Go to homepage
Advocate editorial board opinion: Educational group marks anniversary

By the Advocate Editorial Board

Originally published January 10, 2012 and appeared in The Victoria Advocate on Janaury 11, 2012
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2012/jan/10/vp_edit_gardeners_011112_164080/?viewpoints&editorials
We noticed that the Victoria County Master Gardeners Association marked a very important milestone in its Gardener's Dirt column last week.

And we wanted to expressly congratulate Charla Borchers Leon, Charlie Neumeyer, the association's newly elected president, and Extension agent Joe Janak for the organization's success. Of course, all of the Victoria County master gardeners have a hand in the organization's achievements.

The Gardener's Dirt, which appears in the Advocate on Fridays, is probably one of the most informative articles about our area flora and fauna. And as Neumeyer said in his column, more than 450 essays have been written with the column's first installment on July 3, 2003, and none of them have been repeated.

We think this is fabulous, especially because all the writers, photographers and editors for the Gardener's Dirt are volunteers, and all of the columns have aided hundreds of people to better manage their gardens, plants and soils.

Borchers, a fourth-generation rancher, became involved because she wanted to learn about native grasses, land management and flowers. After her first class, she was captivated with the master gardeners concept and became instrumental in raising funds for projects, including the extensive Victoria Education Gardens, as well as writing and editing the Gardener's Dirt columns.

In 2004, Borchers presided over the group.

We thank Borchers for her work and all the master gardeners who have helped all of us to manage our beautiful landscapes with beautiful flowers and plants, as well as the wonderful birds and other animals these plants attract.

And we look forward to many more years of this educational benefit.

This editorial reflects the views of the Victoria Advocate's editorial board.