Jonesboro, Day 2
It was a clear but cold day in Jonesboro. This morning I met Kim and Frank out at the ASU Farm. Kim gave us the grand tour of all they are doing on the ag farm. We saw the MG project which is the horticulture display garden. Daffodils and pansies were in bloom, with a tulip magnolia and Carolina jessamine about to pop.
We toured some new greenhouses, a high tunnel producing cabbage and greens,
and then went into the petting area, where they have a diverse mix of animals–one of the largest pigs who just wanders around and eats, I think, baby goats, turkeys, cows, 
chickens, rabbits and more.
They are also working on some potential new bio fuels using giant miscanthus and a type of beets. Then I stopped in at one of the box stores and picked up some vegetable transplants to use at the Arkansas Flower and Garden show this week. They also had some really nice red and yellow twigged dogwoods, so I got one of those too.
After lunch we met up at the ASU Greenhouse on campus next to the room where I was presenting. Kim has a really nice collection of orchids–many of which were in bloom. We also got to see what her students are doing in propagation classes, with air layering, cuttings and seed production. They are producing plants for their upcoming plant sales in the spring. I brought home a nice orange buddleia. I spoke on new plants for the Museum Garden Club which they open to the public once a year. We had a nice crowd and plenty of questions. Then it was home. Tomorrow I head to Arkadelphia for MG training.
Janet, I do enjoy your blog with pictures, activities and stand amazed at your knowledge of plants and information. I loved the flower and garden show in LR, though I’m out of state now and won’t get to be there in person, I’m trusting that you will include as many photos as you can download of the event. I’ve always loved flowers, gardening and helping my folks make a garden each spring–it was so much fun to help Dad plow the garden and get ready to seed the rows. I miss it now that they are deceased. Life just feels so chopped in half when we lose what we have always known along with our families. I just wanted to share that I enjoy what you are doing. People need perks and encouragements from time to time! You have an enviable job! If I had known how much fun it is to study plants, horticulture, long ago I would have studied it myself. It’s a little late for me, but it sure is good to find others branching out into learning these wonderful things. Just want you to know you have a few more fans than just the MG’s you teach, ha. Thanks for the great blogs and the great pictures!
I too, think I have a great job. I also think getting students interested in horticulture like at the elementary school I saw in Jonesboro, or with the 3 young people who just graduated from our MG class in Jonesboro is a great way to make that happen.