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Barbara Low

Feb 27

Volunteers Needed

By Beet 2025 03 March

Do you like working with plants, getting dirty, watching seeds and seedling grow?

We have an opportunity for you!

The JCMGA Practicum is looking for volunteers to help plant seeds and do some transplanting of seedlings.  These plants will be sold at our Spring Garden Fair.

You will be working with a Practicum Mentor and students.

We are looking for interested people working 

from 10-12 p.m. or 2-4 p.m. starting March 17 and ending April 25.

Contact Barbara Low at barbaralow@msn.com if you are interested or have any questions

Jan 31

President’s Corner

By Beet 2025 02 February

The new year brings opportunities and new beginnings for all of us. I hope that you had a relaxing time with family and friends over the holidays.  It is always good to take time to rejuvenate and enjoy the company of loved ones.

JCMGA has had a successful 2024! In the December Garden Beet, I highlighted some of our accomplishments during the past year.  Below are more of JCMGA’s 2024 accomplishments:

  • The Fundraising Working Group has been busy with many projects, including selling our Garden Guides at community events.

  • As a way of getting JCMGA and gardening topics out to the public, we participated in many community events. We had an information table/booth with several of our volunteers who answered questions and provided gardening information.  These events included: Josephine County Home Builder Show; Blue Heron Park Event; JCMGA Spring Garden Fair; Medford Open Streets Project; Fall Festival; and One Sanctuary Event.

  • The Community Outreach Working Group has worked actively on getting more community gardens involved with JCMGA. They also provide school grants for gardening projects.  What a great resource!

  • We started a new project – the Friends of the Gardens. Its members are interested in working in our gardens and learning more about gardening without becoming a Master Gardener.

  • The Class of 2024 Clothing Committee developed a gardening shirt logo – created by Adrienne Cheng.

  • The JCMGA Native Plant Nursery is booming! A big “thank you” to Lynn Kunstman and all the volunteers for their hard work in making it a success. Cody Maple, a Class of 2024 student, created the new Native Plant Nursery logo and Nicole Smith created a new Native Plant page on our website.

  • The Marketing & Technology Working Group continued to create publicity for JCMGA, while keeping our technology up-to-date.

  • The Member Services Working Group designed and distributed the JCMGA Chapter (Membership) 2024 Directory to our members. They also planned and implemented the following events: Class of 2024 Master Gardener First Day Lunch; JCMGA Annual Picnic; and Class of 2024 Master Gardener Graduation Celebration.

  • The Board has been developing the JCMGA vision and determining what is needed make our new tool shed, lathe house, and practicum classroom.

Our working groups are made up of wonderful people committed to working together to accomplish their goals.  I encourage you to join us.  Contact the chair of a working group that you are interested in to find out more about what they accomplish.

Our working groups and their chairs are:

Community Outreach                           Michael Hornbeek

Fundraising                                              Jane Moyer

Gardens                                                     Janine Slavatti

Marketing & Technology                    Keltie Nelson and Lucy Pylkki

Member Services                                   Barbara Low

Program Support                                   Grace Florjancic

Spring Garden Fair                                Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki

Winter Dreams/Summer Gardens         Colet Allen, Susan Koenig, and Barbara Low

We are a very active organization which provides gardening expertise – whether hands-on or via classes – to our members and community.  It takes all of us working together to accomplish our goals. Thank you to all those who have helped with our 2024 projects. We should be proud of what we have accomplished! We look forward to moving forward in 2025.

 

 

 

Jan 31

Master Gardeners Class of 2025 Practicum Begins!

By Beet 2025 02 February

We will be starting our 2025 Practicum on February 5th.  Soon we will be starting to plant the seeds and transplanting the plants for the JCMGA 2025 Spring Garden Fair.

If you would be interested in helping with the planting of seeds and/or transplanting the young plants for Spring Garden Fair, please contact Barbara Low (barbaralow@msn.com)

I will let you know when we need volunteers and schedule a time for you to help.

Jan 31

Book Nook — “Shrubs to Know” by Edward C. Jensen

By Beet 2025 02 February

Book review by Barbara Low

Have you ever been out for a walk and come upon a shrub that you thought would be a great addition to your yard?

I have had that experience.  I’ll be in a park or walking around town or at a friend’s home and see a shrub that has beautiful blossoms, leaf color, size, and/or shape.  I can imagine it in my yard around some of my other plants.  BUT, I don’t know the name of the shrub, and many times other people I talk to don’t know its name either.

I attended a training led by Grace Florjancic, our Master Gardener Coordinator, wherein she introduced us to the book “Shrubs to Know in Pacific Northwest Forests” by Edward C. Jensen.  It is published by the Oregon State University Extension Service.

This book is a fantastic resource.  The author leads you through the process of becoming a “shrub detective” in a step-by-step manner, such as what to look for in identifying a shrub and what shrubs to stay away from.

The book also contains detailed descriptions of 49 common species in the Pacific Northwest forests and has over 500 color photos.

If you are interested in adding this book to your personal library, it is available for purchase at the SOREC Extension office at 569 Hanley Road, Central Point.

Dec 31

Jackson County Master Gardeners Announcements – January 2025

By Beet 2025 01 January

JCMGA Membership Renewal for 2025 is now open.

  • Remember to be included in the JCMGA Chapter Directory, you need to renew your membership by January 31, 2025.

 

JCMGA Chapter Directory Photo Contest

  • We will again have a Photo Contest in January 2025. The photo chosen will be used for the front cover of the 2024 JCMGA Chapter Directory.

