Now that spring is just around the corner, winter does not seem to want to leave us. Speaking of spring, we will be sponsoring several work days at the Hort. Farm to spruce up the collections for our big event in May, the Bloom-Time Festival. We need your help, whether you know how to prune or not, to continue the lilac rejuvenation project that we started over five years ago. Each year we try to prune out the broken, dead, diseased, and oldest stems from the one hundred sixty specimens of lilacs that are in the collection. We never seem to reach the end of the rows before the day is done. This year we will concentrate on the plants that we have missed in the past (and start at the end of the row!) Looking ahead we hope to add a summer work day to do summer pruning of the various collections including the lilacs. This may alleviate some of the pruning needed next spring. I hope there is some interest in adding this mid-summer workday.

I am pleased to announce that, with the financial assistance of The Friends, the UVM Department of Plant and Soil Science was able to hire a student intern to help care for the plant collection at the Hort. Farm. Nathaniel Sands is a junior in the Urban and Landscape Horticulture program. Nate will be joining The Friends at our first work day on Saturday, March 20.

You will find a 1999 Calendar of Events on page 9. This is the only complete listing of workshops, courses and tours that will be published in the newsletter this year. In each issue of The Friends' newsletter we will provide you with more detailed descriptions of each upcoming activity.

Our Program Committee is eager to receive feedback on how they can improve our educational services for the year 2000 (or other events that they can add in 1999). I urge anyone who has attended one of our events, or has program ideas for the future, to write or call us with your ideas. The Program Committee feels it is not too early to start planning for 2000.

The following is a schedule of dates for Board of Directors meetings and the Executive Board meetings of The Friends of the Horticulture Farm. The Board plans to meet on the second Thursday of odd numbered months at lunch-time during 1999. Executive Board meetings will occur during the evening on the second Thursday of even numbered months. Members are always invited to attend any meeting.

Board of Directors meetings:
Date                       time                     place
March 11         11:30 - 1:30 p.m.   Hort. Farm
May 15*           7:30 - 8:00 p.m.    Hort. Farm
July 8               11:30 - 1:30 p.m.   Hort. Farm
September 9    11:30 - 1:30 p.m.    Hort. Farm
November 11   11:30 - 1:30 p.m.   Hort. Farm
* note change to Saturday after Annual Meeting

Executive Board of Directors meetings:
Date                       time                       place
April 8             6:15 - 8:15p.m.   UVM-Hills Building
June 10            6:15 - 8:15p.m.   UVM-Hills Building
August 12        6:15 - 8:15p.m.   UVM-Hills Building
October 14     6:15 - 8:15p.m.    UVM-Hills Building
December 9    6:15 - 8:15p.m.    UVM-Hills Building

sws David Allyn Heleba, Acting President

The Friends of the Horticulture Farm is a non-profit, tax-exempt, membership corporation dedicated to the protection, promotion and enhancement of the UVM Horticultural Research Center (the Hort. Farm), its plant collections and natural areas, for education, research, and public enrichment. The Hort. Farm is located on Green Mountain Drive in South Burlington, Vermont, just off Route 7.

We wrote in the last issue of the newsletter that Friends' Board member Lynn Ocone is a garden writer and Editor of Home Owner Today Magazine. Lynn is actually a Senior Editor with Today's Homeowner Magazine. "I'm not the editor," she says. Our apologies to Lynn for the mistake.

 On Wednesday evening, March 24, the Hardy Plant Club and The Friends of the Horticulture Farm will jointly sponsor a slide lecture by Paul Wieczoreck on the topic of Rhododendron, Pieris, Kalmia and other Ericaceae for the Vermont garden. This program will be held at the UVM Horticultural Research Center (the Hort. Farm) in South Burlington, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Paul is a 1978 graduate of the UVM Department of Plant and Soil Science. Since 1980, he has been owner and manager of Champlain Valley Landscaping and Lincoln Hill Nursery, both businesses operated from his home near the Hinesburg/Huntington town line. Paul's nursery specializes in unusual and hardy trees and shrubs.

Paul describes himself as a "masochist" for trying to grow Ericaceae at his high-elevation location in Vermont, but as anyone who has seen his collection can attest, Paul does a very good job of keeping these plants alive and beautiful. He likes Ericaceae because they are adaptable to our State's acidic soils, and they add a variety of textures, colors, and forms to the shrub collection or mixed border.

