Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: David Graf, 940-716-8610, cdgraf@ag.tamu.edu
WICHITA FALLS – The Arts Alive 2016 Home and Garden Festival on Feb. 27-28 will be hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Wichita County and the Wichita County Master Gardeners Association.
The annual home and garden show will be in the Ray Clymer Exhibit Hall, 1000 5th St. Admission is $8 per person or $6 in advance from local business supporters or Master Gardeners.
Vendor exhibits, seminars and demonstrations are scheduled from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Feb. 27 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Feb. 28. The program will benefit the Arts Council of Wichita Falls through the Kemp Center for the Arts.
The primary segment of the educational sessions will occur in the auditorium starting at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 27 with the following topics and speakers:
– Tree Preservation, Charlie Carr, Texas Tree Care certified arborist, Wichita Falls.
– Landscaping Bare Lawn Areas, Steve Smith, Smith’s Gardentown Farms, Wichita Falls.
– Vegetable Gardening for Our Area, Steve Chaney, AgriLife Extension home horticulture county agent in Tarrant County.
– English Garden Texas Style, Randy Weston, Weston Gardens in Bloom Inc., Fort Worth.
A special educational lineup, known as “Challenge Sessions,” will be held throughout the two-day event. These hour-long sessions will feature a variety of topics in an informal setting, where attendees may interact with speakers, said David Graf, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Wichita County.
Challenge Sessions on Feb. 27 will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Morning sessions will include: First Detector and Rose Rosette Virus, Reviving Our Trees, Bare Areas Under Trees, Building Simple Raised Beds, Vegetable Gardening, Backyard Rabbits and Pet-Friendly Backyards.
Educational sessions on Feb. 28 begin at 11:30 a.m. and end at 3:45 p.m. Topics and speakers include:
– Nature’s Way to Take Care of Your Skin, Dr. Don Wayne Berry, Wichita Falls.
– Texoma Weather: 2016 and Beyond, Bryan Rupp, meteorologist with KFDX-TV3.
– Pollinators: Myths and Mysteries, Mark Klym, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Bastrop.
Challenge Sessions on Feb. 28 will run from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and the topics will be: Backyard Hens and Chicks, Raised Bed Gardens with Rainwater, How to Start Garden Seeds, Gardening Tips and Tricks, and Canning, Dehydration and More.
For more information, contact Graf at 940-716-8610 or cdgraf@ag.tamu.edu.
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