Most organizations have mission statements, but how often do you see one put into action? The U.C. Master Gardeners' mission is “to extend research-based knowledge on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to the residents of California and to be guided by our core values and strategic initiatives.”
Now is your chance to see that mission enacted. The U.C. Master Gardeners of Napa County is putting on its 4th Annual Fall Faire on Saturday, September 28, from 1 pm to 4 pm, behind the office buildings on 1710 Soscol Avenue in Napa.
Billed as “Where Science Fair Meets Carnival,” the fair will include hands-on demonstrations, workshops, activities for children, lectures and giveaways of books, seeds, bulbs and succulents. Visitors can vote in a scarecrow contest, enjoy live music, eat at a taco truck, and take their picture with an enormous mechanical carnivorous plant. Yes, Audrey the Venus Flytrap is back in all her menacing yet alluring glory.
Best of all, the event is free. In keeping with the UC Master Gardener practice of recycling, please bring your own water bottle (you may refill it at the fair) and your own bags and boxes for carting away any treasures you may find. There will be temptations galore. At the last Fall Faire, I scored several plants and a book on composting, and I learned about a weed puller that works while the human operator is standing, not kneeling. That was a life changer.
You may even have an opportunity to meet a U.C. Master Gardener newspaper columnist at the fair. Several will be there. Bob Niklewicz, who is a physical therapist as well as a Master Gardener columnist, will have a booth to showcase ergonomic tools that make gardening chores easier. He will also give a talk about ways to garden that leave you energized, not exhausted.
In another booth, you can learn how to make tisanes from Barbara Campbell and Diane Weyna. These drinks are made from herbs or other plants infused in hot water, and they can be refreshing, relaxing and delicious.
At the Las Flores Learning Garden booth, learn more about this educational garden and the U.C. Master Gardeners of Napa County who spearheaded its installation at the Las Flores Community Center. It is a teaching tool as well as a neighborhood beautification project.
The UCMG compost team will teach you how to improve your soil with compost you can make yourself from garden and yard scraps. Master Gardeners Penny Pawl and Sue Helms can answer your compost questions.
Julie Thompson of Charsaw Farms will tell you all about lavender: how to grow it and what you can do with it.
Pat Hitchcock will show you how to have a year-round vegetable garden and will have activities for children as well as adults.
At the Bee-utiful Bees booth, Ingrid Harder will teach you about bees' importance as pollinators.
One thing I have learned from my years as a Master Gardener: people never tire of succulents. They are fascinating plants and perfect for our climate. Linda Garland and her daughter Tonja Mehelis will give you tips on how to keep your succulents healthy.
The ever-popular scarecrow alley is returning, so you can vote for your favorite. These creations are very clever and mostly made of recycled and found materials. Maybe you will be inspired to make your own for Halloween.
Several community partners are joining the Master Gardeners for the day. The Resource Conservation District's Miguel Garcia will tell fairgoers about why less tilling is better for soil. The Dirt Girls' Carrie Strohl will educate you about monarch butterfly conservation. Carol Boykin of the Napa-Solano Audubon Society will have hummingbird feeders made from water bottles. Brent and Patti Ihli from the Napa Bonsai Club will demonstrate techniques for growing bonsai. Napa Climate NOW! will tell you about the City of Napa leaf blower rebate program. Susan Bontempo of Plant Harmony will answer your questions about efficient water usage and integrated pest management, meaning controlling pests without poison. The Friends of the Napa Library will sponsor a book giveaway, and the California Native Plant Society will have a native plant display as well as information about its fall plant sale. You can also learn about fire-wise landscaping, Napa parks, recycling and more.
There will be many more booths at the Fall Faire, and one of them is bound to answer your most pressing questions about gardening or the environment. This is the time of year when some of us need inspiration, and I know I will get it on Saturday, September 28, at the fair. The most accomplished gardener will learn something new. And a taco from the La Condesa truck can't hurt.
Fall Faire: Join the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for an entertaining and educational event on Saturday, September 28, from 1 pm to 4 pm, outdoors at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Enjoy exhibits on composting, monarch butterflies, succulents, water conservation, bees and more. The program includes activities for kids, a scarecrow contest, giveaways, and music. Admission is free.
Library Talk: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County and Napa Public Library for a free talk on “Thirsty Lawn to Low-Water Succulents and Perennials: A Step-by-Step Guide” on Thursday, October 3, from 7 pm to 8 pm, via Zoom. Don't let analysis paralysis stop you from achieving your new climate-appropriate garden. Join the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County on a step-by-step journey from weedy, labor-intensive lawn to a garden of succulents and perennials with year-round color. Register here.
Become a Master Gardener Volunteer: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County is now accepting applications for the Class of 2025. Visit napamg.ucanr.edu to read the informational brochure, then register to attend a mandatory information session for applicants. Application deadline is 5 pm on September 25.
Help Desk: The Master Gardener Help Desk is available to answer your garden questions on Mondays and Fridays from 10 am until 1 pm at the University of California Cooperative Extension Office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa. Or send your questions to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. Include your name, address, phone number and a brief description.