On March 24, Paul will provide an overview of his various attempts (and successes) at growing Ericaceae in Vermont. He will discuss varieties that are particularly well-adapted to Vermont gardens, as well as provide cultural suggestions. Paul will show slides principally of plants in his own garden and nursery, demonstrating different ways Ericaceae may be used for best ornamental effect.

A $6.00 donation is requested and reservations are encouraged. Please call: 864-3073.

Also: Plan to Reserve Saturday, July 10, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., when Hal Bill will give a workshop, Backyard Rhododendron Propagation. This hands-on workshop will be at the Hort. Farm.
 

It's time to oil those pruners and sharpen your hand saws. On Saturday, March 20, beginning at 9:00 a.m., we'll initiate Spring with our annual Lilac and Crabapple Pruning Workday at the Hort. Farm. This is the first of our "Neighbor Labor Workdays" for 1999.

We need volunteers to help clean up last year's debris, and prune dead wood and suckers. For the past several years, we've been working on the rejuvenation of the lilac collection. We'll continue with this project, and do some pruning in the crabapple collections as well. For those of you who have volunteered in the past, this is a chance to pay homage to your "adopted" trees. For those who are new to our workdays, this is an opportunity to learn first-hand about pruning and the care of woody ornamentals.

March is one of the best times of year to work on trees and shrubs because they are still dormant. However, this means that there may be snow on the ground and biting weather. Therefore, we urge you to dress warmly, with good foot gear, gloves and hat. We'll provide hot refreshments, but you should bring whatever lunch or snacks will keep you going.

We'll work until 4:00 p.m., but if you can't volunteer for the entire day please plan to come for a few hours. Every bit of "neighbor labor" counts. In order to help us anticipate how much assistance we will receive on March 20, we'd appreciate a phone call. Just leave a message at 656-0473, telling us who you are, when you plan to come, what you'd like to do, and a phone number at which you can be reached. If you'd prefer to volunteer on a day other than March 20, please let us know this too.

Experience in pruning is not necessary, but as usual we welcome any of our friends in the orchard and professional horticulture business to come out for this event. Thanks to past donations from Gardener's Supply Company and others, we have some hand pruners and other tools in our "neighbor labor" tool closet for those who are tool-less. But we could use a few folks with pole pruners.

On Saturday, April 24, beginning at 9:00 a.m., we invite you and your friends to join us for our fourth annual Perennial Border Garden Clean-up. We need volunteers to help us weed and dead-head. Last year, ten volunteers showed up for this activity, and we had a great time catching up on gardening "news" while working knee-to-ground, shoulder-to-shoulder. We'd like more volunteers this year so we can get the job done by noon. Experience is not necessary, and if you lack hand tools we can supply you with some from our "neighbor labor" tool chest. Please give us a call at 864-3073 and let us know you're coming. We plan to work, sun or light rain, but in the event of a deluge, we'll need your phone number to confirm another workday date.

Also, note that from 1 to 4 p.m. on April 24, we will continue our clean-up activities at the Hort. Farm with a special "Native Plant and Bartlett Brook Workday", in conjunction with the "Native Plants" program series (see page 5). Jim Pease, an aquatic biologist with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and a co-presenter of the February 6 workshop on "Introduction to Ecological Restoration," will be on hand to demonstrate various streambank restoration techniques, including the use of native plant materials to check erosion. Crews of volunteers are needed to remove debris from the stream, repair check dams, and plant new native shrub species along Bartlett Brook at the Hort. Farm.

Our workdays are always a lot of fun and a good opportunity for information-sharing. They also amount to a wonderful gift of services to The University of Vermont. Because we want the Farm collections and natural areas to be in good shape for the Bloom-Time Festival on May 15 and 23, we would appreciate all the help we can get on March 20, April 24 and on our subsequent workdays like the Collections and Facilities Committee Workday on May 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (See page 4.)

We've said it before and we'll say it again: The Friends relies on the good will and volunteer efforts of many people to accomplish its mission. That's why we take the time and space in our newsletter to acknowledge the individuals and businesses that contribute labor, goods and services to our programs and activities.

