2024 Master Gardener Calendar - Yes 2024

 

MASTER GARDENER CALENDAR - 2024

HELLO MASTER GARDENERS!

Taking pictures for the Master Gardener Calendar next year? Here are the guidelines from 2023.

Now is the time to think of autumn and winter photos. Photos were due for the 2023 calendar September 1 this year. 

Explore a wide range of seasonal gardening themes. Everything from autumn color to winter landscapes to summer's veggie harvest, from pollinators to perennial borders—if it grows and looks good, send it in! Don't forget photos of your delicious vegetables as well as late summer blooms. Clean the veggies and spritz a little water on them. Remove browning leaves and stems.

Here are the guidelines for 2023 calendar.

Files should be AT LEAST 1 Mb (6 MPs on phones is 18 Mbs)-bigger is better. Most cell phone photos are good. Phone screenshots will not work. See Smartphone camera tips at the bottom.

A resolution of 300 dpi and a minimum size of 5"x7". Do not add text to the image (no watermark or plant name in photo).

Up to 3 submissions per person. Photo must be taken by a Master Gardener. Name your images with First and Last Name, followed by the County and plant name or number (Ex. Sally Smith_Bucks sunflower.jpg).

Send photos as an attachment instead of inserting them into the email. Check that you are sending the attachment as “actual size”. Email photos to (2024 person TBA)  Deadline was September 1 in 2022.

Tips for using your Smartphone camera

1. Shoot in Landscape

- Rotating your phone to landscape mode and using the volume buttons to take the photo provides a more stable hold on the phone, reducing noise in your pictures.

2. Utilize the Grid Lines

- Locate this option in your photo app settings.  Keep your main subjects off center so they become the focus.

• Focus on the eyes
• Place strong lines and divisions like the horizon on the gridlines

 

  3. Don’t Zoom!

- Get up and personal with your subject for the best results.  Most smartphone cameras have a digital zoom, but using this won’t help you get detailed pictures from far away.  Zoom is just essentially cropping the picture on the screen.

4. No Garbage Cans!

- You should also avoid cluttered or ugly backgrounds by changing your point of view.  Watch out for the trash cans or other unsightly objects in your view and in the background. Move around if you need to.

Be creative. Night shot with flash

5. Multiple Shots

- If you see something that catches your eye don't just take one shot and hope for the best. The chances of getting a good photo with your first shot are very slim. You should take shots from various angles and distances.

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Interested in herbs? Looking for a gift?

Perfect for a hostess gift, or birthday or housewarming.

And there is a price reduction as we head into the holiday season.

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The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

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'Tis the Season of the Pumpkin

PUMPKIN TRIVIA

The word "pumpkin" showed up for the first time in the fairy tale Cinderella. The word comes from a French to English translation of "pompions." It wasn't until the 17th century that they were first referred to as pumpkins. Autumn announces the season of Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Halloween became popular once immigrants from Ireland and Scotland arrived in the mid-1800’s. Their October celebration marking the end of harvest season became Halloween. They had a tradition of carving faces into vegetables which they lit with candles to keep the spirits away. Although they originally used turnips, pumpkins are easier to carve and they became our Jack O'Lanterns.

Turnips carved to keep spirits away

At the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621, the pilgrims did not serve pumpkin pie; they made stewed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie originated in the colonies.. Colonists cut the tops off pumpkins, removed the seeds, filled the pumpkins with milk, spices, and honey, then baked them in hot ashes.

Pumpkins are 90% water and are packed with vitamins, minerals and are a good source of fiber plus they are relatively low in calories. They are gluten free and pumpkin flour can be used in place of wheat flour. Each pumpkin has about 500 seeds which are easy to toast for snacks.

Every single part of a pumpkin is edible. You can eat the skin, shell, pulp, seeds, leaves, green vines and even the blossoms but not the woody stem.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and clean off any pumpkin debris. Wash the seeds and lay them out on a baking sheet overnight to dry.

The next day, pre-heat the oven to 250°. Spread the seeds out evenly and lightly spray with olive oil spray and season with salt to taste.

Roast the seeds in the oven until the seeds become golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check and stir them occasionally as needed.

Let them cool and enjoy! Store in a covered jar. Use on salads or just to munch.

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Interested in herbs? 

Looking for Hostess, Holiday, Birthday or Gardening Gifts?

 Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

SPECIAL Price reduction.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.