Linn MGV Celebration & Recognition is set for December 8 @7PM on Zoom. See your email for directions to join. Come celebrate MGV program graduate Erin Steinke, bask in appreciation for your engagement this year, and laugh at some dreadfully wonderful gardening jokes.
  • Program update
    • OSU has an update about face coverings which doesn’t much change current MGV activities. Just note that for OSU sponsored activities held indoors, face coverings are still required even though State rules on outdoor face coverings have changed. You can read details HERE.
  • Volunteers needed
    • Things are pretty quiet right now but plant clinic is still getting regular questions. Now would be a great time to partner with Diane and Bobbye to explore how online plant clinic works.
    • Find ongoing and anytime opportunities on the Linn Volunteer Opportunities Page.
  • Continuing education: It’s nearly winter and most live events are on holiday. Take a moment to learn something new in our huge library of recorded webinars.
  • Extension updates:
    • Master Gardener applications for 2022 are open, with a new more flexible schedule and sliding scale pricing. Know someone who is ready to step up as a gardening educator or plant clinic researcher? They can find more information and apply HERE. Applications are coming in fast – folks who apply sooner have a better chance of joining us next year.
    • Helpful this week: EM 9277 Trees and Shrubs for Fall and Winter Bloom, EC 1438 Selecting, Planting, and Caring for a New Tree.
  • 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.)
    • Please consider donating to the Growing Ancestral Roots fundraiser to support creating food equity and access to people of color through community gardens. You can learn more support this group HERE.

Linn MGV Celebration & Recognition is set for December 8 @7PM on Zoom. Send Bobbye Rainey your photos of your garden activities – whether with MGVs or on your own – to share in our celebration slideshow.
Interesting insects, brilliant blooms, smiling faces – anything to bring some cheer!
  • Shout outs
    • Congratulations, Erin Steinke! Erin persisted through the challenges of the past 20 months and earned Master Gardener certification! Thank you Erin for your contributions to Oregon Season Tracker, plant clinic help, engagement with LCMGA and all you do!
    • Vote for LCMGA board members by 11/23! LCMGA members will get a link and password to vote securely online.
  • Volunteers needed
  • Continuing education: It’s nearly winter so things are quite. Take a moment to learn something new in our huge library of recorded webinars.
  • Extension updates:
    • Master Gardener applications for 2022 are open, with a new more flexible schedule and sliding scale pricing. Know someone who is ready to step up as a gardening educator or plant clinic researcher? They can find more information and apply HERE. Applications are coming in fast – folks who apply sooner have a better chance of joining us next year.
    • Helpful this week: Training and Pruning Your Home Orchard. Provides general rules for training, pruning, and limb bending, and explains open-center, central-leader, and espalier training. Outlines specific guidelines for training and pruning apple, pear, sweet cherry, sour cherry, peach, prune, plum, apricot, fig, persimmon, walnut, hazelnut, and chestnut trees. Includes 17 figures that illustrate various techniques.
  • 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 opportunities for future eNews.

Come recognize new grads, celebrate continuing volunteers, see what we accomplished during a challenging year, and hear some of the worst garden puns you’ve ever experienced! See your email for an invitation and link to RSVP.
  • Shout outs
    • Congratulations new Master Gardener Volunteer grads! These gardeners earned their certification through tough times while empowering aspiring gardeners in so many ways!
      • Brenda Bye (transfer from Washington State) has done a little of everything from online plant clinic to teaching Seed to Supper
      • Wendi Gale has volunteered in the demo garden and taught Seed to Supper and has taken on a leadership role in the Community Garden Education Team
      • Rynda Gregory taught cancer survivors how to garden with Hope Grows Here and volunteered for plant sale efforts
      • Kandi Maestri has taught Seed to Supper and grown plants for plant sale
      • Ann Schauber has volunteered in plant clinic and in the demo garden
  • Thank you for reporting your volunteer service and re-enrolling! Service totals are down from past but re-enrollment is steady – across Linn and Benton, 76% of people who ever took MGV training have re-enrolled.
  • Volunteers needed – Visit the Benton County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for recurring events.
    • 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.
    • Community Garden Action Team & Seed to Supper: Teaching hands-on gardening to underserved community members. Contact Judith Kenner if interested.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with $)
  • Master Gardener Association
    • The Gardeners Pen newsletter of the Oregon Master Gardener Association is back! Huge thanks to Master Gardener volunteer, Ann Kinkley, for stepping forward to revive the newsletter. Read the new issue.
  • Extension updates
    • It’s a new day for training to become a Master Gardener volunteer. The OSU Extension Master Gardener program has revamped, revised, and re-imagined training for new Master Gardeners in 2022 to become more accessible than ever. Mixing the best of both worlds, online training will deliver our top-notch university-level gardening education, with localized and in-person hands-on training workshops organized by county-based OSU faculty. Read the post.
  • 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.)
    • Corvallis Evening Garden Club is holding their 2021 Fall Bulb-a-Palooza! This is to support their community gardening grants and horticulture scholarships. Many, many exciting and beautiful varieties to choose from! Go to corvalliseveninggardenclub.org to find the online ordering form. They will begin taking orders as soon as the bulbs arrive, sometime in the next few days. Note: Cash or Check will be accepted at time of pick up. Supplies are limited. To see some of the bulbs available click here.
LCMGA members will get a link and password to vote securely online.