For our third "Seed Swap" Social on February 21, we would like to thank the many donors who contributed seed. We especially thank Scott Jacobs of Middlebury Agway, The Hardy Plant Club, New England Wild Flower Society, and Jim Flint of The National Gardening Association for their generous donation of vegetable, wildflower and perennial seeds. We look forward to an even more successful seed exchange in 2000.

The Friends is particularly grateful to the following persons for staffing its booth at the 1999 Vermont Flower Show: Kelly Baggett, Peg Becker, Kelly Carnahan, Angie Ducas, Lula Ducas, Paul Erena, David Heleba, John Hossley, Roger Lawson, Mary Mazur, Ann McCluskey, Stephanie Miner, Jane Murphy, Cameron O'Connor, Joanne Riley, and Diane Tanner. We also wish to thank the Facilitators for the Saturday workshops sponsored by The Friends. They are Tina Bielenberg and Judy Goodyear. Finally, we wish to acknowledge Kevin Boudreau, Paul Brody, David Heleba, Stephanie Miner, and Robin Worn for the design, execution and set-up of this year's display and Peggy Becker for recruiting and coordinating staff volunteers.

We are now looking for volunteers for the Bloom-Time Festival to be held on May 15 and 23, from noon to 5:00 p.m. each day. We will need people to help with publicity, and set up displays, as well as persons to park, greet, serve as "gophers," and assist with programming. If you would like to help us, please call our Volunteer Coordinator Peggy Becker (862-3365). Keeping the Hort. Farm open and well-staffed will require a lot of "person power." Also, if you are interested in helping us organize activities and tours for kids and families or would like to be "an artist in residence" during the Festival, please call Tina Bielenberg (456-7482 or 828-5443). We are particularly interested in hearing from painters, photographers, musicians and poets who would like to create and perform "in the open air" under the lilacs and crabapple trees.
 
 

In preparation for the Bloom-Time Festival, the Collections and Facilities Committee is seeking volunteers to work on Saturday, May 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on a number of site improvement projects. These include clean-up of trash and fallen debris from the 1998 ice storm along walking trails, replacement of specimen tags and site interpretive markers, and making various landscaping improvements around the Information Kiosk. Many hands will make light labor!

Each member of The Friends is encouraged to bring a non-member volunteer to help out. We'll supply the beverages, if you bring a bag lunch, work gloves, etc. To offer your services or obtain more information about this workday, contact the Acting Chair of the Committee, Ansley Carnahan at 865-5046.

The "Native Plants for the Home Gardener" program series continues on Saturday, March 13 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. with a workshop on "Native Plant Propagation." Consulting biologist, Arthur Gilman, and UVM Professor of Horticulture Emeritus, Norman Pellett, will demonstrate various techniques for the propagation of a variety of native wildflowers, trees and shrubs by rooting dormant and growing cuttings, layering, grafting, division, and propagation by seed. Seed germination requirements and methods of treatment to overcome dormancy will be discussed. This program will be geared to the amateur gardener and others interested in producing quality plants for the home landscape or a community ecological restoration project.

Arthur Gilman is a staff biologist with William D. Countryman Environmental Assessment & Planning of Northfield, Vermont, in which capacity he conducts surveys of rare, threatened and endangered plant species in northern New England for both state agencies and private clients. He has published numerous scholarly and popular articles on ferns and the flora of Vermont. He also is an accomplished horticulturalist, having served as head gardener at Trapp Family Lodge (1972-77) and Plant Propagator at White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut (1977-88). Arthur lives and gardens in Marshfield and Peacham, Vermont.

Dr. Norman Pellett received his Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from the University of Minnesota. He served on the UVM faculty for twenty-nine years, thirteen of these as Extension Ornamental Horticulturalist working with nursery and greenhouse operators and sixteen years teaching numerous horticulture courses including plant propagation. While at UVM, Dr. Pellett conducted research on cold hardiness, plant propagation, nursery cultural practices, and adaptation of uncommon landscape plants for the Vermont climate. Much of this work was done at the Hort. Farm. Dr. Pellett published many scientific articles on these research topics as well as Extension publications and popular articles. (See page 6 for information about how to acquire Dr. Pellett's handbook, "Landscape Plants for Vermont".)

