Mike Morsch, Regional Editor
Master Gardeners to host pest management program, The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County will host a program titled “Integrated Pest Management for the Homeowner” on Saturday, April 29, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township., Mercer County Agent Meredith Melendez will talk about Integrated Pest Management, a strategy and decision process developed for agricultural producers that can also be applied by homeowners to limit or avoid the use of toxic chemicals. Particpants will learn how to use these principles for long-term prevention of pests and their damage through a combination of techniques. Whether you hire a professional landscaper or do it all yourself, you need to know the very best practices., This program is co-sponsored with Howell Living History Farm and will include a short presentation about Howell Farm. Pre-registration is recommended for this program. Email registration at [email protected] is preferred or you may call (609) 989-6830 to sign up., The Master Gardeners of Mercer County is a volunteer educational outreach program of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, 930 Spruce St., Lawrence. Master Gardeners participate in many volunteer programs throughout the county, as well as answer home horticulture questions through their Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline, (609) 989-6853, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., November through February and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., March through October., For more information on the Master Gardener program, the Mercer Education Gardens or other Extension educational programs, contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension at (609) 989-6830 or visit the Master Gardeners of Mercer County website at www.mgofmc.org., ‘UNCORK Spring’ wine festival, planned at Mercer County park, Mark your calendar for the first event of the festival season at Mercer County Park: the “UNCORK Spring” wine festival on Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30, from noon to 5 p.m., “UNCORK Spring” at Mercer County Park will feature some of New Jersey’s best wineries including: Cava Winery, Chestnut Run Farms, Coda Rossa Winery, DiMatteo Vineyards, Four Sisters Winery, Monroeville Winery, Plagido’s Winery, Sharrott Winery, Southwind Vineyards, Terhune Orchards Winery and more. The selected wineries will bring numerous award-winning wines for sample and for sale, as well as many of their 2017 offerings., The event will also feature a variety of food trucks where visitors will be able to purchase meals and dessert options throughout the day. The Funktion and Goldenseal will provide musical entertainment on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. For the younger visitors, a Kids Zone will be available with a bounce house, face painting and craft activities to get involved in., Advance discount sampling tickets to “UNCORK Spring” at Mercer County Park are on sale now for only $15 (must be 21 or older to purchase). Sampling tickets at the gate are cash only each day for $20. Non-sampling tickets (21+) are $5 and can only be bought at the gate. Those under 21 have free admission but must be accompanied by a full-paying adult. For complete details about the festival and to purchase advance sampling tickets, visit www.newjerseywineevents.com., For more information, contact Kathy Bullock (GPS Inc.) at (609) 758-5400 or e-mail [email protected] or Beth Glasgow (GPS Inc.) at (609) 752-4122 or e-mail [email protected]., Master Gardeners to hold, Plant Expo, Garden Market , The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County will hold it annual Spring Plant Expo and Garden Market on Saturday, May 6, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mercer Educational Gardens, 431A Federal City Road, Hopewell Township, adjacent to the Mercer County Equestrian Center, rain or shine., The sale will feature Rutgers Master Gardener homegrown perennials and a garden market of plant material sold by selected top-notch nurseries from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. (Visit www.mgofmc.org for a complete listing of vendors and other sale details.) This is a unique opportunity to talk with vendors and purchase a wide assortment of native plants, woody ornamentals and perennials., Rutgers Master Gardener grown select tomatoes will be in abundance, including the popular Rutgers tomato varieties, Rutgers, Ramapo, Moreton, Rutgers 250, KC-146 and Rutgers 39, along with many heirloom varieties., Also a part of the Plant Expo is a second-hand sale of garden-related items. Mercer County Horticulturist Barbara J. Bromley will be answering gardening questions and Rutgers Master Gardeners will be on hand to help choose the right plant for the right place. Plan to come early for best selection and stay to enjoy every aspect the event., Master Gardeners of Mercer County is a volunteer educational outreach program of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, 930 Spruce St., Lawrence. Master Gardeners participate in many volunteer programs throughout the county, as well as answer home horticulture questions through their Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline, (609) 989-6853, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through February and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March through October. For more information on the Master Gardener program, the Mercer Education Gardens, or other Extension educational programs, contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension at (609) 989-6830 or visit the Master Gardeners of Mercer at www.mgofmc.org., Teen arts festival on the horizon, Hundreds of teenage artists and performers will experience the 2017 Mercer County Teen Arts Festival on Friday, May 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The festival provides high school and middle school students from the County’s public, private and parochial schools an opportunity for a day of full arts immersion at the West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College., The day is filled with master classes, workshops and hands-on art-making activities. Through these sessions, teens have the opportunity to make new friends and network with their peers, learn new artistic skills, enhance skills they already have and become better prepared for their future. Sessions are offered across artistic disciplines. Among the many offerings are: plein air painting, ceramics and portfolio review for those engaged in visual arts; performing arts students can explore music improv, modern dance or rock vocals; and students with literary ideas can work on creative storytelling and publishing workshops., Critique sessions are also a key aspect of the day. Experts and teachers in each arts field offer students constructive feedback on their work and performances to help advance students’ understanding of their work, provide suggestions for future exploration in their field, and even offer guidance for their future academic and career endeavors. These critiques go beyond a simple statement of an artwork being “great,” and truly offer opportunity for the students to see their work in a new light., All art and performances presented for critique are further evaluated by the adjudicators, and a select group of students are offered a special opportunity to present their work at the State Teen Arts Festival, which takes place May 31 through June 2 at Ocean County Community College in Toms River., The Mercer County Teen Arts Festival is presented by the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage. The Division is excited to introduce a new Teen Arts Festival Coordinator, Marisa N. Benson, for the 2017 event. Benson is a Ewing-based arts consultant with experience in community arts and festival programming. She has worked on large multi-arts festivals and events in Trenton, Camden and Orange, with a specific expertise in arts programming for youth, family and community audiences., Questions about the Mercer County Teen Arts Festival or other Division of Culture and Heritage programs may be directed to [email protected] or 609-278-2712.
