Join us for the 7th Annual Symposium, a day full of Master Gardener-level continuing education presented by top notch speakers on the hottest topics!
**REGISTRATION NOT AVAILABLE THE DAY OF THE EVENT!**
First, acquaint yourself with the Breakout Session Descriptions and Meet Our Incredible Speakers by scrolling down this page. Make a note of the sessions you'd like to attend. Each breakout session consists of four presentations to select from. A description of each presentation is below. You will choose which presentations you attend.
Lunch is provided as part of the registration fee, with multiple options. Beverages will be provided during the breakout sessions.
*** PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. ***
THERE WILL NOT BE ANY REGISTRATION THE DAY OF THE EVENT!
REGISTRATION CLOSES TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024 AT 8:00 pm
$55 Registration Fee for Everyone! Public is Welcome!
Mail-In Registrations with Check Must be Postmarked by March 22, 2024
See directly below for links and registration details. No refunds after 3/24/24.
Overnight accommodations: King suite reservations can be made by CALLING 406-495-0505 -- Comfort Suites Helena Airport, 3180 N. Washington St. in Helena for $132/night + tax. You must CALL 406-495-0505 and ask for the Gold Country Master Gardener room block to get this rate. Breakfast is included in your room rate.
8:30 - 9:00 am - Registration
8:30 am - 3:45 pm - Seed Swap
9:00 - 10:15 am - Session 1
10:30 - 11:45 am - Session 2
11:45 - 1:00 pm - Roundtable Lunch
and Vendor Booths
1:00 - 2:15 pm - Session 3
2:30 - 3:45 pm - Session 4
REGISTRATION CLOSES ON TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024 AT 11:59 PM!
For check payment: Click "Download" to download, print and mail a paper registration with check payment.
Class descriptions, and registration and mail instructions included on downloaded form.
2024 Paper Registration Form 2 (pdf)
DownloadSee below for description of sessions organized by Breakout Session.
Presented by Stephen M. Vantassel, Montana Department of Agriculture
Proper identification of vertebrate pests (voles, ground squirrels, etc.) is essential for effective control. This training will teach the principles and tactics of inspecting for vertebrate pest damage in lawns and gardens, and emphasize inspection principles, procedures, and diagnostic signs of common vertebrate pest damage in Montana.
Presented by Marion "Mair" Murray, IPM Specialist, Utah State University Extension
Pruning trees, applying dormant sprays – these are not the only tasks for your backyard fruit trees in spring. Get a leg up on what you might need to do now and for an entire season of pest management for tree fruits, from pre-bloom to fall. Whether you grow fruits conventionally or organic, or if you have one tree or twenty, this presentation is for you.
Presented by Alexis Clingingsmith, Co-Owner, Green Thumb Garden Supply
This presentation will take you "from seed to sauce" and provide all of the information you need to know about growing tomatoes. I will present information about selecting tomato varieties, seed starting suggestions, planting tips & tricks, fertilizer suggestions and end-use inspiration.
Presented by Kareen Erbe, Owner, Broken Ground
If you’ve been curious about permaculture and want a better understanding of what it’s all about, join this workshop! Kareen will demystify the term, take you through permaculture ethics and principles and share examples of how permaculture can be applied to your yard and garden. Learn how to design an edible, highly productive, resilient and regenerative landscape!
Presented by Allison Kosto, MSU Extension Broadwater County
THIS SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR 2024 AND WILL BE REOFFERED IN 2025 DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
Please select another presentation this session.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a pest management strategy that uses a wide range of pest control methods instead of focusing solely on chemical control options. It uses knowledge of life cycles and interaction with the environment to develop the best pest management approach. This workshop will provide an overview of IPM, pest identification and control methods. The session will also briefly discuss the science behind homemade pesticides. The workshop will feature hands-on activities to allow participants to explore pest identification and control.
Presented by Michael Billington, The Native Seed Foundation
Plant once, harvest for years!! This presentation will introduce many tasty, productive and beautiful perennial vegetables that have been proven to thrive in Montana. Topics include species profiles, growing techniques and culinary uses. Unlike many perennial foods, which are interesting but have very limited use, the species being presented are useful as kitchen staples. This informationally dense presentation is packed with 10+ years of first-hand experiences that can empower you to produce food in a whole new way. Live plant materials will be displayed.
