Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Orange County Master Gardener Association’s annual plant sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cormier Park on March 12.

“There will be varieties of bedding and flowering plants, vegetables, shrubs and trees including citrus, berries, figs and avocado,” said Len Vanmarion, Orange County master gardener association president. “We also encourage guests to bring their own carts or wagons.”

Money raised goes toward scholarships and funding agricultural classes and camps for the community.

“The $1,000 scholarships are for college students at Lamar State College Orange,” he said. “The scholarships are available to any college major that lives in the city of Orange. It is not strictly need-based, but it helps. The student will receive half for the first semester and the rest in the second.”

The organization’s goal is to provide classes at least once a quarter.

“We have hosted gardening classes, pot-decorating and bee-keeping classes,” he said. “Some classes are free, but if the materials are expensive, then we will ask for the materials.”

Vanmarion said they try to aim for demonstration classes so the classes are free to the public.

“The types of demonstration classes cover propagation and grafting trees,” he said. “We do have classes every fall and run from September to December. We schedule them at night and on some weekends so that people who work can still make the classes. The class goes over soils, compost, propagation, planting seeds, liming and nomenclature.”

Membership applications will be available at the plant sale.

“The membership fee is $250 and they will receive a planting book,” he said. “The fee pays for speakers and their stipends as well.”

The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension office located in Orange, Texas.

The organization has a goal of providing Orange County with quality and relevant educational programs to meet the identified needs of the residents.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service is involved in county partnerships to provide educational programs for Economic Development, Housing and Services for the Elderly, Education on Healthy Lifestyles and setting up local farmer’s markets.

“Among the planting classes,” Vanmarion said. “Agrilife offers sewing, canning and health classes. This is a wonderful opportunity for families who are looking for new hobbies or new ways to spend time with their loved ones.”

For more information, follow the Orange County Master Gardener Association on Facebook or future upcoming events call the Agrilife office at 409-882-7010.

— Written by Sierra Kondos, Special to The Leader