Garden Club Blooms Decorative Ideas
By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
From the moment Dolly Ballard opened the monthly meeting of the Madison Garden Club on April 2, every report and idea seemed to bloom with exceptional fragrance. In fact, every portion of the club recently, from stellar membership growth to awesome decorating ideas have marked the last year, giving the entire group a much-deserved feeling of accomplishment.
One of the first pieces of news that garnered great praise was the announcement that the club had added 22 new members over the last year, exceeding all other clubs in the district by more than double.
Ballard was also extremely excited to announce that Mina Bloodworth was named the incoming district director. Even Mina’s great niece, Ashley Garbutt, who was visiting the luncheon, got in on the act, winning two of the great door prizes awarded to those in attendance.
Birthdays were bountiful for the month. Peggy Rykard (4th), Rosie Leggett (5th), Dolly Ballard (13th), Annette Key (16th), Dorothy Peacock (19th), Joy Wells (25th), and Frances Copeland (26th) each received a big “Happy Birthday!” from the group, followed by lots of hugs.
Each year the Garden Club makes a float for the Four Freedoms Festival parade, scheduled this year for April 18. The club’s theme for this event is “Proud to be an American,” and will include two entries, including a 1929 Ford. The club is also wrapping up the planning for the Quilt and Flower Show set for April 16, 17 and 18. Everyone was invited to come to the club on April 15 at 10 a.m. to provide flora and greenery for arrangements.
Other news included the announcement of Yard of the Month, which went to Eddie Bevis, and the beautification efforts in the alley that runs beside the firehouse toward city hall in Madison. The group also expressed their support for the upcoming production of “Lady Pirates of the Caribbean,” showing April 16, 18 and 19 at North Florida Community College. Performed by the Sentinel Upstage Players, the production is part of the Dinner Theatre for Scholarships program.
The annual Flower Show is back again, scheduled for May 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. and is open to the public at no charge. Those who would like to be included in the lunch starting at 11:30 a.m., however, are warmly invited to contact Mina Bloodworth at (850) 973-9363 by May 1 to make reservations. The cost of the luncheon is only $7.50. There is, of course, no charge for the excellent chat that comes along with it.
Following reports and acknowledgements, thanks went out to Dianne Sullivan and the lunch committee for the tasty and healthy meal.
The program for the afternoon was instruction for making contrived flowers and arrangements. Presenters noted that this category includes a vast array of possibilities, with each having the common element of being made from plant material. Mina Bloodworth conducted the program with Sara Adams, explaining that contrived arrangements qualify for garden contest entries because of the their natural content.
A variety of examples and techniques were illustrated, including sunflowers and hibiscus. Several completed arrangements were then auctioned to raise funds, with one piece going for $70. The group seemed genuinely surprised to learn how much these types of arrangements sell for commercially, and all agreed they were absolutely fantastic decorating ideas.
Membership into the Madison Garden Club is easy. Simply have an interest in the many sides of gardening and a love for good fellowship. The club has maintained a rich tradition on Madison since 1950, and from the looks of it, will be doing so for decades to come.
Michael Curtis can be reached at michael@greene publishing.com.
Flood-Prone Lands In Florida May Be Eligible For Restoration And Protection With Economic Recovery Funds
U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide up to $145 million to eligible landowners nationwide through the floodplain easement component of its Emergency Watershed Protection — EWP — Program, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service administers the EWP program. The funds will be used to restore an estimated 60,000 acres, nationwide, of frequently flooded land to its natural state and create jobs. USDA has limited spending to no more than $30 million per state.
Carlos Suarez, NRCS state conservationist in Florida, announced that eligible landowners can sign up for these easements from March 9–27.
“We will be working with landowners who voluntarily agree to restore the floodplains to their natural condition by placing their land into easements,” Suarez said. “These easements will convert environmentally sensitive lands into riparian corridors and wooded bottomlands that are so vital for fish and wildlife habitat, and to mitigate downstream flooding.”
Secretary Vilsack said green jobs can be created in rural communities nationwide when landowners establish conservation practices on the land entered into easement. Jobs will be created mostly in the engineering, biology and construction fields when trees and native grasses are planted and the hydrology of the floodplain is restored.
The funding, obtained from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, includes both technical and financial assistance to restore the easements. All funds will be spent on targeted projects that can be completed with economic stimulus monies. The goal is to have all floodplain easements acquired and restored within 12–18 months.
