Berryville
Saturday May 26, 2018
It turned out that Saturday was a perfect day to be under the walnut tree at the entrance to the fair grounds. We met at 1:30 p.m. and the size and orientation of the tree made for complete shade while we worked. There was a gentle breeze so Anita Engert and I didn’t even work up a sweat! We could certainly tell that it had been a month since we had visited this lovely little garden bed. The recent mowing had spread hundreds of grass seeds that were happily settling in.
We spent the next two and a half hours working through the entire bed.
And by the time four o’clock rolled around we had rediscovered what we really wanted to see.
A little tired, but quite satisfied with the results, we had smiles on our faces as we headed home! ∼ Sue Davis
Saturday April 28, 2018
Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day for working outdoors. Thank goodness! After some much needed rain, the entrance bed was totally buried in weeds – 15 wheel barrow loads! It was really a depressing sight. Fortunately we are some very intrepid gardeners and were up to the challenge. In a few hours we had managed to accomplish a mini-miracle—-even have some pictures as proof!
So many thanks to the miracle workers Sam and Sue Davis, Neta Sue Stamps, Nancy Plagge, and Nancy Silvers who made this possible. Great company! Great day!∼Anita Engert
July 17, 2017
Last Thursday, July 6, Jean Ericksen, Lavonna Schell and Anita Engert attended the Carroll County Fair Board meeting to give a presentation on the proposed landscape design for the building front. After fielding their questions and concerns about the design, came the question; if they gave the ok that night, could we have it installed before the Fair coming up at the end of August? Out came a half-laugh resounding three voice “NO!”, which immediately ended that idea. So it was then agreed that work on the project would be slated for the fall as there is extensive ground work that really needs greater consideration before they begin doing anything.
In the mean time, what they did request from us was our assistance in helping them straighten up the building front to make it presentable for the upcoming Fair. Not being “horticultural minded” they wanted our guidance as much as anything in getting that accomplished. Both the Fair Board members and the Junior Board members would be present and as most of them work during the day, an evening time was requested.
April 4, 2017
In March of 1999, the Carroll County Master Gardeners began the beautification of the Carroll County Fair Building. The soil in front of the building was very poor. It was removed and replaced by Jimmy Jones Excavation. The Carroll County Extension Homemakers donated $500.00 for plants for the project. Will and Lavonna Schell drove to Tahlequah, OK to pick them up. We were fortunate to be able to purchase them wholesale. Another donor was Green Forest Products. They supplied us with mulch until they went out of business. Since that time some plants have been replaced but many have overgrown their space so a new plan is on the drawing board. In any case, the CCMG’s continue to maintain and up grade the landscaping. ~ Jean Ericksen
Carroll County Fairgrounds Scrapbook
Update: March 18, 2017
Thanks to the work of Dan Ward, Sam & Sue Davis, Jean Ericksen, Will Schell and a glorious weather day, the grasses were cut and divided in front of the entrance to the building.
The bed at the road under the walnut tree was cleaned, clipped and planted. It really looks nice. There is still some more work to be done clearing out the area behind that bed and directly under the tree as well as replacing the dead and dying conifers; however, I think we need to give it a few more weeks to allow more of the plantings to come up so we have a better idea of what we changes need to be made.
New Landscape Plan – County Agent Olivia Curry, Jean Erickson, Will and Lavonna Schell and Anita Engert met with members of the Fair Board to discuss our continuation on this project. Everyone agreed that the majority of plants are overgrown and need to be replaced at the front entrance of the building. The Fair board is going to take responsibility for removing them all. They will also be doing some grading work to improve the drainage of some flooded areas causing mildew problems in parts of the building.
For our part, they have requested we submit a new landscape plan with a budget for their approval. In the event the cost would exceed their ability to fund it all at once, we would start work at the entrance area first and work outwards, completing any remaining areas when the additional funds become available.
Basically it offers us the opportunity for a landscape “do-over” without the hard labor of removal and the advantage of knowing the particulars of the site. It will still be a real challenge of putting together an attractive landscape under some fairly harsh and restrictive circumstance and creative solutions will be needed. This means any input or suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime we will be working on putting together the new design.