Free Fall Garden Festival October 1

Whether you prefer gardening, shopping, cooking demos or silent auctions, there will be plenty of activities at the 2016 Fall Garden Fest, held from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, at Trietsch Memorial UMC Family Life Center, 6101 Morriss Road in Flower Mound. Admission is free and includes a variety of activities for youngsters.

Educational presentations begin at 9:30 a.m. starting with Chef Charles Youts of the Classic Café in Roanoke who will prepare dishes made from fresh, seasonal vegetables and herbs. Two additional one-hour programs will be presented twice that day at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. They feature Janet Gershenfeld, Master Gardener, discussing “Edibles in your Landscape” and Steven Chamblee, chief horticulturist at Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, presenting “Garden Harmony 101.”

Informational booths will address the following topics: bees, monarch butterflies, gourds, veggie gardening, herb growing, container gardening, Earthkind, landscape design, worm composting, water conservation, tree care and more.

Dozens of craftspeople will be on hand to sell plants, yard arts, gifts and more. A silent auction will offer a variety of treasures. Refreshments will be available from the 4H club concession. For complete details visit dcmga.com or look for the Denton County Master Gardener Association on Facebook.

All Denton County residents who are interested in becoming a Master Gardener are invited to the organization’s Round Up meeting from 10 a.m. until noon on Thursday, October 13, at the Joseph A. Carroll Building, 401 W. Hickory St. in Denton.

County residents wishing to apply for the 2017 Master Gardener training program must do so no later than October 14. Attending the Round Up is not a requirement for applicants, but everyone must complete an application form that is available online. For complete details, including all requirements for new members, visit www.dcmga.com.

The DCMGA is an educational initiative affiliated with the Texas Master Gardener Association and Texas AgriLife Extension Service within Texas A&M University. The program aims to increase horticultural education and projects in Denton County through training and volunteer efforts. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides equal opportunities in its programs and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation  or gender identity.