The Kitsap County Master Gardener Foundation is approaching the launch of its calendar fundraising project, and “Gardening Au Naturel, Secrets of Kitsap County Master Gardeners” will soon be available. It’s amazing what Master Gardeners are doing in an effort to raise the money to plant flowers, maintain the community gardens, and educate the public.

The images feature 25 Master Gardeners in scenes that demonstrate an over-the-top passion for gardening while being somewhat under-attired. A gardener’s year is chronicled, from dreaming over seed catalogs, to plant sale angst, to county fair triumphs, and finally to holiday delights.

KING TV and KIRO radio personality Ciscoe Morris is in the calendar as well, teaching a class on cool weather gardening in November. There is also an image of the ‘GITM’ group – Gardeners for Integrated Taste Management, who appear to be protesting the calendar, on the page that explains the Foundation’s membership and purpose. Jane Bedinger designed the calendar layout, incorporating the images from photographer, Winifred Whitfield of Poulsbo.

The first printing of 5000 calendars will arrive in early July and will be sold through select Kitsap county garden centers and book stores, at the Oregon and Washington Master Gardener Conferences, at the 2005 International Master Gardener Conference in Saskatoon, on the foundation website, www.kitsapgardens.org, and also throughout the Pacific Northwest via two additional distributors. The calendar is priced at $12.95.

Additionally, “Au Naturel” is the “Star of Washington” featured product of Barnes and Noble for the month of August. Barnes and Noble in Silverdale will host the launch event, featuring some of the models signing the calendar, in August. A calendar launch for local press, vendors, and supporters is also scheduled for the Norm Dicks Conference Center, August 5.