President’s Message Spring seems to be coming on fast (and then retreating a little). It’s always such a relief to see the crocus buds peeking out, despite it seeming like spring for much of the winter this year.  I thought it might be nice to occasionally spotlight some of our newer association members in these letters, so that you can get to know them a little better. For instance, we have several board members who are both new to the board and relatively new Master Gardene

President’s Message  The numbers are impressive. The annual Insights into Gardening Conference last Saturday attracted over 350 garden enthusiasts, who had the opportunity to boost their knowledge by choosing 4 experts among 16 who gave talks on edibles, ornamentals, climate change, sustainability, and other topics. The gallery outside the classrooms was equally impressive—20 exhibitors featured plants and garden-themed books, tools, and handmade gifts. And the cookie table,

Such a receptive crowd that turned out for the Doug Tallamy talk last Saturday! Dr. Tallamy spoke within the context of his latest book, “How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard,” to address common questions he receives about the role everyone can play in boosting biodiversity.

This is the first of many letters I will write to you as president of our association in 2026. For those Master Gardeners I haven’t yet met, here’s a little bit of information about me: I completed my Master Gardener training in 2023, and yes, I do feel like I’m still running to catch up!

Editor’s Message - From Brenda Bye 🌲 Holiday Greetings Master Gardeners! As newsletter editor, I want to take the opportunity to thank Paula Lupcho for her service on the BCMGA Board as president for 2025. Paula has held many roles in our organization and I am grateful for the institutional knowledge and common sense that she brings to her service. As we transition into 2026, we welcome our new president Jill Lodwig. You will hear from her in the newsletter during the next

President’s Message from Paula Lupcho 🌲 I have two items that I would like to highlight in newsletter. The first is information about the newly instituted Volunteer Hub recently launched by the OSU Human Resource Department. The second item is to give some clarification about BCMGA membership criteria.  In November, members who certified last year should have received an email about creating an account on the Volunteer Hub. A password should have been included in that email.

Happy Thanksgiving to all BCMGA members and your families. On Nov. 15, we celebrated our 2025 BCMGA award winners and graduates.

We have very exciting news! Dr. Doug Tallamy is coming to Corvallis. BCMGA has made arrangements for Dr. Tallamy to speak on January 24, 2026. His topic is “How Can I Help?: Saving Nature with Your Yard”.

A big congratulations to the newly elected BCMGA board for 2026. Along with those that are returning for another year, we are really pleased to welcome four new members—John Bertani as President Elect, Christine Welsch as Co-Vice President, Catherine Whiting as OMGA Representative, and Lauren McQuade as Member at Large. Thank you to all who have taken on a leadership role.

It is only 17 days until the the end of the Master Gardener year. See this newsletter for all the updates on your VRS hours and recertification requirements.

It is time to take notice that there are only 39 days left in the Master Gardener year. Volunteer hours need to be logged into the Volunteer Reporting System (VRS) by October 31, 2025.

The BCMGA September picnic is coming up on Sept 17. Bring a beverage and a dish to share.

President’s Message From Paula Lupcho 🌶️ We have a new and vibrant school garden emerging at Garfield School with an interesting back...

Volunteer opportunities for OSU Garden Futures and August Propagation workshops. A VRS Raffle is announced.

There is also something going on with our native Oregon white oaks (Quercus garryana) in the mid-Willamette Valley.  I noticed tip dieback (called flagging) in my white oak and talked with ODF and also consulted Dan Blanchard, Director of the OSU Arboretum.

President’s Message - From Paula Lupcho   ☀️☀️☀️ The watch word for this week is “stay cool” and keep yourself and your plants hydrated. ...

Add the summer garden tours to your calendar and volunteer with the Propagation committee at PHS in this edition of the BCMGA Newsletter.

I would like to highlight one of our volunteer opportunities—Calvin Community Garden. It is located next to Calvin Presbyterian Church on NW Dixon Street. The garden has six raised beds and one large in-ground bed.

With summer just a few weeks away, it may seem like the pace of BCMGA slows down, but this really isn’t the case. There is still a lot going on.

Congratulations to the Plant Sale Committee for organizing another highly successful plant sale!  Here are some of the highlights.  Over 2500 people came.