The "Native Plant" series continues on Saturday, March 27 from 9:00 a.m. to noon, with a repeat of the workshop, "Native Plant Communities of Vermont," originally scheduled for January 9 but "snowed out" due to a surprise blizzard. Eric Sorenson, staff ecologist for the Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program, will provide an overview of what constitutes a Anatural community, the distribution of natural communities in Vermont, and the practical uses of identifying natural communities for conservation planning purposes and local ecological restoration projects. He will give a slide show of Vermont's upland and wetland natural communities with a focus on the characteristics and rare natural communities. Weather and time permitting, Eric may lead a short walking tour of natural communities at the Hort. Farm to illustrate the points made in his lecture. This workshop will be of value to the gardener as well as the amateur naturalist, as the principles of plant communities and plant associations are useful in understanding how to grow plants in different garden sites.

Eric Sorenson received degrees from the University of Michigan in wildlife biology and the University of Maine in plant ecology. He is currently writing a book on the natural communities of Vermont with co-author Liz Thompson of The Nature Conservancy.

The "Native Plants for the Home Gardener" series is co-sponsored by The Burlington Garden Club and The Friends of the Horticulture Farm. The program series is made possible, thanks to the support of the two co-sponsoring organizations and financial assistance from the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc., and Shell Oil Co. (PETALS Environmental Program).

Both the March 13 and March 27 workshops will be held at the UVM Horticultural Research Center (the Hort. Farm). Pre-registration is required. The fee for each workshop is $6.00 for members or $10.00 for non-members. For more information about the program series and to register, contact: The Friends of the Horticulture Farm, P.O. Box 64788, Burlington, VT 05406-4788 (phone: 802-864-3073).
 

This summer we will be adding four new UVM-affiliated shareholders. We also hope to increase our donations to anti-hunger organizations by 35% to 2,500 lbs. If we meet our goal, our donations would feed fourteen additional families during the summer. In all, we will be growing food for fifty-four families.

One additional summer stipend has been made available from the UVM Student Government Association for the farm this summer. Four new student farmers will take responsibility for growing more than twenty crops on our 2-acre plot at the Horticultural Research Center. Every year, we put one acre in production and the other acre is cover-cropped. We are grateful for the continued support from the Hort. Farm staff, The Friends of the Horticulture Farm, and the Burlington and UVM communities.

If you have any questions about what we do, or have an interest in becoming a shareholder, e-mail us at commonground@list.uvm.edu or call 660-4756.

See you at the Farm!

The UVM Master Gardener Program is offering for sale this classic text on woody ornamentals for Vermont gardens. Originally written by Dr. Harrison Flint, then the Ornamental Horticulturist at UVM, this indispensable book was revised in 1980 by Dr. Norman Pellett, also Ornamental Horticulturist at UVM and now Professor Emeritus.

At the Master Gardener's request, Dr. Pellett has graciously written a 22-page Supplement that will be included with your purchase of the 1980 book. This Supplement includes newer plants found to be adapted to the Vermont landscape. Dr. Pellett has included vines, ground covers, shrubs, and trees. He also has compiled a list of crabapples resistant to apple scab and cedar apple rust, a list of hardy rhododendrons and azaleas, a list of hardy roses, a list of woody plants that may invade natural areas, a glossary, and an index to common and botanical names. Thank you Dr. Pellett!

To order your copy of the Book and Supplement, send a $10.00 check payable to the UVM Master Gardener Program, to the Extension Office, PO Box 3010, Burlington, VT 05405. For those of you who already have the 1980 text, you may purchase the Supplement separately for $5.00.
 

The Shelburne Museum requests applications for a Seasonal Gardener. This is a full-time, May to October seasonal position. Applicants should have a minimum of one year of satisfactory gardening work experience, a valid Vermont drivers license, a high school diploma, and be 18 years old or older. Good communication skills and a thorough knowledge of common garden plants and basic gardening skills are required. A degree or certification in horticulture is desirable. A job description and an application are available from Mare Richards, Shelburne Museum, PO Box 10, Shelburne, VT 05482 or call 802/985-3348 ext. 3562.

I have heard several people talking about the Cary Award and what it means to horticulture in New England. I would like to share with you what I know about this Award and hope that you will pass this information along to others.

