Linn Master Gardener eNews

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  • Please bookmark the Volunteer Resource Page. It has newsletter archives, an updated volunteer sourcebook, continuing education opportunities, and volunteering opportunities. It is your one-stop source for program essentials!
  • Have an item for eNews? Please contact 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.

New – continuing education and garden lab opportunity!
Want to learn how to teach kids about pollinators?

Join us for a free 1/2 day training workshop in Independence! Each county participating will receive a free Bee Smart School Garden Kit from the Pollinator Partnership ($200 value).

This is a complete curriculum with starter supplies. It can be taught as a series or as individual lessons. It can be used in school gardens or in your Master Gardener demonstration gardens.

When: April. The specific date & time will be decided on by the participants.
Who: Trainees and continuing/veteran Master Gardeners
Where: At the Polk County Master Gardener’s Inspiration Garden in Independence

Learn more and apply HERE.

Reach out to Brooke Edmunds, brooke.edmunds@oregonstate.edu for more info.

You will be notified by email after 2/15.

Shout outs

  • [T] BEEvent needs volunteers! March 4, 2023. The committee is still looking for some additional helpers for fun and easy tasks. Learn more and RSVP. Report service as Fundraiser: Support. Trainees who live in Linn County – this is a perfect opportunity to earn some required service hours. BEEvent sessions can also county for garden labs if reported on our discussion board.
  • [G] 9th Annual BEEvent Pollinator Conference – March 4, 2023, Linn Expo Center, Albany, Oregon. “Adapting Your Garden to the Coming Changes”. This in-person conference is back after a 2-year online-only presence. Focus on Home Gardens and Small Farms. 9:00am – 3:30pm. It will open soon at www.LinnMasterGardeners.com
  • OSU Extension Master Gardener Program News
    • Growing Oregon Gardeners is back! The wildly popular webinar series produced by faculty and staff of the OSU Extension Master Gardener program, “Growing Oregon Gardeners, Level Up Series” returns in 2023. Scheduled the second Tuesday of every month, Noon-1pm, February through November, they are free and open to the public. This year, gardeners can learn directly from experts about native plants, dig deep into soil testing, and even how to use oils for pest control. The first webinar kicks off Tuesday February 14th: Rooting for Runoff: Storing and Treating Home Stormwater Using Rain Gardens. Learn more and RSVP HERE.
    • Growing & Belonging: Winter Update – This is your Winter Update from your statewide Growing & Belonging committee. Four times a year we publish on the program news blog, sharing our work, findings, and resources to help keep you informed and engaged in creating a local Master Gardener program and association experience that is one of growing and belonging.
  • LCMGA News
    • OSU Extension Needs Assessment Committee and OMGA Advocacy Committee: The Needs Assessment group will be sending out a questionnaire to all Master Gardeners. Please take the time to do it. It will provide vital information to inform the OSU Extension administration about the Master Gardener program’s needs. OMGA Advocacy group is launching a campaign to push for more state funding for Extension programs. They are asking MGs to contact their legislators to ask that Extension funding be increased. See the 6-month action plan and timeline in the link. It is not too soon to start now. This is extremely important to the future vitality of Master Gardeners and Extension as a whole. View the presentation here.
    • PNW Brownbag lunchtime talks – new location! Noon to 1 p.m. at the OSU Linn County Extension office 33630 McFarland Rd, Tangent, OR 97389. Save the dates for these March events in the series:
    • Mar 9 Community Garden presented by Mich Sweigert
    • Mar 16 Garden Planning presented by Karin Magnuson
    • Mar 23 TBA
  • Volunteer opportunities [T] = includes opportunities that trainees can join now!
    • [T] BEEvent! March 4, 2023. The committee is still looking for some additional helpers. Learn more and RSVP. Report service as Fundraiser: Support.
    • [T] GARDEN EDUCATION CLASSES Help develop gardening classes at the Demo Garden for 2023. We have two beds set aside at the Demo Garden and two beds at Willamette Community Garden to use to teach gardening classes. Classes will start in early 2023 and will be similar to Seed to Supper but with a hands-on approach. Want to help design the classes email me, Betty at goergenb@gmail.com. Report service as Instructor: Direct. Trainees can earn credit for helping plan and assisting with teaching, after completing modules and skill sessions.
    • [T] Community science. Contribute data to research on gardens, plants, and wildlife. Explore and sign up. Many projects are remote and on your own schedule. Report the time as “citizen science: indirect”. 
    • Find ongoing and anytime opportunities on the Linn Volunteer Opportunities Page
  • 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.)
    • The Grow This! Oregon Garden Challenge, Oregon State University Extension’s statewide seed giveaway, returns for a fourth year in 2023 featuring a continued partnership with the Oregon Potato Commission.
      • Starting Feb. 6, individuals and households, schools and groups can sign up to receive an individual/household seed kit, group kit or seed-starting teacher classroom kit through the mail. 
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