Tag Archives: Community science

Benton Master Gardener eNews

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Bookmark our page: Find newsletter archives, volunteer handbook and more volunteer opportunities at https://blogs.oregonstate.edu/activebentonlinnmg/

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.

Master Gardener trainee H. Chris Smith wrote a blog post of top tips for stewarding pumpkin seeds for a new crop,
and enjoying them as tasty snacks.
Congratulations Chris on completing your service hours, and thanks for an informative post!
  • Shout outs
    • New volunteer opportunities – 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”. 
    • 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 Saturday, November 19 from 2-4 in Tangent. 
    • Are you a trainee who needs help completing your service? Schedule a visit about volunteering or contact Elizabeth Records.
  • BCMGA News
    • 9/23 – BCMGA Membership Gathering/Picnic—Friday, September 23, 5:00-7:00 PM. RSVP to Janet Magedanz: jkmagedanz (at) gmail.com
    • 10/10 – BCMGA board meeting 3:00-5:00. Via board President: “We are looking at holding an in-person meeting but will keep the Zoom option. Below is the link to join via Zoom. I’ll include the location in my next Bi-Weekly Update.”
    • 10/24 Membership meeting. The October membership meeting will be on Monday, October 24 rather than October 17.
      • Vote for 2023 BCMGA board members
      • Learn how to identify and report emerald ash borer with Jennifer Killian, City of Corvallis Urban Forester.
  • Volunteers needed
    • 9/20 & 9/27 – Plant Sale Propagation teams will be meeting every Tuesday in September from 9:00 -11:00am near the greenhouses on the west side of Philomath High School, 2054 Applegate St. Bring gloves, pruners, your badge, and perhaps a bottle of water. No experience is necessary. We’ll get you started potting up baby plants in no time! Please RSVP to Leslie at lesliehauser107@gmail.com (or show up anyway if you forget). This year, with your help, the Plant Sale Team will be growing 60% of the propagated plants for our May Plant Sale at Philomath Highschool. The other 40% will be from a scaled-down Dig and Divide season beginning mid-September. Stay tuned for more info on how you can join us at Nellie’s house this fall!
      • September 20
      • September 27
    • 9/24 Fall 2022 Master Gardener BioBlitz. Grab your camera and join us on iNaturalist to capture the insects, birds, wild plants, and other wild organisms in your garden or a nearby community or public garden space. Your efforts will help to document garden biodiversity in Oregon! Online – all day. Learn more and join. Report the time as “citizen science: indirect”. 
    • Anytime – Become a Forest Pest Detector and report observations of potentially invasive species. Report hours as “citizen science: indirect”. Master Gardener volunteers in Master Gardener Programs of Linn and Benton Counties may report time spent with training as continuing education, and times spent and spotting and reporting possible pests as “citizen science: indirect”.
    • Weekdays – 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. Pairs of volunteers can currently sign up in the front office again! Sign up 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.)
    • Your extra pots are needed by the Plant Sale team. You can drop them off behind the shed at the Demonstration Garden at the fairgrounds.  

Linn Master Gardener e-News

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Bookmark our page: Find newsletter archives, volunteer handbook and more volunteer opportunities at https://blogs.oregonstate.edu/activebentonlinnmg/

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.

Linn County Master Gardeners will again offer in-person blue orchard bee cocoon harvesting classes. Rich Little will offer a drop in “Train the Trainer” class at the Linn Extension office on Wednesday, September 14th from 10:00-Noon.
You will learn more about mason bees and learn how to guide people in harvesting cocoons. The cocoon harvesting classes will be held in October (mostly in Linn and Benton County). A few have let us know that they are ready to teach the cocoon harvesting classes, but we need lots of volunteer helpers! We will need 5-6 helpers for most of the 9 classes and will have sign-up sheets ready for you to volunteer. Bring your calendar, so you are ready to sign up. Come even if you don’t know much about mason bees.
  • Shout outs
    • 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 Saturday November 19 from 2-4 in Tangent. 
      • Are you a trainee who needs help completing your service? Schedule a visit about volunteering or contact Elizabeth Records.
    • NEW volunteer op! 9/14 – Evaluating aesthetic qualities of selected landscape plants. 10am – 2pm (Arrive when convenient; ratings take about 60 min). OSU’s North Willamette Research & Extension Center in Aurora. Learn more and get directions. Report the time as “citizen science:indirect”. 
    • NEW continuing ed! 9/14 – 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. 
  • LCMGA news
    • We have two positions open on our board: The 1st VP is responsible for scheduling the PNW talks and any talks for our membership meetings. The treasurer is responsible for maintaining our financial records on Quick Books, issuing checks, and providing a report of expenses for our monthly Board Meetings. I and the entire Board will help and support our new officers to make this a fun and rewarding experience. As a Board member, you can help shape the future of Linn Master Gardeners. Please if interested in joining our board in any capacity, call me, 541 990 5624 or email goergenb (at) gmail.com
    • General membership meeting Sept 22nd. LCMGA Board President Betty Goergen will let you know the time and place in her next email.
  • Volunteers needed
    • New – 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”. 
    • 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
    • New! 9/24 Fall 2022 Master Gardener BioBlitz. Grab your camera and join us on iNaturalist to capture the insects, birds, wild plants, and other wild organisms in your garden or a nearby community or public garden space. Your efforts will help to document garden biodiversity in Oregon! Online – all day. Learn more and join. Report the time as “citizen science: indirect”. 
    • 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
  • 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.)
    • None this week