You are probably wondering how the Award got the name, "Cary Award." The Award is named after Ed Cary, a nurseryman and hybridizer of rhododendrons from Shrewsbury, MA. Mr. Cary created a fund to be used for purchasing books for the library of the Worcester County Horticultural Society** as well as for granting awards at the flower shows sponsored by the Worcester County Horticultural Society. The fund continued in perpetuity following Mr. Cary's death in 1987. In the year just prior to Ed Cary's death, the Worcester County Horticultural Society stopped hosting flower shows and focused efforts on developing Tower Hill Botanic Garden as its headquarters. The fund was left untouched for many years until the present director of Tower Hill, John Trexler, decided that the fund could be used to support a program that recognizes and awards outstanding plants for New England landscapes. Initial development of the Cary Award program was begun in 1994.

The Cary Award was first granted in 1997 to promote outstanding plants for use in gardens in New England. Plants are selected by a committee of horticulturists from across New England. I am on the Cary Award Selection Committee, along with Bill Pollard of Rocky Dale Nursery (62 Rocky Dale Road, Bristol, VT 05433. Phone 802-453-2782) and S. Stephen Tworig from North Branch Nursery (778 Main Road, Stamford, VT 05352. Phone: 802-694-1707).

The selected plant must fit the following criteria:

• A woody tree, shrub, vine or groundcover
• Hardy to within at least two of the four USDA.  Hardiness Zones in New England (Zones 3-6)
• A season-extender, with priority given to notable winter features
• Readily available in the nursery industry
• Selected for performance in New England

Since its inception, the Cary Award has been featured in American Nurseryman, Horticulture, Ladies Home Journal Home Gardening, and the New York Times. Plants selected as Cary Award winning plants are designated so by informational tags bearing the Cary Award logo. Currently, nurserymen must purchase the tags and attach them to the plants or pots prior to sale. Once the word is out, a plant designated as a Cary Award winning plant helps boost sales of this plant. The Cary Award distinguishes itself from other regional awards such as the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Award (formerly the "Styer Award") in that the Cary Award plants are selected several years prior to the public announcement of these selections. Only growers are notified of the selections. This delay permits growers to produce sufficient numbers of the awarded plants to meet the demands of the public. There is nothing more frustrating to an avid gardener than the heralding of an outstanding plant without adequate quantities available for sale. Eventually, the Cary Award Committee would like to have a website available that lists all the vendors in New England which carry these award-winning plants.

Plants that have been selected as Cary Award win-ning plants include:

For 1997:
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula' - (weeping Alaskan cedar) a small, narrow, conical, evergreen tree with blue-green foliage on flattened branches, reaching a height of 20 feet; Zones 4-7 (protect from winter winds).

Enkianthus campanulatus - (redvien enkianthus) an upright, spreading, deciduous shrub with pink, bell-shaped flowers in June and exceptional fall foliage in oranges and reds; Zones 4-7.

Fothergilla major - (large fothergilla) a large shrub, 6-10 feet high and wide, with branches tipped in creamy-white flowers in May and excellent yellow, orange and red fall foliage; Zones 4-8.

Magnolia stellata 'Centennial' (formerly: Magnolia kobus var. stellata 'Centennial') - (star magnolia) a deciduous, large shrub to 15 feet high and wide; white flowers in April and fuzzy buds all winter; Zones 4-8. This cultivar, from the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, MA, is one of the most cold-hardy selections of this species.

Stewartia pseudocamellia - (Japanese stewartia) this is a deciduous, small tree to 30 feet; white flowers in July; outstanding orange-red fall foliage; and incredible, exfoliating bark in blotches of tans, oranges, and browns best seen in winter; Zones 5-7 (Zone 4 if site is near buildings for protection).

For 1998:
Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris - (climbing hydrangea) a deciduous, climbing and clinging vine; large white clusters of flowers set off by dark green leaves in July; nice peeling cinnamon-brown bark visible in winter; Zones 4-7 (tolerates shade).

Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite'- (winterberry) a deciduous, medium-sized shrub to 10 feet; exceptional bright red fruit, developed in fall and retained through winter; Zones 3-9 (Note: plant prefers a moist site; also requires a male plant to act as a pollinator for fruit production).

Magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel' (formerly: Magnolia kobus var. loebneri 'Leonard Messel') - (Loebner magnolia) a small, deciduous, upright-spreading tree to 25 feet; 4 inch white flowers in April; Zones 4-8.

