up an oatmeal box

and hung it up with fishing string.

Bon Apetit birdies!

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidings

With the weather changing,

it makes it easy to get some gardening chores done.

We got a handful of sweet potatoes harvested.

For some reason, these are smaller and fewer in number

than in past years.

The seedlings I had started a few weeks ago

were planted in the veggie garden bed.

A few eggplant seedlings started in homemade pots...

and eggshells got planted.

This cotton plant displayed a beautiful cream-colored bloom.

It turned a lovely shade of rose.

Hey, it really works!

Nature is truly amazing in all that it provides.

dwarf Fakahatchee grass

Butterfly vine

African Iris

zinnia

I'm going to use this thryallis

on the west side of the house.

It's so colorful and is easily transplanted from seedlings.

morning glory vine

I hope you discover something wonderful

about this Tuesday.

Farm Fresh Eggs

One of the goals of Maple Hill is to raise chickens for eggs.

Until we move out of suburbia,

I can only learn as much as possible

about these homestead skills that entrance me.

I've read books, watched videos,

but I know that there's nothing like doing

to really learn a craft.

This weekend we visited a woman who has been raising

egg layers for 30 years.

I found Colleen's ad on Craigslist.

The main objective was to buy farm fresh eggs.

We came away with so much more.

Here are some of her ladies, roaming free.

The henhouse was made with some scrap wood,

chicken wire and pvc pipe. 

The hoops are usually covered with plastic,

but the summer sun pretty much deteriorated it.

The larger-wire housing was buried a foot underneath

to prevent predators from enjoying

a chicken takeaway dinner.

There seems to be plenty of room in this enclosure

for bedding, food and water. 

The girls forage during the day

and are supplemented in the evenings.

They are some sweet looking gals.

A bit of shade was a welcome respite.

Colleen also raises milk goats.

After speaking with her about Lil' Guy,

she recommended that I read up on using goat's milk

to help with his allergies.

We were planning on buying 2 dozen eggs,

1 for ourselves and 1 to share with neighbors.

She sold us 4 dozen free-range eggs for five dollars.

Such a deal!

Thankfully, I remembered to bring my own containers.

I didn't realize that after washing eggs,

they must be refrigerated.

The protective "bloom", as it's called,

is removed with cleaning,

and so the porous egg is more vulnerable

to absorbing bacteria.

What a great discovery this farm was.

I'm so grateful to those who are willing

to share what they know.

One day I will be blessed to do the same...



A Big Change...

My mom came to live with us almost a year ago.
She was unable to live alone any longer
due to dementia.
As difficult as it was to deal with,
we did the best we could to make her feel comfortable
and take care of her needs.
She never really accepted being here.






Please keep a good thought for Mimi

as she adjusts to her new home.

It's heartbreaking...

If Ya Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em!

A few weeks ago,
I posted about a new Board forming our HOA.

Little did I know what changes that would bring.

In the past, we've gotten letters about

moving our rain barrel,

our lawn,

recycle bins being left out,

our lawn,

our sunflowers being too tall

and

our lawn.

The new Board, I'm pleased to say,

seems quite a bit more reasonable
than the last few we've had.

A homeowner can actually breathe.

We still don't like HOA's,

but since we are here until our home sells,

at least we don't feel the irritation
of dealing with ornery folks.

One Board member enlisted my help
in clearing some of the brush

from a few of the abandoned homes in the neighborhood.

It was easy enough to do and I was glad to help.


This same member asked me to help out with the newsletter,
as the editor was unable to complete the task
due to personal reasons.
We worked together to create this publication.

It was a pleasure to be part of

changing the sour attitude of past notices

to one of positivity.

The new Board we have is using

the list of volunteers to better the neighborhood.

That's a step in the right direction.

I'm grateful for having the chance to

use my skills in support of my community.

My, how things have a way of working themselves out.