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Barbara Low

JCMGA Announcements July 2025

By Beet 2025 07 July

 

Jackson County Master Gardeners Announcements

July 2025

 

 

July

  • OMGA Joy of Gardening Conference at OSU on July 11-12.
  • We will start collecting produce (fruit and vegetables) donations on Wednesday, July 16th, from 9-12 p.m. – which will be given to Access. Please bring your produce to the Gather Place at the SOREC Extension.

 

President’s Corner

By Beet 2025 07 July

Sharing Gardening Information

As I was sitting in my husband’s hospital room reading a book, his nurse came in and asked what kind of book I was reading. I told him that I was reading a murder mystery. He asked if I read any other genres. I said that I usually read historical fiction – mainly World War II, and gardening books also. He was surprised to find someone else who liked to read books on gardening. Over the next couple of days, we talked about what gardening books we would recommend, what plants we liked to grow in our garden, what challenges we had with gardening, and why we liked to garden. It turns out that we are both passionate about gardening – but with different viewpoints.

We were strangers before we started talking about gardening, but gardening gave us some common ground outside of what was going on in the hospital room. By taking the time to talk and listen to each other, we learned many things about gardening from a different perspective. Sometimes all it takes is to be willing to talk and listen to others.

He recommended that I read the book “The One-Straw Revolution” by Masanobu Fukuoka. I have never heard of this book. I checked it out and the reviews were fairly positive. Since he was so passionate about this book, I decided to read it after I finish my current book. Maybe I will learn some new gardening information or find affirmation for what I already have learned.  Either way I will learn another perspective.

As Master Gardeners, we have several opportunities to learn more about gardening, including all the variety of components which are involved. Some of these learning opportunities include:

When we learn gardening information, it is important to share what we have learned and be willing to learn from others. Here are some ways to share information:

  • When working in the JCMGA Demonstration Gardens, talking about the garden you are working in and also about your own individual garden.
  • Write a short article about a gardening book that you would like to recommend to others.
  • Write about a gardening tip which you have found helpful in your own garden.

Enjoy your garden and share what you learn!

 

 

The JCMGA Board Needs YOU!

By Beet 2025 07 July

We are looking for new, and experienced, members of Master Gardeners to serve on our Jackson County Master Gardener Board of Directors for 2026.  Could that be YOU, or someone you can recommend?

Please consider becoming a member of the board – the governing body of the association. The board adopts the budget, sets policy, and generally oversees the present and future direction of JCMGA.  Meetings are held the second Friday of each month.  Most board members also sit on one or more of the association’s working groups.  Your input is important, and fresh perspectives on how we move forward are the key to our success.

The following positions are to be elected this fall:

  • Vice-President/President-Elect
  • Membership Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Assistant Treasurer
  • Recording Secretary
  • Archivist
  • Oregon Master Gardener Association Representative
  • Five Members-at-Large

 

Contact Linda Millus, President-Elect, at lmillus@outlook.com  if you want to nominate yourself or someone else.

Please submit any nominations by September 1st.

JCMGA Announcements June 2025

By Beet 2025 06 June

 

June

  • JCMGA Annual Membership Meeting – June 13th from 9:00-9:30 a.m. You are welcome to stay for our regular June Board meeting which will be from 9:30-11:15 a.m.
  • JCMGA Monthly Board Meeting – June 13th from 9:30-11:15 a.m.
  • JCMGA Annual Picnic and Awards Ceremony – Saturday, June 28th from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. We will have a guest speaker, Robert Coffan. He is with the Monarch Advocacy. (check the article in this Garden Beet about Robert Coffan)

July

  • OMGA Joy of Gardening Conference at OSU on July 11-12.
  • We will start collecting produce (fruit and vegetables) donations on Wednesday, July 24th, from 11-12 p.m. – which will be given to Access. Please bring your produce to the Gather Place at the SOREC Extension.

