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A Preview of the 2022 Winter Dreams/Summer Gardens Symposium

By July 29, 2022August 1st, 2022Beet 2022 08 August
Susan Koenig
Latest posts by Susan Koenig (see all)

Planning for the 2022 Winter Dreams/Summer Gardens Symposium is well underway. The Symposium will offer 16 different class sessions, four per day on October 28-29 and November 4-5. With so many gardening-related topics to choose from, the WD/SG Working Group decided to have four presentations for each of four subject areas: climate change/ecology; native plants; home gardening; and a “grab bag” theme.

To increase our audience, we are partnering with the Oregon State Landscape Board to offer our classes for Continuing Education Horticultural credits for Landscapers. We are also trying new avenues of advertising, including a color ad in the Medford Park and Recreation Department’s Fall Catalog with a circulation of 44,000 households. Because the classes will again be presented via Zoom, there are plenty of seats!

We have booked 16 spectacular speakers, a few of whom you will know and others who are new to WD/SG. This month, and for the next two months, we will be showcasing the bios of 5-6 speakers in the Garden Beet. The schedule of classes and registration information will be available in mid-August. You will be able to register and pay on-line through the jcmga.org website. Watch for the Mailchimp announcement in August.

Speaker Bios

Jamie Trammell                                                               

  1. Title: “Rogue Valley climatology in the future: implications for planning, fire, and food”
  • Description: What do the climate models suggest for the Rogue Valley in the future? More heat stress, less water? More rain, less snow? During this session, we will summarize what the latest models show for the Rogue Valley and how we can use this information to begin planning for the future today.
  • Short bio: Jamie Trammell is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at Southern Oregon University. He is trained as a landscape ecologist and has been working on climate change models for nearly a decade. He specializes in visualizing climate and other drivers of ecosystems using maps and geospatial technology.

 

Jane Collier               

  • Title: “Intro to Berries”                                                                     
  • Description: This class will compare and contrast strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Topics include: longevity, space requirement, variety choices, expected time of harvest, quantity of harvest, cultural requirements (fertilizing, watering, pruning), and common pests and diseases.
  • Short Bio: Jane Collier became an OSU Master Gardener in Clackamas County is 1996. She has taught many classes for the award-winning 10-Minute University™ program. Jane gained extensive experience with growing blueberries, having operated a ‘U-Pick’ blueberry patch on her farm. Today, she and her husband grow and preserve a variety of fruits, berries, and vegetables on their five-acre farm.

 

Kora Mousseaux                                                                                                        

  • Title: “Stormwater Management and Conservation”
  • Description: Learn about stormwater management techniques and overall methods to increase water efficiency on your property. Participants will be given an overview on stormwater management, particularly rainwater harvest. Resources will be shared and participants should walk away from the presentation feeling better prepared to implement water conserving measures such as rainwater harvest on their property.
  • Short bio: Kora Mousseaux is the Community Water Resource Conservationist at Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District where she has worked since 2016. She provides technical and financial assistance to landowners and land managers in Jackson County. Kora focuses on stormwater runoff mitigation/low impact development, water-wise landscaping, and other water resource conservation projects.

 

Matt Young                                                                                           

  • Title: “All About Soil & and the Nutrients”
  • Description of presentation: The presentation will cover a wide range of important information about garden soils. A few of the topics in this presentation are: types of soil, the macro and micronutrients reported on soil analyses, the role of pH and buffer pH, how to raise nutrients using organic and synthetic fertilizers and how to read the various analyses on a soil test report.
  • Short bio: Matt Young is the agronomist for a California company that consults with farmers and ranchers on soil and water issues as well as offering soil tests for home gardeners. He has lived on a farm all his life where he discovered his aptitudes for machinery, crops, and animals. He has studied the science behind what grows and what makes it grow – anything that is between the water, how the water gets there and the soil. He has two BS degrees in Agriculture Sciences – Biology and Sustainability, as well as several certificates in irrigation technology, plant sciences and poultry science.

 

Andony Melathopoulos 

  • Title of presentation: “Take a walk on the wild side: The weird and wonderful world of Oregon’s native bees”
  • Description of presentation: Explore the buzzing world of bees with OSU professor Andony Melathopoulos from the comfort of your home. Learn about Oregon’s native bees and Andony’s research with the Oregon Bee Atlas. You will leave knowing how to identify some of the more common bee species and what to plant in your garden where you can study them more closely.
  • Short bio: Andony is an Assistant Professor in Pollinator Health Extension in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University. OSU’s work around pollinator health comes from mandates passed by the Oregon Legislature. He has four primary responsibilities: (1) training pesticide applicators on how to control pests while minimizing impacts to pollinators, (2) organizing a state-wide native bee survey (the Oregon Bee Atlas), (3) guiding residential beekeepers on how to prevent their honeybees from becoming a nuisance, and (4) hosting a weekly podcast on pollinator health (PolliNation). He also sits on the Steering Committee of the Oregon Bee Project, which coordinates pollinator health work across state agencies.
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