October 2014 RUTHERFORD COUNTY EXTENSION NEWS

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1 October H Agent Practices What He Teaches! Michael and Amy Shirley, winners of Excellence in Agriculture Award Rutherford County 4-H Agent, Michael Shirley and his wife, Amy, were recently named Tennessee Farm Bureau's Young Farmers and Ranchers, Excellence in Agriculture award winners. The Excellence in Agriculture award is designed as an opportunity for Young Farmers & Ranchers, while actively contributing and growing through their involvement in Farm Bureau and agriculture, to earn recognition. Participants are judged on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations. The Shirleys will represent Tennessee at the national contest that will be held in San Diego this coming January. All events will be held at Rutherford County Extension/Lane Agri-Park 315 John R. Rice Blvd. Murfreesboro TN unless otherwise noted. PH: Visit our website for more information TO REGISTER FOR EVENTS AND CLASSES CALL unless otherwise noted

2 October 2014, Page 2 Fall is in the air it s FOOTBALL TIME in Middle Tennessee! Come Celebrate with your 4-H family at MTSU as our Blue Raiders take on the B r i g h a m Y o u n g Cougars! 4-H Open House & Club sign up draws record numbers! 4-H Open House drew record numbers of parents and 4-12th grade youth. Held on September 30th, this was the first year parents were able to sign up at the open house. Streamlining the process made it possible for more Rutherford County families to participate. The bad news. Some clubs filled up to capacity quickly. The good news almost everyone who patiently waited was able to sign up for something. 4=H Agent, Amy Willis commented We d love to be able to offer more classes so that all who are interested can participate in every club or project group, but without adult volunteers to help us out, we have to set some limits. Not all clubs are limited. If you are interested in Digital Media, GPS (Tracking), Dog Obedience or Gardening there are still spaces available. To sign up for these clubs or find out more about volunteer opportunities, call the extension office for more information.

3 October 2014, Page 3 Suggested items for Shoeboxes School Supplies pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc. Your help can make a child s Christmas merrier! Help Honor Club, Help Others Amy Willis Believe it or not, the Holidays are right around the corner. What better way to spread some Christmas spirit than to help others. The Rutherford County 4-H Honor Club will be participating in the Operation Christmas Child project this year. Operation Christmas Child and Tennessee 4-H have partnered to pledge our hands to larger service and help others this Christmas. We need your help! What is Operation Christmas Child? Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan s Purse. This project provides Christmas gifts to children all over the world. Since 1993, over one million children in 130 countries have received a shoebox from Operation Christmas Child. For most children, this is their first present. How can you help? The Honor Club members have set a goal to fill 50 shoeboxes. We need donations to fill the shoeboxes. Below is a suggested list of items for the shoeboxes. (My favorite place to shop for items is at Dollar Tree.) We will also accept filled boxes. You may drop off your items at the Rutherford County Extension Office Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. We will be taking donations until November 25. No time to shop? No problem. You can also give monetary donations. Each box costs approximately $7 to ship. You may make a donation at the Rutherford County Extension Office or online at As an incentive for our 4-H ers to participate in this project, we will be having a contest to see which club can pack the most boxes. The club that packs the most boxes (complete with the $7 for shipping), will receive cupcakes at a club meeting. The 4-H Agent in charge of the winning club will receive a pie in the face! Toys small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, musical instruments, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch-A-Sketch, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky etc. Hygiene Items Toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc. Other t-shirt, socks, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries) A Personal Note you may include a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.) Do not include used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or good; out of date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans.

4 October 2014, Page 4 Stock up on farm fresh eggs, meat, local honey and more now! Rutherford County Farmers Market Classes October Classes start at 9:00am FREE no registration required! Oct 3 Fermenting Vegetables Learn the ancient method of brine pickling! Oct 7 Revitalize your landscape by learning to plan, prune and care for woody ornamentals (Trees, shrubs) Oct 10 Olive Oil natures way to heath! Oct 14 Mushroom Gardening grow your own at home! Oct 17 Learn to build a garden bed without digging or tilling. Oct 21 Reduce Reuse Recycle tips & tricks to reduce waste at home. Oct 24 Starting a home vineyard. Oct 28 Pumpkin time - elegant recipes for pumpkin & winter squash Oct 31 Freshen your home naturally make you own potpourri & take a sample home. or Mastergardeners-rc.org For more information or to find out about being a vendor at this event contact: Pat Whitaker pwhitak1@utk.edu Master Gardeners of Rutherford County 2015 Winter Classes Announced! 2015 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Tuesday s 6-9pm Jan 20th thru March 4 Cost $150 per person Applications will be accepted beginning October 22. Garden Basics Jan 22 Feb 19th / Thursday 6-9pm Cost per person $45.00 More information on both classes and applications will be on website soon!

5 October 2014, Page 5 Stones River Watershed Event! Monday, Oct 20th 5:30 Patterson Park Community Center 521 Mercury Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN This event, hosted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Water Resources, is an event for the people who live, work and play in the Stones River Watershed. TDEC has coordinated with many organizations, groups and agencies who already do great work in the watershed. We have asked them to come and set up displays and hands on exhibits to demonstrate what is being done to protect water quality. It is a chance not only to hear about things like successful restoration projects, but also an opportunity to learn about what else can be done to keep the watershed healthy and how you can get involved. We want for all involved to connect, share information, develop relationships and collaborate. There are a lot of people making a difference out there. So come on out, meet them and become one too! A few notes about watersheds EVERYONE lives in a watershed. It s simply a land area that drains into a particular stream or lake. A healthy watershed is important because these waters supply our drinking water, water for agriculture, habitat for plants and animals as well as recreational opportunities like swimming, fishing and boating. The Stones River watershed includes parts of Cannon, Davidson, Rutherford & Wilson Counties. Residents from ALL of these counties share the important responsibility of protecting and improving the water resources in the Stones River watershed. ReganMcGahen@TN.gov For more information Regan McGaehen