The EWP Program’s floodplain easement component allows USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to purchase easements on lands damaged by flooding. The restored floodplain will generate many public benefits, such as increased flood protection, enhanced fish and wildlife habitat, improved water quality, and a reduced need for future public disaster assistance. Other benefits include reduced energy consumption when certain agricultural activities and practices are eliminated and increased carbon sequestration as permanent vegetative cover is re-established.
Interested landowners in Florida can contact Jesse Wilson, State Conservation Engineer and EWP Program Manager for floodplain easements during the signup. For information about EWP Program floodplain easements, please visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ewp/Floodplain/index.html.
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Disaster Assistance For Producers
USDA Extending Buy-In Waiver for Those Impacted by Natural Disasters
The recently approved American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allows producers to become eligible for 2008 disaster assistance authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill even if they did not previously obtain otherwise statutorily required crop insurance from the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation or Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program — NAP — coverage for 2008 by now paying a buy-in fee through May 18, 2009.
“President Obama is providing an additional opportunity to producers who suffered losses as a result of natural disaster because he understands they are going through tough times and he acknowledges their importance in helping stimulate the economy and create jobs,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Paying such a buy-in fee does not provide the producer with crop insurance or NAP for the 2008 crop year; it merely permits the producer to become eligible for the 2008-crop disaster assistance programs.
Producers who have not already taken the necessary steps to become eligible for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program, Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish, and the Tree Assistance Program may now become eligible for such programs by completing the following steps by May 18, 2009:
? Paying a $100 buy-in fee per crop. The maximum fee for insurable or non-insurable crops is $300 per county, per producer, not to exceed $900 for multi-county producers.
? In the case of each insurable crop (those for which insurance is available from the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation), excluding grazing land, agreeing to obtain a policy or plan of insurance for the next insurance year for which crop insurance is available; coverage level should equal 70 percent or more of the yield at 100 percent of the price.
? In the case of each non-insurable crop, agreeing to file the required paperwork and pay the applicable administrative NAP coverage fee by the applicable state application closing date for the next available year.
Producers who choose to buy in under this provision will be considered, for insured crops for the 2008 Farm Bill disaster assistance programs only, to have obtained a policy or plan of insurance for the 2008 crop year at a level of coverage not to exceed 70 percent of the yield at 100 percent of the price. For non-insurable crops for the 2008 Farm Bill disaster programs only, producers will be considered to have a level of coverage equal to 70 percent of the yield. These levels of coverage will be used to calculate the 2008 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program guarantee. Producers who buy in will not be eligible for actual crop insurance or NAP benefits for the 2008 crop.
Producers who meet the definition of “Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource,” or “Beginning Farmer or Rancher,” are not required to pay the buy-in fee.
Animal Control Does Great Job On Tight Resources
By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Since taking over the duties of Madison County Animal and Mosquito Control, Coordinator Jamie Willoughby has made it a practice to get the very most out of his limited resources as demands on the department continue to rise. After all, stray and unwanted pets and wild animals keep reproducing at an uncontrolled pace, while mosquito control could keep several people busy fulltime. Until then, it’s basically a one-man show and, still, the results for 2008 were exceptional.
By the numbers, Animal Control picked up 907 animals last year. Of those 504 were owner surrenders. Although not required by statute, and to his immense credit, Willoughby facilitated the adoption of 50 of these animals, and returned another 27 to their owners.
Cats continue to be a source of great concern, triggering a new policy by the department of lending out its cat trapping equipment – all completely humane, of course – for only $10, with a small, refundable deposit. Even with this necessary implementation though, Willoughby still corralled 350 cats.
In total, the department received over 700 complaints for the year.
Other highlights included:
Capture and containment of a vicious dog that attacked other domestics
Nine bite cases, including two bad children’s bites by pit bulls.
Worked with PETA regarding several alleged animal abuse cases
Participated in a case involving an abused horse along with the State Attorney
Worked with Sheriff’s to relocate seven-foot alligator
Helped NFCC eradicate dozens of feral cats
Issued citations to several offenders
Of course, all f this was performed while wearing the Mosquito Control hat as well. In either case, hats off to Jamie Willoughby from the residents and leadership of Madison County for another job well done.
Michael Curtis can be reached at michael@greene publishing.com.
