Boyd County Extension Services Offers Holiday Wreath-Making Program
Lora Parsons
The Ashland Beacon
The “hustle and bustle” of the Christmas season may bring to mind images of crowded shopping malls, busy parking lots, and lots of parties to celebrate family and friends. What likely doesn’t come to mind is the scent of fresh-cut pine, piles of cedar clippings, and hundreds of yards of ribbon. If you’re a Boyd County Master Gardener or someone who’s participated in their annual wreath-making extravaganza, then you know full well that “hustle and bustle” is exactly what happens at the Boyd County Extension Education Facility. This year, from Nov. 27 through Dec. 1, and again from Dec. 4 through the 8th, Master Gardeners have been and will work tirelessly to provide this opportunity to our community.
Organizers recognize that the purpose of their hard work is twofold. Of course, they want to share their love of horticulture and agriculture with community members who come to make wreaths, but most who work the event say their purpose goes far beyond that. Rhonella Chaffin, who has been working the event for around 15 years, said a highlight of her long days giving instructions to participants and stocking supplies is that she enjoys “meeting all the different people who come in to make wreaths, whether this is their first time or they have been coming for years. I love seeing the joy on peoples’ faces.” Other Master Gardeners who work the event must share that same love for the community to put themselves through the grueling pace of the workday they commit to. The wreath-making runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, for 10 days. Volunteers arrive early and stay late to prepare. For most of these nearly 12-hour days, volunteers are on their feet, focused on either giving instructions to new wreath-makers or stocking the constantly-depleting piles of evergreen laid across tables in the former Boyd County Fairgrounds Expo building on Addington Road, in Rush. The only chairs used are by the volunteers taking money at the entrance and by Lori Bowling, Boyd County Extension Agent for Horticulture, and Tina Badgett, Master Gardener President. While they may have the luxury of sitting while they work, they by no means will be found at rest. The pace of taking money and writing receipts is nearly nonstop, and the bow-making is a never-ending (sometimes impossible-seeming) swirl of helping participants choose three perfect ribbons to turn into professional-level bows that are the cherry on top when it comes to wreath design. Those volunteering their time to pull off an event of this magnitude rival Santa’s elves in this pine-scented workshop!
Upon arrival, participants are greeted with detailed instructions, hands-on coaching, and experienced suggestions to help ensure their success, and they are outfitted with an apron and gloves to avoid the sticky resin that is a byproduct of the evergreen cuttings. They are then guided to the front of the room to choose ornaments and a bow. After these choices are made, the gathering begins — approximately 140 pieces of white pine and 30 pieces of cedar. Dividing those into 10 bundles and placing them into an open wreath form for crimping wraps up the process. And, volunteers are present and easily accessible every step of the way to help with the bundling, placing, crimping, shaping, bow-making, and picture-taking once the wreath is finished. To purchase a wreath with the size, shape, ornament detail, and bow that comes with these, one would easily pay between $50 and $75. But, participants of this event walk away not only with a gorgeous wreath but also with the memory of a fun experience and the pride of having made it on their own, all for only $20.
Bowling said this event isn’t at all about making money; it’s more about growth. The holiday wreath program “began in 1999 when the extension service was in the basement of the courthouse and offered two classes of 10 people.” Bowling and other Master Gardeners harvested the greenery from wherever they could find it. The program has grown exponentially since then, making it necessary now to purchase the evergreen. The Hutton-Loyd Tree Farm in Fleming County has supported the program for many years, originally with a purchase of 12 boxes of greenery. Bowling commented she has had to order “192 boxes of greenery the past few years and still [has] to harvest some” locally when the stockpiles get low. Greenery isn’t the only bulk purchase needed to pull off this event. Nearly 1,000 spools of ribbon for bows, somewhere near 3,000 ornaments, and as many as 900 wreath rings are also purchased to execute this program. And, that doesn’t include the floral wire, nitrile gloves, pruners, hand sanitizers, and daily lunches for the volunteers. The funds that foot the bill for all these supplies come from the Programming Budget of the Boyd County Extension Services — money that is set aside to offer residents of Boyd County quality horticultural experiences. Bowling stated, “The wreath program is one that we view as a community-building program and kind of as a thank you to the residents.” It also doubles as a way she can share with the community the many services the Extension Office has in place for residents. An advertising source for the Extension Office, this holiday program is, in short, a win-win for all those who participate. And, the community impact due to their efforts is significant.
More than 850 wreaths are created by excited members of the community, many that have made this a regular part of their Christmas-season kickoff. Those in attendance seem to enjoy the opportunity to slow down a bit and create something with their own personal touch that they can enjoy for weeks to come. Families, friend groups, office staff, individuals, church groups — all kinds of configurations of members of the community join one another for a fun way to kick off the holiday season. An evening with the Boyd County Extension Master Gardeners crew is a fun way to usher in a little Christmas spirit in a laid back environment, surrounded by a sense of neighborly goodwill.