  • Shout outs
    • Linn MGV Celebration & Recognition is set for December 8 @7PM on Zoom. Send Bobbye Rainey your photos of your garden activities – whether with MGVs or on your own – to share in our celebration slideshow. Interesting insects, brilliant blooms, smiling faces – anything to bring some cheer!
    • Thank you for reporting your volunteer service and re-enrolling! Service totals are down from past but re-enrollment is steady – across Linn and Benton, 76% of people who ever took MGV training have re-enrolled.
    • End of season for the demo garden:  From Janice: “827 pounds of fruits and vegetables were grown and donated this past garden season!” From Kelly: “Awesome job everyone! Ours is “The little garden that could” I am proud of our efforts and I am looking forward to gardening with you all next year!”
  • Volunteers needed
    • Nov 9-19 LCMGA Annual Mason Bee Cocoon Cleaning in Sweet Home. Put on some old, warm clothes for this outdoor, hands-on fundraising event preparing mason bee cocoons for sale. Report service as: Fundraiser: support.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with $)
  • Master Gardener Association
    • The Gardeners Pen newsletter of the Oregon Master Gardener Association is back! Huge thanks to Master Gardener volunteer, Ann Kinkley, for stepping forward to revive the newsletter. Read the new issue.
  • Extension updates: It’s a new day for training to become a Master Gardener volunteer. The OSU Extension Master Gardener program has revamped, revised, and re-imagined training for new Master Gardeners in 2022 to become more accessible than ever. Mixing the best of both worlds, online training will deliver our top-notch university-level gardening education, with localized and in-person hands-on training workshops organized by county-based OSU faculty. Read the post.
  • 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.)
    • Corvallis Evening Garden Club is holding their 2021 Fall Bulb-a-Palooza! This is to support their community gardening grants and horticulture scholarships. Many, many exciting and beautiful varieties to choose from! Go to corvalliseveninggardenclub.org to find the online ordering form. They will begin taking orders as soon as the bulbs arrive, sometime in the next few days. Note: Cash or Check will be accepted at time of pick up. Supplies are limited. To see some of the bulbs available click here.

