'Soils Support Agriculture'

Soil Science Society of America

In celebration of the International Year of Soil 2015 (IYS), the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is coordinating a series of activities throughout to educate the public about the importance of soil. March's theme is "Soils Support Agriculture."

Here are a few facts about soils and agriculture:

• Soils support agriculture by serving as the foundation of where we grow our food.
• Virtually everything in our diets either directly or indirectly came from the soil.
• The nutritious calcium found in broccoli is not only good for humans, but it was necessary for the broccoli plant to grow, too. Plants use calcium to help with cell division, and for getting other nutrients from the soil.
• Some plants, like alfalfa, not only grow in the soil, but add nutrients back to the soil.

As part of their celebration of IYS, SSSA is developing a series of twelve 2-minute educational videos. March's Soils Support Agriculture video can be viewed at www.soils.org/iys/monthly-videos. The American Society of Agronomy co-sponsored the video. Educational materials can be viewed at www.soils.org/iys by clicking on the March tab.

Follow SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSSA.soils, Twitter at SSSA_Soils. SSSA also has a blog, Soils Matter, at http://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/. Additional soils information is on www.soils.org/discover-soils, for teachers at www.soils4teachers.org, and for students through 12th grade, www.soils4kids.org.

Tyler: Smith County Master Gardener Association presents "Vines for Vertical Interest ,"an informative lecture covering seasonable gardening topics, on March 3. Held on the patio of the IDEA garden, located in the SE corner of the Tyler Rose Garden, 420 Rose Park Dr., Tyler, the program begins at noon. The lecture is approximately 30 minutes with a Q&A session following. Seating is limited; please bring a chair for your comfort. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://txmg.org/smith/coming-events/ or call 903-590-2980.

Galveston: Herbs...glorious fragrant plants that offer so many connections to the past. Herbs...the basis of cooking, medicine, beauty and home care. With the arrival of spring it's the perfect time to celebrate herbs! The Friends of Moody Gardens are hosting their 3rd Annual Gulf Coast Herb Fair and Luncheon, Wednesday, March 4, benefiting Galveston's children and seniors by planting seeds of education. Houston Chef Randy Evans, will be the featured speaker at the luncheon at the Garden Restaurant, Moody Gardens Visitor Center, 1 Hope Boulevard, Galveston. Randy is the owner of Southern Son Consulting and former Executive Chef at Brennan's of Houston. Herb Educators will feature nutritional herbs including basil, cilantro, fennel, dill and rosemary. Fresh plants, handouts, and displays will be used to educate the visitors of the nutritional importance of selected herbs. The Herb Fair gets an early start with the Garden Blessing in the Moody Gardens Butterfly Garden at 9:30 a.m. beginning with a musical prelude by Natalie Wiest. Vendors with herb related merchandise will offer everything from olive oil to organic pet food, fresh herbs and organic teas. Vendors from the area will offer their merchandise for sale during the fair from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Moody Garden's Rainforest Visitor's Center. For more information or reservations contact offdah@aol.com, 409-744-1826 or mlkelso@sbcglobal.net, 409-744-4716. There is no charge for the Herb Fair or Garden Blessing; the luncheon is $35.00 per person.

San Antonio: San Antonio Garden Center Clubs will meet Wednesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at 3310 N. New Braunfels @ Funston. The program will feature Horticulturalist David Rodriguez from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, who will talk about the Bexar County Master Gardener Program and give home gardening tips for "Digging Into Spring." Join members for coffee at 9:30 a.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.sanantoniogardencenter.org  or call 210-824-9981.

Seguin: The Lunch and Learn Gardening Program "How to Use Companion Plantings in the Landscape" will be presented noon-1 p.m. Thursday, March 5, by Peggy Jones, Master Gardener, and the Guadalupe County Master Gardeners at the Texas AgriLife Extension Office, 210 East Live Oak, Seguin. By taking advantage of the natural friendships between plants you can in turn attract butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects. No cost: Just bring your own lunch (optional). For more information, contact Treva Hicks, 830-303-4712.

