by Beth Cook, Mammoth Cave Transplants
Mother’s Day is fast approaching! We don't want to forget those special ladies in our life! Are you stumped on what you are getting your Mom, Grandmother, Wife? Flowers remain the top gifted item for the Moms in our life on Mother’s Day. Instead of giving the usual cut flower arrangement that will soon wilt and be tossed away, give her a gift that will keep on giving through the spring and summer or even for years to come.

One very important thing to keep in mind when gifting flowers is to know is how much sunlight will it get at its new home. A shade loving plant will not be able to survive in an area that gets sun a majority of the day no matter how much TLC you give it. So be sure to check the labels in each plant. See the below recommendations for lighting conditions.

Full sun: Prefers six or more hours of direct sunshine a day
Partial shade: Thrives in three to six hours of daily sunshine
Shade: Generally does well with less than three hours of sun per day, preferably morning sun.

If you want to give a gift that keeps on giving year after year, get her a perennial like a Clematis, a Peony, or one of the many other perennials that are available. Rose bushes, other flowering shrubs like Hydrangeas, and ornamental trees are also a great gift idea that she can enjoy for years to come. If you unsure about what flowers she would like or what type of plant would do best at her home, you can always get your avid gardener some new gardening gloves or tools.

Beautiful garden décor is also another gift idea that may just add the perfect touch to her garden or even a hummingbird feeder. If you are still unsure, you can always get a gift certificate and she can choose the plants to her liking. Take a day and make a special outing with her to pick them out, spending time together would be the greatest gift of all.

To all the Mother’s out there,
Happy Mother’s Day from Mammoth Cave Transplants!
Stop by Saturday May 7 for Mother's Day Tea & Cookies and a free gift!
​
Being a mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children do. ~Author Unknown

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Everyone can be sure spring is finally here when it’s time for the Grayson County Master Gardeners Plant Fair & Spring Fling. Mark all calendars for Saturday May 6th and don’t be late for an amazing selection of plants, crafts, gifts – and a host of special events, according to Helen Duggan, the Master Gardener in charge of vendors for this year’s 8th annual show.

“More and more people know that this is the place to scoop up both old favorites like hanging baskets, blueberry plants, vegetables and flowers, and new rare plants, as well as garden-related gifts at our Garden Gate Store.  Shop for friends and family,” Duggan said.

Farmers, nurseries and talented local plant growers will offer a colorful selection of quality plant favorites starting at 8:00 am CDT at the entrance to the Grayson County Middle School on Mill Street (Hwy 62) in Leitchfield. 

For the novice and advanced gardener, there will be an ongoing selection of free mini-gardening seminars offered by knowledgeable Master Gardeners, as well as a children's activity tent.  Craft tents will display wood products, yard art, painted and metal treasures, birdhouses, children's fun items, to name a few.

“Both admission and parking are free – but the fun and excitement are priceless,” Duggan said. 

Master Gardener President Martha Higgs says that coming to the plant fair has become a tradition for many people and the event is discovered by newcomers each year. “It’s exciting to see how this has grown over the years into such a great event for the area," she said.

Public Relations Officer Elena Donovan especially thanks the Leitchfield Tourism and Convention Commission for its generous grant to the Master Gardener Association.  "Marketing and advertising this year has expanded to radio spots and news ads in seven local counties.  It's our largest ad campaign to date," she said.

John Michael Mills, a junior at Edmonson County High School, has been accepted into the Kentucky Governor's Scholar Program. The program's intended purpose is to attempt to keep the state's best potential college students at an in-state institution for their post-high school education.

The five-week summer program features 1,000 Kentucky students that are selected yearly based on a thorough application process detailing their academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, volunteerism, and personal integrity.

A Governor's Scholar is awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships from one of the participating 22 colleges or universities in Kentucky, including WKU, UK, and U of L. At minimum, most all of these scholarships cover tuition costs.

John will attend either Murray, Moorehead, or Northern Kentucky University for the program. He will find out later in May which school he will attend. He was one of the more than 2,000 student applicants across Kentucky.

John is the son of Michael and Laurie Mills of Wingfield and the grandson of Flossie Logsdon, also of Wingfield.

John says for now, he's undecided on which college he will attend, but his plan is to become a doctor.

​*Comments without a first and last name and an email address are not published. All comments are subject for review and must adhere to the Edmonson Voice commenting policy which is posted on this site.

