• Now available – Continuing Master Gardener volunteers may enjoy free access to this Master Gardener Online program

• Program Updates
  • Via Richard Riggs, Extension Regional Director Western Region: “OSU is following OHA guidance and has lifted the indoor mask mandate over the weekend.  You may still continue to wear masks indoors if you are more comfortable doing so, and I have asked all offices to maintain a stock of masks on hand to facilitate this.  Offices also no longer need to use/maintain the contact tracing forms.  Additionally, our indoor events no longer require social distancing, however people may be more comfortable maintain a distance so please accommodate them whenever possible.” This means that office plant clinic for volunteer pairs is now possible! We’ll continue to offer other options for plant clinic too. Check out the full post.

OSU is following OHA guidance and has lifted the indoor mask mandate over the weekend.  You may still continue to wear masks indoors if you are more comfortable doing so, and I have asked all offices to maintain a stock of masks on hand to facilitate this.  Offices also no longer need to use/maintain the contact tracing forms.  Additionally, our indoor events no longer require social distancing, however people may be more comfortable maintain a distance so please accommodate them whenever possible. 

The OSU vaccine requirement remains in place for all employees as does the positive case notification of OSU if you test positive.    Additionally, if you test positive or have symptoms of COVID please quarantine and do not come to work sick.  Some of our community partners (e.g. schools or food banks) will have their own COVID requirements and if you are working in those environments make yourself aware of and follow their requirements.   

As we adjust to the endemic phase of COVID there will be awkwardness and people will be uncomfortable, please be patient and show your coworkers and others grace as we reach a new normal. “

– Elizabeth Records – program coordinator (interim)

• Shoutouts
  • March 2022 Membership Meeting. Time: Mar 21, 2022 07:00 PM
    Join us as we listen to Sharon Knight of Garland Nursery speak about various new items available to enhance your gardening experience – from new fertilizers to new tools. The presentation will be a live event from the barn at Garland Nursery. See members email for the link to join.

• Spring schedule for program coordinator: March-June, Elizabeth’s weekly schedule is Wednesday-Sunday, 8-5.
  • eNews spring schedule: MGV eNews for Benton County volunteers will be published first and third Thursdays. Second and fourth Thursdays, look for a newsletter from BCMGA board president.
  • LOTS of new volunteer opportunities, see below!
  • Containers needed: BCMGA  is putting together a display garden at the fairgrounds to show various types of edible vegetables, flowers and herbs that can be grown in containers.  We are looking for large (18” or larger) decorative pots for the garden, preferably ceramic or terra cotta.  If you have any extra pots that you can donate, please send a photo of the pots and an indication of size to Denise Saunders at vdenisesaunders@comcast.net

• Volunteers needed
  • The 2022 Plant Sale is on! This is BCMGA’s biggest and only fundraiser this year to support all our education programs. It takes many volunteers to make this event a success. If you are not comfortable working with the public, there are still plenty of opportunities to help. Please mark your calendars to “save the dates”.
    • Friday, May 6: Loading and unloading plants/Sale set up
    • Saturday, May 7: Sale All day and Clean Up
      • Leslie Hauser, this year’s Volunteer Coordinator, is already beginning to fill the lead positions. Contact her at lesliehauser107@gmail.com or 702-340-6513 if you have worked one of the lead positions at a previous sale and would like to continue in that role.
  • The Grow Team is looking for volunteers to help start seeds at the Philomath High School greenhouses to have plants ready for the annual plant sale on May 7. Please follow the link to Sign Up Genius to volunteer to help with seed starting. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C45AAAE2AA57-bcmg1
  • The Outreach Committee is seeking a volunteer to coordinate clinic tables at local nurseries and related businesses this spring/summer. These are similar to the clinic tables at the Farmer’s Market except they can happen on weekdays, weekends or evenings. It is a great opportunity to connect with the community, and an easy way for our MGs and trainees to gain experience and hours. If you are interested in this position, please contact either Bob Smythe at smytherobert1@gmail.com or Nancy Tovar at njtovar@gmail.com
  • Mentors needed! We have a full class of people about to start training to become Master Gardeners. Mentors are key to helping these folks become effective problem solvers, as well as part of the Master Gardener community. At this time, mentors and trainees are unable to work together at the help desk in the Extension office but can do so in the conference room. They can also meet virtually from anywhere. Training for mentors is being updated to make these meetings easier, using new resources as well as refinements of the virtual help desk. There is a place for continuing Master Gardeners to serve at all levels, from working at the traditional desk to those totally online, so please volunteer to mentor the next generation and keep Master Gardeners thriving. Contact Alan Taylor, Mentor Committee chair, at tayloala@peak.org or 541-929-4141.
  • BCMG Greenhouse Help: It’s time to begin growing veggies in the greenhouse at Philomath High School for the annual plant sale on May 7. Enroll HERE.
  • Presentation: Corvallis CERT (Community Emergency Response  Team) in Corvallis, Oregon is seeking a presentation for a group of volunteers that are interested in learning more about gardening, non-invasive species, native plants and more, as part of emergency response! If interested, please contact Elizabeth Records.
  • Office Plant Clinic sign ups open: The office is open to the public, and volunteers can sign up for plant clinic shifts as desired, to answer client questions or practice skills. Desk is open for solo volunteers, or grab our ipad and mini microscopes and work in the conference room with a friend. Sign up HERE.
  • Find ongoing and anytime opportunities on the Benton Volunteer Opportunities Page.
• Continuing education opportunities:
  • BEEvent – ticket sales for the live webinar have closed, but shortly tickets to view recordings will be available at linnmastergardeners.com
  • OSU Extension Master Gardeners announce 2022 Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series schedule It’s a new year and a new slate of free online learning webinars with Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series. Whether you want to learn how to finally be better with your irrigation, understand if cleaning up leaves in the fall is really good or not so good for the insects in the garden, or get excited for all things roses, there’s a class for you.  
  • Growing Oregon Gardeners – Level Up 2022:
    • April 12: Plant Grow Harvest Repeat: Succession Planting
    • May 10: Growing Great Roses!
    • June 14: Irrigation Choices and Design for the Home Garden and Landscape 
    • Find more HERE.
• Climate Change, Environmental Justice, and Urban Greenspace: To observe Oregon State University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, the Master Gardener Program hosted a screening of the movie ‘The Ants and the Grasshopper’. The movie follows Anita Chitaya, as she travels from her home in Malawi, to farms and gardens across the United States to share her story of how climate change is impacting her village. Afterwards, Dr. Vivek Shandas of Portland State University joined us to discuss the intersection of historical racism, landscaping and greenspace, and environmental justice. Read the blog.
• 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.)
  • Evening Garden Club accepts applications for 2022 Grants Program: Corvallis Evening Garden Club is accepting applications until March 30, 2022.The Evening Garden Club supports the expansion of gardening, education and beautification in the Corvallis community through its Grants Program. The EGC offers grants to Benton County nonprofit organizations to carry out worthy gardening related projects. To learn more about the program and to apply please visit our website: https://corvalliseveninggardenclub.org/grants/