OTTMA

 (Note: preregistration is requested – class size is limited – call 404-474-7072 to register or for more information)

Saturday, April 7th, 1-3pm: Basics of Pruning with Barbara Dorfman, Free
In this course, you will learn how plants respond to the different kinds of cuts, what tools you need, when timing matters, how to renew old or overgrown shrubs, and how to correct overly dense hedges.  Crape myrtles, hydrangeas and Japanese maples will be among the plants discussed. Barbara in her current work with homeowners as a landscape consultant teaches hand pruning to retain the natural form of plants and is oriented toward low maintenance strategies and use of native plants.

Thursday, April 12th, 5-6 pm Hydroponics 101 (Scott Scheivelhud)
Learn the basics of Hydroponic gardening from lighting to nutrients in this one hour information packed seminar.

Saturday, April 14th, 10:30 – 11:30am: Beginners Guide to Bird Identification (Pam Higginbotham)
Birding is more than a hobby. Not only does birding open the door to the natural world but it is also big business. This talk covers field guides, tools, and equipment used in the pursuit of "bird happiness."  Other topics include where to find birds and how to ID them by silhouette, field marks, posture, size, habitat, behavior and vocalization.

Saturday, April 21st, 10am – Noon: Basic Digital Photography for Flower Lovers (Chuck Holmes)
Learn to use all of the features of your digital camera to capture the beauty of your plants and flowers.  This two-hour course demystifies terms like lens aperture, shutter speed, selective focus, depth of field, stop action, and ISO, and helps you learn how to use them for better and more satisfying pictures.  Get your camera off of auto and on to better photographs.  Bring your camera and your user’s manual for hands-on practice. Cost: $25

Sunday, April 15th 2-4pm: Bee Keeping 
Part 1 of this course will provide a general overview of the honey bee, beekeeping and its history.  In addition, this course will demonstrate all of the basic equipment used in keeping bees. 

Lee and Jeanine Lester currently operate a tree service and run a ministry/mission called Wild Goose Outreach.  They first got into beekeeping five years ago.  They were curious about it as a hobby and wanted to have a few hives for their garden. 

Gradually they have moved towards establishing a working farm where people who have become homeless can stay, work and get their lives back together.  The honey bee part of the mission has just begun in earnest.  The Lester’s’ realized that the lumber from the tree business could provide boards for the men in their mission to make bee hives and swarm boxes.  The hives could then be used to house bees on the farm.  Additionally, the hives could be sold to raise money for the mission.  While the goal of the mission is to be a complete, near-organic farm, the initial focus is on the honey bees.  This is because of the availability of free raw materials (lumber), the work it provides for the people at the farm and the revenue that the honey, pollen, propolis and wax sales generate.

The Lester’s’ recognize the importance of the honey bee and greatly enjoy sharing that information with others.  They hope to encourage people all over Georgia to help improve the honey bee population.

Sunday April 22nd, 2-4: Bee Keeping
 Part 2 of this course will delve into specifics of beekeeping.  Topics covered will include; methods to obtain bees, hive management, honey extraction, information on the enemies and diseases affecting bees, and various other related topics.



Thursday, April 26th, 10:30-11:30am- Shade Grown Coffee (Pam Higginbotham)
Come explore the intricate connection between winter and summer habitats of many of our common backyard birds! From summer nesting in North America, migratory birds travel thousands of miles to winter homes in Central and South America, much of it in the overstory trees on coffee plantations. But in parts of Latin America, the canopy trees have been cut down to make "modern" sun coffee farms, meaning birds lose a home and the world loses another refuge for biological diversity. With the encouragement of farmers' cooperatives throughout the coffee growing regions of Latin America, many farmers are able to grow shade grown coffee as part of the organic and fair trade movements, knowing that the coffee drinking public is becoming educated about the importance of growing coffee as it is supposed to be grown. And the birds that live there year round, as well as migratory birds from North America, have habitat in which they can thrive. Drinking shade grown coffee is something that we all can do to make a difference!

Saturday, April 28th, 10am – 12 Noon: Intermediate Photography for Flower Lovers (Chuck Holmes)
Take your pictures from the purely representational to the expressive through the manipulation of lighting, creative framing in the camera, and effects.  The course also touches on the use of programs such as Photoshop Elements to enhance the pictures that you’ve taken. Bring your camera and your user’s manual for hands-on practice. Cost: $25

Saturday, June 2nd, 10:30 - 11:20am: Bird Song (Pam Higginbotham)
Whether you are new to birding or want to raise your level of expertise, learning bird songs is essential. It’s a tough task, but doable with the right guidance and information. Pam can help you "get a handle" on some of Atlanta's common birds.

Coming Soon!

Plantings for Birds (Pam Higginbotham)- Native plantings are stressed, especially those that provide food (berries, seeds, and the like) or are habitats for insects (which draw in all of the insectivorous birds - warblers, wrens, bluebirds, vireos, etc - to your yard).

Mycology 101- Fun with Fungi with Brady Bala