 

October 17, 18 , 24, and 25 — Winter Dreams Summer Gardens  – Save the Date 

 

President’s Corner

By Beet 2025 06 June

It has been a very busy month for the Jackson County Master Gardener Association! Our organization is built on providing gardening education to our community members. As part of this goal, we offer a variety of volunteer opportunities. Below, I will talk about a few of these opportunities.

The month of May started off with our 2025 Spring Garden Fair which was held again at the Jackson County Expo in the Mace Building. Our Practicum mentors and students worked hard to plant, grow, and transplant the many, many vegetable plants, annual ornamentals, and native plants for this event.  Countless hours were spent on organizing, moving, setting up for the event, selling plants, and then taking down after the event to return items back to the SOREC Extension. With over 100 special volunteers, who worked hard with a smile, we were able to host this event.

The 2025 Spring Garden Fair was a tremendous success! A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the 2025 Spring Garden Fair, with special thanks to Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki for organizing this event. They have already started planning for the 2026 Spring Garden Fair.

Our JCMGA Demonstration Gardens are another of our projects of which we are very proud, as they provide an educational opportunity for our students and other community members. Each Demonstration Garden has a mentor who leads the volunteers for that garden. The main work in these gardens has started and will continue through October. Janine Salvatti is the chair of the Gardens Working Group and Marcie Katz oversees the Demonstration Gardens. Our gardens are listed on our JCMGA website https://jacksoncountymga.org/demonstration-gardens/. If you are interested in working in one of our Demonstration Gardens, please contact them.

June is going to be another busy month for JCMGA

  • Our Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Friday, June 13, from 9-9:30 a.m. in the auditorium at the SOREC Extension at 569 Hanley Road, Central Point. The JCMGA will give an overview of what JCMGA has accomplished for the past year. Board members will be there to answer any of your questions. This is a time for you to share your viewpoints concerning JCMGA. We hope that you will consider attending. Following this meeting, the JCMGA Board will hold its June Board meeting. You are welcome to stay for that meeting as well.
  • Our Annual Picnic will be held Saturday, June 28, from 5-8 p.m. in the auditorium at the SOREC Extension at 569 Hanley Road, Central Point. This will be a wonderful educational and social event as well as a time to recognize some of our members for all their hard work.

As you can see, JCMGA has numerous volunteer and/or educational opportunities available. Other opportunities include the Friends of the Gardens program, Plant Clinic, Plant A Row project, Demonstration Work Parties, and much more.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at barbaralow@msn.com.

JCMGA Annual Member Meeting – June 13th

By Beet 2025 06 June

JCMGA Annual Member Meeting

June 13th

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

You are welcome to stay for the regular JCMGA Board meeting.

SOREC Auditorium, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point

 

Each year JCMGA has its Annual Member Meeting in June.

During this meeting we will

  • Talk about JCMGA’s accomplishments during the past year
  • Talk about issues that we are currently working on that involve the JCMGA
  • Answer any questions concerning the JCMGA
  • We welcome your input and/or suggestions

We hope that you will join us.

 

 

JCMGA May 2025 Announcements

By Beet 2025 05 May

 

May

  • Spring Garden Fair – May 3 and 4 at the Mace Building at the Expo.
    • Save the Date – Mark your calendars!
  • May JCMGA Board Meeting – May 9th at 9:00 a.m. at SOREC
  • Spring JCMGA Board Retreat – May 23rd at 9:00 a.m. at SOREC
  • Medford Open Streets Event – May 31st
    • JCMGA will have an information table at this event. If you are interested in working at the table that afternoon, contact Barbara Low barbaralow@msn.com

 

June

  • JCMGA Annual Membership Meeting – June 13th at 9:00 a.m. at SOREC
  • JCMGA June Board Meeting – June 13th at 10:00 a.m. at SOREC
  • JCMGA Annual Membership Picnic – June 28th from 5-8 p.m. at SOREC