š« Presidentās Message
I will be sending out the Biweekly Update in two formats (Word and pdf). Be aware, however, that when saving the Word document into pdf format, some of the links are altered. I blame computer gremlins. Remember that the posted blog of all Updates can be found on the BCMGA website at http://bentonmg.org .
Donāt forget that our summer tours start this week on Wednesday, June 14 (10:00 a.m. ā 1:00 p.m.) More details can be found in BCMGA News below.
The OMGA Conference Joy of Gardening is just around the corner on July 7-8. This year BCMGA is offering six $100 scholarships to attend this conference. Three scholarships are for continuing MGs and 3 are for trainees. Recipients will be selected by raffle. To enter the scholarship raffle, go to the extension office and place your name on the provided paper next to the raffle jar and place your entry into the container. Only one entry per person. The raffle will close at noon on June 23. Raffle winners will be notified that afternoon. Registration for the Joy of Gardening closes on June 30. Donāt miss out on this great opportunity to hear great speakers and meet other Master Gardeners from around the state. Classes count toward continuing education hours. https://omga.org/mini-college-2023/
The annual open house for the Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture is also coming up on Thursday, July 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a family friendly event and open to the community. Representatives from the Department of Horticulture will be there to share their research projects. You will also learn about urban ecology, pollinator health, honeybee research, dry vegetable farming, flower trials, and more. BCMGA will also host a plant clinic table.
š« President Electās Message
Donations for OMGA Silent Auction - Itās time to prep BCMGAs annual donation to the Silent Auction at the Joy of Gardening Conference. This is our opportunity to support the grants and awards given by OMGA. We are looking for items that range from $25-$35 in value, such as garden tools, seeds, bird feeding supplies, knee pads, or trugs. If you have items or would like to help with gift baskets please contact brenda.bye@gmail.com. Weāre looking forward to hearing from you!
Special Announcement
š« The BCMGA Board has approved the opportunity to apply for funding to other local 501(c)(3) organizations for special projects or donations. The application must be submitted by a continuing Master Gardener. The organization or special project must be aligned with the goals and purposes of BCMGA. For a copy of the application and criteria, contact Jana Tindall for more information (jl.tindall@comcast.net ).
Trainee News & Opportunities
š« REMINDER: Trainees are encouraged to finish their course work as soon as possible so that public outreach training with mentors can begin. Only trainees who have completed the course work should be training at the desk or at plant clinics at Farmers Market and elsewhere. If you need assistance or questions answered about the coursework, contact Brooke Edmunds, Community Horticulture Faculty at brooke.edmunds@oregonstate.edu .
BCMGA News
š« Summer Tours: Save the dateāWednesday, June 14. 10:00-1:00. MG Joyce Eberhart is opening her garden for people to peruse. Joyce is our āgo-toā native plant resource. If you enjoyed her Gearing Up for Gardening presentation on native plants, this will be a special opportunity. It will be an open house rather than a guided tour. She is also arranging for participants to tour her sisterās garden next door as well as another neighbor who has an amazing veggie garden.
Parking is very limited on NW Edgewood Dr. Park on nearby NW 36th, 34th or 33rd St off of NW Grant St. and walk up Edgewood. If you have restricted mobility feel free to drive up to the house, as there are a few parking places in front of our house. Edgewood is a dead-end street without a good turn around, so please donāt drive up unless you need to park there. Three houses in a row will be open for viewing, numbers 5, 7, and 9, all on the right (east) side of the street. The gardens are all accessible from the driveway on the south side of #5. (See map at the end of the Update.)
Save the dateāWednesday, July 19, 9:30 a.m. This will be a guided tour of the Inspiration Garden in Independence. A Polk County MG will be leading the tour.
Volunteer Opportunities
š« NEW. Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture: The Annual Open House is Thursday, July 13, 9:30 a.m. ā 2:00 p.m. One certified Master Gardener is needed for the BCMGA Plant Clinic table at this event. Three trainees have also signed up to be at the BCMGA table. Log hours as Plant Clinic-Direct. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a45a9ac29a7f85-benton35#/
š« NEW. Oregon State Fair. Multiple shifts 8/24-9/5. Come share your garden love and lore with fairgoers in Salem. Our activity and info booth will be located inside the air-conditioned lobby of the Farm & Garden/Floral Building. A fair admission ticket and parking pass is provided. Sign up here. Make sure to include your county so tickets can get to your Extension office. Record as āPlant Clinicā in VRS.
š« Demo Garden: Volunteer at the Demonstration Garden. Every Wednesday 9:30-11:30 a.m. Come when you can, as often as you can, and help grow vegetables, herbs and fruit. The Demo Garden is on the south side of the Benton County Fairgrounds. Enter through the driveway for Benton Oak RV Park on 53rd St and go to the left. Wednesday work hours count as indirect--garden maintenance. Event staffing, which occurs through the summer on weekends and during the Benton County Fair count as direct--plant clinic. For more information, text or call Rosalind at 541 908 3991. Email rslnd55@gmail.com
š« PLANT CLINIC at Farmers Market (Corvallis): Certified Master Gardeners are needed to work during the shifts listed below. Time of clinic table is 9:00 a.m. ā 1:00 p.m.
Contact Debbie Lauer directly by calling 541-929-7544 or texting 541-602-3138.
Available dates are:
Ā· Wed., Jun 28ā1 certified Master Gardener needed
Ā· Wed., Sep 27--1 certified Master Gardener needed
Mentors, if you would like to work at the plant clinic with your trainee, contact Debbie so that she can accommodate you.
š« Master Gardener Desk (Office Plant Clinic): The office is open and there are questions coming in from the public. Volunteers are encouraged to return to the desk, in particular certified MGs comfortable with the pH meter and the microscope are needed. Sign up for shifts to answer client questions or practice skills. You can either work at the desk or in the Extension conference room if youād like more space.
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. And please make sure to record these hours in VRS!
š« Registration is now open for The Joy of Gardening Conference hosted by OMGA. This year the event is on July 7-8 at CH2M Hill Alumni at OSU. This is a close and convenient location to get continuing education hours, meet MGs from around the state, and hear some great speakers. You might even find something special at the Silent Auction!
You can register at:
š« Webinars. Opportunities from across the state are listed on the OSU Master Gardener Programās event page. Record each as one hour of continuing education.
June 13th @noon The Beesā Needs: Make Your Backyard a Sweet Spot
š« 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.
š« 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.
š« 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.
š« Public Seed Library Lecture Series: This series of lectures will occur in March through July (Wednesdays, 6:00pm to 7:00pm) at the Corvallis Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. Upcoming Lectures.
Ā· June 14āāOrganic Pest Managementā Rich Little. Entomologist & Home Gardener.
Seed Donations to Public Seed Library: If you've started your summer crops and have left over seeds, individual donations of open and partially used vegetable, herb, and flower commercial seed packets packed for '22 and '23 are needed now to restock the Public Seed Library seed rack, and can be donated any time at the Corvallis Library Circulation Desk.
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 Brooke Edmunds to get connected: brooke.edmunds@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
In Benton County send to Nicole Mason Martin: nicole.mason@oregonstate.edu
In Linn County send to Laurie Gibson: laurie.gibson@oregonstate.edu
Need to update your contact information? Need a badge?
Contact Laurie Gibson: laurie.gibson@oregonstate.edu
All other questions:
Please contact Brooke Edmunds: brooke.edmunds@oregonstate.edu
Map for parking availability for June 14 Garden Tour
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