​The Edmonson County Chamber of Chamber of Commerce will host their Spring Breakfast on Friday April 28, at 7am at the Edmonson County Library. The Breakfast is sponsored by Bank of Edmonson County, which has provided superior customer service for over 90 years. Established in 1925, the dreams of five founding men came to life as the doors of the bank were opened. Jesse T. Alexander, Luther F. Alexander, David W. Alexander, George W. Woodcock and N.E. Vincent had given the people of Edmonson County a choice of where they conducted their banking. In 1929, the Great Depression hit the nation. Although a young bank during this challenging time, BOEC was able to succeed and prosper into the 200 million dollar financial institution it is today, operating in both Edmonson and Warren counties. With the first full service branch, which opened in 2004 on Louisville Road in Bowling Green, the bank added convenience to their loyal customers while expanding their footprint. Most recently in 2015, a Smiths Grove branch was built which further allowed BOEC to grow and extend their market reach.

The bank is still locally owned and operated and offers a robust line of deposit and loan products. You’ll find modern technology and personal service you trust. At BOEC, their employees are their most valuable asset and their customers will always be the first priority. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

The Breakfast program will be about their new mobile app and mobile banking. The bank has recently released a mobile app and mobile banking with deposit capture technology for added convenience.

Everyone is welcome to the breakfast. You don’t need to be a member to attend. Membership info will be available at the breakfast or at www.edmonsonchamber.com or 270-597-2222. More info about Bank of Edmonson County including their new app, banking locations, and hours of operation may be found at
www.bankofedmonson.com or 270-597-2175.

Check out the latest from Nana's Stockyard Cafe in Oakland: All day specials this Saturday during their extended hour event! Click the flyer to visit their Facebook page.

by Max Jackson, Edmonson Voice:
WDNS-FM, D93, a sister media network of the Edmonson Voice, was awarded the National Association of Broadcasters' (NAB) Crystal Radio Award today in Las Vegas, NV. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the NAB Crystal Radio Awards, which recognize radio stations for their outstanding year-round commitment to community service.

Ten recipients were chosen among 50 finalists who were honored at today's NAB Show Radio Luncheon.

The station is well known for it's community events like Stuff The Bus and sponsoring dozens of local causes throughout the year. The station features one Edmonson County native, Steve Meredith, who serves both as a DJ on D93 and host on WKCT's talk radio programs, which is part of the same network.

Long time Edmonson County friend, Tony Rose, host of the top local morning radio show in the area, "The Tony Rose Morning Show," accepted the award at today's luncheon.

"On behalf of WDNS, we're truly humbled to be selected as one of the top 10 stations in America for community service," he said. "We're even more humbled to be part of this amazing southern Kentucky community."

The annual Stuff The Bus event helps brings loads of school supplies to Edmonson County students.
​
NAB Crystal Radio Award finalists were chosen by a panel of judges representing broadcasting, community service organizations and public relations firms. Finalists were honored and winners announced at today's NAB Show Radio Luncheon, where Global Lead for Business Development and Partner Management of the Ford Developer Program at Ford Motor Company Scott Burnell presented a keynote address, and nationally-syndicated radio personality Delilah was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The luncheon was sponsored by ASCAP.

​*Comments without a first and last name and an email address are not published. All comments are subject for review and must adhere to the Edmonson Voice commenting policy which is posted on this site.

Check out the latest Byrd Auction featuring 53.8 acres near Mammoth Cave National Park on Browning Road. Click the flyer to visit the auction site.

by Edmonson County Trail Town Initiative:
The next meeting of the Edmonson County/ Brownsville Trail Town Committee will meet on April 27, 2017 at 6 pm at the Edmonson County Library. Anyone with an interests in running, hiking, cycling, equestrian, and water adventures, and business owners are welcome to be a part of the group. New members are welcome to join anytime.

The efforts of the group are to submit application to the state for Brownsville to be approved for Trail Town status. With this, your town is included in state marketing literature, web, and signage presence to direct visitors to our town. The group is in the process of gathering information to complete the state application.

Part of the process is choosing a Trail Head that boasts the most connectivity as a  starting and stopping point for  the outdoor adventure activities. Planning routes and documenting them also plays a role. “It is like offering the visitor a menu of offerings for the activity that want. The effort is to drive visitors to a central location as a start and or stopping point is to primarily to market the goods and services of the town” said Rhonda Clemmons, Edmonson Chamber & Tourism Office Director “However; the state is firm that the application be from the citizens of the town or community. They want the citizens to want this designation status, and to be the ones making application requesting it. The Chamber/ Tourism sees it as a natural fit for the goals we are also trying to achieve. So this is a partnership with the community” she added.

