Sharing the Knowledge – Gardening In the Mother Lode

If you are one of our many dedicated readers, you may have noticed that column authors have changed as the years have gone by. New Master Gardeners have joined the writing team while others have either retired or moved from our area. What every writer has in common is their love of gardening and, more importantly, their desire to share their education and information with local gardeners.
In 2006, we considered a new project to raise funds to develop the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden. We compiled articles written from 2004 to mid-2006 and presented them in book form. Our Master Gardener board approved the project and in November 2006 we offered our first book for sale. Sharing the Knowledge: Gardening in the Mother Lode was very successful.
Our Demonstration Garden enjoyed the profits of the book sales. We constructed and refurbished vegetable raised beds and added new fruit trees and berries. We designed and planted native, rose and rock gardens. We installed pavers for the demonstration area.
It has been four years since the sale of our first book. We’ve decided to compile recent articles and offer Sharing the Knowledge: Gardening in the Mother Lode, Book 2. Due to the volume of articles, we could not include them all in this second book. However, the variety of articles that are included will provide the reader with a wide range of gardening advice. Articles in the book are grouped by subject. There are chapters on help for the new foothill gardener, seasonal gardening, water, soils, native plants and trees, good and bad bugs, garden design, flowers and shrubs, vegetable gardens, sustainable gardening, healthy gardening and animal challenges.
Book 2 is all new material not contained in Book 1. If you purchased the first book, this would be a great companion. The book will be available in December, just in time for holiday gift-giving. You may pre-order Book 2 and save 10% off the published price of $25.00.
For only $22.50 this spiral-bound book of 290 pages can be yours to enjoy through the winter months. Send check or money order payable to UC Regents to UCCE, 2 South Green St., Sonora, CA 95370, Attn: Robin Blood. Please include your name and telephone number with your payment.
Pre-ordered books can be picked up at our book signing at Columbia Nursery, December 11th and 12th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Master Gardener authors will be on hand to sign your book.

Carolee James has been a regular writer to this column. She thinks her best columns are those that describe her gardening experiences.