Tomball: Dr. David Creech, SFA Gardens, Nacogdoches, will present "Cool Trees and Shrubs for Houston" at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 5, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com. 

Austin: Austin's most loved, locally raised heirloom veggies and herbs make their big debut 9 a.m. at Sunshine Community Garden (SCG) 4814 Sunshine Dr., Austin, March 7. The sale is the largest Certified Organic Non-Profit Plant event in Texas. More than 150 Tomato varieties, 72 Wicked Hot and Sweet Bell Pepper varieties, 15 kinds of Eggplants, 5,000 herbs and other plants ready for spring planting. The first bite of a delicious and juicy home-grown organic tomato will make you beg for more. Improve your health with regular gardening exercise. Save big money by growing your own organic vegetables. For a complete list of plants on sale and varieties to grow visit http://www.sunshinecommunitygarden.org/ For a Fun-Filled day, come early. Learn organic gardening practices. Talk with Vendors. Listen to Live Music. Walk the 180 gardens on display. Kids love to visit the Chicken Coop. Purchase Lady Bug compost too! A percentage of the sales proceeds will benefit TSBVI's horticulture and animal care programs. SCG members donate time, gardening experience and expertise to help students at the school. SCG also grow, harvest and deliver twice weekly thousands of pounds of vegetables per year to the Micah 6 Food Bank and Pantry. For additional information, visit http://sunshinecommunitygardens.org/.

Austin: The Green Corn Project Spring Dig-ins will take place over three weekends in March, installing and refurbishing vegetable gardens for the under-served communities in Austin. Participating in a dig-in is a great way to share your gardening knowledge or learn more about gardening yourself while helping to bring nourishing food to others. The three weekends are March 7/8, 14/15 and 28/29. For more information and to register, visit http://www.greencornproject.org/dig-ins.

Beaumont: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Landscape Design and Rainwater Harvesting Workshop, Saturday, March 7, 8 a.m. to noon at the Tyrrell Park Garden Center, 6088 Babe Zaharias, Beaumont. Cost: $10 Learn to landscape with natives and drought tolerant plants while utilizing your space. Jefferson County Master Gardeners Tony Lucenti and Toni Clark both Landscape Design Specialist will be the speakers for this important design concept. The second part of the workshop will teach you the fundamentals of capturing rainwater to supplement water usage in and around your home. Jefferson County Master Gardener Jerry White a Rainwater Harvesting Specialist will guide you through this process. For reservations contact the Extension Office at 409-835-8461 and event information is posted at http://jefferson.agrilife.org.

Jacksonville: The Cherokee County Master Gardeners Spring Garden Conference will be held March 7 at First Christian Church, 1920 Beaumont St., Jacksonville. The Vendor Hall opens at 8 a.m., with live demonstrations. Speakers include Jud Morrison,"If It Lived, It Can Live Again"; Mary Wilhite, "Plants for East Texas"; and James Wilhite "Preparing Soil for Harsh Conditions." Registration Begins at 8 a.m. Registration Fee: $10. For more information, call 903-683-5416.

Longview: The annual Spring Garden and Landscape Seminar will be presented by the Gregg County Master Gardeners, on Saturday, March 7, at the First United Methodist Church, Faith Center, Whatley St. entrance, from 7:45 a.m. to noon. Chris Wiesinger, owner of The Southern Bulb Company, will be the speaker. He is nationally known as the "The Bulb Hunter." Wiesinger's topic will be "Seeking Botanical Treasures." He has a passion for seeking bulbs once-lost to the Southern gardeners, bulbs that thrive in warm climates, many of which are heirloom and rare flower bulbs. Wiesinger will have bulbs and copies of his two books for sale at the seminar. There will be vendors, door prizes, raffle and refreshments. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For information, call the Gregg County AgriLife Extension Service at 903-236-8429 or visit www.txmg.org/gregg.

