Teresa Matteson, Resource Conservationist, demonstrates a worm bin to Master Gardener trainees at a 2022 garden lab. Thanks to MGV committee members who are teaching some of these garden labs, including the Community Gardening Education Team, Plant Problem Scenarios, Plant Sale Committee, and (from Linn County) Pollinator Project Team. Trainees love the combination of on-their-own schedule coursework and hands-on weekend garden labs.
Correction: Debbie Lauer’s email address had an error in eNews. The correcte email for Debbie is DSL2017@peak.org
Trainees & continuing volunteers – Fun roles & activities in the upcoming S2S in the Garden workshops 🌿April 23, 10-12, May 21, 10-12, July 23, 10-12, Sept 10, Potluck. Please click the following link to get to the “S2S in the Garden 2022 Signups” worksheet in eNews.
Farmer’s Market Clinic Table! It’s nearly time for the outdoor farmer’s market in downtown Corvallis. The first clinic table will be Saturday, April 16. Beginning in May the Master Gardener clinic tables at the Farmer’s Market will be the 2nd Saturday and 4th Wednesday of each month. Certified Master Gardeners are required to give advice but trainees may volunteer as well. If enough people volunteer, we can have two shifts. Please contact Debbie Lauer at 541-929-7544 or DSL2017@peak.org to sign up.
Shoutouts
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. If you’re a trainee, please wait to connect with a mentor, before enrolling.
Next Board Meeting is Monday, April 11, 3:00 – 5:00. See invitation from the board president to join.
April 18th BCMGA membership meeting – at 7 PM, we will be meeting in the Sunset room where we used to meet before Coronavirus changed everything. The speaker will be Kathy Clark and her presentation is entitled Making Smart Plant Choices for Less Work. Many of us have come to the uncomfortable – literally – realization that plant decisions we made in the past resulted in more work than we want to continue to do or can no longer do. Kathy will give us great ideas about how to make changes or, if you’re still a “youngster” , how to do it right the first time. If you won’t be attending in person, a zoom link will be provided in the email version of this newsletter.
Returning volunteers – need a replacement badge? Order them HERE.
LOTS of new volunteer opportunities, see below!
Free Seed Packets. We are fortunate to have several generous local garden supply companies who have donated commercial seed packets to the Master Gardener Program that we’ve primarily used for Seed To Supper. Although the packets expired last year, many still have useful viability. We have a large variety of vegetable as well as perennial and annual flower seeds for MG use! If you have a project that could benefit (community gardens, beautification areas, etc.) please contact Shikha Ghosh Gottfried at shikhagg@gmail.com.
Volunteers needed
The 2022 Plant Sale is on! Click HERE to volunteer for the BCMGA Plant Sale on May 7 at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Volunteers are needed for both May 6 (Set up) and May 7 (Sale day). If you have any questions or prefer to not use Sign-Up Genius, please email Leslie Hauser, this year’s Volunteer Coordinator, at lesliehauser107@gmail.com.
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
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.
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:
Beefuddled, Beewildered, Beeknighted about bees? Join Linn County Master Gardeners at the 8th annual BEEvent Pollinator Conference on March 5, 2022, via Zoom. Our speakers will include: –Olivia Carril, co-author of Bees in Your Backyard, Bee-plant relationships: A match made in heaven or love on the rocks? –Erin Wickliffe, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Beneficial Insects –Gail Langellotto, Professor of Horticulture at Oregon State University and State Coordinator of the Extension Service Master Gardener Program, Native Plant-Bee Associations in Western Oregon –Sarah Kincaid, Bee Atlas Education Coordinator, The Oregon Orchard Bee Health Survey Cocoons –Susan Morton and Ranee Webb, Linn County Master Gardeners, Blue Orchard Bees (in the Willamette Valley) & Best Practices Registration is $25. The event will be broadcast live. Registrants will be able to access recording of the talks at their leisure beginning about a week after the event. Registration is at linnmastergardeners.com; mason bee housing and cocoons may also be purchased at that site.
Program updates 2/8/2022: This is to update Master Gardener volunteers on the latest public health requirements per OSU. Please let me know what question you have.Â
–No change in current mask requirements at OSU – still need face coverings inside for now.
–Proof of vaccination or negative test no longer required for outdoor events and activities
In-person outdoor community plant clinics coming up this spring to a garden center near you. Locations and times still TBD – likely Saturdays, with an opportunity to engage trainees. If interested, please contact Elizabeth Records.
Speakers’ bureau:Â are you an organized, outgoing person interested in helping connect interested volunteers with community organizations needing gardening education? Please contact Elizabeth Records.
Seed Starting -Tips for Success – Monday, February 21, 7:00-8:00 pm on zoom.
Benton Co. MGs Jennifer and Lisa draw from their experience seeding and growing on starts for the BCMGA plant sale. They will share strategies for starting veggies, annuals and perennials. PowerPoint presentation, demonstrations, and open Q/A. We’d love to hear from the audience: What is your favorite/most challenging plant you’ve started from seed? Be ready to answer in chat! Looking forward to growing season! Register in advance for this meeting.
Fruit Tree Pruning workshop – special invitation from Community Gardening Education Team
Saturday, February 26, 1:30-3:00 pm, The Giving Garden at Shepherd of the Valley, 2659 NW Highland Drive, Corvallis. Learn pruning basics on 10-year old apple, plum and pear trees trained in open vase shape on semi-dwarf root stock. We will have some hand tools available. Optional: Bring gloves, hand clippers. Wear weather appropriate clothing (rainwear, boots – long grass in orchard). Please be ready to wear a mask if social distancing is difficult during demonstrations. Led by Meleah Ashford and Jennifer Klammer
Consider This, Oregon Humanities: Join us on March 10, 2022 for an online conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass and Gathering Moss. Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. This program will be streamed live at 5:00 p.m. Pacific on YouTube. RSVP for this free program.
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.  March 8: Local Beauties: Native Plants for Ecologically Enhanced Gardens and Landscapes with Nikkie West, Kathryn Prive and Rick Martinson
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.)
