President’s Message
👩🎓👨🎓 What a great turn-out we had for our graduation and awards celebration. The buffet table was loaded with delicious and tempting choices. No one went away hungry. This year it was Benton’s turn to host this event. I want to thank the great crew who made this all come together—Nancy Tovar for the Power Point presentation, Rich Taylor who made all of the technical stuff work, Sandy Piper for the hospitality service, Susan Hoffman who was our interior decorator, Lynn Trimpe who helped plan the event and then hunt down table clothes, Randy Raggon for the coffee service, Janet Magedanz who represented OMGA and presented the longevity awards, and Marge Alig our Membership Secretary who figured out all of our awards and creatively put the trugs together for our Benton recipients. I want to especially thank Alan Taylor, our hero, who figured out why we couldn’t close the exterior door when we were trying to leave. We struggled with it for about 30 minutes when Alan found the problem and fixed it. Five of us let out a huge shout of triumph. Webmaster Rich Taylor has also posted pictures of the event on the BCMGA website. If you have additional pictures, please send them to Rich. I am hoping someone took a picture of the Benton trainees receiving their certificates and awards. Here is the link.
Also, check your email. Yesterday, Otillia sent out several email messages to members about an additional gift to graduates from Extension, and the certificates for those who have recertified and the OMGA longevity awards that are at the Extension Office. Please stop by to pick them up. The certificates are at the MG desk.
Greens Party: Message from Vice President Lynn Trimpe
🌲 Our annual greens party is tomorrow! This is the final event on our BCMGA calendar, so, gather up your wreath or swag making equipment and come join the fun. Time is 10:00 to 2:30; place is Guerber Hall at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Guerber Hall is at the rear of the fairgrounds near the rodeo ring. The greens will be there. Bring gloves, a wreath ring or vase, wire or florist tape, ribbon, and extra frills or bling to add to your creation. You can also bring cookies or a snack to share. The usual warm drinks will be provided. WEAR YOUR BADGE!
Enter the fairgrounds from the north entrance on 53rd Street. This is the entrance closest to the yellow carriage house and the trailer park.
If you haven’t paid your dues, this is a great time to do it.
Membership Renewal
😇 Be an angel and put “membership renewal” at the top of your to-do list. It will be much appreciated. Our membership secretary and treasurer would love to wrap this up for the year.
Continuing members are trained Master Gardeners and trainees who are extending their graduation to a second year. Continuing members do not have to be certified. Dues are $15. Dues can be paid with check, cash, or credit card. Checks should be made payable to BCMGA. If using a credit card, there is a swipe fee charge. The charge for continuing Master Gardeners is $15.75. Here is the credit card link for continuing Master Gardeners only. https://square.link/u/v5DWCvAO
Associate member dues are $10 ($10.60 if paid by credit card). Membership Secretary Marge Alig will contact Associate members directly about membership renewal and will include a credit card link in that email.
BCMGA News
🍁 December Board Meeting: The last board meeting of the year will be in-person at the Extension Office in the Sunset Room. The date is Monday, Dec. 11. The meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. This is a change of time.
🍁 Gearing Up for Gardening: The program for this very popular lecture series has been set. You can view the schedule at the end of this Update. Lectures begin on Jan. 9.
🍁 Desk Winter Hours: Plant Clinic in the Office will be Tuesdays and Thursdays. Morning and afternoon shifts are available.
Alan Taylor, Mentor Coordinator, would like to let people know that certified MGs could come in at other times to work on voicemail or email submissions or to get a refresher training on working at the desk. In the latter case, contact Alan Taylor (alantaylor@alyrica.net ) to arrange for a trainer. Without an advertised “open desk” it should give some opportunities for quiet time to get these things done.
Volunteer Opportunities
🍁 Insights into Gardening: The committee will be meeting Thursday, Nov. 30, in the Conference Room at the Extension Office. The meeting starts at 1:00.
🍁 Master Gardener Desk (Office Plant Clinic): Winter hours are now in effect. The desk will operate on a Tuesday & Thursday schedule.
Find more opportunities on the Benton Volunteer Opportunities Page.
Continuing Education Opportunities
Each program year current Master Gardener volunteers are asked to recertify by completing 10 hours of approved continuing education and 20 hours of volunteering. This ensures that your horticultural knowledge stays current. All the opportunities in this section count towards that goal. Try to get one hour of CE on a diversity, equity, or inclusion related topic.
🍁 Webinars. Opportunities from across the state are listed on the OSU Master Gardener Program’s event page. Record each as one hour of continuing education.
🍁 New OSU Publication. Gardens are for Everyone. Read and write a summary paragraph of how you will apply this as a Master Gardener volunteer for one hour of continuing education.
🍁 New OSU Publication. Grow Your Own Peppers. Read and write a summary paragraph of how you will apply this as a Master Gardener volunteer for one hour of continuing education.
🍁 Anytime. Recordings of Zoom Master Gardener training from Curry County with guest lecturers from OSU and beyond, are available for any volunteer to take as continuing education. Trainees are also welcome to watch and supplement their classes. More links are being added weekly, see the current list log on to the attached website.
A New Resource
🍁 A message from Sherry Sheng, Chair of Clackamas 10-Minute University:
I am excited to share a new series of research-based resources for Master Gardeners: Garden Ecology Briefsfrom the OSU Garden Ecology Lab.
Each uses a 2-page format to explain research in three parts: What is the question? What did we find out? How does this relate to gardening?
Topics are Native Plants, Biocontrol, Bee Vision, and Petal Cutters.
Sherry would love to know what you think. clackamasmg@gmail.com
Check them out at the Garden Ecology Lab website (https://gardenecology.oregonstate.edu/gardeners) and the 10-Minute U website (https://cmastergardeners.org/10-minute-university)
Community News and Opportunities
🍁 Lupe’s Community Garden (Philomath), is seeking a new Program Manager beginning early Spring 2024.
The purpose of the Philomath Community Garden is to develop a beautiful and nurturing space where individuals, families and groups may grow nutritious, organic vegetables and fruit for themselves and for community food banks and gleaner programs. Workshops are offered by Benton County and OSU Extension seasonally.
Community members have volunteered more than 600 hours and shared approximately 1000 pounds of fresh vegetables and fruit this past season. The Garden Manager would be committed to about 30 to 40 volunteer hours per month during planning and planting times. Hours would be less as the garden gets underway. Mentoring will be available.
If interested in this opportunity to contribute greatly to the fight to eliminate hunger in the community, we would love to tell you more. By using the links below, you can explore this historical project. Please contact Cheryl Stratton for more information.
🍁 Growing Microgreens and Sprouts
Come learn how to grow highly nutritious microgreens & sprouts indoors this winter from Master Gardeners Jill Farrow and Jennifer Klammer. There'll be samples to taste, and Public Seed Library microgreens & sprouts seeds to take home afterwards. Tuesday, December 5 from noon-1:30pm at the Corvallis Public Library Meeting Room.
Extension News
Need help finding information from Extension? Here are some important links to access information.
Have a gardening question? Get help at:.
Interested in gardening classes and events?
Want to join Master Gardeners? Contact Benton County Extension Office, 541-713-5000
Want to partner with Master Gardeners? Please contact Otillia Schreuder to get connected: otillia.schreuder@oregonstate.edu
Current volunteers:
Need information about training, volunteering, or logging hours? First check the Volunteer Sourcebook and website.
Need a sign-up, promotions, or printing for an upcoming event?
First, use the Event Checklist to collect all needed information
Need to update your contact information? Need a badge?
Contact Otillia Schreuder otillia.schreuder@oregonstate.edu