Pasadena: On Saturday, March 7, visit Precinct 2, Harris County Master Gardeners Perennial, Pepper, Tomato and Herb Sale at Campbell Hall, Pasadena Fairgrounds, 7600 Red Bluff, Pasadena. Preview of Perennials by Heidi Sheesley, owner of Treesearch Farms at 8:00 am. Sale hours 9 a.m.-1 p.m. If it's sold at our sale it, grows in our area. Details:https://hcmga.tamu.edu.

San Antonio: Join Green Spaces Alliance to enhance the Pittman-Sullivan Food Forest with low-impact development (LID) infrastructure and permaculture techniques. Local experts will share their knowledge with insightful presentations and hands-on learning opportunities throughout each day. Spring PermaBlitz will occur over two days: Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pittman-Sullivan Food Forest - an east side community garden at 1100 Dakota, San Antonio. Interested parties should visit http://www.greensatx.org/community-gardens/educational-series for more detailed information and to register.

Tomball: The Gunters will be on hand to answer questions about selecting and growing herloom vegetables at 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com.  

Tomball: Dave and Trish Whitinger will present "Growing Your Own," at 10 a.m Saturday, March 7, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com.

Tomball: Bill Adams and Tom LeRoy will present "Spring Vegetable Gardening" at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 8, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com.

Austin: Ryan Sansury of Logro Farms will discuss growing mushrooms sustainably at the March 9 Austin Organic Gardeners' Club, which meets at the Austin Area Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Rd, in Zilker Botanical Gardens. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the opportunity to meet, mingle, and ask questions with local gardeners; club business begins at 7 pm, followed by the guest speaker's presentation. For more information, visit www.austinorganicgardeners.org.

Victoria: Victoria County Master Gardener Association "Lunch and Learn With the Masters" will present "Raised Beds: No Till Gardening"from noon until 1 p.m., March 9, at the Pattie Dodson Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St, Victoria. Debbie Hopper will present the program. The event is free. Those who desire to do so, may bring a sack lunch and beverage.

Tomball: Cynthia Graham, RN, BSN, will present "Petalicious," Wednesday, March 11, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. There are at least 42 different garden flowers with edible petals. Discover the benefits of a colorful edible garden. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com.

Austin: "Using Native Plants in the Landscape" will be presented 10 a.m. to noon March 12 at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-Travis Co, 1600-B Smith Road, Austin. Native Texas plants bring beauty and function to your garden while being well adapted to handle Texas' blazing summers, drought, and other weather extremes. In addition to being water-wise, native plants provide great benefits to pollinators and birds. 4-H CAPITAL's gardening specialist and Texas Master Naturalist Meredith O'Reilly will guide you in choosing the right natives for your yard and your garden goals. Cost: $10/seminar for early registration; $15/seminar for late or on-site. To register, visit https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/TravisCounty.

La Grange: Bill Adams will lead "Vegetable Gardening," noon-12:50 p.m., March 12, at the Fayette County Agricultural Building, 255 Svoboda Lane, La Grange. For additional information, call 979-968-5831 or visit http://fayette.agrilife.org.

San Antonio: Ruben Villarreal will bring Archi's Acres to San Antonio when he speaks at the San Antonio Herb Society's March meeting. This organization was founded in California and featured in Organic Gardening magazine last year to help train people in organic hydroponic herb growing and drive a national change toward sustainable organic gardening. Meeting will be held Thursday, March 12, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels. Free and open to the public. For additional information, call 210-826-6860 or emailmbelisle@satx.rr.com.

Tomball: Ann Wheeler, Log House Herbs, will present "Choosing the Best Herb for the Purpose" at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 12, and again at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 14, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com.  

The Woodlands: Helicopters in flight, hummingbirds delight the eye! Discover the antics and charm of nature's jewels at Hummingbirds 101: Everything you wanted to know about hummingbirds and more on Thursday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. Cliff Shackelford, non-game ornithologist with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, reveals the latest information on the hummingbirds of Texas and the habitat that brings them here. This free program of The Woodlands Township will be held in the L.G.I. Lecture Hall at McCullough Junior High School, 3800 S. Panther Creek Drive. For more information, visit Walk in the Woods Nature Lecture or call 281-210-3800.