Microbiota decussata - (Russian arborvitae) an evergreen groundcover/small shrub; horizontally-flattened sprays of green foliage from spring through fall and bronzy-red winter foliage; Zones 3-7. Better than junipers as a groundcover; no disease problems.

Rhododendron vaseyi - (Pinkshell azalea) this deciduous, small shrub reaches a size of 5-8 feet with an upright habit of growth; the flowers are a clear rose color and are clustered on the plant in May (no fragrance).

For 1999:
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - (bearberry) an evergreen groundcover; glossy, dark green leaves in spring and summer, followed by red-purple foliage in fall and winter; pink flowers in May and red fruit in July are a bonus! Zones 2-6.

Cornus mas - (corneliancherry dogwood) a deciduous, medium-sized, upright shrub with clusters of yellow flowers in March; red fruit hidden by foliage in mid-summer; Zones 4-7 (one of the first plants to flower in Spring).

Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess' and 'Blue Prince' - (Meserve hybrid hollies) these are evergreen, medium shrubs to 10 feet high and wide; the foliage is a shiny, dark, dark green; the cultivar 'Blue Princess' develops bright red fruit in fall that hangs on through winter (the cultivar 'Blue Prince' is the male pollinator and is required for fruitset); Zones 5-7 (these are the most cold-hardy of the evergreen hollies).

Keep in mind that not all Cary Award winning plants are suitable for growth in Vermont! Unfortunately many of these plants will not survive in Zone 3 (the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont).

** The Worcester County Horticultural Society was incorporated in 1842 as a nonprofit educational organization for the purpose of advancing the science and encouraging and improving the practice of horticulture. Tower Hill is located on a 132-acre site in Boylston, Massachusetts. Tower Hill is open to the public. In case you cannot make the drive, you can visit Tower Hill Botanic Garden on the WEB at:   http://www.towerhillbg.org

Technically, compost is the end result of a managed aerobic decomposition process accomplished by a myriad of beneficial soil organisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, beetles, earthworms, etc.) metabolizing raw organic material such as animal manure and plant residue. To be done properly, this process requires a mixture of ingredients containing the proper ratio of carbon to nitrogen compounds (approximately 30:1), optimum moisture levels (50 to 75%), and adequate oxygen provided by mechanical aeration or "turning". When all these conditions are met, the activity of these organisms generates enough heat to raise internal pile temperatures to between 120° and 150°F while transforming the raw material into usable compost in as little as two months.

While most gardeners make a small amount of compost in backyard bins, they usually can't produce enough for all their gardening needs. Fortunately, homeowners and businesses throughout Chittenden and Addison Counties can now purchase all the compost they need from Champlain Valley Compost Company based in Charlotte. Aptly called "Farm-crafted" compost, this product is unique in a variety of ways. For example, Farm-crafted compost is produced in collaboration with several local farms and is made from 100% animal manure from cows, poultry, and horses. Consequently, this compost will typically contain at least twice the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) as compost made primarily from yard or wood waste. And unlike some agricultural composts which are basically "aged" manure, the "turned-windrow" composting method used by CVCC ensures the high temperatures needed to kill weed seeds and pathogens. Similarly, our conscientious production and storage methods also ensure minimal loss of nutrients due to leaching and volitization.

By purchasing compost made from surplus manure generated on local farms, CVCC customers are helping these farms keep excess agricultural nutrients out of Vermont's rivers and lakes. In addition, when homeowners and businesses use compost they reduce their own need for potentially harmful garden pesticides and fertilizers. And finally, with 50% of compost revenues going back to the farms where its made, CVCC customers are also directly supporting the economic viability of local agriculture.

CVCC's Farm-crafted compost is sold only in bulk-delivery in quantities as small as 1 cubic yard (yd³). And even though there is a 3 yd³ or $30 minimum delivery charge to outlying towns (e.g. Huntington, Richmond, Jericho, Milton, etc.), this minimum can be avoided if more than one delivery can be scheduled in the same area on the same day. With a price of $38 to $40 per yd³ (including delivery) for Farm-crafted compost, this is significantly less than the $90 to $120/yd³ price for an equivalent amount of bagged compost. A 10% "Early Bird" discount is also available on all orders placed before April 15th, while a 10% "Senior Citizen" discount is available after April 15th.

