Fort Bend Master Gardeners education center earns award

story by NICK IRENE | nirene@fbherald.com

The Fort Bend Master Gardeners earned first-place honors from the state for their Vegetable Garden Enhancement Project. The thrilling news was announced during its annual luncheon at The Range in Rosenberg in late June. Louie McDaniel, the Texas Master Gardener Volunteer Ambassador, presented the Search for Excellence Award to the Fort Bend chapter in the Teaching Site category. Carol Gaas, President of Fort Bend Master Gardeners, was grateful to the state organization for the honor privilege.

“We very much appreciate that we had the opportunity to create this garden because it impacts the citizens of the Fort Bend County area with all of the fresh produce we produce to give to our local food banks,” Gaas said. “It was a culmination of efforts by different master gardeners to make this happen and the citizens who have supported us through our fundraising efforts to create the garden.”

The garden comprises 17 cedar planters growing over 30 varieties of vegetables, an herb garden, a native plants garden, and a 625-squarefoot pavilion complete with a 1,625-gallon rainwater irrigation system. The gardeners cultivate tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and other fresh produce. Gaas encourages the community to visit the education center on Band Road to witness the garden firsthand.

“We don’t want to be the best-kept secret,” Gaas said. “We want people to come out and see this, learn from what we are planting, and try it themselves in their backyards.”

For more information, please visit fbmg.org.

Texas Master Naturalist training class opening

Become a member of the Coastal Prairie Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program by enrolling in the Fall 2023 training class on Aug. 19 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. The Coastal

Prairie Chapter covers Fort Bend, Waller and Wharton counties. The Fall 2023 training class will begin with an in-person meeting on Aug. 19, with the other classes being held Tuesday evenings via Zoom and field sessions taking place on Saturdays. The program lasts approximately 13 weeks with about 14 sessions. The course fee will be due when the candidate’s application is approved.

To register online visit txmn.org/coastal.

Living Sustainably Club: Design for Abundance: Permaculture Basics

The Fort Bend County Libraries’ Living Sustainably Club will meet 6-7 p.m. on Aug. 21 to discuss permaculture.

Suzanne Bonefas from the Association for Regenerative Culture, will share the basic elements and ethics of permaculture, a system for developing agricultural ecosystems that are intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient. An approach to agriculture that adopts elements seen in natural ecosystems, permaculture explores the relationship that exists between humans, plants, animals, and the Earth. Learn how the concepts of permaculture can be applied to various aspects of life, as well as to growing food.

The Living Sustainably Club meetings are live-streamed through Webex. Registration required. Call 281-633-4726.

SFree Fall Garden TipsT

On Aug. 26 at the George Memorial Library, library staff will provide an overview of fall vegetable gardening. Hear about when to plant vegetables, such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and broccoli. The discussion will be held from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. in Room 2A. For more information visit www.fortbend.lib.tx.us.