Tomball: Agela Chandler will present "No Till Gardening" at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 15, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com.

Canyon Lake: The Lindheimer Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will meet on Tuesday, March 17, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, Canyon Lake. The program, "Texas Wildflowers," will be presented by Craig Hensley from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Craig is the Park Ranger at Guadalupe State Park, and very knowledgeable about local wildflowers. For more information, visit www.npsot.org/wp/lindheimer.  

Seabrook: On Wednesday, March 18, Paul Winski, Harris County Extension Agent-Horticulture, will present an educational program on Texas Superstars at10 a.m., in the Meeting Room at Clear Lake Park, 5001 NASA Parkway, Seabrook. Details: https://hcmga.tamu.edu.

Woodway: Lunch with the Master Gardeners, noon-2 p.m., March 18, at The Pavilion at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, 1 Pavilion Way, Woodway. Vegetable Specialists, Carol Wood and Jene Hering will discuss everything from building good soil to varieties and timing of planting vegetables. Learn how to successfully grow tomatoes, eggplant, Southern peas and many other spring vegetables.

Athens: Henderson County Master Gardener's 2015 Spring Conference will present "Smarter Gardening the Easy Way" featuring Skip Richter, Harris County AgriLife Extension Agent and Texas Gardener contributing editor, Thursday, March 19, at First United Methodist Church, Athens. Tickets are $20, advance purchase required. Dinner is included in the price of the ticket. Silent auction starts at 5 p.m., with dinner served at 6 p.m. For more information, call the Henderson County AgriLife Extension Office at 903-675-6130 or email hendersoncmga@gmail.com.

Dallas: Texas A&M AgriLife Water University: Sprinkler System Quick Fixes & System Operation will be presented 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Thursday, March 19, at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Building E Auditorium, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas. Is your sprinkler system turning on the wrong day? Do you have a leak or broken head? Did your city give you a warning? Learn how to make very basic hands on repairs & maintenance to home automatic sprinkler systems, how your sprinkler system operates and its components as well as how to program and reprogram your sprinkler controller utilizing the best and most efficient ways to water your landscape like, the soak and cycle method and other water efficiency practices. A properly functioning sprinkler system saves you time, money, and water! Cost: Free. Register online at: http://dallas.tamu.edu/courses.

San Antonio: Dr. Dotty Woodson, Water Resource Program Specialist, Texas AgriLife Research & Extension Center - Dallas willl present "Carnivorous Plants," Thursday, March 19, 6-8:30 p.m. 1.5 CEUs for MGs. Free. Bexar County Master Gardners Meeting begins with a social time at 6pm followed by the special presentation at 6:30pm at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, Suite 208, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, San Antonio. Topic: You don't have to be a kid to be fascinated by plants that eat bugs! Learn all kinds of interesting information about Carnivorous Plants. Dottie Woodson's programs cover landscape water conservation practices, rainwater harvesting, rain gardens, irrigation efficiency and drip irrigation. She works with county Extension agents, water utilities and districts, elected officials, nurserymen, landscapers, irrigation and rainwater harvesting professionals, Master Gardeners, Master Naturalist and homeowners. For more information, email Barbara Lutz, BCMG President, at President@bexarmg.org or call 210-467-6575.

Round Top: The 20th Annual Plant and Gift Sale sponsored by the Herb Society of America (Pioneer Unit) will take place March 20-21: plants and gifts for sale, Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Round Top Festival Hill, 248 Jaster Road, Round Top, free admission For additional information, visit www.herbsocietypioneer.org.

San Antonio: San Antonio Garden Center is hosting their popular Annual Plant Sale Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at 3310 N. New Braunfels @ Funston, San Antonio. Admission is free. The plant sale features a wide variety of drought tolerant native plants, perennials, bedding plants, flowers and herbs - all from local growers. For more information, visit SanAntonioGardenCenter.org or call 21- 824-9981.