Presented by Abiya Saeed, MSU Extension Specialist
Are you interested in greenhouse gardening but don’t know where to begin? This class will cover the basics of greenhouse gardening, including types of greenhouses and growing structures for extending the season, equipment needs and materials, troubleshooting pest issues, and what it takes to get started!
Presented by Mat Walter, MSU Extension Lewis & Clark County
Do you have poor organic matter in your soil? Are you looking for an easy way to fix your compaction issues and feed your soil? Green “manure” may be the answer you’re looking for. We’ll review how cover crops are used to develop organic matter in the soil and how to create green manure in the garden. Specifically, we will overview guidelines for termination, species selection, planting and tillage.
Lunch is provided as part of your registration.
This year we will all be downstairs for lunch and will network in roundtables on today's presentation topics and more!
There is also space available to just socialize!
Come revel in the camaraderie of our shared passions!
MSU EXTENSION-O-RAMA RESOURCE TABLE:
Sarah Eilers, Montana Master Gardener Coordinator
Abi Saeed, MSU Extension Horticulture Specialist
Zach Miller, Western Ag Research Center
Eva Grimme, Plant Diagnostician, Schutter Lab
Our Area's MSU Extension Agents and Specialists:
Mat Walter, Allison Kosto, Kaleena Miller
Stephen Vantassel, MT Dept. of Agriculture
Mair Murray, Utah State University Extension
Montana Native Plant Society
L&C Co Noxious Weed Control District
L&C Conservation District
Green Thumb Garden Supply
The Native Seed Foundation
Broken Ground Permaculture
Be Sure to Swing by the Seed Swap Table!!
Presented by Alexis Clingingsmith, Co-Owner, Green Thumb Garden Supply
I was once told, "It's not even worth starting a garden in Montana. It's too cold and the season is too short." This presentation will completely debunk that statement! I will walk through many of the wonderful garden crops that can be grown in Montana. Once we have a feel for the crops that can be grown, I will walk the audience through the process of picking varieties for their gardens based on the availability of their space, their end-use goal and more!
Presented by Michael Billington, The Native Seed Foundation
Managing seeds is the cornerstone of civilization, restoration and gardening. Being able to gather, clean and store seeds is the difference between being a plant producer and a plant consumer. This class applies to gardeners, wild plant enthusiasts or people seeking employment in the world of native seeds. This presentation offers rare insight and hard-earned knowledge in hopes of empowering participants. Learn highly practical low-tech skills. We will discuss the business world of native seeds, timing seed harvests, barriers to successful collections, harvesting tools and techniques, principles/practices of cleaning seed and the proper storage of seeds. Includes demonstrations of field-tested tools
Presented by Zach Miller, Superintendent, MSU Western Ag Research Center
Berries offer great tastes in a small and easily managed planting, but you need to start with types and varieties that can withstand Montana climates, and you should know how to manage these plantings for a bountiful harvest. This presentation will cover the species and varieties of berries that do well in Montana, including traditional (strawberries and raspberries) and novel (Haskap/honeyberries, dwarf sour cherries, serviceberries, elderberries and currants). We’ll also discuss how to manage the plantings from basic pruning, irrigation, fertilization, and pest management.
Presented by Eva Grimme, Plant Pathologist, MSU Schutter Diagnostic Lab
The correct and timely identification of plant diseases is the key for implementing successful management strategies. In this presentation, we will focus on identifying symptoms and signs of plant diseases common in Montana. We will guide participants through the primary diagnostic process step-by-step and we will discuss concepts of integrated pest management. This presentation will include interactive components like the handling of actual samples, review activities, and magnifying signs of plant diseases with a microscope.
Presented by Kaleena Miller, MSU Extension Jefferson County
Join us as we learn how to build and maintain a backyard composting operation. We’ll discuss essential components to consider and examples of materials to add to your pile as well as items to leave out. Do you have questions about how much time and labor this will require? Can you use existing materials around the house to build one? Are all forms of manure acceptable? How do I know when the compost is finished? We’ll walk through a few compost troubleshooting scenarios as we build a compost bin together during the workshop.
