T hank. You. The Tollgate Farm News Ginger Meyer Award John Woodrich Golden Shovel Award Wanda Morrison

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1 The Tollgate Farm News Volume 19 Issue 11 November Ginger Meyer Award John Woodrich 2013 Golden Shovel Award Wanda Morrison The Ginger Meyer Award Presented to John Woodrich Picture here, from Left to Right, Renee Cottrell, Roy Prentice, John Woodrich and Kate Harper (Ginger Meyer s Granddaughter) T hank You Roy and the Entire Prentice Family for Your Past 20 Years at Tollgate The Golden Shovel Award Presented to Wanda Morrison Pictured here, from Left to Right, Roy Prentice, Wanda Morrison and Renee Cottrell. Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events Dec Meetings Jan Meetings Above Photos by Mike Janczarek 3 TGAC Meeting 7:00 PM 7 TGAC Meeting 7:00 PM 16 TGV General Meeting 7:00 PM Dec Activities No TGV General Meeting in 7 Rose Garden Mulching 9:00 AM November or December 2013 Page

2 GREETINGS from the Tollgate Farm Manager Roy Prentice Greetings All, October and early November has pushed us well on the way towards the realization that the 2013 gardening season is coming to an end. When we weren t dodging rain drops, we had a good turn-out for our last few Activity Days. The beds are now all snug for the coming winter. All of the volunteers that came to the farm did a wonderful job of felling frost flattened perennials and removing annuals. October work days were also devoted to cleaning up the Demonstration Garden. Thanks to all that made 2013 such a great year at Tollgate! Photo by Dave Komraus Recognition Dinner: This year s volunteer recognition dinner, held on November 9th, was a great success! The event was supported by the Americana Foundation and MSU Extension and was very well attended. Over one hundred and twenty volunteers and guests joined us for dinner, a presentation of the Tollgate gardening year and the awards ceremony. We had so many guests for dinner that we filled the big barn for the presentation. The presentation that was put together by Darretta Ferasin and myself was a big hit as were the many door prizes. The food was really great too. This year our caterer incorporated lots of Tollgate products in the meal. Maple syrup, pears, apples apple cider and vegetables from the farm were all an integral part of many of the dishes. One of the highlights of the evening was the recognition of our first year volunteer who made the most visits to the farm during This person received Photo by Mike Janczarek our annually bestowed golden shovel award. This year s recipient, Wanda Morrison, gave very generously of her time. Along with the traditional gold painted implement, Wanda also received a golden shovel pin provided by the Americana Foundation and her name was also engraved on a plaque hung in the Tollgate Volunteer Center. Also awarded was the Ginger Meyer award. This award was presented to long-time Tollgate volunteer, John Woodrich, for his many years of service to Tollgate. John is instrumental in many projects on the farm including managing the PAR Garden, the maple syrup making project and working on many other woods and farm projects. The Ginger Meyer award was established to honor the memory of Ginger Meyer who, along with her husband Adolph, was instrumental in establishing the Americana Foundation and in donating Tollgate to MSU. The award, a silver bowl inscribed with John s name, was presented by Ginger Meyer s granddaughter, Kate Harper. John s name was also inscribed on a plaque that will be hung in the Tollgate Volunteer Center. Both the golden shovel and Ginger Meyer awards are given annually. Thank you John and Wanda for all of that you both do for the farm! Thank you all for a great year at Tollgate. I can t wait for winter to loosen her grip so that we can get going on It will be maple syruping time before we know it! Roy Page 2

3 Notes from the President Perhaps the garden is best considered a precise point of connection between a human and the earth-a psychic umbilical to the earth s spirit. Robert Thayer A TIME FOR THANKS That is what this time of year is all about. Thanks for our family and health, our friends and supporters, our harvest and blessings. I am grateful for the support from The Americana Foundation and MSU Extension for our activities and projects here at Tollgate. I am thankful for the collective talents of the 2013 TGAC. These are the people who set up the membership activity schedules, keep track of the organizational data, funds and provide quality learning experiences for our monthly meetings: Our Elected Members Renee Cottrell, President Peg Palmer, Vice President David Komraus, Secretary Sue Janczarek, Treasurer Our Appointed Members Darretta Ferasin, Editor of the Farm News Jackie Stengel, Chairperson of our Education/Speaker Programs Nancy Roggers, Chairperson for Membership Yvonne DeMattos, PR Thank you all Tollgate Garden Volunteers, the area garden leaders, the Quilting Bees, the Fall Fair and Plant Sale team organizers for all the hard work, smiling faces, beautiful landscapes that you have created this season. I am honored to continue to be a part of such a wonderful group of people And a special Thank You to Roy Prentice for his 20 years of support and guidance of the Tollgate Garden Volunteers There is the remaining mounding of the roses activity December 7 th and we will begin our membership meetings in the New Year! Enjoy your Thanksgiving and Holiday Season and thank you for being Tollgate Garden Volunteers. Renee Cottrell, President JANUARY 2014 PREVIEW On Thursday, January 16, 2014, join Tollgate volunteers in the conference center to begin the year with a presentation on Horticultural Therapy. One of the few practicing registered horticultural therapists in Michigan, Cathy Flinton, HTR, CBIS, will provide an introduction to the topic in probably its first presentation at Tollgate. Details to come in the January Farm News. Page 3

