Carol Reese Bio
Carol grew up as a farm girl in Mississippi where she learned much about the land from her family. In her 30’s she pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University in horticulture. Carol worked as a regional horticulture extension specialist for the University of Tennessee’s West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee for 27 years where she inspired countless gardeners within the state with her humor and scientific approach to learning. She is beloved in the horticulture community for giving sensational presentations across the country where she pushes the envelope of people’s understanding of the natural world. Additionally, she wrote Q&A articles for Horticulture magazine and contributed a weekly column to the Jackson Sun newspaper in Jackson, Tennessee for many years. Carol recently retired from her position and has even more time to roam the 117 acres of her mostly wild property with her dogs.
You can connect with Carol Reese by finding her on Facebook.
SHOW NOTES
Carol’s interest in plants starting with her family, delectable edibles, and exploring the natural world
Her return to college in pursuit of a horticulture education for healing
Lessons from graduate school at Mississippi State University
Breaking the fear barrier with audiences in classes and presentations
Carol’s passion for reading and her freedom of speech
Working for UT extension as regional horticulturist at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee and developing curricula for teaching
Changes in extension over the years
Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac
Carol’s thoughts on the current education system and changes she would make like encouraging stewardship
Anthropomorphizing plants and animals to connect them with her audience
How to teach people to be less gullible about plant purchasing
Her favorite aspects of extension
Core aspects of extension that she would share with a class including knowing plants, their taxonomic relationships, their natural lore, and their history
Carol’s fascination with the Lewis and Clark expedition
Carol’s teaching practices of how she delivers information including humbling herself, walking around the room, and challenging people
Finding the answers to her curiosity through reliable social media groups, looking for multiple reliable sources, and going down “rabbit holes”
Essential practices and habits like unlearning, being suspicious about garden products, and avoiding impulse buys
Carol’s thoughts on amending the soil and using natural materials on top of the ground and avoiding product marketing
Carol’s focus on specific groups like Osmanthus and heirlooms
The need for companies to sell unpatented plants that have stood the test of time
Carol’s thoughts on native plants, planting species that have the most benefit for a garden, and regreening cities
A deeper dive into natives versus non-natives and the relevance of time
Monarchs and their preference for different milkweeds
Changes Carol would make if she were made queen for a day
Teaching children about the importance of the natural world
Carol’s heart and passion for rescuing dogs
Her favorite books including Michael Dirr’s Woody Manual of Landscape Plants, Dan Hinkley’s books, Margaret Roach, and Pilgrim at Tinker’s Creek by Annie Dillard
Her pursuit of new knowledge including scientific articles (and her suspicions), experts, and close friends
How Illicium parviflorum is native and yet insects won’t touch it
The myth of the importance of fertilizer that leads to overuse and being sure to evaluate plant needs
An epiphany she had about how some species have doomed themselves to extinction
Learning experiences including meeting great plant people at conferences
How she wishes more gardeners would plant species that offer more in the landscape, resist impulse planting, and overplant and be a fearless editor
Impatiens capensis treating poison ivy (note, a scientific article I found showed the plant mashed up is more effective than extracts)
The right press and support we need is missing from horticulture
Propagating horticulturists by getting them more exposure, getting people active in it, and being open to the power of plants on human health
You can connect with Carol Reese by finding her on Facebook.