Presented by Sarah Eilers, Montana Master Gardener Coordinator
How do plants know what to do? What features are plants equipped with that enable them to survive and reproduce? This presentation covers the concepts that deal with how plants mature: cells and seeds along with root and stem growth. If you are a plant geek, this talk is for you. The presentation is based on the book Botany for Gardeners by Brian Capon.
Presented by Zach Miller, Superintendent, MSU Western Ag Research Center
This presentation will include what varieties of tree fruit (apple, pear, and others) can thrive in Montana, basic planting considerations, and how to manage the trees. We’ll cover basic pruning and pest management practices.
Presented by Mair Murray, IPM Specialist, Utah State University Extension
Grasshoppers are always a nuisance but in the last several years, they have invaded backyard gardens and small farms in very large numbers. Learn about which species of grasshoppers are typically found in these settings, and when they start appearing—which is different for each species. This presentation will cover grasshopper identification, life cycles, outbreak trends, and conventional and organic management tactics.
Born in Montana, Michael lives on his farm near Flathead Lake with his wise wife and playful daughter. He operates The Native Seed Foundation which gathers, processes and distributes native seeds that have helped to rehabilitate thousands of acres throughout the United States. He also operates a seed farm and nursery that investigates and distributes useful and hardy plants from around the world. This companies are born from his passion of how landscapes shape culture and cultures shape landscapes. A guiding belief, that without landscape literacy we can never fully become our brightest selves, has led him to seek knowledge and training from both teachers and ecosystems. He believes that healthy societies are born from healthy landscapes and that to be able to cultivate healthy landscapes we must learn crafts and trades that make us an extension of the lands we live on. Through creating earthworks and ponds, farming and spreading seeds he tries to erase the thin line that divides self and surroundings.
Alexis is the co-owner of Green Thumb Garden Supply located in the heart of Belgrade. For over ten years, my family and I have dedicated ourselves to providing top-quality gardening supplies and expert advice to many levels of gardeners. Rooted in my heritage, I am a 5th generation Montanan, deeply connected to the agricultural traditions that define this great state. My passion for agriculture led me to pursue higher education at Montana State University, where I earned my Bachelor's degree in Crop Science. Go Cats! Driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a desire to expand the family business, I continued my academic journey at The Ohio State University, earning a Master's Degree in Plant Health Management. Armed with this advanced education, I've been better equipped to contribute to the well-being of plants and customers. Gardening is not just a profession but also a personal passion. I find immense joy in all aspects of gardening, with a particular fondness for cultivating anything that can be preserved for future use. Nothing tastes better than a jar of home canned tomato sauce in the middle of February. Beyond the garden, I lead a life rich in outdoor pursuits and hobbies like hunting, fishing, camping, and photography!
Kareen Erbe is the owner of Broken Ground, a garden design consultant and educator. For over a decade, she has helped people in cold climates grow their own food so they can eat healthier, live more
sustainably, and become more self-reliant. Kareen is certified in permaculture design, a whole-systems
approach to land management and sustainable living. She is on the faculty of the Permaculture
Women’s Guild, the Green Path Herb School and the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute
and has been featured in The New Pioneer, the Self-sufficient Podcast, Rocky Mountain Gardening
Magazine, Distinctly Montana, and edible Bozeman.
From getting clients started on their first ever garden, to working with couples on designing a full-blown
homestead, to designing large-scale farms, she’s helped thousands of people grow nutritious
food for their family through consultations, design services, her signature Resilient Homestead
Program, and her YouTube channel.
Kareen and her husband live on a suburban homestead in Bozeman, with their dog Beni, a greenhouse, pond, vegetable gardens, a food forest of fruit trees and berry bushes, and a flock of
chickens.
Since fall 2006, Mair Murray has managed the Utah Extension Integrated Pest Management Program at Utah State University. Her primary mission is to deliver high-quality and relevant outreach and research in sustainable pest management of fruits, vegetables, and landscape ornamentals. Prior to coming to USU, she spent 10 years in public horticulture education and landscape management. She received her Master’s degree in plant pathology from Oregon State University and is originally from North Carolina.
