The Oregon Master Gardener Statewide Trivia Tournament is happening during our “quiet gardening times” of October and November 2023, and January and February 2024. Open to OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers throughout Oregon, these five sessions offer the opportunity to learn more about specific gardening topics, have fun, and even win prizes.
Register to play.
Join via zoom.
Connect to the trivia app (Slido) on your phone or computer.
At the start of the tournament evening, you’ll be directed to the Slido app to begin competing.
Multiple choice trivia, 50 questions per session.
Winners will be announced live during the Zoom event.
Each session counts as one Continuing Education Unit for Master Gardener volunteers.
Did we say prizes? Yes we did. For each session, you can win gift certificates to mail-order garden companies in the PNW.
1st place: $100 gift certificate
2nd place: $50 gift certificate
3rd place: $25 gift certificate
Winners will receive gift certificates approximately one week after each event.
Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants has so much to offer. And I believe other gardeners would especially appreciate this book, as I do. It’s also available in an audio version read by the author, and as a beautifully illustrated adaptation, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults. Both make this book, a gift to the co-inhabitants of Mother Earth, even more accessible.
Dr. Kimmerer speaks from multiple perspectives as an Anishinabekwe, Potawatomi woman, a mother, a gardener, a philosopher, a botanist and professor of plant ecology, and from so many other aspects of herself. She beautifully integrates mind, body, emotion, and spirit as she shares “healing stories that allow us to imagine a different relationship, in which people and land are good medicine for each other”. This is a hugely important book for our times. I hope the lessons and wisdom of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) within the stories will be incorporated into all of our lives, while avoiding cultural appropriation.
“I hold in my hand the genius of indigenous agriculture, the Three Sisters. Together these plants––corn, beans, and squash––feed the people, feed the land, and feed our imaginations, telling us how we might live. … a visible manifestation of what a community can become when its members understand and share their gifts.” For example, the corn stalks provide support for the beans, the bean roots house the Rhizobium bacteria that shares nitrogen with the plants, and the squash leaves keep moisture in the soil and other plants out. And Robin reminds us they “are fully domesticated; they rely on us to create the conditions under which they can grow. We too are part of the reciprocity. They can’t meet their responsibilities unless we meet ours.”
As one who loves her children, and also loves her garden, Robin lists some “loving behaviors”. And she makes the case that “The land loves us back. … She provides for us and teaches us to provide for ourselves. That is what good mothers do.” Robin taught her daughters to garden “so they would always have a mother to love them, long after I am gone.”
The author writes with a heartfelt, holistic perspective and explains complex scientific and indigenous knowledge, uniting them beautifully, in an easy-to-read style. As she says, “We see the world more fully when we use both.” Robin is an incredible observer and listener to nature and to other teachers, as well. She is a humble seeker and poetic sharer of knowledge and profound wisdom.
One of her many significant reflections is on how our thoughts and feelings are so greatly influenced by our language. She explains that English is a “noun-based language”, and that it leads to objectifying non-human life forms. “Only 30 percent of English words are verbs, but in Potawatomi that proportion is 70 percent.” And the language is “a mirror for seeing the animacy of the world, the life that pulses through all things”. … “So it is that in Potawatomi and most other indigenous languages, we use the same words to address the living world as we use for our family. Because they are our family.”
In explaining the tradition of the Honorable Harvest and the “inescapable tension” of “the exchange of a life for a life”, she asks the question, “How do we consume in a way that does justice to the lives that we take?”. In the edition for young adults, the answer is summarized as: “Never Take the First, Ask Permission, Listen for the Answer, Take Only What You Need, Minimize Harm, Use Everything You Take, Share, Be Grateful, Reciprocate the Gift.”
Robin addresses many of my own concerns, moral dilemmas, and feelings of guilt as a relatively ignorant and clumsy human on this Earth, trying to decide what to do –– or not do. “Something beyond gratitude is asked of us.” … “The most important thing each of us can know is our unique gift and how to use it in the world.” She inspires me to discover my own gift.
