The Calhoun County Master Gardeners recently conducted training in curing and decorating gourds. The gourds were grown at Cane Creek Community Garden at Ft. McClellan as part of a plasticulture system demonstration sponsored by The Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and Coosa Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council.

Master Gardener volunteers were trained in curing and cleaning gourds early in the year. They brought their prepared gourds to a day-long class to learn how to craft useful goods from the gourds.

Recently, the Agriculture Department of Collinsville High School’s FFA invited Judy Edmond, n urban regional Extension agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, to participate in their annual Agriculture Farm Day.

The purpose of the activity was to help students understand the importance of the agriculture system in our world and to have great appreciation and respect for farming, whether on large on a large or small scale.

More than 60 gardeners assembled at an on-site gardening location in the Knoxville community in Talladega Feb. 26 to learn about plasticulture gardening. The group included backyard gardeners as well as commercial producers from Talladega County and surrounding counties. A hands-on demonstration included the installation of a drip irrigation system and the installation of large sheets of black plastic.