Stephen M. Vantassel is the Vertebrate Pest Specialist for the Montana Department of Agriculture. Stephen began working in the wildlife control industry in the early 1980s when he obtained is license as a Problem Animal Control agent. In the 1994, Stephen founded Wildlife Removal Service, Inc. (sold in 1998) servicing clients in western Massachusetts. Later, he spent 10 years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln managing the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM.org). He is a Certified Wildlife Control Professional (CWCP™) and Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE™). Stephen has published scores of articles and several books on wildlife control. His latest book is a revision of the classic Being Kind to Animal Pestswhich explains how to use cage/box traps humanely. He is presently revising Dr. Austin Frishman’s book, Vertebrate Pest Handbook. Stephen is based in beautiful, Lewistown, MT, where he loves helping his fellow Montanans resolve vertebrate pest complaints.
Sarah Eilers has been an ISA Certified Arborist for 17 years. She was employed in both Helena and Bozeman as a private arborist. In the fall of 2016, she began working for Montana State University. She assisted in the Schutter Diagnostic Lab and was the IPM Manager. In the fall of 2022, she became the new Montana Master Gardener Coordinator.
Eva Grimme is the Plant Pathologist for horticultural samples in the Schutter Diagnostic Laboratory at Montana State University. She is focusing on the identification of plant diseases and abiotic issues and provides recommendations based on Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Eva started her career as a certified gardener in Germany and specialized in Plant Pathology for her MS and PhD from Montana State University. She has over 25 years of experience in applied horticulture and has worked with a wide variety of plant systems including annual and perennial ornamentals, woody ornamentals, vegetables, and turfgrass.
Allison Kosto has been the MSU Extension Agent in Broadwater County since 2015, focusing on agriculture, horticulture, community development and 4-H youth development. She has over 13 years experience in Extension in two states as both a county educator and State 4-H Specialist. Allison now resides in her hometown of Townsend and enjoys helping on the family ranch, gardening and spending time with her three children.
Kaleena Miller is the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Horticulture Extension Agent for Madison and Jefferson Counties. She has been in her current position since February of 2019. Since moving to Butte from New York state in 2011, Kaleena has served as an AmeriCorps member, worked for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), and most recently, worked for the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO). She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Economics and Management from the University of Rhode Island and a Master's Degree in Environmental Policy from Bard College. Kaleena lives with her husband Dave in Butte and in her free time, you can find her doing something active such as hiking, skiing, or playing volleyball. She also enjoys the challenge of gardening in Butte's short growing season.
Dr. Zach Miller is an associate professor and superintendent of the Montana State University-Western Ag Research Center (WARC). WARC, located in Corvallis, Montana, is one of seven centers that make up the M.S.U.-Department of Research Centers. WARC’s focus is on high-value, specialty crops including fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Miller’s expertise is in plant and pest ecology and integrated pest management. He’s conducted research around the globe, from the rain forests of Central and South America to the high plains of Utah and Montana. He received his doctorate from the University of Michigan. At Montana State University, Dr. Miller has used this ecological approach to address a variety of challenges facing farmers in the region. He’s collaborating with scientists at MSU and across the country to improve integrated pest management of weeds and disease in a variety of crops. In horticultural crops, Dr. Miller is researching a variety fruit and vegetable production topics, including vegetable varieties suited for organic production, maximizing yields and returns for high tunnels, cold-hardy fruit production, including berries, grapes, and apples.
Abiya "Abi" Saeed is the Extension Horticulture Specialist at Montana State University. She has over 10 years of research, education, and outreach experience in pollinator conservation, integrated pest management, native bees, and pollinator health. Using her passion for native bees and pollinator conservation, Abi has built pollinator programming and written several publications on the topic throughout her roles in extension horticulture at Montana State University, Michigan State University, and Colorado State University. She is also a writer for the Garden Professor Blog, and a recurring panelist on Montana Ag Live.
Mat Walter is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Lewis and Clark County. Mat has been with MSU Extension for 7 years and has been an agent in Lewis and Clark County for 3 years. Prior to joining Extension, Mat spent 10 years conducting crop research and pesticide education.
You don't want to miss this valuable educational opportunity!
Make plans now to join us on March 30, 2024!
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