Tag Archives: pollinators

Linn 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.

Congratulations Graduation and celebration We all bee-long
Small bites & treats potluck
+ awards

To RSVP CLICK HERE.

Saturday, November 19, 2022 @2-4PM
Event Address:  Central Electrical Training Center Tangent, OR 97389
Contact: Elizabeth Records, program staff: elizabeth.records@oregonstate.edu 541-730-3471

We gather to honor your achievements as a Master Gardener volunteer and celebrate what our community can do together.
Be recognized for your commitment to growing knowledge, gardens, and communities.
Enjoy a dessert/small bites social (please bring something to share and label food suitable for particular dietary restrictions).
Celebrate our graduating class of new Master Gardeners.
Honor volunteer achievement with awards and prizes.
Family, friends and loved ones welcome. To RSVP CLICK HERE.

Best from your hosts—
Linn County Master Gardener Association
OSU Extension Service Master Gardener Program

with support from–
Benton County Master Gardener Association
  • Shout outs
    • Coming soon! 10/6 – Gardening in the PNW: Insect Explorations with Rich Little. 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. Albany Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE. FREE, drop in. Retired entomologist Rich will introduce you to pollinators and pests alike.
    • Linn County Extension Open House – Oct 17, 2022 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm – free, drop in. Network and visit with Extension stakeholders, volunteers, employees, and the community. Enjoy door prizes and refreshments.
    • Volunteers needed – cocoon care helpers
      • Trainees welcome! Fall 2022 Mason Bee Cocoon Harvesting Classes. 10/8-10/25 (various dates/times including weekends). Assist instructors, support learners, and sell supplies. Learn more and RSVP. Report service as “instructor: direct”.
    • Volunteer service hours and continuing education are due 10/31
  • LCMGA news
    • The Fall 2022 OMGA (Oregon Master Gardener Association) newsletter, ‘The Gardener’s Pen’ is now out. Please take a moment to review the newsletter, which includes important updates on OMGA advocacy to improve MG Program funding.
    • 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
  • Volunteers needed
    • 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”. 
    • Pop-Up Plant Clinics need people to “talk plants” with our communities. Sign up HERE. Report service as Plant Clinic: Direct
    • Anytime – Become a Forest Pest Detector and report observations of potentially invasive species. Report hours as “citizen science: indirect”. Returning volunteers may report time spent with training as continuing education, and time spent spotting and reporting possible pests 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
  • Continuing education
    • New! 10/11-10/25 (various sites and times) Mason Bee Cocoon Care classes! If you have mason bees, learn how to triple their survival (and increase your fruit) through cocoon care. Join a FREE hands-on workshop taught by Master Gardener volunteers! If you are a returning volunteer who is new to this class you can report the time as continuing education. Learn more and RSVP.
    • Rich Little entomology learning: Rich is at the plant clinic most Thursday afternoons from 1-3ish. RSVP and bring an insect, or a plant damaged by insects, and hone your diagnostics skills with this longtime MGV and retired entomologist.
  • 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.)
    • 10/8/2022 Houseplant & cuttings swap. 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Albany Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE. FREE, drop in. Please bring cuttings and starts of healthy houseplants to share. (Note, volunteer plant clinic spots for this event are filled, and volunteers serving at this event CAN earn service hours. Attending the event as a guest is not eligible for MGV service, but we hope you’ll bring and share houseplant cuttings!)

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.


While flowering plants provide pollinators with food, insects also require shelter for nesting and overwintering. Most bees and wasps create nests in the soil or within dead plant stems or in cavities in wood. Many butterflies, wasps, moths, and lady beetles seek shelter in leaf litter and brush piles. Master Gardener volunteer Janet Morlan assembled some tips to reduce garden labor and protect pollinators. This is part of the Neighborhood Planter Kiosk series. Read Janet’s post for three things you can do to provide nesting & winter habitat.
  • Shout outs
    • Cocoon Care volunteer opportunities
      • This Thursday! Cocoon Care helper training 9/29 @10am-12pm OR 9/29 @6:30pm-8:30pm. This course is recommended for volunteers nd trainees who are helping at cocoon care events. Please email Ranee Webb at raneewebb66@gmail.com to RSVP. Report service as “educational event prep: indirect”.
      • Trainees welcome! Volunteer to help at Fall 2022 Mason Bee Cocoon Harvesting Classes. 10/8-10/25 (sites and times, including Corvallis). Assist instructors, support learners, and sell supplies. Some shifts are evenings or weekends. Learn more and RSVP. Report service as “instructor: direct”.
    • Volunteer service hours and continuing education are due 10/31. Log your participation here.
      • 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? I can email you plant clinic questions on demand! Or Schedule a visit about volunteering or contact Elizabeth Records.
  • BCMGA News
    • Meetings: Please see member email for meeting locations in person and/or online.
      • 10/10 – BCMGA board meeting 3:00-5:00.
      • 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.
    • NEW! From Jeff Stephens: The board has recently approved the Greenhouse Facility Committee! The committee is looking for several MG members to join in designing, building and maintaining our propagation growing space at Philomath High School. Please contact Jeff Stephens (Greenhouse Facility Chairperson) at jeffks023 (at) gmail.com if you would like to help, or if you have questions and/or ideas to share.
  • Volunteer opportunities:
    • New! 10/7-10/27 (various sites and times) Dig & Divide days for the BCMGA Plant sale. Contact Leslie at lesliehauser107 (at) gmail.com to be added to the email list or for more information.
    • 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”. 
    • Office Plant Clinic sign-ups open: The office is open to the public on weekdays, and volunteers can sign up for plant clinic shifts as desired, to answer client questions or practice skills. Sign up HERE. 
    • Demonstration Garden at 9:30 a.m.  You can access the garden through the RV park entrance to the Fairgrounds.  Sign-up is not required and drop-ins are welcome.  If you would like more information, please contact Denise Saunders at vdenisesaunders@comcast.net or Dan Dix at ddix@verizon.net
    • Find more opportunities on the Benton 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.)
    • 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.  
    • 10/8/2022 Houseplant & cuttings swap. 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Albany Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE. FREE, drop in. Please bring cuttings and starts of healthy houseplants to share. (Note, volunteer plant clinic spots for this event are filled, and volunteers serving at this event CAN earn service hours. Attending the event as a guest is not eligible for MGV service, but we hope you’ll bring and share houseplant cuttings!)

Linn MGV eNews

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Photo by Susan Morton – caper flower, Capparis spinosa. What’s going on in your garden? Send photos for this space!
  • Program updates: Just in case you missed it last week – 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. If you are interested in planning indoor events or larger outdoor events please contact me to discuss the options. 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
    • 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.
  • 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)
  • 9/14/2021 @3pm Gardening with Native Plants for Pollinators | Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series.
  • 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.
  • Extension updates.
    • It is just about two months until the close of the service year!
      • Continuing volunteer? Due to current circumstances, 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 we have.
      • 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.
  • 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