In talking about the berries and their place in ceremony she explains, “They carry the lesson, passed to us by our ancestors, that the generosity of the land comes to us as one bowl, one spoon. We are all fed from the same bowl that Mother Earth has filled for us. … We need the berries and the berries need us. Their gifts multiply by our care for them, and dwindle from our neglect. We are bound in a covenant of reciprocity, a pact of mutual responsibility to sustain those who sustain us. And so the empty bowl is filled.”
In each chapter the author shares metaphors and life lessons learned from plants, “our oldest teachers”, and from Indigenous interpreters. Robin shares her journey toward greater understanding of her place in the world and the roles of humans in the web of life. It feels like she has written to us with the informal intimacy of a caring friend. Writing with a respectful and generous spirit, she seems to be understood and appreciated by people coming from various perspectives and levels of knowledge and awareness.
In an online conversation, Robin Wall Kimmerer spoke with Daniel Wildcat about “Indigenuity” (Indigenous Ingenuity) solutions for the Earth. She reminds us that Indigenous people around the world “are still here” and many have the “knowledge that will bring us into the future”. She gives me hope.
Please read Braiding Sweetgrass and share it with others. It’s a great read, and offers lessons and perspectives that are much-needed in these challenging times.
—Donna Leveridge Campbell is an OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer in Coos County and a member of the Statewide Growing & Belonging Committee
“I’m donating today on Dam Proud Day because I believe in supporting the things I care most about, and at the top of my list is the Master Gardener program.
I love plants and I love people. Master Gardening is a perfect combination! I have been a life-time educator, and my Extension service gives me the opportunity to continue my learning and give to my community.
I especially enjoy working with young people. Children have a wonderful natural drive to ask questions and learn more. Their sense of wonder and intense desire to explore always keeps me on my toes.
I think it’s important for everyone, of all ages and abilities, to have access to the natural environment and to be able to experience hands-on opportunities to discover how they fit into our world. Garden education is important for us to understand who we are, where our food comes from and the importance of caring for other living things around us.”
Today is a rare opportunity for making a significant difference in supporting Seed to Supper and updating our Master Gardener curriculum. You can join Corinne’s giving, at any level, today on Dam Proud Day.
Challenge grants have been made to double our funds! Come check our progress and see the names of your fellow Master Gardeners who are committing to support this vitally important program. Will you add your name to the list?
Over the past month, you have heard the stories of Oregon State University’s Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Master Gardeners are neighbors, friends, and family members who volunteer their time to cultivate resilient and healthy communities through sustainable horticulture education and gardening projects that are rooted in science. Master Gardener volunteers work across the state in community gardens, at farmers markets, in schools, and online to support sustainable gardening success for all gardeners.
Today, you have an opportunity to help us continue this important work. For Oregon State University’s Dam Proud Day, we are fundraising to support the Seed to Supper Program and an update of our foundational textbook, the Sustainable Gardening Handbook. The Seed to Supper program is an introductory vegetable gardening course for beginning and low-income gardeners, that includes considerations for gardeners who don’t have easy access to land. Our Sustainable Gardening Handbook is the text used to teach new Master Gardener volunteers. We need to update this resource, to include advances in the science of sustainable gardening, as well as consideration of climate change impacts on Oregon gardeners.
Donations can be as low as $5. A symbolic gift of $50 recognizes the 50 years that the Master Gardener Program has been serving communities across the United States!
All together, all on one day. Every donation helps us get closer to our goal, and unlocking the FIVE challenge grant gifts that we have set up.
“I have been a gardener all my life so I have a strong connection with plants of all kinds! Growing up in Colorado and North Idaho, gardening was challenging! So when I moved to Oregon, the gloves were on and I was getting muddy! After several years of trial and error, mostly error, I became a Master Gardener in 2022. I had been seeking a strong community of sustainable gardeners that work with research-based materials and practices for many years. I have been more than pleased with the support and amazing resources available through OSU and look forward to being a part of the Master Gardner community for many years to come!
I am proud to be a part of teaching and sharing researched-based resources and knowledge with all ages as well as encouraging sustainable, organic gardening for generations to come. Seeing the smile on a person’s face when they learn something new, connect to the earth and their peers, or eat their first ripe fruit of the season (or ever) is the most amazing and rewarding sight! Bringing people back to their roots and teaching the many ways gardening brings joy and freedom is also extremely gratifying!
