Warm Winter Wishes and Thanks!
As Master Gardener activities and the gardening pace slows – we want to take the opportunity to send you warm winter wishes and sincere thanks for your remarkable service as OSU Master Gardeners. Thank you for your selfless dedication to educating others on how to be good earth stewards and successful gardeners! YOU are making such a positive difference to so many in our community! We look forward to seeing you in the New Year, as you continue to share your passion for education and gardening!
Congrats 2018 Master Gardeners!
At our annual Fall Recertification training Veteran Master Gardeners joined in giving a standing ovation, and cheer to our 2018 class of Master Gardeners as Weston introduced them. Shortly thereafter, they received their OSU Master Gardener Veteran badges, which they have been wearing proudly in the days since.
We extend our sincere congratulations and a hearty welcome to all 2018 Master Gardeners. We are glad to have you as part of our garden educator community and look forward to seeing you in 2019!
Note: MG badges will be mailed to anyone who was not able to pick up their badge at the Fall Recertification. Expect the badges to arrive in mid-December.
With Utmost Appreciation!
Our Fall Recertification training on November 10th, was an opportunity to extend a special certificate of appreciation, to six Master Gardeners for their significant contributions to the Metro Master Gardener Program. We are grateful for their generous and dedicated service! Utmost thanks to them all!
Susan Albright – dedicated phone clinic volunteer, served as librarian for the Washington Co. phone clinic, serves as Metro MG liaison representing the Washington Co. Master Gardeners Association and generously volunteers her support to the Program. Serves as MG Guide.
Helen Dorbolo – instrumental in organizing and leading Propagation workshops for the Metro MG program the past 4 years. Serves as MG Guide.
Ginger Edwards – King Farmers Market coordinator, developed interactive activities, including insect coloring sheets to educate kids and adults alike who visit the market booth. Serves as MG Guide.
Jim Kronenberg – Lake Oswego Farmers Market coordinator, dedicated Speakers Guild Presenter, Propagation Workshop instructor and known for his iconic role playing ‘Logan Berry” in the Master Gardener video series. Serves as MG Guide.
Winnie Mauch – dedicated phone clinic volunteer for both the Washington Co. and Multnomah Co. phone clinics over the past 18 years – has served orienting, and coaching phone clinic volunteers, attending to phone clinic office needs. Serves as MG Guide.
Patti Wroblewski – Lents Farmers Market coordinator, checks in with market volunteers each market day. Delivers a bag of potting soil, lushly planted with lettuce, to inspire home gardeners that they can grow some vegetables with limited space.
Show You Are “Current” – 2019 MG Sticker
For those who have fulfilled the requirements to maintain their status as an active and “current” Master Gardener you will receive a 2019 Recertification sticker to proudly display on your MG badge. The sticker is a designation that you are current and up-to-date, having completed all required volunteer service hours, continuing education opportunities, and completed forms.
Stickers will be mailed (by year’s end) to those who have met the annual requirements and did not receive a sticker at Fall Recertification.
For MGs still needing information about how to remain current, please refer to the Volunteer Portal’s How to Maintain Active OSU Master Gardener Status page.
If you have yet to send in your volunteer log sheet and your signed 2018_2019 Conditions of Volunteer Service form – please send them in right away so you too can receive your 2019 Recertification sticker and we will keep you on our ‘active’ Master Gardener roles.
Spread the Word! 2019 MG Training Registration Open!
How do the majority of people learn about Master Gardener training? From Master Gardeners of course!
Now is your chance to let others know about the rewarding opportunities available serving as a Master Gardener volunteer. Registration is now open for the 2019 Master Gardener Training! Share the word with your gardening friends, wanna-be gardeners, and fellow community members. Direct those interested to our Metro-area Master Gardener website for easy online registration.
Calling All MGs on Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
If social media is a favorite communication avenue for you, please consider sharing about the Master Gardener training registration on the social media sites on which you participate. Share posts from our Facebook and Twitter accounts or direct those interested to our website. We would love to cover all Nextdoor neighborhoods in the metro-area. If you need more information or would like a promotional photo to post – please contact Marcia McIntyre: marcia.mcintyre@oregonstate.edu
Join-in the Master Gardener Speakers Guild!