Featured Continuing Education: Nov 10, 2021 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm PST. The film “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. Watch the trailer for Gather. After the film screening, we will host a panel with Dr. Samantha Chisholm Hatfield and Dr. David Lewis discussing Native American resilience, plants, and the renaissance of Native food systems. Learn more and RSVP.
  • Shout outs
    • Welcome 2022 board members!
      • Past President–Deb Kern
      • President–Jana Tindall 
      • President Elect–Mary Mellard
      • Secretary (sharing position)–Cynthia Roler & Wendi Gale
      • Treasurer (sharing positions) Lynne Trimpe & Paula Lupcho
      • VP Programs—Janet Magedanz
      • At Large–Alan Taylor, Fred Prahal & Frank Garcia
  • It is just a few days until the close of the service year, on 10/31! Everyone who would like to participate in any volunteer activities in 2022, needs to re-enroll by reviewing Guide to Volunteering 2022 and completing annual program agreements. Everyone on this list should have received a DocuSign via email, or if requested, will soon receive a hard copy. Not sure about re-enrolling? Check out some common questions and answers. If you have questions not answered here please contact Elizabeth Records.
  • Volunteers needed – Visit the Benton County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for recurring events.
    • This week: – Plant propagation – donations and divisions. Many dates and times – drop in and sign up when you arrive. See full schedule.
    • 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.
    • Community Garden Action Team & Seed to Supper: Teaching hands-on gardening to underserved community members. Contact Judith Kenner if interested.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with $)
    • Featured: Nov 10 @7:00 pm – 9:00 pm PST Online – Gather: A film and discussion about Native American Food Sovereignty.
    • Coming soon ($): Winter Dreams, Summer Gardens with Jackson County Master Gardener Association (online). Register by Nov 3. Friday, November 5, and Saturdays, November 6 and 13, 2021. Dig into three days of virtual garden immersion seminars taught by 15 presenters, all designed to help you plan next year’s spectacular garden.
    • Coming soon ($): “Gardening for Resilience”, the annual UVM Extension Master Gardener conference, will be held virtually on November 5-6, 2021, from 12-3:30 pm each day with recordings available to all registered participants. The conference is for everyone who loves to garden in Vermont and beyond. This year, an amazing lineup of speakers will teach about  indigenous agricultural practices and their application in today’s gardens, how mycorrhizal fungi enhance plant health, heirloom plant cultivation, food resiliency, and how to develop community connections through gardens. For a complete description of the education sessions and speaker backgrounds, and to register, click on this LINK.
  • Master Gardener Association
    • The Gardeners Pen newsletter of the Oregon Master Gardener Association is back! Huge thanks to Master Gardener volunteer, Ann Kinkley (Linn County), for stepping forward to revive the newsletter. Read the new issue.
  • 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.)
    • The Evening Garden Club is holding their 2021 Fall Bulb-a-Palooza! This is to support their community gardening grants and horticulture scholarships. Many, many exciting and beautiful varieties to choose from! Go to corvalliseveninggardenclub.org to find the online ordering form. They will begin taking orders as soon as the bulbs arrive, sometime in the next few days. Note: Cash or Check will be accepted at time of pick up. Supplies are limited. To see some of the bulbs available click here.

