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Share an item for eNews by contacting your program staff by the second or last Wednesday of each month. Please use this event checklist to ensure all needed information is included in your request.
- Program update via Richard Riggs, Regional Director: “Elizabeth Records will be returning to her role as an Education Program Assistant supporting your groups and Brooke Edmunds will be returning in a limited capacity as the community horticulture faculty supervising Elizabeth. If you have questions for Brooke and Elizabeth, please get in touch with them directly. They will both be at the September LCMGA Board meeting.”
- LCMGA meetings
- Board meeting – Sept 6th at Linn Extension Office starts at 1 pm and usually ends by 2 pm
- General membership meeting Sept 22nd. LCMGA Board President Betty Goergen will let you know the time and place in her next email.
- Save the date: Linn County Master Gardeners will again offer in-person blue orchard bee cocoon harvesting classes. Rich Little will offer a “Train the Trainer” class at the Linn Extension office on Wednesday, September 14th from 10:00-Noon. Sign up coming soon.
- Graduation and Celebration 11/19/22 in Tangent.
- MGVs protecting youth: at Mini College, the Statewide Program Coordinator reminded volunteers that all OSU volunteers are required by University policy to report suspected child abuse discovered while performing duties related to OSU youth programs. Both employees and non-employees must immediately report suspected child abuse and neglect to either the Department of Human Services or law enforcement. Learn more.
- Volunteer service hours and continuing education are due 10/31
- Congratulations to the growing group of trainees who have completed learning and service goals to earn their first Master Gardener Volunteer Certifications! Save the date for graduation and celebration on November 19 in Tangent. Are you a trainee who needs help completing your service? Schedule a visit about volunteering or contact Elizabeth Records.
- Thank you to everyone who is reporting service and continuing education! Here are goals to meet for two popular tracks for returning volunteers from our Guide to Volunteering:
- Certified Continuing Master Gardener Volunteer: A Master Gardener Volunteer who has graduated and wishes to remain active in the program beyond the initial year and volunteer in an educational role. Certified continuing Master Gardener Volunteers are required to recertify each year by completing 20 hours of volunteering, 10 hours of continuing education and submitting completed OSU volunteer paperwork.
- Continuing Master Gardener Volunteer (non-certified): a Master Gardener Volunteer who has graduated and wishes to remain active in the program beyond the initial year but not volunteer in a direct educational role(s). Non-certified continuing Master Gardener Volunteers are still required to complete program agreements annually. Non-certified Continuing Master Gardener Volunteers are not eligible to provide education to public (presentations, plant clinic, serving as a mentor, any direct education, etc.) until they become certified.
- Volunteers needed
- New fall dates – Albany Library Houseplant Swap and Extension open house! Pop-Up Plant Clinics need people to “talk plants” with our communities. Sign up HERE. Report service as Plant Clinic: Direct
- Trainees welcome – Demo Garden: Join us for work parties at the Linn Demo Garden on Wednesdays and/or Fridays from 10:00am-12:00pm. Report service as Educational Garden (Maintenance): Indirect.
- Find ongoing and anytime opportunities on the Linn Volunteer Opportunities Page
- Continuing education opportunities:
- NEW! 2022 Dry Farming Field Day: The Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Small Farms Program is offering the 8th annual Dry Farming Field Day. Come learn about multiple dry farming research projects, taste different varieties of dry-farmed produce and visit with other growers and researchers in the Dry Farming Collaborative. Sept. 14, 4-6 p.m. at the Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture (844 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97331). This event is free to attend but registration is required. Space is limited. Farmers and service providers: https://beav.es/ib5; gardeners: https://beav.es/ibi. For more info and registration please visit: https://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/smallfarms/projects/dry-farming or contact Teagan Moran at 541-713-5011 or Teagan.moran@oregonstate.edu.
- Rich Little entomology learning opportunities
- Diagnostics desk sessions/Office plant clinic. Thursdays 1-3 – learn how to identify and solve insect and plant issues with longtime MGVs Rich and Susan. These two are retired scientists and coordinates of the BEEvent pollinator conference. Sign up and make sure to bring a sample to work on if there’s not one from a client.
- LIVE entomology workshop September 15th 6-8 pm. These will be at the Linn Extension Office and open to both Linn and Benton County Master Gardeners. Sign up HERE.
- Sign up now: 9/3 & 9/4 Plant Clinic at the State Fair. Free wristbands and parking permits will be mailed to participants as soon as they are available. Learn more and RSVP. Report service as Plant Clinic: Direct
- Drop-in classes In the Demo Garden (free). Master Gardeners are teaming up to discuss gardening. Each session features a short talk, demonstrations and valuable information to take home. Planting your Garden—How and when to prepare the soil, plant, and transplant vegetables and ornamentals.
- Harvesting Fruits & Vegetables—How to determine the peak flavor and ripeness of fruits and vegetables. Sept 8th Thursday 10 am and 6 pm
- Growing Oregon Gardeners – Level Up 2022:
- September 13: Compost Can-do: develop a system that meets your needs
- Find more HERE.
- Community news (Please note that anything in this section is not eligible for MGV volunteer service nor endorsed by Extension, but is mentioned as a courtesy to our community.)
- BNC (Basic Needs Center) Food Pantry Welcomes Produce from Home Gardens: The OSU BNC Food Pantry would love any extra produce from your gardens. Our community relishes fresh produce. If you have a surplus, contact the BNC (541-737-3747 / bnc@oregonstate.edu) for best time to drop off.
