Grow The Good Life 2025, March 15 -- IN PERSON

If you are tired of having your well-tended and maintained plants demolished by unwanted critters or pests of all types and sizes, plan on spending the day at the Bedford Area Master Gardeners Association's 2025 Grow The Good Life seminar -- Critter Control: How To Protect Your Plants From Unwanted "Guests"!

Grow The Good Life 2025 will be held on March 15, 2025 at Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 1358 Old Moneta Road, Moneta Virginia from 9:30AM to 3:45PM. Doors open at 9AM. Attendance will be available for both in-person and via Zoom.

Registration Fees:

$40 In-person attendance and includes lunch catered by The Blue Lady Cafe. (You will be asked to indicate your lunch selection in the registration/check out process.)

$30 Virtual attendance via Zoom

For Zoom Registration please click on the link below to take you to the registration portal for the virtual Grow The Good Life 2025:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grow-the-good-life-2025-march-15-virtual-tickets-1114989526689?aff=oddtdtcreator

Four experts will give presentations discussing various ways to discourage these unwanted, pesky critters from munching on and destroying your plants. Information will also be given on how to encourage beneficials in your battle.

Holly Scoggins, Ph.D. -- "Those Pesky Varmints! Gardening with/Despite Deer and Rabbits"

James A. Parkhurst, Ph.D. -- "The Battle for Supremacy of the Home Landscape: Humans vs. Wildlife -- Who's Winning and Is There Hope?"

Robyn Puffenbarger, Ph.D. -- "Gardening for Birds"

Mike Raupp, Ph.D. -- "You Can Aid and Abet Mother Nature's Hit-Squad to Keep Insect Pests at Bay"

Mike Raupp, Ph.D., is scheduled to be at the seminar all day to answer questions from attendees and his books will be available for purchase.

In addition, we plan to have several vendors, including Justin Kelley, a professional sharpener who will sharpen your garden tools for a fee. Remember to bring your tools with you to the seminar to have them sharpened while you attend the event.

9:00AM: Doors Open and Badge Pickup

9:30AM: Welcoming Remarks and Announcements

9:45AM – 10:45AM: Holly Scoggins, Ph.D. – “Those Pesky Varmints! Gardening with/Despite Deer and Rabbits"

10:45AM - 11:05AM: Break

11:10AM – 12:10PM: James A. Parkhurst, Ph.D. - “The Battle for Supremacy of the Home Landscape: Humans vs. Wildlife – Who’s Winning and Is There Hope?”

12:10PM – 1:10PM: Lunch

1:15PM – 2:15PM: Robyn Puffenbarger, Ph.D. - “Gardening for Birds”

2:15PM - 2:30PM: Break

2:35PM – 3:35PM: Mike Raupp, Ph.D. - “You Can Aid and Abet Mother Nature’s Hit-Squad to Keep Insect Pests at Bay”

3:35PM – 3:45PM: Wrap up & Evaluations

Holly Scoggins, Ph.D.

Holly Scoggins, Ph.D., is an associate professor emeritus from Virginia Tech. She retired after 20 years in the Department of Horticulture with extensive teaching, advising, research, extension, and garden administration responsibilities. Holly received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from North Carolina State University. She now serves as program manager for the national brand NewGen Boxwood, a subsidiary of Saunders Brothers Inc. and recently served as President of the national Perennial Plant Association.

James A. Parkhurst, Ph.D.

Jim Parkhurst, Ph.D., currently holds the title of Associate Professor of Wildlife Science in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in Human-Wildlife Conflict Resolution and Wetland Ecology and Management. In addition, he serves as the Extension Wildlife Specialist for Virginia Cooperative Extension, where he conducts public outreach and educational programming on wildlife-related topics. He has been a member of the VT faculty since 1993.

Robyn Puffenbarger, Ph.D.

Robyn Puffenbarger, Ph.D., received her Bachelor of Science in biology from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. in molecular immunology from the Medical College of Virginia. After a post-doctoral research fellowship at SUNY-Stony Brook, she joined the faculty of Bridgewater College. She is a professor in the Department of Biology and Environmental Science. Robyn teaches ornithology, genetics, and intro biology courses. Since 2021, she’s been part of the Virginia Home Grown team, filming about all aspects of gardening in the Shenandoah Valley for the VPM PBS program. Robyn is also a Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener since 2011.

Mike Raupp, Ph.D.

Mike Raupp, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus and Extension Specialist at the University of Maryland, and a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America. He has received national and international awards for writing, scholarship, and science communication. He has appeared on all major television networks and has been featured on National Geographic, Science Channel, BBC and PBS. His “Bug of the Week” website www.bugoftheweek.com and YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/BugOfTheWeek, reach thousands of viewers weekly in more than 200 countries.

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Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law. If you are a person with disabiity and require any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this event, contact Scott Baker, VCE Bedford, at 540.586.7675 (TDD # 800.828.1120) during business hours (8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) at least 5 days prior to this event.

Host or Publisher Virginia Cooperative Extension -- Bedford