2012 Calendar of Classes & Events

Extension Master Gardener Plant ID Tour - De Soto Memorial/Riverview Pointe

May 12, 2012

Stroll through De Soto National Memorial and Riverview Point Preserve to learn more about Florida’s native plants and inhabitants of a coastal habitat.

This is a free tour and will take place from 9:00 - 11:00am.  Call the Master Gardener help desk at 722-4524 to register.

Bucket Brigade

May 16, 2012

Learn about container gardening and how to assemble a bucket to use for your gardening needs. Bring two round 5-gallon buckets with you. Presented by Ervin Shannon, Vegetable Program Assistant. Class is held in the Horticulture Learning Center on the Manatee County Fairgrounds. 

This class is FREE and will take place from 9:00 - 11:30am. Call Millie at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

Core and Private Applicator Exam Training

May 17, 2012

This class can be taken for exam preparation or for CEUs for current license holders.  The CEUs available are: 2 in Core for Core class, 2 in Private Applicator for Private class.

This class will take place from 9:00 - 11:00am (Core) and 11:00am - 1:00pm (Private) at the Manatee County Extension office. For agenda and registration please visit http://coreprv051712.eventbrite.com/ or call Jennifer at (941) 722-4524 for more information.

Fee: $15 per person for Core OR Private class; $30.00 per person for Core AND Private

Small Farms Livestock Production Conference

May 19, 2012

This conference is designed for small landowners who are considering the raising, management, and production of livestock for pleasure or profit.

Fee: $30 before May 4; $35 after May 4

Location: Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Road Street, Arcadia

This event will take place from 8:30am - 4:00pm.  Call Christa Kirby at (941) 722-4524 to register or for more information.

Extension Master Gardener Plant ID Tour - Emerson Point

May 19, 2012

Stroll through Emerson Point Preserve with a Master Gardener volunteer to learn more about Florida's native plants and inhabitants of a coastal habitat.  Suitable for all ages.

This is a free tour and will take place from 9:00 - 11:00am.  Call the Master Gardener help desk at 722-4524 to register.

Manatee County's Certified Master Naturalist Habitat Tour

May 19, 2012

Be adventurous and slog through a wetland habitat slough with Lisa Hickey, Manatee County’s Certified Master Naturalist Instructor. Wetlands and freshwater habitats are vital natural systems that filter pollutants before it reaches our surface and groundwater supply, support many wildlife species, and are diminishing quickly every year. Find out more intriguing facts while walking through Flatford Swamp in eastern Manatee County. Location: 39450 Taylor Road, Myakka City (approx. 25 miles east of I-75).

This is a free tour and will take place from 9:00 - 11:00am.  Call the Master Gardeners at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

Extension Master Gardener Plant ID Tour - Robinson Preserve

May 20, 2012

Stroll through the Robinson Preserve’s salt marshes to learn more about Florida’s native plants and inhabitants of a coastal habitat.

This is a free tour and will take place from 9:00 - 11:00am.  Call the Master Gardener help desk at 722-4524 to register.

Cooking with Herbs

May 22, 2012

Throw that salt shaker away!  Come learn about different kinds of herbs and how to use them to spice up your life.  Topics include selecting, drying, storing, and meal preparation.  Presented by Samantha Kennedy, Family & Consumer Sciences agent.

This class is FREE and will take place from 6:00 - 8:00pm at the Manatee County Extension office. Call Samantha at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

Worm Composting - Vermiculture

May 23, 2012

Find out how to use worms to turn food scraps and other waste into compost.  Now you can compost in an apartment, condo, or mobile home.  Worms can be maintained indoors or out!  Presented by Michelle Atkinson, Florida-Friendly Landscaping^TM Coordinator.

This class is FREE and will take place from 10:00am - Noon at the Manatee County Extension office. There is a $60.00 fee for worms and worm bin.  Call Michelle at (941) 722-4524 to register or you may register online.