With our changing climate and society, there is a large push to be more self-sufficient and green in the way we live our lives. I feel like it is a crucial time to spread knowledge and help people get familiar with their environment and innate abilities to grow at least some of their own food, medicine, and craft materials all while helping our natural environment begin to rebalance. Once empowered, I believe people feel more connected to their environment and have a newfound sense of pride and protection for that environment and themselves.”
—Jessi Frank, Lane County Master Gardener
This is but one of the many stories of the OSU Extension Master Gardener program we’re sharing this month in honor of Dam Proud Day. On April 26, Beavers everywhere will come together to support the things we do best: transformative educational experiences and life-changing research.
We are excited to be raising support specifically for our Seed to Supper program and updating our foundational resource, the “Sustainable Gardening Handbook” to reflect current knowledge. Please join us in gathering your friends and colleagues to give to support the Master Gardener Program on Dam Proud Day, at any donation level. See you (online) April 26th!
“I’m the tall one with white hair in the orange-y sweatshirt. This was my neighborhood’s first fire fuel reduction event and a great opportunity to talk about firewise gardening.”
“Obtaining Master Gardener certification was my goal for a long time. While I’d gardened most of my adult life, I’d done so in climates much less daunting than that of Central Oregon. While I had learned a lot along the way, I wanted to deepen my understanding of horticultural science. Retirement gave me the time and high desert gardening challenges the impetus to finally pursue it.
My neighborhood is in the wildland interface on the outskirts of Bend. I have taken what I’ve learned about firewise gardening in the past two years and rallied a group of neighbors into working toward Firewise USA certification. We have worked with our county forester, local fire department and city code department to bring about significant changes in how our common native areas are managed and are educating neighbors on firewise best practices in the design, plant selection and maintenance of their own landscapes.
Several factors related to climate change and drought complicate how any of us should approach gardening. Master Gardeners are increasingly aware of the numerous inconvenient contractions between best practices associated with water-wise, firewise, pollinator-friendly and native plants gardening. In addition to these new gardening challenges many homeowners are first-generation gardeners, eager to create a landscape without the benefit of having had a relative mentor to give them basic guidance. Master Gardeners play an essential role in helping our neighbors and community leaders make good, safe decisions that will help rather than hurt Mother Nature.”
—Deb Goodall, Central Oregon Master Gardener
This is but one of the many stories of the OSU Extension Master Gardener program we’re sharing this month in honor of Dam Proud Day. On April 26, Beavers everywhere will come together to support the things we do best: transformative educational experiences and life-changing research.
We are excited to be raising support specifically for our Seed to Supper program and updating our foundational resource, the “Sustainable Gardening Handbook” to reflect current knowledge. Please join us in gathering your friends and colleagues to give to support the Master Gardener Program on Dam Proud Day, at any donation level. See you (online) April 26th!
“I’ve been a Master Gardener since 2010. I started about 10 years before I retired and have continued in retirement because it’s a way to give back to and strengthen the community. The Master Gardener program is a good outlet for my technical and professional skills. Professionally I was a manager of environmental projects for an engineering firm for 25 years. Academically, I have degrees in horticulture and the plant sciences. I use both skill sets as a Master Gardener.
I work with historically underserved populations who have an interest in sustainable gardening, food security and resiliency, and environmental health. I’ve helped several organizations obtain grants to develop and provide sustainable gardening education programs. In some cases that involved helping an organization establish a garden and subsequently use it as an educational resource.
I lead a team of five Master Gardeners delivering monthly Horticulture for Life classes at the Bybee Lakes Hope Center in North Portland. The classes follow OSU’s Seed to Supper program. The Hope Center serves homeless men, women, and families with children and is operated by the Helping Hands Re-Entry Outreach Centers, which offer access to trauma-informed, data-driven, person-centered homeless services for the Portland Metro Area. VetREST, a non-profit whose mission is to mentor veterans while providing farming opportunities in safe and supportive environments, established a Victory Garden at the Hope Center in 2021. The Victory Garden encompasses about 3 acres of vegetable garden, orchard, blueberries and native plants. We created a Learning Garden in one part of the Victory Garden for the purpose of holding the Horticulture for Life classes.
