Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame 
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February 20, 2016
9am-12pm

Rose Pruning Workshop

The Western Heritage Horticultural Society will be hosting a FREE public rose pruning workshop on the campus of NMJC outside Panell Library.

February 21, 2016
2pm

Classic Film Series

Harvey - 1950

Due to his insistence that he has an invisible six-foot rabbit for a best friend, a whimsical middle-aged man is thought by his family to be insane - but he may be wiser than anyone knows.
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February 18, 2016
Western Heritage Horticulture Society

We are thrilled to present another aspect of what we do here at the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame: the Western Heritage Horticultural Society.  The Society is a diverse group of gardeners and landscape enthusiasts, some professional but most amateur, who will be using the Museum to help promote the active and "growing" gardening and landscape culture here in Lea County. They will be assisting the museum in the development and upkeep of our gardens and landscapes.  We are pleased that such a great group of people have joined forces with the Museum to promote the gardening and landscaping at the Museum.

We talked to David Hooten, the newly elected president of the society and asked him questions about the group.

Museum:  Many of our readers are familiar with your name, but please, introduce yourself.

David Hooten:  I wear several hats.  Currently I am the full-time NMJC Grounds Supervisor. I have a business called Son Grown LLC (consultation, landscaping and nursery stock procurement). I am also president of the Western Heritage Horticultural Society. I have 50 years of experience in the "green industry"; wholesale greenhouse, floral and florist, nursery, tree farming, agricultural consultant,  licensed pesticide applicator, certified Master Gardener, vegetable grower and turf grasses.  I have been in numerous New Mexico nursery, tree and turf associations; member and officer in the American Iris Society, the American Rose Society and much more.

M:  What is the Western Heritage Horticulture Society?

DH:  The Western Heritage Horticultural Society is a diverse group of gardeners, some certified, some professionals and some farmers. We have a vested interest in promoting all types of gardening for the Lea County residents through horticultural science and techniques, training, education programs, hands-on demonstrations, lectures and conferences. Connecting people who have never planted a seed, and others to expand their gardening skills to be successful in Lea County.

M:  Why be a part of the Museum?

DH:  The Museum provides a platform to teach, educate and equip the pubic. Part of the mandate for the Museum is education and that's a WIN-WIN synergy between us as a Horticultural Society and the Western Heritage Museum. We can bring to the Museum another dimension of that educational plan and strategy, plus increase the patrons utilizing the Museum.

M:  What kinds of projects will the Western Heritage Horticulture Society be doing?

DH:  The Horticultural Society will roll-out another Lea County Water Wise Conference set for Saturday April 30, 2016.  This will be our fifth conference. The Nature Trails in front of the Museum will be adopted by us.  A new and exciting project is the 10 raised vegetable planters on the backside of the Museum.  This area is known as the Western Heritage Gardens, project. This project was funded by a local grant and the goal is to teach and demonstrate vegetable gardening in raised beds.  There will also be an outdoor learning lab and exhibit for the public.

M:  How can our readers get involved?

DH:  This is NOT a closed Society. Become a member of the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame and you have just become a member of the Western Heritage Horticultural Society.  You get to learn about gardening, volunteer work projects we do, special events and then you get all the benefits of the Museum and what they do. Your involvement is coming to a monthly planning meeting and then the scheduled public events held at the Museum or through public outreach held in Hobbs or other Lea County communities. We will endeavor to find a place for you to work, help the Society grow and have fun along the way. Did I say have FUN? Yes, we are going to have fun gardening and learning at the sometime.
 
M:  How can our readers learn more?

DH:  You can sign up for an electronic formatted NEWSLETTER, utilize our WEBSITE or get on FACEBOOK. We are also creating Instagram and Twitter accounts.  On the website, there will be links to other resources you can access, video presentations and archived training as we grow and expand to our gardening public.

The Museum asked Director of Education, Mary Lyle, how the Western Heritage Horticulture Society fits into the Museum's education plan.

Mary Lyle:  The newly formed Western Heritage Horticultural Society will enable the Museum to provide training and outreach for the residents of Lea County. We are in the process of organizing teacher training workshops in conjunction with the nature trails and raised-bed vegetable garden. There are so many educational opportunities now because of the involvement of our Horticultural Society.

Check out the Western Heritage Horticulture Society on the Museum website and on Facebook.


Wicked Plants
Don't miss your chance to see Wicked Plants now through May 1.

Wickedly Natural
Photos by April Dalphne on display through May 15.

Western Heritage Museum | 575-492-2678 | [email protected] |
www.nmjc.edu/museum
1 Thunderbird Circle
New Mexico Junior College
Hobbs, NM 88240