• Program updatesRegarding OSU’s latest public health policies, our best options for volunteer activities are outdoor events with 25 people or less, and/or distance events. Many activities are not affected but some may need to adapt. Please keep doing great volunteering activities and help everyone in our community stay well. Get the latest information and more details on this important topic. – Elizabeth Records, interim coordinator
  • Shout outs:
    • Congratulations to Rene Miller, featured in this month’s Growing!
    • You have just 30 days left in the Master Gardener photography contest to submit your photos! Here’s an exciting update: there are prizes for the winners: 
      • First-place winners in each of the three categories will receive signed, autographed copies of the books Trees to Know, and Shrubs to Know. In addition, an OSU Foods of Oregon reusable tote.  
      • All second-place winners in each of the three categories will receive signed, autographed copies of the book Trees to Know. In addition, an OSU Foods of Oregon reusable tote.  
      • Make sure you are taking your photos for the categories! They need to be either peopleplaces, or program priority photos, as shown above. You can get all of the details, including a guide to taking great photos on the program news blog here.   
  • Volunteers needed.
    • Demo garden.
    • What are Distance Garden Consults? Early results from the Oregon Master Gardener Needs Assessment show that clients are very interested in personalized consultations. For this pilot volunteer opportunity they would request an appointment with a Master Gardener for a Zoom visit to trouble shoot their garden concerns. You can always do more research and follow up. Zoom, email and internet are the only tech needed. If this interests you please contact Elizabeth.
    • Visit the Linn County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for these opportunities, and more.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with “$”)
  • LCMGA updates
    • Board meeting info: see this week’s eNews email.
  • Extension updates.
    • New continuing education opportunity: 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.
  • 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.)
    • Jobs: 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.
    • Got alyssum? “We have a parasitoid experiment in the works and our greenhouse alyssum is senescing. Do master gardeners have some in your yard(s)?  We need about 15 small flower heads three times a week.” –Katerina Velasco-Graham, MS. Please contact Katerina directly: grahkate (at) oregonstate.edu
  • Program updates: Regarding OSU’s latest public health policies, our best options for volunteer activities are outdoor events with 25 people or less, and/or distance events. Many activities are not affected but some may need to adapt. Please keep doing great volunteering activities and help everyone in our community stay well. Get the latest information and more details on this important topic. – Elizabeth Records, interim coordinator
  • Shout outs
    • You have just 30 days left in the Master Gardener photography contest to submit your photos!  
    • Here’s an exciting update: there are prizes for the winners: 
      • First-place winners in each of the three categories will receive signed, autographed copies of the books Trees to Know, and Shrubs to Know. In addition, an OSU Foods of Oregon reusable tote.  
      • All second-place winners in each of the three categories will receive signed, autographed copies of the book Trees to Know. In addition, an OSU Foods of Oregon reusable tote.  
      • Make sure you are taking your photos for the categories! They need to be either peopleplaces, or program priority photos, as shown above. You can get all of the details, including a guide to taking great photos on the program news blog here
  • Volunteers needed – Visit the Benton County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for recurring events.
    • Plant propagation workday coming up 9/3. Sign up.
    • 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)
  • BCMGA updates
    • Board meeting information is now found in the President’s mailings.
  • Extension updates.
    • New continuing education opportunity: 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.
  • 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.
    • Got alyssum? “We have a parasitoid experiment in the works and our greenhouse alyssum is senescing. Do master gardeners have some in your yard(s)?  We need about 15 small flower heads three times a week.” –Katerina Velasco-Graham, MS. Please contact Katerina directly: grahkate (at) oregonstate.edu

Header showing volunteers in plant clinic, gardening and outdoor school.
New continuing education opportunity: 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.
  • Program updatesPer the recent order from the Governor, everyone needs to wear face coverings inside, and for outdoor activities where they cannot stay 6 feet apart, whatever their vaccination status. This is similar to last week’s public health policy update from OSU. Please keep doing great volunteering activities and help everyone in our community stay well. Get the latest information. 
  • Shout outs
    • Save the date for Gather screening and talk – Wednesday November 10th at 7pm. MGV continuing education opportunity. Gather is an intimate portrait of the growing movement amongst Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political and cultural identities through food sovereignty, while battling the trauma of centuries of genocide. As Master Gardener Volunteers, learning about and supporting gardeners across cultures in cultivating food that is meaningful to their traditions, is an exciting way to connect with new audiences.
    • We need your photos and stories! What are you doing in the garden? Share a selfie or image of a lovely plant for our headline photo!
  • Volunteers needed.
    • Brownsville Plant Clinic: 3-6pm every Thursday from May into October.  Location is Park and Kirk in BV. If interested please contact Elizabeth Records. Organized by Don Lyon.
    • Thompson’s Mill in Shedd: Thompson’s Mills State Heritage Site is establishing a pioneer heritage vegetable garden and is seeking volunteers who might be interested in helping to coordinate this project. Current priorities are to help prepare the large plot which is fenced and has water.  Soil needs amending with compost and manure, available on site. Contact Donald Lyon at phototraveler02 (at) gmail.com to arrange a visit. 
    • Demo garden.
    • Visit the Linn County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for these opportunities, and more.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with “$”)
  • LCMGA updates
    • Board meeting info: see this week’s eNews email.
  • Extension updates.
    • Featured plant clinic question: Tomato plants have browning leaves that showed up in the past few weeks. What could be the cause? To find out what volunteers think was happening, CLICK HERE.
    • Featured publication: When to pick the perfect pear. Don’t wait for pears to turn yellow or soft before you pick them. Instead, pick them before they mature and place them in cold storage.
  • 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 – please share local garden events or opportunities that don’t fit in other categories!