With our home gardens put to bed for the season and the holiday season beginning, VIMGA has completed a good year.
Dorothee Kieser, long-time Master Gardener, held 2017’s last clinic on 25 November. Her seminar titled, “Crop Rotation and Companion Planting,” was well attended, with all 20 available spaces filled.
“It was gratifying to see that about half of the audience were VIMGA members,” Dorothee said, adding that had she known the fact in advance she would have made the seminar more advanced. The photo shows her leading the seminar at Nanaimo’s Beban Learning Centre’s greenhouse, completed last winter by the Nanaimo Community Garden Society. Their mission statement includes the line, “… because growing food locally is vital to a healthy community and environment.” For anyone on the Island, be sure to visit the NCGS website, and register for Dorothee’s January 2018 seminar on seed starting.
During the first week in December, while the new class was completing the basic training course at VIU, the executive committee met for the last time of the year to begin dealing with the priorities identified in our strategic planning sessions held during October and November. Topping the goals list? Better communications, encouraging more administrative involvement, enhancing our mentoring programs, and providing more on-line educational opportunities for members.
Plans have already begun for the March 3rd 2018 Spring Education Day in Nanaimo, featuring the well-known horticulturist, Egan Davis, who will speak on the lessons wild plants can teach urban gardeners. Space is limited so be sure to visit this website and register early. The public is welcome – so plan to bring a friend.
Until 2018, wishing everyone a happy, safe, and bountiful holiday from all of us at VIMGA.
