On December 6 the staff and volunteers of the Arlington and Alexandria Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) offices hosted a program showcase for local, state, and federal elected officials and other guests to highlight the contributions that VCE makes to the community. Six stations were set up to highlight each program area and volunteers staffed the stations and shared their experiences with elected officials and other visitors.

At the nutrition station staff and volunteers prepared and distributed samples of healthy smoothies. At the financial education station, volunteers talked about their experiences helping with Reality Store and Kids Marketplace simulations, teaching budgeting classes, and one-on-one financial counseling. At the Energy Masters station a large group of volunteers shared their experiences improving the energy efficiency in low-income apartments and showed the energy savings from using LED compared to regular holiday lights. At the 4-H station Alexandria 4-H agent Reggie Morris and one of his volunteers talked about the many new programs he has started since coming on board in May. At the Agriculture and Natural Resources station Master Gardener volunteers shared information about their many ongoing projects. And at the Master Naturalist station volunteers talked about their work.

Four of Arlington County’s five board members attended the event: Chair Walter Tejada, Jay Fisette, Mary Hynes, and Libby Garvey. Two Arlington school board members attended: Emma Violand Sanchez and Abby Raphael. At the state level Delegate Bob Brink, Senator George Barker, and legislative aide to Alfonso Lopez, Jason Stanford, attended. We were also very pleased to have retired senator Mary Margaret Whipple and retired delegate Judy Connally in attendance. Judy also served as mistress of ceremonies, acknowledging the diverse array of work that Extension does in our communities. At the federal level we were pleased to have the participation of Barry Londeree, aide to Congressman James Moran.

The showcase also highlighted the partnership of Virginia Cooperative Extension with Virginia Tech and Virginia State University.  And we were delighted to host representatives from Virginia Tech National Capital Region including Deputy Director Nick Stone.

With more than 70 attendees this year’s event was the biggest ever. We look forward to hosting another program showcase at the end of 2014 and hope for even larger community participation.

Staff Megan Mauer and Haregowoin Tecklu prepare healthy smoothies to share with visitors

Mary Van Dyke (right) shares information with Emma Violand Sanchez (APS School Board Member) about Master Naturalist programs

Program Showcase highlights are also on the Virginia Tech National Capital Region website – click here http://ncr.vt.edu/highlights/Highlight-121113.html

Are you looking to become trained in Pesticide certification? Well here is your chance!

December 3, 4, 10, and 11 Virginia Cooperative Extension will conduct Commercial Pesticide Certification preparation course.

Core and Categories 3A and 3B

If you or others you know are interested contact Kisha Simpson or Kirsten Buhls for more information at 703- 228-6400

During the week of May 13 we learned that the Arlington VCE office was the recipient of not just one, but two state awards. Our Extension Leadership Council (ELC) came in first place for the ELC programming excellence award in Marketing and Jennifer and community partners received a state award for achieving excellence in New Initiatives. Both awards were announced at the annual meeting of the Virginia Extension Service Association and both come with monetary awards to use for program support or professional development.

The ELC is truly deserving of this honor because the volunteer members have worked hard over the past year to help introduce initiatives that spread the word about VCE’s programs and successes. ELC members helped staff create our new blog, networked with schools and the Arlington Credit Union to increase the number of Kids Marketplace and Reality Store events that we do each year, increased our presence at Arlington Chamber of Commerce events, facilitated a full-page article about VCE in the Chamber newsletter, organized the Energy in the Community forum, formulated public value statements to better inform legislators about the economic, social, and environmental impact of VCE’s programs on the community, and much more. Staff are very grateful for the dedicated work of ELC members.

Along with recently winning a Green Giant award from the Washingtonian Magazine, Senior Extension Agent Jennifer Abel and community partners Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment and Arlington Thrive (the new name of Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs) won the Northern District and State awards for excellence in New Initiatives for the Energy Efficiency Education Program. Started in 2011, this is the program through which we train Energy Master volunteers to make energy- and water-saving improvements in low-income Arlington apartments. To date volunteers have performed retrofits in 232 apartments and we are starting to collect data about energy savings that have been realized. Staff and volunteers truly appreciate the recognition of this exciting program. The next training for new volunteers will begin on September 26 with applications due July 1st. Contact Jennifer if you are interested in applying: jabel@vt.edu.