Conroe: The Montgomery County Master Gardeners are having their annual Spring Sale, featuring perennials, vegetables, herbs and more, on Saturday, March 21, at 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. Program is at 8 a.m.; sale is from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call 936-539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com.

Gonzales: The Gonzales Master Gardeners' 5th Annual Spring Plant Sale will be held Saturday, March 21, from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in downtown Gonzales on Texas Heroes Square located just west of Gonzales County Court House. Shoppers will have the opportunity to make their selections from an assortment of vegetables, herbs, annual and perennial plants, succulents, cacti, and houseplants. A wide variety of vegetable plants will include heirloom tomato plants, various pepper varieties and much more. A great selection of herbs for the garden will be available. Check out the not-so-common perennials, hanging baskets, bromeliads, and dish gardens that will also be offered for sale. Bring your gardening questions to the "Ask the Master Gardener" booth and stop by to bid on the wide variety of items in the silent auction. Food and drink will also be available for sale. Contact Fran Saliger for more information at 830-672-2953.

McKinney: Now in its fifth year, The Collin County Master Gardener Association's Garden Show offers up a feast for the senses and a bountiful harvest of ideas, classes, vendors, and activities for the whole family. Whether a novice or a veteran, a gardener's education is never complete. There is no place better than The Garden Show to learn more about North Texas gardening, and Earth-Kind gardening principles. The Garden Show will take place on March 21 & 22, at beautiful Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney. Demonstrations and presentations will run throughout the show on a variety of gardening topics. Subjects will include Vegetable Gardening, Herbs, Rainwater Harvesting, Earth-Kind Perennials, Container Gardening, and Turfgrass Management. Don't miss a special Sunday session on Proper Tree Care and Pruning presented by Rick Zampino with Advanced Tree Care. The Garden Show is an indoor event, so come rain or shine! Find room to grow and dig up a bushel of ideas at The Garden Show! Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 22. Entry on both days is a donation of $2 per person. Parking is free! All proceeds will benefit the CASA of Collin County. Visit www.ccmgatx.org/TheGardenShow , or call 972-548-4232 for up-to-date information.

Bryan: Dwight Bohlmeyer, Program Manager for the Salter Farm Education Research Institute for Quantum Physics & Engineering at Texas A&M University, will discuss "Spring Wildflowers of the Salter Research Farm," Tuesday, March 24, 2015, 7-8 p.m. at the Brazos Center, Room 102, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. For more information, visit www.brazosmg.com or call 979-823-0129.

Tomball: Jeremy Kollaus will present "Edible for the Landscape and Containers," Wednesday, March 25, at The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For additional information, email info@arborgate.com or visit www.arborgate.com.

Dallas: Texas A&M AgriLife Water University: Lawn Care Maintenance will be presented 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Thursday, March 26, at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Building E Auditorium, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas. Is the green in your lawn weeds or grass? Do you have brown circles in your yard? Proper lawn care maintenance is a key component to a healthy lawn. This program covers basic lawn maintenance practices and selecting the right turf grass to improve the health and longevity of your landscape. You will learn how to maintain your landscape using less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Cost: Free. Register online at: http://dallas.tamu.edu/courses.

Nacogdoches: Best Azalea Trail Symposium Yet, "Texas Forest Country-Azalea Trails and Gardens," will be held March 26-29. The 2015 national Azalea Society of America convention, co-hosted by the Stephen F. Austin State University SFA Gardens and the Texas Chapter of the ASA, is coming to town for our best weekend azalea bloom time-the end of March. Five speakers will discuss hunting for, growing, and gardening with azaleas. Visit four SFA Gardens, including the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden, the largest in Texas, and six private gardens in town. The Texas Chapter of the ASA is also selling azaleas and hydrangeas that have been SFA Gardens favorites. Read all about the offerings and registration information-including ASA new member ($30/yr) application-at the following links: www.sfagardens.sfasu.edu,www.nacogdochesazaleas.org or the national ASA Web pages www.azaleas.org .