Linn MGV eNews

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Through the Garden Gate - 21st Annual Tour. Saturday June 18th 2022 10:00 to 4:00 For the first time since 2019! Six unique & artful Albany gardens. Tickets ($15) on sale May 1 at linnmastergardeners.com Or in person starting at 9:30 AM June 18, Albany Visitor’s Center 250 Broadalbin St. SW. Your ticket purchase supports gardening & pollinator education. OSU Extension Service prohibits discrimination in all its programs, services, activities, and materials. Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by two weeks ahead of the event to Elizabeth Records, 541-730-3471 or elizabeth.records@oregonstate.edu
Save the date for Through the Garden Gate! Volunteer opportunities and tickets coming soon.
  • Shoutouts
    • NEW! Trainees and returning volunteers! Linn County Pop-Up Plant Clinics need people to “talk plants” with our communities. Upcoming dates at Farmers Markets and more to come.
      • Sign up HERE.
      • Interested in scheduling booth at the Lebanon Farmers Market? Please contact Elizabeth.
    • Save the dates:
      • PNW Gardening Series returns
        • May 19: Don Lyon — seed starting
        • June 2: Rich Little — insects
  • Did you miss the 8th Annual BEEvent Pollinator Conference? You can still register at www.LinnMasterGardeners.com to access the great information shared by the experts. The recorded conference is now available for you to watch at your convenience.
  • Volunteers needed
    • Trainees welcome – help plan the Linn County demonstration garden for 2022 and get involved in this fun hands-on project. For more information contact raneewebb66 (at) gmail.com
    • Demo Garden: Join us for work parties at the Linn Demo Garden on Wednesdays and/or Fridays from 1:00-3:00.  Get volunteer hours by helping make the Demo Garden look great.  
    • Speakers’ bureau – are you an organized, outgoing person interested in helping connect interested volunteers with community organizations needing gardening education? Please contact Elizabeth Records.
    • Find ongoing and anytime opportunities on the Linn Volunteer Opportunities Page
  • Continuing education opportunities:  
  • 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.)
    • Job: The Oregon State University Division of Extension and Engagement invites applications for a full-time Office Specialist 1 for the OSU Extension Service Benton County Office. This position is located in Corvallis, Oregon.This Office Specialist 1 is a member of the OSU Extension Benton County Office support team and contributes to a welcoming and respectful workplace culture. This position provides routine office support tasks for the OSU Extension Benton County Office. The Office Specialist provides educational resources and general assistance to Extension clients and/or refers clients to the appropriate faculty or staff member. The ability to travel is required to perform office-related errands such as picking up or delivering materials to the OSU main campus, supply stores, printing and mailing. https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/postings/116390
    • Got Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs? Donate them for research! Jana Lee, a research entomologist at OSU, has a postdoc student needing brown marmorated stink bugs for his research, Ryan Paul. We would be willing to stop by local homes to collect any BMSB where people see them, or pick up any container with them.  If any BMSB are put into a container, they need air since they will ‘stink’ themselves to death in a closed container.  There should also be a wet towel, and some food like carrot stick, bean, apple slice or grape. If you have stink bugs, contact:
      • Jana Lee, Research Entomologist  jana.lee@usda.gov
      • Paul Ryan ryanp@oregonstate.edu