4 2013 Tollgate Volunteer Recognition Dinner Photos by Mike Janczarek Page 4

5 ... More Recognition Dinner Photos Photos by Mike Janczarek 20 Year Service Award TGAC team members secretly, with the help of Cindy Prentice, gathered photos of Roy through the years for a surprise slide presentation at the recognition dinner. Cindy Prentice recounted the story of how the family came to Tollgate 20 years ago. Roy was given a plaque, (shown on page 1) to honor his 20 years of service, dedication, guidance and kindness to the Tollgate Garden Volunteers. Kate and Robb Harper of ediblewow Donated Great Healthy Food Goodie Baskets and Bags for Door Prizes Merry Christmas to All Page 5

6 From John Woodrich PAR Garden Produce Final Count Total Pounds Beans Beets 45.8 Cabbage Cucumbers Eggplant 65.4 Garlic 74.4 Onions Parsnips 2.6 Peppers Potatoes Summer Squash Tomato Turnips 64.0 Winter Squash Total Vegetables Apples Grand Total ATTENTION Wannabe Quilting Bees! The first meeting of the 2014 Tollgate quilting group will be on Thursday, November 21 at 9:30 AM in the Tollgate Farm conference center. If you have a portable sewing machine, (and know how to use it!) and would like to help make next year's quilt, please rsvp to Charlotte Jones, kcjusagb@aol.com. We generally meet on a Thursday and Saturday morning, from 9:30 AM to noon. Join us if you can! PS. You don't have to know how to sew a quilt! Thank You Roy and Cindy Prentice The Americana Foundation and The MSU Extension For the Exceptionally Delicious 2013 Tollgate Volunteer Recognition Dinner Thank You, Bakers Our thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers who so generously donated goodies this year for our meetings and special events. Wishing you Happy Holidays. Yvonne Page 6

7 Photos for 2015 Calendar So, 2013 is barely over with and here I am asking for photos for the 2015 calendar! I am changing my schedule for working on the calendar. It is so difficult to sit in front of the computer during the spring and summer months compiling photos when it is so wonderful outside. I am hoping that you all understand and will be able to submit photos to me no later than February 17th. In this way, most of the work will be done before the true gardening season starts! I am in need of photos for all seasons with a heavy emphasis on fall and winter. Photo format - landscape - on a memory stick Can be given to directly to me or to Roy If you have any questions you can contact me at tollgatemembership@gmail.com Nancy Roggers Deep Dive into Pond Area by Dave Komraus Metamorphosis of the Monarch Butterfly within the Pupa Under a Large Leaf Tadpoles in the Sun Tiger Swallowtail Large Wasp Nest Page 7

8 Fall Around the Farm by Mike Janczarek Page 8

9 Tollgate Volunteer Information Activity Days Activity day hours are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM unless otherwise noted on the Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events listed on the first page of the Tollgate Farm News or by the Area Garden Leader (AGL). Lunch will be provided - veggie alternatives are available upon request. If you aren t getting The Tollgate Farm News , Check your SPAM folder This schedule does not exclude you from working independently on the site. However, on non-scheduled days, your efforts will need to be selfdirected with guidance from the garden area clipboards located in the Volunteer Communication Center. Volunteer Activity Day and Meetings Information ext. 400 Garden Tools Available for Use at Tollgate List of Suggested Gardening Implements to Bring from Home as Needed Spades Garden Rakes Brooms Wheel Barrels Weed Buckets Leaf Rakes Garden Hoe Long Handled Garden Forks Trowel Hand Pruners Loppers Garden Scissors Your Favorite Weeding Implement Hand Saw Plant Division Forks Shrub Rake Sun Screen Gloves Knee Pads Insect Repellant Tollgate Garden Advisory Council Farm Manager Roy Prentice ext prentic1@msu.edu President... Renee Cottrell Vice President... Peg Palmer Secretary... Dave Komraus Treasurer... Sue Janczarek Membership... Nancy Roggers PR... Yvonne DeMattos Fall Fair... Dennis Roggers Programs... Jackie Stengel Hospitality... Yvonne DeMattos Farm News Editor... Darretta Ferasin For membership questions or to update your current membership information send to: tollgatemembership@gmail.com MSU Tollgate Gardens Volunteers For general information and questions Contact Roy Prentice The Tollgate Gardens Advisory Council next meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at 7:00 PM in the Tollgate Office Building. All Tollgate Gardens Volunteer members are welcome to attend. Listings to contact individual Council Members and Area Garden Leaders are available at all general meetings and in the Volunteer Communication Center. Tollgate Volunteer Membership is renewed annually. The 2014 Tollgate Garden Volunteers membership is from December 1, 2013 to November 30, THE TOLLGATE FARM NEWS Tollgate Gardens Volunteer Office Meadowbrook Novi, MI, Page 9