“Every gardener knows that under
the cloak of winter lies a miracle … a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl. And the anticipation nurtures our dream.”
– Barbara Winkler
Spring is on the verge of emerging and so is a brand, new Master Gardener season. February is a great month to polish your MG badge and renew your engagement in volunteer activities and continuing education opportunities.
It is also an opportunity for you to help usher in the new class of trainees. Come sit in on one of the MG training sessions (here’s the schedule). Introduce yourself to a trainee. Sign-up for phone clinics and farmers’ markets (via CERVIS,) so new trainees can have the experience of working with someone who can show them the ropes. Share your passion for gardening and the Master Gardener program with the new trainees. Note: phone clinic schedules and farmers markets will open at staggered times in the next few weeks. Please check back on CERVIS if the event you are looking for is not posted.
Display Your 2018 Sticker!
Again this year, we have distributed a new, 2018 MG badge sticker to indicate those Master Gardeners who are up-to-date with their volunteer, continuing education (recertification) hours and have submitted their signed 2018 Conditions of Volunteer Service agreement. You served diligently! Now display your sticker proudly!
To maintain your certification, the following are the minimum criteria for Veteran MGs in 2018
- 20 hours of volunteer service in Program approved activities
- 10 hours of continuing education/recertification hours
- Submit signed Conditions of Volunteer Service agreement
Start logging your hours on either a 2018 PDF or Excel Volunteer Log Sheet. Once that log sheet is brimming with your annual requirements, please submit your log to the Metro MG Program office, no later than September 30, 2018.
Expand Your Gardening Know-How – Earn your 2018 Garden-Ed Hours
There are many, varied options for Continuing Garden Education/Recertification in 2018.
- 2018 Master Gardener Training – Attend any of the MG training classes offered in February and March at the 3 Metro-area training locations. Morning sessions and afternoon sessions each count for 3 hours of continuing education. Attending the training classes is a great way to brush up on the basics. Here is the 2018 training schedule along with location addresses.
- Online MG Training Modules – Take and successfully ‘Pass’ any of the online MG training modules. All MG training modules are offered free to current Veteran MGs. Look for an upcoming email in late February for registration details. Each module ‘passed’ counts for 2 hours credit.
- Hands-on education workshops – Dig in to one of the hands-on workshops being offered as part of the MG training curriculum. A wide range of workshops will be offered…plant propagation, improving garden soil, fruit tree pruning, vegetable gardening, insect ID, and more! Current, Veteran MGs are allowed to take one of these workshops. If space allows, a Veteran can get special permission to take an additional workshop. Veteran MGs will be notified of workshop offerings and registration details via email in March. Each workshop counts as 5 hours continuing education/recertification hours
- Watch the OSU Extension Service Advanced training webinars
A wonderful new addition for MG continuing education. The webinars keep MGs up on the latest horticultural science developments. For the upcoming 2018 webinars you must register in advance to watch them ‘live’. Click on the following links to register for upcoming webinars or to access recordings of past webinars. Each viewed webinar counts as 1 hour credit
- Metro-area Chapter Presentations. The Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Co. Chapters all offer several speakers and classes throughout the year that count as credit. Find designated speakers and classes announced in the three Chapters’ monthly newsletters – easy to locate in the category tabs above, or on the Metro MG Garden Education Events Calendar. Always look for a designation like “approved for MG garden education credit” or “qualifies for continuing education/recertification hours”.
- Growing Gardeners Conference Attend classes designated for continuing garden education at the Oregon Master Gardeners Association’s Gardeners Growing Conference (formally known as “Mini-College”). The 2018 conference is scheduled July 12 through the 14th, at Linfield College in McMinnville. This 3-day conference will offer a wide-ranging slate of garden-focused classes. Any classes designated as continuing garden education/recertification can be counted for 2018 credit. Details have yet to be posted – so be sure to check-out the OMGA website in the spring.
- Upcoming education opportunities. Keep your eye out for additional designated continuing education credit opportunities as they surface throughout the year. Be sure to read this monthly MG program newsletter and occasional email announcements.
February Marks the Beginning of 2018 Training
We have a strong line-up of instructors and subjects for our 2018 MG Training classes. The schedule offers some exciting new changes. In support of the goals of the state Master Gardener program, instructors of our in-person classes are adding more interactive and hands-on activities to their presentations.
Join us to hear perennial favorite instructors and plus a few new instructors and subjects. Also, take the time to welcome and introduce yourselves to members of the new class of trainees.
All of the 2018 Training classes will qualify for 2018 MG continuing garden education/recertification credit.
For the detailed 2018 Training schedule, please see the link below.
2018 Metro Master Gardener Training Schedule
Changes to CERVIS Volunteer Registration Service
This year when you sign-up for volunteer events in CERVIS, our online volunteer registration system, you may notice a few changes.
First off, visually it is a bit different in layout, color, and fonts. This system wide change should make navigating the site easier.
We have added shift slots that are specific to 3 different categories of volunteers.
- Veteran Only
- Interns Only
- Veteran or Intern
When registering on CERVIS please sign-up for the appropriate slot.
This change will assist coordinators in adequately filling shifts for their events. This change also will make it clearer and easier for Interns to serve on shifts with Veteran MGs.
All ‘current’ certified 2018 Master Gardeners have access to CERVIS. If you are unable to access CERVIS, please contact: Jordis Yost – jordis.yost@oregonstate.edu or Marcia McIntyre – marcia.mcintyre@oregonstate.edu .
The Good News Gets Even Better!
Last month we posted our Metro Master Gardener Annual Report. The numbers were stunning and a mere reflection of all the good work being done by YOU! Well the good news is even better than we reported. Regarding the number of public contacts Master Gardeners made in 2017, presenting to the community via our Speakers Guild and 10-Minute University we reported 2,820 contacts. Our numbers actually chime-in at 3,927! That is remarkable! Kudos to all who diligently plan, coordinate, prepare, and present engaging, informative, OSU research-based, horticulture research to the gardening public!
Seeking Master Gardener Speakers
Would you like to join in making gardening presentations to community groups through our Speakers Guild? The Metro MG program receives dozens of requests every year for garden presentations. 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 even more MGs to share their research-based gardening know-how. We will supply support materials, and those interested can shadow experienced presenters. Reach out and have fun making a few presentations a year!
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