The Arlington Energy Masters, the corps of volunteers who make energy and water saving improvements in low-income apartments, will be featured in the May issue of Washingtonian magazine as one of the winners of the publication’s Green Giant awards. The awards recognize groups and individuals in the Washington, DC area who are making significant contributions to addressing environmental issues.
               The Energy Masters program was started in 2011 by Virginia Cooperative Extension, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, and Arlingtonians Meetings Emergency Needs. Since its inception, the partners have trained 56 volunteers who have made energy and water improvements in 201 apartments, with the goal of completing at least 50 more by the end of the fiscal year in June. In each apartment teams of volunteers replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones, install outlet gaskets, low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and power strips, caulk leaks, and clean refrigerator coils. The goal of the program is to help low-income residents reduce their utility bills while also reducing the greenhouse gas emissions released from multi-family properties. The energy and water-saving improvements have already started to pay off, with one building where the volunteers worked last May reporting a 5% average decrease in residents’ utility bills.
               If you are interested in learning more about this program or becoming an Energy Master, contact Jennifer at jabel@vt.edu. The next training for volunteers will be held in the fall of 2013.

Register now for a public workshop on Shiitake Mushroom Production, Tuesday April 2, 1 – 4 pm sponsored by the Arlington Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension with support from Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia.  The workshop is at Potomac Regional Overlook Park.

Shiitake Log – by Rob Hille

Dr. Marcus Comer, Extension Specialist, Natural Resource Management, Virginia State University (Petersburg), leads this hands-on workshop on growing shiitake mushrooms in your backyard.  You’ll learn how to inoculate logs with mushroom spawn, care for your log and harvest the mushrooms.
A $35 fee covers all supplies.
Register by sending a check made out to Virginia Cooperative Extension for $35  and mail to Arlington County VCE, 3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington, VA 22206.
For information about Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, visit www.mgnv.org.

Photo attribution

Bon Appetit

It is said that March, “comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”. They were talking about the weather and not about our Agriculture Natural Resource (ANR) program schedule, but we are just roaring along and the end of March will feel completely different. Our big plans for March include the major presence of Master Gardeners and interns at the Arlington Home Show and Landscape Expo. This annual event that is held at Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 S. Second St. Arlington) will feature Urban Agriculture techniques including vertical gardening, low tech irrigation techniques, and container gardening of all kinds. Please plan to visit us between 10 AM and 5 PM on March 9!

On March 14,  Virginia Tech Turf Specialist, Dr. Mike Goatley, will present a program entitled “Beautiful Greens” Spring Lawn Care for Northern Virginia. This FREE program is a very high level education from a nationally recognized educator. Check his Lawn care podcasts here.

March 13 and continuing weekly through October, the Wednesdays in the Garden demonstration programs at Arlington Central Library will start up. This series of programs that are delivered by VCE volunteers and Arlington Food Assistance Volunteers, is centered on the library’s beautiful edible landscaping.

March 20 you can catch either a composting and soil fertility program at
Arlington’s Westover Library or you can learn about gardening from VCE
volunteers at the Arlington public schools Adult Education program on Seed
starting and Vegetable gardening. Go here for a full line up of VCE-ANR
programs taught in the Arlington Adult Education Program.

March 21 VCE hosts the Arlington Egg Project here at Fairlington at 7:00 pm.

Master Gardeners also has a Speakers Bureau.  We provide programs on a range of
topics for garden clubs, scout groups, special events, schools, and more. For more
information about any of our gardening programs please contact the Master
Gardener Help Desk at 703 228 6414 or by email at mgarlalex@gmail.com
You can also see a full schedule of events at www.mgnv.org

Jennifer Abel and volunteers fulfilled 45 program requests in the month of February. Programs included two Kids Marketplace financial simulations at Glebe and Drew Elementary Schools, a two-day Reality Store at Wakefield High School, and cooking and nutrition classes at Colonial Village Apartments, Clarendon House, Gates of Ballston Community Center, Langston-Brown Senior Center, and Virginia Gardens Apartments.

Financial counseling was conducted at the tax clinics in Arlington and Alexandria. Nutrition education was provided at four AFAC food distribution sites. Volunteers taught a four-session money management class at the Macedonian Apartments, and Energy Masters made improvements at Harvey Hall Apartments.

The fast pace continues in March with nutrition class series planned for four different classes at TC Williams High School, Master Food Volunteer training, a spring break financial camp in Alexandria, a class on cooking with less salt at Langston-Brown Senior Center, a money management class series at Arlington DHS, another Energy Masters work day at Harvey Hall Apartments, and an energy conservation presentation at Walter Reed Community Center.

We are grateful for the help of our many volunteers and always eager to have more, so
if you are not already involved in these programs and would like to be, contact
Jennifer at jabel@vt.edu.