Category Archives: Events

Spring 2024 NOVA Horticulture Plant Sale! 4/16 and 4/18 10am-5pm

NOVA’s Horticulture Club and Program is excited to announce the return of its annual plant sale to the Loudoun Campus Greenhouse greenhouse! This year, we’re selling new varieties of annuals, bedding plants, and indoor plants that we’ve never before carried! This includes more options for shade and greater color diversity. There are 11+ different types of plants to choose from including Alternanthera, Angelonia, Bacopa, Bidens, Coleus, Fuchsia, Geranium (many types), Impatiens, Lobelia, Portulaca, and Scaveola with over 40 cultivars available. Our full plant list is here: NOVA Horticulture 2024 Plant Sale Inventory / Cultivar List. Each 5.5” student-grown plant will be $10 and we can accept payment by cash or check and now (on campus only): Debit or Credit Card. The greenhouse will be open on Tuesday and ThursdayApril 16th and 18th from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. If you’re unable to come out to the Loudoun Campus greenhouse, the Horticulture Club will also be participating in this year’s Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival: https://www.leesburgva.gov/departments/parks-recreation/events/flower-garden-festival. You can find our booth at the intersection of Kings St. and Market St. in downtown Leesburg, as well as a weekend full of fun and flowers!

If you have any questions, please call or email Program Head Anders Vidstrand at avidstrand@nvcc.edu and at 703-450-2614

Trip to Winterthur Museum and Gardens with NOVA Interior Design Program

Hello Horticulture Program Students! The interior design program has invited you to join them on a bus trip to Winterthur in Delaware! The trip is sponsored /paid for by Student Life! Details are below:

You are invited to take a bus trip with us to lovely Winterthur Museum, Delaware, the home of Henry Francis Dupont. He was a collector of all things American and Americana and filled his giant mansion with both furniture and decorative arts as well as the architecture of the interiors from the early colonial era to the industrial revolution (and they are starting to collect beyond that as well). The gardens are also extensive and will hopefully be seeing spring flowers by mid-March. This is a great trip that our program often goes on and we are doubly lucky this time around because the cost is being absorbed by Loudoun Student Life. You will need some money for lunch, but right now, that is all.

Here is a link to the Winterthur web site: https://www.winterthur.org/ browse to find out more about the museum and gardens.

See the attached flyer with itinerary and QR code for RSVP (required):Winterthur Field Trip Flyer There are only 14 spaces left on the bus, so sign up early making sure to use your student email address.

Basic Info:

Date: Friday March 15 (this is the week of spring break, so no classes to get in the way)

Time: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm (pending traffic)

RSVP: see attached flyer, you will need to scan the QR code. Sign up only if you intend on going, we want to give everyone an opportunity and dropping out late prevents someone else from enjoying the trip.

No additional guests unless they are current NOVA students (ie you can’t bring your parents, sister or friends, sorry it’s a NOVA policy).

Questions: contact Professor Abby Lenon, alenon@nvcc.edu with questions.

Loudoun County VCE Events!

Upcoming Events in Loudoun County:

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop on February 29th. Please open the flyer to learn more about: 2024FruitTreePruningWorkshop (Landscape))

2024 Viticulture meeting and pruning contest on March 4th . This year Jiya Vineyards, a 3-year-old vineyard, will host out program and the pair pruning competition. Experts from VT AREC Winchester will be presenting. Please open the flyer to learn more about: 2024Viticultureandpruningcontest

Blueberry physiology and pruning workshop on March 7th. Our VT Small Fruit specialist, Dr. Jayesh Samtani will be presenting. Please open the flyer to learn more about: 2024 Blueberryphyandpruning

Generation NEXT Program. Generation NEXT is a VCE and VA Dept. of Forestry Program that aims to help families conduct legacy planning – estate planning for rural lands – to keep their land intact, in forest (or farm), and in family. This webinar focuses on tools for conserving working lands, primarily woodland. Cost for the webinar is $10/family. Learn more at: www.tinyurl.com/GenNextHome and here: cons-tools-one-page or reach out to Beth Sastre with any questions.

