Labor Day weekend is behind us, signaling the start of fall. The weather has teased us recently with a few chilly mornings and comfortable days reminding us that the seasons are starting to change. Summer gardens are declining and autumn brassicas are planted for that first meal along with collard greens, sweet potatoes and cornbread. It’s time for fall festivals and pumpkin and spice lattes. Carroll County Master Gardeners will be hosting their first annual Buffalo Creek Fall Festival on October 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. County. Here are some of the activities planned for this year:
The following garden presentations will take place between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm:
10:30 am – Garden pollinators and the plants that support them – Gail Woody, The Butterfly Lady
11:30 am – How to Prune Almost Everything – Randy Cooper, arborist
12:30 p.m. РAzal̩es РErnest Koon, Lazy K Nursery
1:30 p.m. – Why native plants? – Carol Hight, Georgia Native Plant Society – Western North America Chapter
2:30 p.m. – Unless you test, it’s just a guess! Soil Testing for Your Garden – Paula Burke, UGA Extension Carroll County
The Carroll County Master Gardeners will be hosting a fall plant sale at the festival. Some of the plants for sale include hardy mums, St. John’s wort, azaleas, hydrangeas, elephant ears, tea olives, maples, edgeworthia, beauty berries, gray barbs, blackberries, serviceberries. and assorted bulbs. Fall is a great time to plant perennials and spring bulbs for next year’s garden. If this plant sale is like the spring plant sale, some of these items may sell out early, so plan accordingly.
The Georgia Native Plant Society – West Georgia Chapter will be offering guided walks on the Buffalo Creek Trail every half hour. This group of gardeners work tirelessly to ensure native plants are saved from old abandoned homes in western Georgia. Many of these plants are planted along the Buffalo Creek Trail located on the property of the Carroll County Ag Center.
Children’s activities will include making hanging planters, butterfly origami, insect construction and paper flowers. Children’s activities will rotate hourly.
Arts and Crafts Vendors will sell sewing, knitted and crocheted items, bags, candles, soaps, bath bombs, mugs / tumblers, signs, textiles, wood crafts and paper, jewelry, home decor, Australian crafts, Mayan arts and a raffle. Stand! Representatives from Keep Carroll Beautiful, Colorstreet, Paparazzi, as well as local artists and artisans Crafty Sew Anna, Crafted Notions, Crafty Creatures, Heavenly Wreaths, MZ Back Porch, J&T Wood Creations, Lin B Designs and Six L Creations – to name only one that they some.
Food vendors will serve breakfast, lunch, snacks and desserts. Menu items include gourmet burgers, barbecue, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, popcorn, food “on a stick”, crushed ice, ice cream and more. Vendors in attendance are: Fly High Burgers Douglasville, Repicci’s Italian Ice and Gelato Lithia Springs, Everything on a Stick – Atlanta, Cake Studio, Fowl Play Atlanta, Kona Ice – Shaved Ice and Guns N Clovers 4-H Club.
If you have any gardening questions or questions about the Buffalo Creek Fall Festival, contact a volunteer Master Gardener at the UGA Cooperative Extension’s Carroll County office at 900 Newnan Road in Carrollton at 770-836-8546 or by email to [email protected].