OK Master Gardener Conference

2022 Breakout Sessions

• Keynote Speaker - Ray Moranz

  Keynote Address: Mission Possible: Sustaining Oklahoma's Pollinators in Our Gardens, Farms and Ranches.

   

  Breakout presentation: The Biology of Bees and Butterflies in Oklahoma (with focus on some of their favorite plants).

   

  Dr. Ray Moranz is the Grazing Lands Pollinator Ecologist for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Ray also serves as a Partner Biologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and assists the Central National Technology Support Center (CNTSC) in Fort Worth, TX with pollinator conservation throughout the central U.S. Ray began studying grassland plant and butterfly communities in 2004 and earned his Ph.D. in Natural Resource Ecology and Management from Oklahoma State University in 2010. Ray lives with his wife and their two children on a small farm just outside of Stillwater, OK. They raise chickens, ducks and guinea fowl, and Ray spends much of his free time creating more pollinator habitat on their land.

• Priscilla H.C Crawford presenting: Exploring Oklahoma's Biodiversity with Community Science Projects

  Growing up between cornfields and woodlots in southern Indiana, Priscilla spent much of her free time walking the fields or hiking the woods around her home. She has known most of her life that she wanted to be a scientist and she wanted to be outdoors. After earning a biology degree, she tried out a few different careers – botanist for the US Forest Service, environmental educator for the National Wildlife Federation, and international assistant to an agricultural lobby group. Priscilla’s work at NWF inspired an interest in grassland conservation, which led her to study at the University of Oklahoma. Research for both masters and doctoral degrees focused on understanding the patterns of biodiversity in Oklahoma’s natural systems. She surveyed the plants associated mesquite trees that are encroaching the southwestern grasslands. She analyzed the habitat preferences of the federally threatened American Burying Beetle and explored historical records of invasive plant collections to see if we could predict further invasion. Priscilla continues to work on understanding Oklahoma’s biodiversity through her job at the Oklahoma Biological Survey. She manages the Oklahoma Natural Areas Registry program, coordinated BioBlitz! Oklahoma for 15 years and has conducted surveys around the state for rare and invasive species. Oklahoma is a fascinating state because it rests on the edge of many ecoregions – from gulf coastal plains with alligators in the southeast to the mesa lands and ponderosa pines at the edge of the panhandle. There is so much natural diversity to explore in Oklahoma!

• Karen Watkins presenting Landscape Designing with Native Plants

  Karen Watkins is a Tulsa County Extension Master Gardener and is celebrating her 27th year of service this year in 2022. She also enjoys teaching classes from her training as an OSU Master Naturalist.

   

  She has taught numerous classes on container gardening, butterflies, pollinators, and native plants throughout the city and is the speaker/instructor for many state-wide programs for the Monarch Initiative. Her knowledge is implemented for teaching purposes in her own gardens being on the Audubon Garden Tour in 2006 and 2019, as well as featured in Lowe’s Gardening Magazine and Southern Living Magazine.

   

  Another of her passions is writing. She has written for Oklahoma Gardening Magazine representing the Northeast Region and is known as the “Candid Gardener” In other publications.

• Ellen Weatherholt presenting Growing for Generations: New Gardens and New Plants to Debut at Tulsa Botanic Garden

  Ellen Weatherholt is the Curator of the Children's Discovery Garden & Lakeside Promenade, and in her sixth growing year at the Tulsa Botanic Garden. She loves spring with blooming bulbs and flowering trees brightening the landscape after a cold winter.

   

  Ellen has a Master's in Public Garden Leadership from Cornell University, BS in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University, and an Associate in Science from Cottey College. She loves helping folks discover the joy in growing their own plants, flowers, and vegetables, and enjoys leading horticulture workshops at the Tulsa Botanic Garden. Her home garden is filled with peonies, hellebores, and unusual plants, trialing all for cut flower potential. For several years Ellen has been developing a peony and perennial cut flower farm. She anticipates her first full bloom production year in 2024

• Sue Woodward presenting The Healing Power of Forest Therapy

  Sue Woodward spent her childhood riding horses and playing in the outdoors. This love of nature led Sue to earn a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology, focusing primarily on ornithology. After graduation, Sue worked as a Naturalist for both state parks and nature centers, in between working as a zookeeper of North American birds and rehabilitating birds of prey and raising ratites. The More-Than-Human-World is a special place for Sue to find a strong connection that offers health, beauty, and solace. Upon discovering the basis and gifts of Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese art of Forest Bathing, Sue studied Forest Therapy and became a certified guide.