Plant Munchers, Crunchers, and Crawlers

May 24, 2012

There are destructive species of animals that we have little tolerance for in our gardens.  Come learn how to control (or not control) species like lubbers, armadillos, caterpillars, moles, aphids, whiteflies, thrips, and more.  Presented by Lisa Hickey, Extension Agent.  Location: Braden River Library, 4915 53rd Ave. E, Bradenton

This class is FREE and will take place from 1:00 - 3:00pm. Call Cindy at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

Florida Master Money Mentors Training

May 30 - June 1, 2012

The Florida Master Money Mentor program is a coordinated referral network of volunteer mentors who provide basic personal finance coaching to people within their communities. Mentors receive approximately 20 hours of intensive training in basic money management, strategies for dealing with financial problems, credit and debt management, savings, mentoring techniques, and connecting to community resources. Following the training, each volunteer provides financial mentoring to at least 24 individuals within one year of completion of training. Anyone is welcome to apply to become a mentor. No previous financial education is needed to apply, so apply today!

This training is FREE and will take place from 8:00am - 5:00pm each day at the Manatee County Extension office. Call Samantha Kennedy at (941) 722-4524 for more information or to register or register online.

Must commit to all three days of training to become a mentor.

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Compost Happens - Home Composting Workshop

June 6, 2012

Learn how to turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into useful soil amendments, along with details about how to set up a home compost bin. Presented by Michelle Atkinson, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Coordinator.

This is a FREE class and will take place from 10:00am - Noon at the Manatee County Extension office.  Call Michelle at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

Recycle the Rain - Rain Barrel Workshop

June 7, 2012

Let us provide you with great water conservation tips. Learn how to install, paint, and maintain your own rain barrel. Presented by Michelle Atkinson, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Coordinator. 

This is a FREE class and will take place from 2:00 - 4:00pm at the Manatee County Extension office.  Call Michelle at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

ServSafe Food Protection Manager Training

June 12, 2012

This class uses the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's ServSafe curriculum to teach food service and restaurant managers the following food safety concepts: personal hygiene; food safety hazards; importance of food safety; HACCP concepts and Food Codes; proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures; safely receiving, cooling, serving, and storing foods; and proper thawing, cooking, hot holding, and reheating foods.

The certification exam directly follows the class.  Class begins at 9:00am at the Manatee County Extension office in Palmetto.  To register, please call Debora Bell at 1-888-232-8723.

Lowdown on Lawn Irrigation

June 20, 2012

This class satisfies the irrigation education portion of the Manatee County Outdoor Water Conservation Rebate Program. Tune up your sprinkler system, learn how to adjust the timer and sprinklers, improve uniformity, eliminate water waste, and cut costs. A free lawn sprinkler tune up kit will be given to each attendee. Presented by Lisa Hickey, Extension Agent. Location: Braden River Library - 4915 53rd Avenue East, Bradenton

This class is FREE and will take place from 1:00 - 4:00pm. Call Joann at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

Cooking with Herbs

June 21, 2012

Throw that salt shaker away!  Come learn about different kinds of herbs and how to use them to spice up your life.  Topics include selecting, drying, storing, and meal preparation.  Presented by Samantha Kennedy, Family & Consumer Sciences agent.

This class is FREE and will take place from 6:00 - 8:00pm at the Manatee County Extension office. Call Samantha at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.

Cooking for You or 2

June 26, 2012

Recipes are written with families in mind. But what if it's just you or two? Simply scaling down recipes doesn't always work and if you make a whole batch, you may be saddled with unwanted (and wasted) leftovers.

This class is designed to help people learn how to create and cook simple, healthy, and delicious meals for one or two people and eliminate a freezer full of frost-covered mystery food.

Recipes and samples included.

Presented by Samantha Kennedy, M.S. - Family & Consumer Sciences agent.

This class is FREE and will take place from 6:00 - 8:00pm at the Manatee County Extension office. Call Samantha at (941) 722-4524 to register or register online.