President’s Message
After a fairly quiet December, BCMGA has hit the ground running in January. As you will see as you read through this update, multiple activities are either happening right now or are in the planning stages.
The 2023 Board had their first meeting on Jan. 9 and it was good to see returning members as well as two new members to the board. Despite the stops and starts that we experienced over the last two year, 2022 was a very successful year for the association and 2023 is shaping up to be even better as we welcome back Gearing Up For Gardening and Insights into Gardening.
If you have felt a bit disconnected from MG activities, then this is the year to dust off your badge and jump back in, especially since the 2023 class of trainees will be a large one. We will need the support of our continuing BCMGA members to help mentor and integrate this new class into our community, which I think is pretty terrific. I attended all of the “meet & greets” for trainee applicants and it is an impressive group with lots of experience, talent, and expertise. Please welcome and encourage these new people—they are the ones that will continue the work of the association into the future.
Special Announcement
Gail Langelotto has announced that she is resigning her position as Statewide Coordinator for the Master Gardener Program in June. Gail will remain at OSU but is changing her role to focus on research.
BCMGA News
Board Meeting Update: The next BCMGA board meeting will be on Monday, February 13 (9:00-11:00) via Zoom.
Missing directory: We have discovered that we do not have a copy of the 2018 Membership Directory in our archival collection. Does anyone have a copy that you will donate? If so, contact Paula Lupcho (541-929-3050 or pres.bcmga.board@gmail.com).
Insights into Gardening: Registration is now open for this 1-day educational event on Saturday, Feb. 11. For more information, go to www.bentonmg.org/iig.
Gearing up For Gardening began on Jan. 3. Join us on Tuesday from noon to 1:00 p.m. during January and February at the Corvallis Public Library.
OSU Extension Needs Assessment Committee and OMGA Advocacy Committee: BCMGA member Judith Kenner is serving on these two committees. The Needs Assessment group will be sending out a questionnaire to all Master Gardeners. Please take the time to do it. It will provide vital information to inform the OSU Extension administration about Master Gardener program needs. OMGA Advocacy group is launching a campaign to push for more state funding for Extension programs. They are asking MGs to contact their legislators to ask that Extension funding be increased. See the 6-month action plan and time line in the link. It is not too soon to start now. This is extremely important to the future vitality of Master Gardeners and Extension as a whole. View presentation here.
Volunteer Opportunities
For certified Master Gardeners: (Earn direct service hours) Plant Problem Scenarios will meet every Thursday in February, 10:30-11:45 at the Benton County Extension Sunset Conference Room, 4077 SW Research Way, Corvallis, OR. Certified Master Gardeners. Join the fun! Meet and get to know the 2023 Master Gardener Trainees and help prepare them for eh help desk and clinic tables. Are you a recent graduate? Participating as a facilitator in Plant Problem Scenarios will be an excellent way to get you acquainted with experienced facilitators. Sign up link here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a45a9ac29a7f85-benton37#/
NEW! The Plant Sale Propagation team will be seeding many new fun and interesting perennials at the Philomath High School Greenhouse, 2054 Applegate St, on the following dates: Friday, January 13 - 10am-12pm and Saturday, January 28 -10am-12pm (We’re trying another weekend date for MGs that work or can’t attend during the week.) All MGs are welcome to come help! Please reach out to Leslie, lesliehauser107@gmail.com, if you have any questions or need help finding the greenhouse.
NEW! Volunteer for Insights into Gardening: Saturday, February 11, 2023. Insights into Gardening is coming and we need your skills, and you need volunteer hours for 2023! Registration opens on January 2nd for the classes. As you are thinking about the classes you want to take at Insights, you can also sign up for a needed task. Many of the tasks allow you to attend classes but you must register in advance. Any questions about volunteering for a specific task, contact Susan Hoffman, shoff@peak.org. Here is the link to sign up. Note there are two tabs with different jobs on each. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a45a9ac29a7f85-draft#/
Community science. Contribute data to research on gardens, plants, and wildlife. Explore and sign up. Many projects are remote and on your own schedule. Report the time as “citizen science: indirect”.
Online Plant Clinic: Check for messages from the public on evenings and weekends. Volunteer from anywhere with an internet connection. Enroll HERE.
