Herb Saplings is a focus group sponsored by SAPS which meets several times each year focusing on the growing and a variety of uses for Herbs in our Society including my favorite, cooking.  Details of  the meetings is posted in the Wheelbarrow and occassionally will be listed in the events section. 

Other groups that are not affiliated with SAPS but in general are considered to be focus groups are listed below:

The Northeast Tennessee Master Gardeners are a group of volunteers who help the county Extension Services in the Northeast Tennessee counties of Washington, Sullivan, Hawkins, Greene, Unicoi, and Carter by providing education for the communities in home gardening and related areas. The volunteers also extend horticulture projects throughout the region. The Master Gardener volunteer program allows individuals to dedicate their time and talents to enhancing the quality of life for citizens in the region using the science and art of horticulture.  More information is available at the Northeast Tennessee website:  http://www.netmga.net/

Orchid Society of East Tenneesee (OSET)

For specific information about the next meeting topic, please email Tammy Fletcher at tpfletcher@charter.net for a copy of the OSET Newsletter.  Orchids are becoming more popular and are offered a great prices by grocery and the big box stores.  OSET provides fellowship and programs in orchid culture that will help you succeed in reblooming that orchid or orchids.  While you can find cultural information sheets in many locations including the American Orchid Society site, www.aos.org , there is no substitute to seeing what your friends and other growers are doing in our area.

OSET meets the second Sunday each month at 2:00 PM at the Gray Community Center.  Directions are posted below:

Directions to the Gray Community Center

 Directions from I 26(I-181) – Take the Gray exit #13 and turn Right. Turn Left onto Old Gray Station Road from the traffic light in front of Dairy Queen. Take the 1st Left onto Gray Station Road (the road takes a sharp Left about 2 blocks past the Dairy Queen beside the Sitting Bull Restaurant). Take the 2nd Right onto Gray Ruritan Drive. The 2nd building on your Left is the Gray Community Center. This building is located next to the Gray Volunteer Fire Department.

Washington County Beekeeper Association

The Washington County Beekeeper Association (WCBKA) meets the first Tuesday of the month at the Boone’s Creek Christian Church next to the Johnson City Power Board.  For a copy of the newsletter, please email John Snavely who is a member of SAPS board of Directors and is the current President of WCBKA.  In addition to educational meeting there is a bee inspector availavaile in each of our surrounding counties to inspect your hive or to answer questions about honey bees.  For a copy of the newsletter an announcement to the next class or meeting please email John Snavely at wastel1@aol.com

Most people realize that beekeeping is important
to world-wide agricultural production, because bees
pollinate fruits and vegetables valued in billions of
dollars. Without the honey bee, our food supply could
be in serious jeopardy. The economic value of honey,
wax and other hive products is continually increasing
as we ?nd new uses for bee-related products. People of
either sex or any age can keep bees almost anywhere.
When asked why they become beekeepers, people’
responses are variable, including “o pollinate my
garden,”“o make honey to sell,”“o teach my

children something useful,”“o put honey on my

biscuits,”“s therapy,”to understand “hat makes

bees tick,”because they thought it would be fun and

“ecause I just like foolin’with ‘m.”

Addtional information is available at :

Bee Culture

Bee Culture, the magazine of American Beekeeping  http://www.beeculture.com/  or from the on lineUT Extension publication     http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/PB1745.pdf

Master Gardeners of Northeast Tennessee  For more information:

http://mastergardener.tennessee.edu/index_nearest_mastergardener.html

Useful links:

The American Horticultural Society (AHS) is one of the oldest national gardening organizations in the country.  www.ahs.org
 

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