Other trail towns across the state have seen an uptake in visitation and growth of new businesses such as bike shops, canoe and kayak services, and increased need for lodging and food. We encourage anyone interested to stop by the library on Thurs. April 27th at 6 pm for more information.

​*Comments without a first and last name and an email address are not published. All comments are subject for review and must adhere to the Edmonson Voice commenting policy which is posted on this site.

by Barbara Johnson, Edmonson County Soil Conservation District, photos provided by parents
We don’t think about trees much on a daily basis, but just for a second, close your eyes, and imagine the world without trees.

Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Hopefully it will never become a reality.

Some folks took advantage of Edmonson County Conservation District’s tree seedling giveaway to help make sure that doesn’t happen. Over 800 seedlings were sent home with students at Kyrock and South Edmonson Elementary Schools, and over 700 seedlings were given away at the district office on April 13th 2017.

Here are some of our young people planting their trees!

Special thanks go out to those who sent in pictures and gave us permission to use them, and our volunteers, Wayne Thompson, Danny Vincent, Jimmie Luttrell, Sharon Luttrell, Mandy Abbott Jones, and Orville Johnson; we couldn’t do it without you. ​​

Same great Doctor, same location, same great service, but brand new name! Abney & Amstutz Eye Center in Brownsville is now "Prime Vision Center." Click the ad for more info.

Here's a huge upcoming real estate auction featuring two sales, two houses, 16 lots, over 60 acres total, lake frontage, barns, and more. Located in Mammoth Cave, KY 42259. Click the flyer to visit CW Auction's Facebook page for more info.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
​The Edmonson County High School Greenhouse is now open for the season.  They offer a variety of vegetables and flowers that have been prepared by local Agriculture Education students. 

​Business hours are 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on regular school days.  The greenhouse is located in Brownsville on Houchins Ferry Rd behind the school.

The 5th Annual Houchens Shopping For a Cure-- Muddy Mammoth Event is returning to Park Mammoth Resort. Check out all the info in the flyer below and click to visit their Facebook Page. 

Preschool and Kindergarten registration for the 2017-18 school year begins tonight (Tuesday) at South Edmonson Elementary and Kyrock Elementary schools. Check out all the info in the flyer below. For more, please call the schools, SEES: 270-597-2379 and Kyrock: 270-286-4013.

Looking to be a part of Edmonson County Little League Basketball? Check out all the details in the flyer and click to visit the little league program's Facebook Page.

Check out one of the area's hottest places for home cooked meals, Nana's Stockyard Cafe'! Click on the ad to visit their Facebook Page.

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky., April 13, 2017 – Fresh air, sunshine, trails to hike, caves to explore – National Park Week, April 15-23, 2017, is a great time to get outside.  Free Mammoth Cave Discovery tours will be offered on the weekends, April 15-16 and April 22-23.
 
“Parks are the perfect place to get out and play,” said Superintendent Sarah Craighead.  “Physicians and psychologist recommend outdoor activities for the physical and mental health of their patients.  And it’s just plain fun.  Make it a point to regularly schedule some nature-time for yourself and your family.”
 
Mammoth Cave has trails to hike, bike and ride horseback; rivers to paddle and fish; campgrounds in the frontcountry and the backcountry; and the longest cave in the world to explore. 
 
In recognition of National Park Week, the park will offer free Mammoth Cave Discovery Tours on the weekends, and guided wildflower walks on Saturday, April 15:
 
April 15 &16, April 22 & 23 – Free cave tour: Mammoth Cave Discovery Tour
Participants must pick up a free ticket in the visitor center before going on this tour.  
 
The Mammoth Cave Discovery Tour requires a walk down and up the steep hill below the visitor center, as well as 160 steps.  Visit the Rotunda, one of the cave’s largest rooms, explore a vast canyon passageway, and learn about 19th-century saltpeter mining operations and the geologic origins of the Mammoth Cave System. Mammoth Cave Discovery Tour will be offered from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Allow at least 30 minutes; about 3/4 mile round trip.  This is a self-guided tour.
 
Saturday, April 15, Wildflower Hikes
Join wildflower expert Park Ranger Larry Johnson for a hike in the woods. Each hike is two miles long and will last about two hours.  Dress in layers and tick spray is recommended.