Public invited to explore Heritage Demonstration Garden

Published 8:08 pm Tuesday, September 5, 2017

The Mississippi State University Extension Service Warren County, the Warren County Master Gardeners and the Vicksburg National Military Park have planned an event to celebrate past histories and tradition.

From 4 to 6 p.m., Sept. 26, “Come Celebrate our Rich Delta Heritage Community Night” will be held at the Heritage Demonstration Garden on Pemberton Avenue inside the Vicksburg National Military Park.

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The event will include garden tours, story telling, music and games, Warren County extension agent Sandy Havard said.

“We are having a community night because there are a lot of people in the community that do not know the garden exists,” Havard said, “and we want them to come out and see what we have going on.”

Last year, the Warren County Extension service, along with the Warren County Master Gardeners, received a grant through the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area, Havard said, and proceeds were used to enhance the garden.

“The grant provided money for us to do improvements and what we have done is added new signage, which is educational. We have been able to get some new plants and herbs and flowers, and we were also able to put in a new irrigation system, which we are in the process of doing this week,” Havard said.

During the free event, Master Gardeners will be hosting the garden tours and music and games offered will be indicative of the times and culture of the 1800s.

There will also be seed sharing, Havard said.

“We have a master gardener that loves to save seeds and plant them the next year. Like for example, she may dead head a coneflower and get the seed out and then she will take the seed and put it in the freezer. They (the seeds) will think they have gone through a winter and then she will plant them and then they will grow,” Havard said, adding it is a fun activity because you never know what you might get.

Also, an MSU extension specialist will be on-site to answer any questions the public may have about gardening or flowers.

The event is appropriate for adults and youth.

“This will be a great way to share with youth that things grow from seeds and that is how we get our food and fiber,” Havard said.

In addition, she said she hopes that teachers in the community will come out and take advantage of the Heritage Garden.

“They have this here right in the community that they can use in their classrooms, and it is a great way for teachers to use something off site of the school,” Havard said.

The MSU Extension Service Warren County has also scheduled Quickbite programs from noon to 1 p.m. at the extension office.

On Thursday, MSU plant and soil sciences instructor, Lynette McDougald, will present a program, which will includes demonstrating and creating durable, movable design pieces to add festiveness to football tents and buffets.

The local extension office is located at 1100-C Grove St.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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