Today! Oct 21 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT Online Willamette Community Garden: Gardening in the PNW Lunchtime Talks with Carolyn Larime. Get a teaser of the wonders of Willamette Community Garden in this tiny minute-movie, then join us for garden show and tell. Learn how this MGV-led project is boosting food security for people from all walks of life! Pre-registration required – click the event title to register.
  • Shout outs
    • Your opinion counts – MGV Celebration. 2021 is a year like no other. Share your thoughts and help find creative ways to celebrate Master Gardener achievements this year. Take the survey.
    • It is almost the close of the service year, on 10/31! Everyone who would like to participate in any volunteer activities in 2022, needs to re-enroll by reviewing Guide to Volunteering 2022 and completing annual program agreements. Everyone on this list should have received a DocuSign via email, or if requested, will soon receive a hard copy. Not sure about re-enrolling? Check out some common questions and answers. If you have questions not answered here please contact Elizabeth Records.
    • Saturday: Mason bee cocoon care workshops for the Willamette Valley are back this fall! Watch a fun instructional movie on your own schedule to learn how you can have three times as many bees through basic cocoon care. Then join a cocoon care Q&A to troubleshoot the pests and parasites that attack mason bees, along with emeritus entomologist Rich Little and the Linn MGV Pollinator Project members. Sign up for October Q&As.
  • Volunteers needed
    • New! (Nov 9-19) LCMGA Annual Mason Bee Cocoon Cleaning in Sweet Home. Put on some old, warm clothes for this outdoor, hands-on fundraising event preparing mason bee cocoons for sale. Report service as: Fundraiser: support.
    • New! Highschool presentation – Harrisburg High School Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor is seeking a MGV to present on any of a range of horticulture topics. Various days, times and presentation themes available, and presentation could be live or Zoomed. If this interests you please contact Elizabeth! 
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with $)
    • New ($): Winter Dreams, Summer Gardens with Jackson County Master Gardener Association (online). Register by Nov 3. Friday, November 5, and Saturdays, November 6 and 13, 2021. Dig into three days of virtual garden immersion seminars taught by 15 presenters, all designed to help you plan next year’s spectacular garden.
    • New ($): “Gardening for Resilience”, the annual UVM Extension Master Gardener conference, will be held virtually on November 5-6, 2021, with recordings available to all registered participants. The conference is for everyone who loves to garden in Vermont and beyond. This year, an amazing lineup of speakers will teach about  indigenous agricultural practices and their application in today’s gardens, how mycorrhizal fungi enhance plant health, heirloom plant cultivation, food resiliency, and how to develop community connections through gardens. For a complete description of the education sessions and speaker backgrounds, and to register, click on this LINK.
  • Master Gardener Association
    • The Gardeners Pen newsletter of the Oregon Master Gardener Association is back! Huge thanks to Master Gardener volunteer, Ann Kinkley, for stepping forward to revive the newsletter. Read the new issue.
  • 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.)
    • None this week. Please share opportunities for this space.
2021 is a year like no other. Share your thoughts and help find creative ways to celebrate Master Gardener achievements this year. Take the survey.
  • Shout outs
  • Volunteers needed
    • New! Highschool presentation – Harrisburg High School Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor is seeking a MGV to present on any of a range of horticulture topics. Various days, times and presentation themes available, and presentation could be live or Zoomed. If this interests you please contact Elizabeth! 
    • 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.
    • This week: Demo garden
    • Find ongoing and anytime opportunities on the Linn Volunteer Opportunities Page.
    • What are Distance Garden Consults? Master Gardener connect with gardeners via 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. 
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with $)
    • Happening now: Mason bee cocoon care workshops for the Willamette Valley are back this fall! Watch a fun instructional movie on your own schedule to learn how you can have three times as many bees through basic cocoon care. Then join a cocoon care Q&A to troubleshoot the pests and parasites that attack mason bees, along with emeritus entomologist Rich Little and the Linn MGV Pollinator Project members. Sign up for October Q&As.
    • Oct 19 @6:30 pm – 7:30 pm PDT Online – Design a Sustainable Garden: A Beginner’s Guide
    • New ($): “Gardening for Resilience”, the annual UVM Extension Master Gardener conference, will be held virtually on November 5-6, 2021, with recordings available to all registered participants. The conference is for everyone who loves to garden in Vermont and beyond. This year, an amazing lineup of speakers will teach about  indigenous agricultural practices and their application in today’s gardens, how mycorrhizal fungi enhance plant health, heirloom plant cultivation, food resiliency, and how to develop community connections through gardens. For a complete description of the education sessions and speaker backgrounds, and to register, click on this LINK.
  • Extension updates.
    • Can Oregon Master Gardeners Answer Hemp or Cannabis Questions?  If someone calls the Master Gardener help desk, or submits a question through the Ask an Expert Service, can Master Gardener volunteers provide advice or support for growing hemp or cannabis? The short answer is ‘no’. Read the post.
  • 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.
MGV Project show and tell! Are you looking for a way to get better acquainted with fellow Master Gardeners while working on projects together, often safely outdoors? A way to serve your local community? Or have you wondered about all the committees that the Benton County Master Gardener Association has and what they do? Join us Monday evening, October 18, at 7:00 PM to hear a panel representing many of those committees, ask questions, and learn how you can join in their work. Following this discussion, we will elect new officers to serve the Association next year. Find a link to this event in your email!

  • Shout outs
    • Elect BCMGA board members for the next service year on October 18 at 7PM. Also attend for an overview of Master Gardener projects looking for volunteers, detailed above.