For more information contact Beth Sastre at flores69@vt.edu the Commercial Horticulturist for Loudoun County VCE

 

The T-Shirt Design Contest is BACK for another year!

The T-Shirt Design Contest is BACK for another year!
From NOW (deadline extended) until Sunday 2/25 at the end of the day! Submit your Horticulturally related School Appropriate Designs to hortclubnvcc@gmail.com for your chance to win one of three prizes!
1st prize will have their winning design printed on the back of over 100 T-Shirts printed by Reston Shirts AND a houseplant valued at $30
2nd prize will receive a preselected houseplant valued at $15
3rd Prize will receive a preselected houseplant valued at $5
Voting will begin 2/26 and end 3/1 so be sure to check your email and our social media page to choose your favorite!

2024 Horticulture Career Fair!

Are you looking for an internship? What about a seasonal job? Or maybe a new career?
Horticulture Club is here to Help!
On Tuesday February 27th from 4pm to 6pm in the HEC Event Center (HEC 203), we will be hosting our annual Horticulture Career Fair!
This is a great opportunity for you to speak with prospective employers, get a sense of jobs in the green industry, and even network with your fellow horticultural professionals!
It is FREE to participate in- and there will be free food!

Winter Poinsettia Sale is BACK! Nov 28 and 30

The Horticulture  Club’s annual Winter Poinsettia Sale is BACK!

This year we even have exciting news! We’re partnering with the NOVA Loudoun Campus Parking Office to offer credit and debit card transactions for the first time ever! That’s right! No more worrying about remembering the exact amount in cash or forgetting your checkbook!

From 11 am to 5 pm on 11/28 and 11/30 , the Loudoun Campus Greenhouse located at 46447 Ankers Shop Cir, Sterling, VA 20164 will be open to the public for general sale.

This year we have 16 premium and unique varieties, some of which won’t be found anywhere else in the area! Each 6.5″ pot is $10 and includes a hand wrapped decorative pot foil, a support stake, a protective paper sleeve, and care instructions. All profits go towards the Horticulture Club’s participation in the 2024 Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival as well as  supporting education in Horticulture.

For more information contact the Horticulture Club via DM on Instagram or Facebook, or by email at hortclubnvcc@gmail.com 

@NVCCHortClub on Instagram
NVCC Horticulture Club on Facebook

Events!

Are you looking for something to do over the upcoming fall break except homework? Well, the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council has you covered! On October 10th and 11th  from 9am to 4pm, they will be hosting Ranching for Profit Workshops. The workshop will be held in Waynesboro at the Best Western Waynesboro, VA.
Registration must be received to secure your place in these workshops, so don’t hesitate! Attend 1 day for $100 or both for $150! The 2-day registration includes a year membership with the VFGC, a book titled ‘The Turnaround” by rancher and instructor Dave Pratt, and a locally sourced lunch!

You can register for the event here: https://vaforages.org/event/2023-vfgc-ranching-for-profit-workshop/

For more information check out the informational flyer: 2023-VFGC-Ranching-for-Profit-Workshop-1

If you’re looking to get into agriculture but you don’t feel ready to start thinking about ranching, then the Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry has you covered! On October 23rd from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm in Petersburg, VA, they will be hosting a Farm Finance and Conservation Planning Seminar! This is a FREE networking event for beginner farmers with the aim to help discover farm financing options and cost-share conservation options.

To register for the Farm and FInance Conservation Planning Seminar, register by October 19th 2023 by emailing Josie.Rao@Governor.Virginia.Gov

 

 

 

Horticulture Haunt is 19 days away!!

It’s finally October!

You know what that means! Horticulture Haunt is only 19 days away!

To get into the spooky spirit for Horticulture Haunt, we will be holding a planning meeting on Thursday, October 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. in LS 114. In this planning meeting, we will make decorations for the Horticulture Study Room (LS106) and the event room(LS114). We will also make a wishlist for items we would like to have at Horticulture Haunt on Tuesday, October 24th, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in LS 114. (the time was adjusted to reflect the availability of the event space)

This also serves as a reminder to RSVP if you haven’t already: https://forms.gle/x4pDADvDjoVVLby9A 

The RSVP makes sure that we have the appropriate amount of materials for everyone to participate so it is required! Also, if you plan on bringing a non-club member guest with you, please have them fill out the RSVP form as well. Club membership is not required to participate, but it is required to win prizes from either contest.

