It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.
Rainer Maria Rilke
Hearty Gratitude! MGs Planting the Seeds of Knowledge
It’s National Volunteer Appreciation Month! This month, and every month, we’re grateful for the generous spirit of our OSU metro area Extension Master Gardener volunteers! You show up—in gardens, in classrooms, in conversations—with curiosity and care. Thank you for planting the seeds of knowledge and community throughout Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties!
Springing Up! Community Outreach Opportunities
Spring has sprung and so have the various Master Gardener volunteer opportunities. We are talking Farmers Markets, Earth Day Celebrations, Fairs, and more! New opportunities are being posted weekly so be sure to check CERVIS frequently to sign up for these fun, engaging volunteer opportunities.
Remember to update your CERVIS Profile, especially if your address, phone number, emergency contact, or email address has changed. You can make those changes in CERVIS. Also be sure to notify Program staff (Amy, Kim, or Marcia) so we know of the change and can make any other necessary updates to our records.
Annual Master Gardener Certification Requirements
It is not too early to start keeping track of your Volunteer Service and Continuing Education hours for 2026 recertification. Follow the button below for a refresher on the annual requirements to maintain your Master Gardener certification. There you will also find a link to the online Volunteer Reporting System (VRS) where you can log your hours as you serve them.
Welcoming our 2025 Master Gardener Training Cohort
We are excited to be welcoming our new Master Gardener Training Cohort. Since the end of January over 140 enthusiastic trainees have been diving deep into the OSU Master Gardener training curriculum.
Now they are moving into their role as “Interns” and are venturing out to serve the community alongside experienced Master Gardeners.
Master Gardeners, be sure to join us in extending a warm welcome to the Interns, as you begin meeting and volunteering with this remarkable group of passionate garden educators.
Volunteer Opportunity Fair – Kudos to our supporting Master Gardener Associations, and the Master Gardener Study Group for helping to build a vibrant Volunteer Opportunity Fair for the 2025 Master Gardener Training Cohort. Thank you for guiding and sharing your enthusiasm for the wide array of service opportunities available to our Interns.
Hands-on Workshops – Many thanks to our supporting Master Gardener associations and volunteers who have developed and are leading the instruction of hands-on workshops to the trainees. You have created a fantastic line-up of educational offerings to support trainees in their journey to serve the community as garden educators!
Garden Future Initiative Launches
The future of gardening can be confusing right now. With changing seasonal weather, new techniques, different plants, you might be asking yourself, what should I be doing now? What should I be doing into the future?Garden Future is about growing resilience in a changing climate.
Garden Future is an exciting new OSU Extension-led initiative that empowers Master Gardener volunteers to engage the public in conversations and actions for gardening in a changing climate. This spring, across Oregon (including right here in the metro area) the Garden Future initiative is being launched.
We will be displaying Garden Future resources at selected community events. Resources and fun activities will be provided for Master Gardeners to start conversations and support fellow Oregon gardeners in resilient gardening practices.
Are you ready to be part of the future of gardening?
Start conversations at tabling events and community gatherings
Share your story—how has your gardening changed?
Help document and uplift other gardeners’ experiences
Stay connected through the Garden Future Champions newsletter
Learn more about this statewide initiative HERE. You will find resources for garden resiliency and learn how you can become a Garden Future champion!
Interested in helping with the Garden Future initiative in the metro area? If you are interested in being involved with the Garden Future initiative let us know by filling out the interest form linked below and look for specific Garden Future events on CERVIS.
Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program’s popular free webinar series for the experienced gardener is back with a fresh new suite of learning opportunities!
This year’s Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Upseries is about growing resilience in a changing climate. We’re digging deep into the science behind invasive pests, best techniques in using less water, understanding what changes our trees are enduring, and harnessing the power of technology to identify and learn more about plants and insects. In partnership with Garden Future, we’re talking and learning about growing resilience in our gardens and communities. The closed-captioned webinars will be broadcast via Zoom and streamed via our Facebook page the second Tuesday of the month, at noon, April through September 2025. This series is open to the public, and OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers receive 1 Continuing Education Credit for each class. You can take one, or take all. This webinar is being recorded and will be available to view on our website within two weeks of airdate.
Watch online: This webinar series will be available on Zoom and broadcast live on our Facebook page. Recordings will be available on our website within two weeks of live broadcast.
Cost: Free
Who can attend: Open to the public, OSU metro area Perennial Master Gardener volunteers receive 1 hour of Continuing Education Credit for each class.
Seed to Supper
“Seed to Supper” is a beginning garden course focused on reducing food insecurity in Oregon. The program was created by the Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State Extension Service. Originally the program was administered by the Oregon Food Bank and OSU Master Gardeners served as garden educators. Today, the program is entirely run and administered as an OSU Extension project.
We are excited to launch “Seed to Supper” in the metro area this spring, while maintaining a focus of delivering the program to those who are low income and most likely to experience food insecurity.
If you are interested in learning more and helping to teach the “Seed to Supper” Program, please fill out the interest survey which is linked to the button below.
*Volunteering for “Seed to Supper ” counts as a “Program” volunteer hours. If interested, please respond promptly as “Seed to Supper” sessions are starting!
We are delighted to share the news that fellow OSU metro area Master Gardener, Claudia Groth, was recently presented with the OSU College of Agricultural Science’s Diamond Pioneer Award.
The Diamond Pioneer Award “honors people with significant lifetime contributions to agriculture, natural resources, and the people of Oregon and/or Oregon State University. This award provides the opportunity to publicly recognize the accomplishments of individuals who have contributed to the well-being of their community, industry, and state.”
Claudia’s true passion and dedication lies in educating Oregon gardeners. A long-time and highly active OSU Master Gardener volunteer (since 1989), Claudia has dedicated thousands of hours teaching thousands in Master Gardener training courses across the state, presenting at numerous conferences, and providing ongoing support to county programs.
Her expertise, honed by hundreds of hours of coursework in pest and plant problem management, has made her a sought-after presenter. She is known for her ability to simplify complex concepts and engage audiences. Claudia presents on topics ranging from soil health and composting to beneficial insects and plant diagnostics, and she has a particularly popular presentation on slugs. She has even been featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Oregon Field Guide, talking kindly about slugs!
Beyond her volunteer work, Groth has served as the “Garden Doctor” on Portland’s KEX radio, appeared on KATU’s AM Northwest and an XRAY FM garden show.
Her leadership within the OSU Master Gardener program is also noteworthy, including three terms as President of the Multnomah County Master Gardener Association and statewide leadership roles, focusing on financial support for the Master Gardener program. This dedication earned her the “2013 OSU Master Gardener of the Year” award.
The metro area Master Gardener Program and its participants are the lucky recipients of Claudia’s dedication and generosity teaching research-based gardening concepts and principles. We are endlessly grateful for her dedicated support and contributions.
Please join us in congratulating Claudia on this well-deserved recognition and honor!
Joy of Gardening Conference – Registration Open!
Registration is now open for the Oregon Master Gardener Association’s “Joy of Gardening”, a two day conference packed with research-based classes, tours, & panels on all things gardening! Information for both new and experienced gardeners! The conference is open to Master Gardeners and the public.
Early bird registration available through June 15.