There was increased interest in gardening during the pandemic and many people have maintained that interest. Sustainable gardening is a great way to help people understand and appreciate how their thoughtful actions can help maintain soil health, water quality and environmental quality in general.
I facilitated the Seed to Supper program when it was part of the Oregon Food Bank and brought the program to a community of immigrants, houseless and veterans. We also use it as the basis for our Horticulture for Life classes at the Bybee Lakes Hope Center. The Seed to Supper program is a great way to deliver information about low-cost gardening techniques.”
—Dennis Brown, Multnomah County Master Gardener
This is but one of the many stories of the OSU Extension Master Gardener program we’re sharing this month in honor of Dam Proud Day. On April 26, Beavers everywhere will come together to support the things we do best: transformative educational experiences and life-changing research.
We are excited to be raising support specifically for our Seed to Supper program and updating our foundational resource, the “Sustainable Gardening Handbook” to reflect current knowledge. Please join us in gathering your friends and colleagues to give to support the Master Gardener Program on Dam Proud Day, at any donation level. See you (online) April 26th!
“I grew up having to help my parents in a garden and for many years saw gardening as a source of drudgery and boredom. In young adulthood, I finally saw the positives of gardening when a garden with a friend actually fed us when we needed the food. Over the years I learned many joys of gardening and informally helped many friends and neighbors in various places with gardening challenges. After retiring from a teaching career, I took the MG course because I thought it would help me be a better gardener. I sort of ignored the part about being a Garden Educator. Once I got involved, I found being a Master Gardener meets many of my physical, intellectual, and social interests.”
I am most proud of…”Increasing my ability to help many people solve gardening challenges using research-based methods and knowledge. I also feel proud of the work we do through the county Demonstration Garden where we have grown and distributed thousands of pounds of food over the years to many people for who it makes a significant difference.”
“Food insecurity continues to grow as a serious issue in Oregon. Through playing a part in helping people develop the ability to feed themselves, we are a resource in addressing this serious concern.
In this era of changing climate, the need for research-based gardening advice that adapts to changing conditions will continue to be useful.”
This is but one of the many stories of the OSU Extension Master Gardener program we’re sharing this month in honor of Dam Proud Day. On April 26, Beavers everywhere will come together to support the things we do best: transformative educational experiences and life-changing research.
We are excited to be raising support specifically for our Seed to Supper program and updating our foundational resource, the “Sustainable Gardening Handbook” to reflect current knowledge. Please join us in gathering your friends and colleagues to give to support the Master Gardener Program on Dam Proud Day, at any donation level. See you (online) April 26th!
“I became a Master Gardener because of my own passion to garden. I wanted to learn more about plants and gardening. I had seen the Master Gardener booths in the community, and regularly attended the Spring Garden Fair in Canby. I was impressed with the organization and wanted to join that community.
I take pride in being able to tell the stories for the organization through my photos, my work with the chapter as Clackamas County Master Gardener Association webmaster and social media admin. And also, being on the planning committee for the Spring Garden Fair, running publicity and taking photos of the event. It’s a source of pride to know that I help spread the word about our organization to so many in our community.
Information and education are the keys to success for just about any worthwhile endeavor. With so many changes happening around us many are turning to gardening to try and make sense of all this. Some want to grow food, and some just want to make the world a more beautiful place one plant at a time. (like me!) The Master Gardener organization provides so many tools for success, from free classes – in person and online, to hands on workshops, and programs that support community gardens. Events like our Spring Garden Fair, Incredible Edibles, and Gardenfest Plant sale all bring the public together with tools to get started in the garden from plants to free advice. The diversity of the demonstration gardens in our Metro area are just one more way we are reaching out and educating the public. It’s hard to imagine our community without these programs and events.”
This is but one of the many stories of the OSU Extension Master Gardener program we’re sharing this month in honor of Dam Proud Day. On April 26, Beavers everywhere will come together to support the things we do best: transformative educational experiences and life-changing research.
We are excited to be raising support specifically for our Seed to Supper program and updating our foundational resource, the “Sustainable Gardening Handbook” to reflect current knowledge. Please join us in gathering your friends and colleagues to give to support the Master Gardener Program on Dam Proud Day, at any donation level. See you (online) April 26th!