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 HERE for shifts to answer client questions or practice skills. You can either work at the desk or in the Extension conference room if you’d like more space.
Find more opportunities on the Benton Volunteer Opportunities Page.
Continuing Education Opportunities
NEW! Gearing Up for Gardening is back! This popular brown-bag gardening education series begins on January 3, 12:00-1:00 at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Go to www.bentonmg.org/gearing-up-for-gardening to view all the up-coming classes.
Save the Date! Insights into Gardening, Saturday, February 11, 2023! Online registration begins on January 2, 2023. A fun day of research-based classes on edibles, ornamentals and general garden topics. Also, a bookstore, exhibitors and a raffle with great prizes provided by the exhibitors. Go to www.bentonmg.org/iig to view the class schedule and to register.
Save the date! 9th Annual BEEvent Pollinator Conference- March 4, 2023, Linn Expo Center, Albany, Oregon. “Adapting Your Garden to the Coming Changes”. This in-person conference is back after a 2 year on-line only presence. Focus on Home Gardens and Small Farms. 9:00am – 3:30pm Registration will open in February: www.LinnMasterGardeners.com
On-going! The MG trivia tournament is an opportunity for all MGs to participate and win prizes. Open to Master Gardeners throughout Oregon this fall and winter, join us once a month for an
evening of multiple-choice trivia, all online. With 50 questions per session, learn about timely gardening topics, have fun, and earn valuable prizes. Each session is good for one Continuing Education Credit in the Master Gardener program. Questions? Contact Nicole Sanchez at nicole.sanchez@oregonstate.edu
How it works: Register below for each night you plan to play. (You must register separately for each.) Then the night of the event, join via Zoom, and play along via the trivia app "Slido" on your phone or computer. Instructions will be sent upon registration. There are prizes for each session!
1st place: $100 gift certificate*
2nd place: $50 gift certificate*
3rd place $25 gift certificate*
*Gift certificates to mail-order garden companies in the PNW such as Territorial Seed Company, Conifer Kingdom, Heirloom Roses, Noname Nursery, etc. Winners will receive gift certificates approximately one week after each event.
The whole remaining schedule (separate registration for each):
January 19, 2023, 6-7pm, Vegetable Victories: Successful food gardening
February 16, 2023, 6-7pm, Being Fruitful: Managing orchard and small fruit challenges
A call to action for gardeners: Dirt! The Movie screening! As part of OSU’s 41st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration 2023, the OSU Extension Master Gardener program is proud to host an online movie screening of Dirt! The Movie. When: Monday, January 16th at 3:00 pm Where: online at https://kosmi.app/bllb9i We’ll be screening the movie online with an opportunity to chat with other attendees throughout the movie. No registration required. Free. Report this experience for continuing education – when you log your time, include your reflections on the three questions found HERE.
Continuing education opportunity: The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration recognizes the legacy of Dr. King and allows the Oregon State community to reflect on his work. The 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration keynote speaker is Jelani Cobb. Learn more and reserve a seat, or find out how to watch online
In Other News
The Public Seed Library is a new collaborative project of the Benton County Master Gardeners and the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, with the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library serving as the host partner. The free, volunteer-run Public Seed Library is expected to open at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library downtown by March ’23. Learn more and donate seeds.
Also, here’s an article about the new library: https://democratherald.com/corvallis/news/local/a- new-library-is-set-to-open-in-corvallis-but-not-for-books/article_41169bf8-8306-11ed-bdd2- df4d75f34164.html
Jan 14 Community Seed Swap – Albany Library 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Albany, OR
Extension News
Coffee chats are back for 2023! If you are a board member, committee chair, or engaged volunteer, this is a chance to visit informally with program staff (Elza). Learn more and sign-up HERE.
Growing Oregon Gardeners – Level Up 2022: watch the recorded sessions HERE.
Have an item for eNews? Please contact staff by the second or last Wednesday of each month. Please use this event checklist to ensure all needed information is included in your request.
Extension partner spotlight: FoodHero.org is your go-to site for advice on growing your own garden and more. Check out Food Hero gardening resources for English and Spanish gardening handouts and more!
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