• Anne Pinc, Jalene Riley, and Carla Childs presenting Integrating Useful Plants in your Landscape for Sustainable Gardening

  Anne Pinc, owner of Collector’s Garden has been gardening and growing plants for fellow gardeners since the 1980’s.  She specializes in perennials and annuals to attract butterflies and other pollinators. Anne maintains several gardens in the Tulsa area.

   

  Jalene Riley is the owner of Utopia Gardens in Drumright and is a charter member of Cherry Street Farmer’s Market. She enjoys growing tough Oklahoma plants and flavorful herbs. 

   

  Carla Childs is owner of Gardens by Carla. Carla received her Bachelor’s in Horticulture from OSU (Go Pokes). Carla and her crew of dedicated, talented gardeners maintain beautiful gardens in Midtown Tulsa area where they specialize in the installation and maintenance of seasonal color. 

• Mark Bays presenting Trees/Natural Landscapes and how they Connect Nature to Us

  Mark is Urban Forester Coordinator for Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. After the Murrah bombing he directed the care of the “Freedom Tree” at the site and helped develop many additional trees that were distributed throughout Oklahoma. He encourages Master Gardeners to support the “Trees Make a Difference” Oklahoma license plate to provide more trees for Oklahoma.

• Katie Plohocky presenting RG Foods: Overcoming Barriers to Local Food Access

  Katie is founding Director and President of the Healthy Community Store Initiative, a nonprofit enhancing the health of Oklahomans through food-based community revitalization. Katie is driving fresh food access for all. Founded in 2010, the Healthy Community Store Initiative's mission is to enhance the health of NE Oklahoma through food-based community revitalization. She is building a framework to address access to real food through a combination of mobile, and small store fronts (micro markets), regional food hubs, urban agriculture, and entrepreneurial opportunities to support community revitalization.

• Vicki Stamback presenting Current Trends and Colors in Cut Flower Designs

  Vicki is the owner of Bear Creek Farms, a cut flower commercial cut flower business. Located in Stillwater on approximately 40 acres, they produce annual and perennial specialty cut flowers, flowering bulbs, and cut woody plants such as curly willow, rosehips, and birch branches. Their production area includes field and greenhouse production as well as native pasture and woods that allow them to forage native materials. Vicki has been growing cut flowers for about 27 years and sells directly to florists around the state.

• Angela Faughtenberry presenting Multi-species Rotational Grazing

  As a child Angela grew up helping on her uncle's farm. With a passion for farm life she expanded her knowledge in agriculture by obtaining an OSU Master Cattleman Certification and an Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance Certified Producer Certification.

   

   Over the years she has enjoyed studying Joel Salatin's intensive, rotationally grazed, pasture management style of farming. Salatin is a pioneer in this farming practice. She proudly models her farming methods after Salatin's Polyface Farm.

   

   She farms in Mayes County, Oklahoma where she raises Non-GMO: Pastured: chicken, eggs, pork, turkey & duck Grass Fed: beef & lamb. Grazed across USDA Certified Organic pastures. Her animals enjoy fresh air, sunshine, exercise and all the Non-GMO feed they would like to eat. USDA Inspected.

• Ethan Miller presenting Future Fungi Farmers: A Discussion on Fungi Cultivation and Utilization

  Ethan and his girlfriend Rachel are obsessed with mushrooms and built a website, www.okfungi.com, to reach out to local organizations to help them bring their dreams into reality. Since 2019, they have led the effort to bring attention to the Queendom of Fungi by spreading and connecting the mycelial network throughout Oklahoma. They educate local communities on the subject of mycology using techniques to incorporate mushrooms and fungi alongside sustainable living methods. Their vision is to foster a recognition of mycology as a beneficial ally in the effort to restore and sustain the resilience of the natural world. Their mission is to strengthen the conservation, awareness, and study of fungi throughout Oklahoma.

• Linda Newton presenting Digital Photography for the Four Seasons
  TBA
• Mike Schnelle presenting A Celebration of Native and Adapted Non-native Plants

  Mike Schnelle received his B.S. (Honors Program) and M.S. degrees in Horticulture at Kansas State University, Manhattan. He went on and completed a PhD in Horticulture at Colorado State University, Fort Collins. Starting in 1989, Schnelle currently serves as Extension Specialist and Shackelford Endowed Professor of Floriculture in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater. Mike’s specialty is in floriculture and woody plant production and culture. He has interests in areas of ornamental horticulture from flowers to trees as well as edible crops, both temperate and tropical. Schnelle has lectured on plant materials and worked/consulted on horticultural projects throughout the U.S. as well as Central America, South America, The Greater Middle East, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Mike is currently focusing on working with the Oklahoma Nursery and Landscape Association as well as applied research on rose rosette disease in the field, native vs. non -native plants and their probability of invasiveness, as well as plant materials for water conservation.