Last Spring, CVCC sold its entire supply of compost to hundreds of satisfied customers including homeowners, community gardens, and landscape companies. And while we've substantially increased production for 1999, we encourage customers to place their orders early to beat the Spring rush and to take advantage of our "Early-bird" special.

Steven Wisbaum is owner/operator of Champlain Valley Compost Company based in Charlotte and has been active in the fields of environmental stewardship and organic agriculture for over twenty years. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Environmental Studies, Biology, and Environmental Management. He is an avid organic gardener and has been featured on "Across The Fence" and ETV's "Rural Free Delivery." Steven also conducts workshops and presentations on backyard and farm-scale composting throughout Vermont. He can be reached by calling 425-5556.

This workshop will give participants an opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with chainsaws and learn practical felling skills. The workshop will be held at the Hort. Farm on Tuesday, June 22, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Participants will review chainsaw and felling safety guidelines, gain hands-on training of chainsaw operation, and learn basic maintenance and care of chainsaws. Participants should plan on spending time outside -- please wear proper attire and hard-soled boots. The workshop instructor is Dave Antone, a former Essex Technical Center instructor with considerable experience in technical trades education. This workshop is co-sponsored with WaGN (UVM Women's Agricultural Network).

To register for this workshop, please send a check for the $15 fee, made payable to the University of Vermont, to WagN Workshops, 590 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05405-0059. Please indicate on your check the title and date of the workshop. A confirmation will be mailed to you to secure your spot as well as to inform you of directions to the site and other pertinent details. Workshop space is limited so be sure to plan well enough in advance to reserve a spot. Questions may be directed to the Women's Agricultural Network main office at (802) 656-3276 or toll-free in Vermont at 1-800-435-5634.

Rain date is June 23 at the same time.

Over the past 10 years Intervale Compost has grown from a small on-farm leaf composting program to a large scale commercial food and yard waste composting facility that produces a high quality, nutrient-rich product. Intervale Compost, a partnership of the Intervale Foundation and Chittenden Solid Waste District, is now composting over 10,000 tons of materials annually, including over 1,000,000 gallons of Ben & Jerry's ice cream waste, as well as horse and cow manure from local farms.

So while things are cooking in our piles, we are gearing up for a very busy year. There are a lot of exciting things happening at Intervale Compost. First, we have just purchased a new compost windrow turner that will improve our production process by more completely blending the materials and providing greater integration of oxygen into the piles. This piece of equipment will also increase our facility's capacity to divert more organic wastes from the waste stream. Piles will be composted hotter and faster than ever!

Second, we are offering hot prices on Intervale Organic Compost which is available in bulk and in 30 pound bags. Intervale Organic Compost is sold at select garden centers throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, the Gardener's Supply Company catalog and at Intervale Compost's facility at 282 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT.

Third, Intervale Compost will be co-sponsoring spring workshops on Organic Lawn Care in partnership with the City of Burlington Board of Health, the Lake Champlain Basin Program and several local resource conservation commissions. The workshops will provide useful information from the pro's on how to grow beautiful lawns and gardens with fewer harsh chemicals. To find out when and where workshops will be held or for any other information, please contact Adam Sherman at 660-4949.

....and remember, rot is hot, compost happens, and don't treat your soil like dirt!

Professor Samuel Wiggans was one of the prime movers in the development of the Hort. Farm. He came to the University of Vermont in 1963 as Chairman of the Horticulture Department. Before coming to UVM he was on the Iowa State University faculty for seven years and Oklahoma State University faculty for five years. When the Horticulture Department was merged with the Agronomy Department in 1964, Wiggans was appointed Chairman of the new Plant and Soil Science Department. Wiggans' keen interest in the Hort. Farm was evidenced by his daily presence and his many projects there. His family built a home just outside the northwest corner of the Farm in 1967 which they still own.

Wiggans maintained trials of hundreds of garden chrysanthemum cultivars for many years. Each year he planted new cultivars and took data on flowering time and winter survival. He established collections of daylilies, peonies and irises. He established an All-American Selections annual garden to display new flower cultivars for the public. He organized open houses at the Farm for the public on Sunday afternoons in May when the crabapples and lilacs were in flower and in September when the chrysanthemums were in bloom. Hundreds of people attended these events. After taking winter  injury data on chrysanthemums, Wiggans opened the Farm in May each year for the public to dig plants which had survived the winter. Each year he started with new chrysanthemum plantings, adding new kinds to test their adaptation.