Benton MGV eNews

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Need a badge? Order replacement MGV badges by 11:59 pm on 9/31/2021. To order CLICK HERE.
  • Program updates: In case you missed it earlier – OSU has updated guidelines regarding event planning, as shared by Statewide program coordinator Gail Langellotto in a recent update. The takeaway: in-person non-credit educational events can currently proceed without having to card participants, so long as participants register. Things can change, so offering hybrid events and/or having a virtual plan B would still be wise. If you are planning an event, get the latest information and more details on this important topic. – Elizabeth Records, interim coordinator
  • Shout outs
    • It is just about four weeks until the close of the service year!
      • Continuing volunteer? There are no official service targets to remain certified at this time, but please log your service and continuing education hours so we can show stakeholders how much volunteers are still doing. Also, take advantage of the great continuing education options.
      • 2nd year trainee? Please aim to complete 40 service hours, counting from winter 2020, by 10/31/21 if you would like to earn your first certification this year. Please aim for 50% plant clinic or direct service. Having challenges? Let’s talk – we can figure something out!
      • Everyone who would like to participate in any volunteer activities in 2022, needs to re-enroll by reviewing the soon-forthcoming Guide to Volunteering 2022 and completing annual program paperwork. This will be sent by DocuSign in early October, or can be completed as a hard copy and sent to the office. Look out for a post with full directions coming soon.
  • Calling all community scientists! Before you clean out your mason bee cocoons, please send a sample to the Pollinator Health Lab at OSU. We’re working to better understand some new exotic bees and bee pests and predators that have been recently introduced into Oregon. You can help! Take the Mason Bee Survey.
  • Volunteers needed – Visit the Benton County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for recurring events.
    • This week: 9/30/2021 10am-12pm. Perennial herb propagation. Sign up.
    • This week: – Plant propagation – donations and divisions. Many dates and times – drop in and sign up when you arrive. See full schedule.
    • Garden writing opportunity!  The BCMGA is looking for someone to prepare a monthly posting for the Neighborhood Plant Kiosk.  The posting generally relates to tasks to be completed in the garden for the following month (which can be found online) and generally takes approximately two hours to prepare.  Time preparing the post qualifies for volunteer service for certification purposes.  If interested, please contact Denise Saunders at vdenisesaunders@comcast.net or 541 760-0523.
    • Mountain View Elementary School Garden: The current emphasis is to get all students and teachers involved in the garden. A grade appropriate lesson in plant propagation is followed with the students planting in the garden. If possible, the lessons are scheduled so that the students can harvest before school is out in June. Fall crops can be harvested shortly after the September start of school, if that grade is still enrolled at the school. Please contact Glen Canning if you are interested.
    • Liaison to Sustainability Coalition: Attend Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Meetings, Quarterly meetings, Annual Town Hall meeting. Share information and activities related to sustainability between MG and Sustainability Coalition. Please contact Judith Kenner or Jennifer Klammer if interested.
    • Community Garden Action Team & Seed to Supper: Teaching hands-on gardening to underserved community members. Contact Judith Kenner if interested.
    • Central Park Committee Chair needed.  The chairperson is responsible for coordinating work parties, recruiting new committee members at committee fairs, interfacing with Corvallis Parks and Recreation, reporting committee activities to the BCMGA board, submitting an annual budget to BCMGA and approving expenditures from that budget, as well as storing committee owned tools.  Please contact Kathi Tucker if you are interested.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs)
    • This week: For the Love of Hummingbirds-Marion County Master Gardener Association Speaker Series. Be the guest of Brooke Edmunds and Marion County Master Gardener Association, Sep 30, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm PDT. No cost, registration required. Learn more and RSVP.
    • New: The Introduction to Inclusive Excellence in Extension course supports members of the Oregon State University (OSU) Extension community in understanding OSU’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as Extension’s federal Civil Rights responsibilities, so they can be equipped to act in a manner that is consistent with OSU’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence. To register for this anytime course CLICK HERE.
  • BCMGA updates are now found in the President’s mailings.
  • Extension updates.
  • 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.)
    • OSU is currently recruiting candidates for two positions, with responsibilities to the Extension Master Gardener Program. Both positions are located on the Oregon Coast. The first is a Professional Faculty / Program Coordinator position in Newport, Oregon, serving the Lincoln County Small Farms and Master Gardener Programs. The second is a Staff / Educational Program Assistant Position in Gold Beach, Oregon, serving the Curry County Master Gardener Program. Anyone interested should contact Gail Langellotto.