The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Book Club
This article is from the May 2020 Neighborhood Gardener newsletter. For updated information, please visit the UF MGV Book Club page.
Are you looking for a good read? Or interested in connecting with gardeners around the state? You are invited to join us for a community reading of "Pollinator Friendly Gardening," by Rhonda Fleming Hayes.
It's no secret that pollinators are increasingly threatened. Thankfully, their decline has not gone unnoticed, especially among the gardening community. A new kind of victory garden is popping up in yards and neighborhoods across the county. These gardens aren't meant to feed only humans, though. They are planted with flowers, foliage, and habitats to support pollinators.
This summer the Florida MGV Book Club is diving in to pollinator-friendly gardening, and excited about all we have to learn. Whether you are out to save the bees, or just looking for a new way to connect, we hope you will join us.
How do I join the book club?
Simply purchase the book, directly from the UF/IFAS Extension bookstore or from an online bookseller like Amazon.com, and you're in. It's available in a paperback edition and as a Kindle e-book. A note to our readers: the paperback edition's print is on the small side. For those who prefer large print, we suggest an e-book, so the text size can be adjusted.
To share your thoughts and discuss with readers around the state, follow us on social media. We'll be posting frequently on Instagram (@Florida.Master.Gardeners) and bi-weekly on Facebook (@florida.mastergardeners). There we will share discussion questions, quotes, pictures, and video discussions with our State Master Gardener Volunteer Program Coordinator, Wendy Wilber.
Will we meet to discuss the book?
Yes! Wendy Wilber will host a statewide, virtual book club meeting at the end of five weeks. In May our special guest will be Amy Vu, the Extension coordinator for the Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab. Check the June issue of our Neighborhood Gardener newsletter or our social media accounts for details. We'll use these platforms to announce the Florida MGV Book Club's next pick, too.
But you don't have to wait until the end of the month to gather with other book club members. Local Master Gardener volunteers, friends, and neighbors may enjoy reading the book and discussing together all month long. We encourage local groups of readers to meet up virtually when meeting in person is difficult. Consider using social media platforms, Zoom, Skype, or making a phone call.
However you decide to connect, we're excited to read and grow with you. Thank you for being a part of our community.