The Organic Horticulture Benefits Alliance (OHBA) will hold its third annual OHBAPalooza on Saturday, August 10 in Houston. This year’s event features four gardeners with Fayette County connections.

Mike Serant, John Ferguson, Briane Bernsen and Diana Wilson will speak at the organic gardening fair and workshop. It takes place at United Way of Greater Houston, located at 50 Waugh Dr., from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Mike Serant, the President and Co-Founder of OHBA, owns the company that produces MicroLife Organic Fertilizers. He also owns property in Fayette County.

“Attendees will learn all about having better personal health, healthier and easier to maintain gardens and landscapes,” Serant said. “Plus, all will learn about the incredible wonders of Mother Nature.

Serant will speak on the topic of building resiliency for your gardens and landscapes.

“Climate change and increased exposure to toxicity is changing how we need to manage our personal ecosystems,” he said. “This class will give all a clear plan on what to do.”

John Ferguson, another giant in the Texas organic gardening movement, is a Director and Co-Founder of OHBA. He’s also the founder of Nature’s Way Resources, which produces some of the best mulch and soil amendments available in the state. He also owners property in Fayette County and recently moved here.

Ferguson’s topic will be “Soil: Your Ultimate Water Reservoir – Tapping The Potential.”

“Decades of using toxic chemicals has rendered many of the soils of our landscapes sterile and lifeless,” Ferguson said. “They are unable to hold nutrients or water and have caused massive environmental problems from toxic levels of bacteria in our streams to dead zones in our oceans.

“Several studies have shown that 50 percent of the residential water usage in Texas is for landscaping uses,” he added. “What if we could reduce this amount by 50% in less than a year by using biological-based landscape techniques and get even better results?

“Developing good soil structure is the most important part of water conservation in our landscapes,” Ferguson said. “It is also the most cost-effective tool we have. The benefits are many times greater than irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, and water reuse combined. Using modern biological methods one can open the soil which then allows water to soak in and be stored till our plants need it. Even heavy clay can be turned into a rich fertile water absorbing loam that will grow almost anything.”

Diana Wilson, a landscape architect who lives in La Grange, will give a talk on the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical phenomenon that often appears in nature.

“I am excited to give this presentation on the Fibonacci sequence in art, nature, and native plants,” she said. “Geometry in nature is something I am very passionate about. And I hope you will be inspired to look for these fascinating phenomena as you continue your horticultural endeavors.”

Briane Bernsen is a market gardener from Plum who owns Plum Fabulous Foods. She will speak about bio-intensive gardening.

“Learn simple methods to implement bio-intensive gardening methods in any size space or place to produce year-round food abundance,” she said. “If you’ve ever felt intimidated about starting your own garden or have been concerned that you don’t have the room to grow what you want, you will leave feeling empowered and excited to begin.”

The program includes 10 other speakers who will discuss topics ranging from sustainability, eating organic, therapeutic value of gardening, garden planning, beneficial insects, the benefits of raising chickens, and herbalism. There will be two headline speakers: Brad Phillips, whose topic will be “Trees Talk;” and Mark “Merriwether” Vorderbruggen, who will talk about “Growing Lazy.”

Admission is $50 for OHBA members and $70 for no-mem- bers. Register online at https:// www.ohbaonline.org/register.

The event will include exhibits and the opportunity to network with expert gardeners. Doors open at 8 a.m. The first headline session starts at 9 a.m. For more speaker information, go to https://www. ohbaonline.org/ohbapalooza.

OHBA Executive Director Victoria Velarde, who also lives in Fayette County, is trying to arrange bus transportation for any Fayette County residents who register and plan to attend. If you are interested in riding a bus to OHBAPalooza, contact Velarde via text only at (713) 410-7061.

For 48 years, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners have measured success by gardens planted, insects identified, produce harvested and the millions of hours volunteers have logged by helping others learn to grow.

From farms and small towns to suburbs and the inner city, more than 2,600 volunteers statewide put their mission of helping others learn to grow into practice by providing gardening education and outreach in their communities. Take your love of gardening to the next level by becoming a Master Gardener in 2023.

This year, there are two online training options– self-paced or hybrid with live sessions.

“Our online training is a great opportunity for folks who need more flexibility to participate,” said Extension State Master Gardener Specialist Candice Anderson. “Both options have self-paced components that can be completed at your own pace.”

Both training options may be taken from the comfort of home on a desktop, laptop or tablet. Participants will be introduced to in-depth horticulture content through 13 modules, including soils and fertilizers, plant diseases, entomology, pest management, organic gardening and more. The training includes videos, a manual, reading materials and quizzes. A strong internet connection is highly recommended.

After completing the training, volunteers participate in educational programs in their communities. Those opportunities may include speaking at garden clubs, civic groups, or schools, answering calls or emails at garden help desks, establishing demonstration gardens that serve as educational tools and educating citizens on how to establish community gardens.

The self-paced course starts Oct. 2 and can be completed in 14 weeks with approximately four to six hours of weekly work. The course costs $300, and registration is open until Sept. 11.

The hybrid course starts Sept. 12 and includes 12 weeks of hybrid online materials and in-person sessions on Tuesday mornings. The live sessions may be accessed remotely or in-person at an Extension office, depending on the local requirements. Registration is open until Sept. 1. The cost is set by the county providing the training.

Both Master Gardener training programs are coordinated by Extension staff at the county level. Training options, dates and availability may vary by county. For more information or to fill out an application form, contact your local Illinois Extension Office at go.illinois.edu/ExtensionOffice.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in programming, contact Candice Anderson at 217-935-5764 or by email at mille116@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting participant needs.