Bryan: Join the Brazos County Master Gardeners' Association at their Spring 2015 Plant Sale, at 2619 Highway 21 West, Bryan, Saturday, March 28. A wide selection of unusual plants adapted to Brazos County will be offered - Heirloom plants, pass-along plants, natives, perennials, vegetables, herbs, and bulbs - many from the gardens of local Master Gardeners. There will be a pre-sale talk and early preview of plants from 8:30-9 a.m. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardening questions and help with plant selection. Come early, bring a wagon to fill with must-have plants and enjoy a wonderful time with fellow Brazos County gardeners. For more information, visit www.brazosmg.com or call 979-823-0129.

Huntsville: Herb Festival at the Wynne Home will be held Saturday, March 28, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., at 1428 Eleventh Street, Huntsville. Sponsored by the Texas Thyme Unit of the Herb Society of America. Herb, butterfly and hummingbird, camellias and citrus plants for sale. Herbal and garden vendors, artists, musicians, food, and children's activities. Speakers: Bill Varney of UrbanHERBAL, Dave Whitinger of Allthingsplants.com, and Master Gardener Bonney Kennedy.

The Festival is FREE. For information, call 936-891-5024 or visit www.facebook.com/texasthymeunit.

Quitman: The Wood County chapter of Texas Master Gardeners will host a spring conference featuring speaker Steven L. Chamblee, March 28, at Quitman High School, 1101 East Goode Street, Quitman. "Time to Plant Smarter" will focus on plants and gardening methods specifically for east Texas. Chamblee is the Chief Horticulturist for Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, Texas. He serves as Consulting Editor and Author for a gardening magazine, writes a monthly e-newsletter column entitled "Native Son," and is an Adjunct Instructor for Tarrant County College and Texas Christian University's Extended Education. He will introduce Texas Tough Plants which are environmentally friendly and native to the state. This will be especially informative for people new to the area or state and adapting to Texas weather and seasons. He will cover subjects on trees, shrubs and color with emphasis on heavily flowering herbaceous perennials. The conference will also have mini-seminars on native plants, rainwater harvesting and worm farming. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Door prizes will be awarded and refreshments will be available. For more information contact: Gloria Jean Rosewall at gloriajeanerosewall@gmail.com; Roy Culbertson at royculb@gmail.com; or Lin Grado at lingrado@gmail.com.

Waxahachie: The Ellis County Master Gardeners will host their 15th Annual Lawn & Garden Expo on Saturday, March 28, from 9-5 p.m. at the Waxahachie Civic Center, 2000 Civic Center Lane, Waxahachie. Keynote speakers will be Steve Smith & James Jeffers of "Eat The Yard." Steve & James work with returning veterans who aspire to become farmers as well as individuals who are seeking the joy of growing some of their own food in their yards. Randy Johnson, owner of the Blackland Seed Company, will discuss "Pollinators and Natives - An Ancient Marriage." Monica Nyenhuis and Susan Knapp, Ellis County Master Gardeners, will present a demonstration on how to save seeds for more adaptive plants and to save money. There will be 100+ exhibitor booths focusing on lawn- and garden-related products and services. There will be educational opportunities with the emphasis on fun for the whole family. Free hands-on activities for children will be lead by the Ellis County Master Gardeners. There will be a plant sale in the Master Gardener area, as well as an Information Booth where Master Gardener specialists will answer horticultural questions. Tickets at the door are $5.00; children under 12 are free. Free tickets are available from sponsors after March 1. For a list of sponsors, as well as further information on the Expo, visit www.ecmga.com or call 972-825-5175.

Dallas: Texas A&M AgriLife Water University: Landscape Basics will be presented 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 31, at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Building E Auditorium, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas. Is your landscape brown and crispy? Learn to create and install a water efficient landscape or garden. You will learn proper soil preparation, native and adaptive plant selection, and how to design and plan a small or large project. Plant list provided. Cost: Free. Register online at: http://dallas.tamu.edu/courses.