Many organizations used the Hort. Farm for professional meetings, picnics, and tours at the invitation of Wiggans. He obtained funding for putting in the chain-link perimeter fences at the Hort. Farm that provide security from deer and unauthorized persons.

In addition to his achievements at the Hort. Farm, Wiggans established a highly popular undergraduate course at the University called Home and Garden Horticulture. He coordinated lectures by Plant and Soil Science faculty with some guest lecturers from outside the University. In the mid-1970s, more than 300 students enrolled in the course. Wiggans along with P. S. Ingram published Climate of Burlington Vermont in 1968 (Vt. Agr. Exp. Sta. MP 53).

Wiggans left the University in 1980 to take a position with the U. S. Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C. Today, in retirement, he and his wife, Ruth, live in Maryland, but spend summers at their camp in South Hero, Vermont. He continues his interest in the Hort. Farm as a member of the Friends.

Saturday, April 17, 1998, is the date of the New England Wild Flower Society's Gardening Symposium to be held at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, Vermont, just off Interstate 89 at Exit 4. Events begin at 9:00 a.m. and the program should end by 3:00 p.m. This is the third year that The Friends will help sponsor this statewide symposium.

Three featured speakers will cover a broad range of topics. Tom Fischer, Executive Editor for Horticulture Magazine, will tell us about "Unusual Plants for Shade." David Benner, Garden Designer, Consultant, and Lecturer, will talk about "Shade Gardening with Mosses and Companions." Dr. Henry W. Art, Director of The Center of Environmental Studies at Williams College will address "Gardening with New England Native Wildflowers." In an illustrated lecture, Dr. Art will present information on native wildflower species and how to grow them in conventional gardens and natural habitats.

The cost of the symposium, including informational packet, parking, and lunch in the cafeteria at Vermont Technical College, is $42 for members in good standing of NEWFS, The Friends of the Horticulture Farm, or The Hardy Plant Club, and $50 for non-members. The registration deadline is April 1. There will be no cancellations after that date. To register, complete the form below. For additional registrants, please photocopy the form and attach separately.

If you are unsure when your membership expires, look at your mailing label on the front of the newsletter. The date above your name is when your membership is due. If your membership has lapsed and you renew today, we can confirm your renewal with NEWFS VT.

(Please PRINT clearly)
Name: _________________________________
Address: _______________________________
City: __________________________________
State: ________ Zip Code: _____________
Daytime Phone: _____________
Evening Phone: _____________
Check if you are a member of NEWFS___, The Friends of the Horticulture Farm___, or Hardy Plant Club___.
Total amount enclosed: $_________
Make checks payable to NEWFS VT
or Credit Card no. _____________________
Exp. Date: _______ Signature:_________________
Mail to: NEWFS Vermont Chapter
P.O. Box 307
South Woodstock, VT 05071
 

If you're not presently a member of The Friends of the Horticulture Farm, here's your chance to join. (Remember, memberships also make great Holiday gifts for friends!) The following is our schedule of membership classes and fees.

__ $15 STUDENT __ $50 SUPPORTER __ $500 PATRON
__ $25 INDIVIDUAL __ $100 CENTENNIAL __ $1000 + CORPORATE ASSOCIATE
__ $35 FAMILY __ $250 SPONSOR
or __ JUST THE MAILINGS PLEASE. Enclosed is $5.

__ Donation to the Information Kiosk Project in the amount of $ _____. Note: For a donation of $100 or more, your name will be placed on a special plaque located at the kiosk.

Write your check payable to "The Friends of the Horticulture Farm" and identify the membership category you have selected in the lower left-hand corner ("memo" section). Send this to:
The Friends of the Horticulture Farm, P.O. Box 64788, Burlington, Vermont 05406-4788.
Remember that many local businesses such as IBM have a matching gift program that will stretch your contribution dollar. Please contact your employer for the appropriate forms and send them to us when you renew your membership or give a donation. Some businesses will match your contribution, dollar for dollar. This makes your gift go further.