Take your role as a garden educator to the next level, by volunteering to be a presenter for the Master Gardener Speakers Guild!
The Metro MG program receives dozens of requests every year for garden presentations to community groups. We have a small, but mighty, group of MGs who answer the call and present throughout the 3 counties – but requests greatly exceed what these dedicated MGs can handle. Therefore, we are looking for additional MGs to share their research-based gardening know-how. We will supply support materials, and those interested can shadow experienced presenters. Volunteers can also take advantage of a new 2019 workshop that will focus on strengthening presentation skills. Volunteers can select how many presentations a year they would like to make and the topics they feel most comfortable presenting. Please consider joining in this fun, valuable volunteer activity!
Presentations are needed on a variety of subjects:
- Beginning gardening
- Vegetable gardening
- Fruit trees
- Pruning
- Composting
- Container Gardening
- IPM for the Home Gardener
- Small Fruits
- Perennials
- Planting
- Soil
- Beneficial insects
- Pollinator gardens
- Tomatoes
- Small space gardening
- Native plants
- Seed starting
- Propagation
- What’s your garden passion that you are willing to share?
Would you like to be part of this vital community outreach? If so, contact Marcia McIntyre, marcia.mcintyre@oregonstate.edu
2019 Master Gardener Training Is Just Around the Corner!
Join us in 2019 for Master Gardener training. We will be holding 7 weeks of training classes starting the first week in February running through March. So mark your calendars. Each AM or PM session attended counts as 3 hours continuing garden education credit for 2019.
The training sites and days are:
Tuesdays, February 5 – March 19, 9AM to 4PM
Hillsboro United Methodist Church, 168 NE 8th Avenue, Hillsboro
Thursdays, February 7 – March 21, 9AM to 4PM
Museum of the Oregon Territory, Museum of the Oregon Territory 3rd floor- 211 Tumwater Drive, Oregon City
Fridays, February 8 – March 22, 9AM to 4PM
Multnomah County Headquarters, Multnomah County Headquarters -501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland
2019 Master Gardener training will include perennial favorite instructors: Jen Aron, Margaret Bayne, Chip Bubl, Jane Collier, Claudia Groth, Monica Maggio, Weston Miller and Jean R. Natter. In addition, we welcome 3 new instructors, metro-area Master Gardener Sally Campbell, and OSU Extension’s Heather Stoven, and Rachel Suits. Look for the detailed training schedule in the January 2019 MG newsletter.
December MG Advanced Training Webinars
Be sure to catch the final MG Advanced Training Webinar for 2018 on Monday December 17, at 11am PT. Kaci Buhl (OSU Extension) will present on Weed Management in the Garden & Landscape: Understanding Herbicides. Kaci is a dynamic educator who will share her expertise.
Details and pre-registration here: https://learn.extension.org/events/3501
Remember, if you are unable to participate in the webinar live – all webinars are posted for viewing a few days after the scheduled date. Webinars count as 1 hour continuing garden education credit.
You can find all past webinar links here: http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/ediblegardens/2018/09/24/the-complete-2018-mg-webinar-series/
Tree-ific Timely Tips
Find some great timely tips on Christmas tree care in this article from OSU Extension Service’s Public Service Communications Specialist, Kym Pokorny.
Treat your Christmas tree to vodka? Only if you want to waste it!
OSU MG Oregon Zoo Volunteers Appreciated!
Our Oregon Zoo Education Center MG volunteers enjoyed a lovely appreciation night hosted by Metro in thanks for their volunteer service this season. A light dinner, door prizes, and free entrance to Zoo Lights was the enjoyed by those who attended. Thanks to all who volunteered this season at the Zoo.
Special thanks to Shawn Van Doren and Rob Kappa for serving as coordinators.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Zoo Education Center in 2019, be sure to watch for updates in the newsletter.
Congrats to the Class of 2018 Master Gardeners!
Here’s just a few 2018 Master Gardeners donning their OSU Master Gardener badges.