At the planning meeting, we will also be discussing an exciting new addition to the Horticulture Club Fall 2023 lineup of events!

Oak Spring Garden Foundation Field Trip on Friday, November 10th from 10 am to 1 pm. OSGF has extended an offer for the Horticulture Club to come and take a tour of Bunny Mellon’s walled garden, greenhouse, and cut flower garden led by Garden Manager Allissa Montgomery! This amazing opportunity will be free for club members and up to one guest, but we’re only allowed to bring 15 people total so RSVP ASAP to secure your spot!

If you already know you want to go, you can RSVP here: https://forms.gle/vv4Um2x53s66F6Uw9

If you have friends who would like to join the Horticulture Club, we will have sign-up opportunities at both the planning meeting, and Horticulture Haunt, or they can fill out the membership form beforehand: https://forms.gle/ScQ4pBELjxPTi2Di6

If you have any questions in the meantime feel free to reach out via email, DM us on Instagram or Facebook, or email the faculty advisor and treasurer Kyra Longacre (klongacre@nvcc.edu)

Hope to see y’all soon 🙂

Fall Foliage Hike- Horticulture Club

I know everyone’s been busy getting into the swing of things for the fall semester, but don’t get so busy that you miss the beauty all around you! Come join us this Thursday, September 21st at 10am in the parking lot of Red Rock Wilderness Overlook Regional Park!

We will be meeting on Edwards Ferry Rd by the Grainery/Stable Ruins and then hiking the White Trail.
https://www.novaparks.com/sites/default/files/maps/RedRockMap.pdf
The white trail is a 1.2-mile loop trail with an amazing view of the Potomac River and is rated as easy to moderate on AllTrails.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/red-rock-wilderness-overlook-regional-park
There has been some rain recently that may have washed out parts of the trail, if that is the case we will be taking the blue trail to the overlook as an out-and-back. Any changes to the intended route will be determined day of based on recommendations from NOVA Parks and their Rangers.

Horticulturist Kyra will be there leading the hike with their emergency backpack, but please remember to bring appropriate shoes, your own water, bug spray, and sunscreen.

We cant wait to frolic in the fall foliage together!

MAC-ISA Annual Meeting-Student Scholarships

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture is hosting its annual meeting in Morgantown, WV and they want more students like you to attend and explore the exciting professional world of arboriculture! The best part is, they know that money can be tight when you’re paying for classes, so they have several scholarship opportunities for you to go for a reduced rate or free!

Not only that, but Student Membership to the MAC-ISA is FREE!! Yes, FREE! That’s a $60 savings! For those of you who don’t know, the MAC-ISA is our superstar hometown chapter of the ISA, and they’re the ones who help organize local events such as ISA Certified Arborist Certification Courses, Tree Climbing Competitions, Day of Safety! If I were still a student, I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to go to this amazing event and save some money.

Educational Sessions include:
Ecological Design & Management of our Urban Forests
Building a Resilient City of Trees in a Changing Climate
Structural Pruning Introduction
Safety 201 – Why all the Gadgets
SRT/MRS Climbing Systems
Practical Use of Drone in the Arborist Industry
Managing Large Tree Inventories
Emerging Insects & Diseases in the Mid-Atlantic,
Diseases of Oaks…and much more!

Plus if you’re already a certified arborist, some of these classes count as CEUs for recertification! You must be a member of MAC-ISA and currently enrolled in arboriculture, urban forestry, horticulture or related programs. Scholarship funds cover registration and two nights at the Marriott in Morgantown!

APPLY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING SCHOLARSHIP HERE

As a professional organization, they also offer other scholarships for budding arborists, make sure to check them out here for more details on how you could possibly save some money on your classes and materials!

Remember:

Student Memberships are FREE. Sign up today.