2024 Spring Garden Forum

The Beauregard Parish Master Gardeners (BMGs) presented its annual Spring Garden Forum on March 2, 2024, at the War Memorial Civic Center in DeRidder, LA. After the historic fire season of 2023, Keith Hawkins, MG Coordinator, presented “Firewise: Fire Safety for Rural Homeowners”. Local MGs, Kirk Gillard and George Giltner participated in this program to convey the practices that rural homeowners can install, both horticulturally and architecturally. George Giltner also talked about using cover crops in home gardens. CC Richmond, Wildlife Biologist with the LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) promoted using prescribed fire to produce native wildflowers. Dr. Allen Owings topped off the Forum with his program, “Plant Problems, Plant Solutions, Plant Ideas.” One attendee wrote in the evaluation, “[I] learned about fires. Also, [there was] great information on gardening, etc. from Dr. Owings! Thanks!”

Dr. Allen Owings, retired AgCenter Horticulturist, addressing the crowd.

Canning Workshop

The Beauregard Master Gardeners enjoy their vegetable gardens and want to preserve their vegetables. They invited Jennifer Duhon, Nutrition & Community Health Regional Coordinator, to bring a canning workshop on February 28, 2024. Duhon emphasized the safety aspect of canning and cited the USDA standards for safe canning practices at the old Rosepine Research Station. After the classroom instruction, the hands-on part of the workshop moved to the kitchen to can “bread and butter” pickles.

Angela S. shared her thoughts about the workshop, “I very much enjoyed the canning seminar. It was an event I had been looking forward to for quite a while. The speakers were well prepared and organized for the presentation. They explained the process in detail and got the group involved in all steps. In this workshop the process of making pickles was demonstrated. At the conclusion each participant was able to take home a jar of delicious, sweet pickles. I hope we can have another canning workshop in the future.”

Lavena K. was also enthused about the workshop, “I loved the canning workshop!! We learned valuable facts - vinegar has different acidities. The higher acidity is for canning & lower is for cleaning. Also, don’t be a rebel canner!! Just because you see it on the [inter]net doesn’t mean it’s right!”

Jennifer Duhon, Nutrition Agent, demonstrating pickle canning.

New Greenhouse

The Beauregard MGs have a vision for having their own greenhouse for both growing plants for fundraising purposes and for educational purposes to demonstrate greenhouse practice to both 4-H students and new MG students. BMGs originally started assembling a greenhouse in DeRidder about five years ago. Since then, the BMGs greenhouse was moved to the Old Rosepine Research Station (RSS). At the old location owned by Beauregard Parish, security was lacking, but at RSS there is security on this site. The project is still a work in progress. The building is framed up and the north and south sides are covered as well as the roof. The next steps entail covering both ends and adding utilities.

A crew of Beauregard Master Gardeners setting the footprint of a new educational greenhouse.