OXFORD, Miss. – The Master Gardeners of Oxford and
Lafayette County launch their annual spring lecture series
Thursday (March 27) at the University of Mississippi.
Hosted at the University Museum, the noon brown bag
programs are scheduled each Thursday through April 24. They
are open to the public at no charge. The theme for this
year’s series is “Gardening Outside the Box.”
“We are thrilled to have five experts to speak at the
Spring Lecture Series,” said Master Gardener Anna Haller.
“These individuals are known for their knowledge and
expertise far beyond Oxford and Mississippi. They are the
‘rock stars’ of the gardening world.”
Scheduled topics and presenters are as follows:
- March 27 – “Garden Pharmacopoeia: From Dirt to
Tetracycline.” Nan Johnson, research horticulturist at the
Medicinal Plant Garden of UM’s National Center for Natural
Products Research, addresses the medicinal plant world,
including the safety of supplements derived from plants.
She also plans to discuss how to germinate
difficult-to-grow plants and give an overview of the work
at NCNPR. - April 3 – “Kinder Gardening: Carrots and Beans for Boys
and Girls.” Chuck Waller, UM clinical instructor of
curriculum and instruction, discusses how he uses
horticulture to help emotionally disturbed children develop
their social skills. Waller, who also teaches at Magnolia
School in Horn Lake, owns and operates Walnut Ridge Nursery
in Lafayette County. - April 10 – “Doing Time in the Garden: Penitentiary
Potatoes and Corn for Convicts.” Leo Mask, former Pontotoc
County sheriff, discusses how he fed prisoners at a cost of
40 cents per day using fresh vegetables the prisoners
cultivated. - April 17 – “The Secret Life of Bees: No Bees, No Honey,
No Work, No Money.” Harold Brummett, third-generation
beekeeper; shares how his bees supply his family and
friends with honey and keep his fruits, flowers and
vegetables pollinated. - April 24 – “Home Grown with the ‘Little Rascals’: How
Playing in the Dirt Makes Better Kids.” Hilary Shughart,
president of the Oxford and Lafayette County chapter of the
Native Plant Society, discusses organized gardening for
children, a project at the Barksdale Boys & Girls Club, as
well as the installation of a native garden at the
Oxford-Lafayette County Public Library and coordination of
the first Mississippi Sustainability Conference at Ole
Miss.
For each luncheon program, Master Gardeners plan to provide
their own propagated plants and other garden items as door
prizes. Also, several pertinent publications from the
Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service will be available
at cost.
The University Museum is located at 5th Street and
University Avenue. For more information on museum programs,
go to
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/u?museum/.
For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7073.