MOST CURRENT SLATE:

  • Past President–Deb Kern
  • President–Jana Tindall 
  • President Elect–Mary Mellard
  • Secretary (sharing position)–Cynthia Roler & Wendi Gale
  • Treasurer (sharing positions) Lynne Trimpe & Paula Lupcho
  • VP Programs—Janet Magedanz
  • At Large–Alan Taylor, Fred Prahal & Frank Garcia
  • It is just about three weeks until the close of the service year, on 10/31! Everyone who would like to participate in any volunteer activities in 2022, needs to re-enroll by reviewing Guide to Volunteering 2022 and completing annual program agreements. Everyone on this list should have received a DocuSign via email, or if requested, will soon receive a hard copy. Not sure about re-enrolling? Check out some common questions and answers. If you have questions not answered here please contact Elizabeth Records.
  • Volunteers needed – Visit the Benton County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for recurring events.
    • 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.
    • Community Garden Action Team & Seed to Supper: Teaching hands-on gardening to underserved community members. Contact Judith Kenner if interested.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs unless noted with $)
    • Happening now: Mason bee cocoon care workshops for the Willamette Valley are back this fall! Watch a fun instructional movie on your own schedule to learn how you can have three times as many bees through basic cocoon care. Then join a cocoon care Q&A to troubleshoot the pests and parasites that attack mason bees, along with emeritus entomologist Rich Little and the Linn MGV Pollinator Project members. Sign up for October Q&As.
    • New ($): “Gardening for Resilience”, the annual UVM Extension Master Gardener conference, will be held virtually on November 5-6, 2021, from 12-3:30 pm each day with recordings available to all registered participants. The conference is for everyone who loves to garden in Vermont and beyond. This year, an amazing lineup of speakers will teach about  indigenous agricultural practices and their application in today’s gardens, how mycorrhizal fungi enhance plant health, heirloom plant cultivation, food resiliency, and how to develop community connections through gardens. For a complete description of the education sessions and speaker backgrounds, and to register, click on this LINK.
    • Nov 9 @3:00 pm – 4:00 pm PST Online: Health Soils for Healthy People | Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series
  • BCMGA updates are now found in the President’s mailings.
  • Extension updates.
    • Can Oregon Master Gardeners Answer Hemp or Cannabis Questions? This question comes up, repeatedly, throughout the year. If someone calls the Master Gardener help desk, or submits a question through the Ask an Expert Service, can Master Gardener volunteers provide advice or support for growing hemp or cannabis? The short answer is ‘no’. Read the post.
  • 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.
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, such as those offered by MGVs, 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
    • LCMGA board meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month at 1pm, on Zoom. See your email for link to attend.
    • 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.
  • Mason bee cocoon care workshops for the Willamette Valley are back this fall! Watch our own MGVs’ fun instructional movie on your own schedule to learn how you can have three times as many bees through basic cocoon care. Then join a cocoon care Q&A to troubleshoot the pests and parasites that attack mason bees. Sign up for October Q&As.
  • 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
    • This week: Demo garden
    • Find ongoing and anytime opportunities on the Linn Volunteer Opportunities Page.
    • What are Distance Garden Consults? Master Gardener connect with gardeners via 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. 
  • 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.
    • Future and anytime continuing education opportunities are now found on the Continuing Education page.
  • Extension updates. New publication: Integrated Pest Management for Bed Bugs in Schools. While schools are generally inhospitable to bed bugs, it’s not uncommon to encounter bed bugs in school settings. This comprehensive guide for school facility managers addresses best practices for preventing and addressing infestations.
  • 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 for one position, with responsibilities to the Extension Master Gardener Program. Staff / Educational Program Assistant Position in Gold Beach, Oregon, serving the Curry County Master Gardener Program. Anyone interested should contact Gail Langellotto.

Albuca  spirilis, “the result of an unholy mating between chives and a Slinky toy.”
Photo and humor by Susan Morton.
Share your garden photos and stories for this space!
  • Program updates: OSU has updated guidelines regarding event planning, as shared by Statewide program coordinator Gail Langellotto in a recent updateThe 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
  • Volunteers needed –
    • Demo garden. Visit the Linn County Volunteer opportunities page to sign up for these opportunities, and more.
    • 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.
  • Continuing education (free to MGVs)
  • LCMGA updates are now found in the President’s mailings.
  • Extension updates.
    • Report to the Oregon Master Gardener Association Board of Directors (4th Quarter meeting, 2021) from Statewide Coordinator.
    • It is just about six 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.
    •  Want to propose a new and original project for volunteer service? Please use this updated project proposal form.
  • 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.)
    • Benton Soil and Water Conservation District Fall Bulb And Seed Sale: The Fall Native Bulb and Seed Sale is going virtual for 2021. Place your order online between September 1-30. You will receive an email with a link to schedule your order pick up time for a mid-October date.