  • For more details, see the enclosed article.

JCMGA Board Meeting

  • Friday, January 10th, in the SOREC Auditorium from 9-11:30 a.m.

  • Winter Board Retreat, Friday, January 24th, in the SOREC Auditorium from 9-11:30 a.m.

Dec 31

President’s Corner

By Beet 2025 01 January

It is a new year with many opportunities and new beginnings for all of us.  I hope that you had a relaxing time with family and friends over the holidays.  It is always good to take time to rejuvenate and enjoy the company of loved ones.

JCMGA has had a successful 2024! In the December Garden Beet I talked about some of our accomplishments during this past year.  Below are a few more JCMGA accomplishments:

  • The Fundraising Working Group was busy with many projects including selling our Garden Guides at community events.

  • As a way of getting JCMGA and gardening topics out to the public, we were part of many community events this year. At these events we had an information table/booth with several of volunteers to answer questions and provide gardening information.  These events included: Josephine County Home Builder Show; Blue Heron Park Event; JCMGA Spring Garden Fair; Medford Open Streets Project; Fall Festival; and One Sanctuary Event.

  • The Community Outreach Working Group has also been actively working on getting more community gardens involved with JCMGA. They also provide school grants for gardening projects.  What a great resource!

  • We started a new project – the Friends of the Gardens. “Friends” are interested in working in our gardens and learning more about gardening without becoming Master Gardeners.

  • The Class of 2024 Clothing Committee developed a gardening shirt logo – created by Adrienne Cheng.

  • The JCMGA Native Plant Nursery is booming! A big thank you to Lynn Kunstman and all the volunteers for their hard work in making it a success. Cody Maple, a Class of 2024 student, created the new Native Plant Nursery logo and Nicole Smith created a new Native Plant page on our website.

  • The Marketing & Technology Working Group worked on publicity for JCMGA and kept our technology up to date.

  • The Member Services Working Group distributed the JCMGA Chapter (Membership) 2024 Directory to our members. They also planned and implemented the following events: Class of 2024 Master Gardener First Day Lunch; JCMGA Annual Picnic; and Class of 2024 Master Gardener Graduation Celebration.

  • Plans are being developed for the 2025 JCMGA vision and what we want for our new tool shed, lathe house, and practicum classroom.

People in our working groups are committed to working together to accomplish their goals.  I encourage you to join us.  Contact the chair of a working group that you are interested in to find out more about what they accomplish.

Our working groups and their chairs are:

Community Outreach                            Michael Hornbeek

Fundraising                                               Jane Moyer

Gardens                                                      Janine Slavatti

Marketing & Technology                     Keltie Nelson and Lucy Pylkki

Member Services                                    Barbara Low and Linda Millus

Program Support                                   Grace Florjancic

Spring Garden Fair                                Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki

Winter Dreams/Summer Gardens     Colet Allen, Susan Koenig, and Barbara Low

This year is full of new beginnings and continuing what we started in 2024!  We are a very active organization which provides gardening expertise – whether hands-on or via classes – to our members and community.

It takes all of us working together to accomplish our goals. Thank you to all those who have helped with our projects in 2024.  Everyone should be proud of what we have accomplished as we move forward in 2025.

 

 

 

 

Dec 01

JCMGA Announcements December 2024

By Beet 2024 12 December

 

 

Winter Dreams Summer Gardens 2024 Satisfaction Survey

  • Thank you to all who attended this year’s WDSG event and for completing our Satisfaction Survey.
  • We will be using the data to plan for the Winter Dreams Summer Gardens 2025!

 

JCMGA Membership Renewal for 2025 is now open.

  • Remember to be included in the JCMGA Chapter Directory, you need to renew your membership by January 31, 2025.

 

JCMGA Chapter Directory Photo Contest

  • We will again have a Photo Contest in January 2025. The photo chosen will be used for the front cover of the 2024 JCMGA Chapter Directory.
  • For more details, see the enclosed article.

 

JCMGA Board Meeting

  • Friday, December 13th, in the SOREC Auditorium from 9-11:30 a.m.
Dec 01

President’s Corner

By Beet 2024 12 December

The holidays are with us, and the end of the year is fast approaching. I hope that you had a wonderful time with your family and friends during Thanksgiving. For me, Thanksgiving is a time to focus on what we are thankful for – no matter how small it may seem – and to start looking forward to the new year and new beginnings.

JCMGA has had a successful year!

Below are a few of our accomplishments:

  • In the OSU Master Gardener Class of 2024, there are 40 students who graduated! Twenty-two of those students attended the Class of 2024 Graduation Celebration on November 9th. Congratulations to all graduates!

Thank you, Grace, for your leadership with this class!

  • Students and mentors of the Practicum for the class of 2024 met with great success. We grew the plants that were sold at the Spring Garden Fair. Because 2024 SGF expanded to a two-day event, we nearly doubled the number of plants we grew. The Practicum was led by Virginia Brown and Jane Moyer. Thank you!
  • Our Demonstration GEMs (Garden Education Mentors) did a terrific job in working with Master Gardener students and Friends of the Gardens to revitalize our Demonstration Gardens at SOREC. The gardens were absolutely stunning this year. The gardens have been put to bed now, with dreams of what’s to come in the spring. Thank you for all your hard work and creativity.
  • So many people participated in the Plant A Row project that we donated over 800 pounds of fresh produce to Medford Access to help families in our community who are in need of food.
  • Many thanks to our Gardens Working Group for their creativity in creating a new compost area and painting the beautiful murals!
  • Grace implemented the Cultivating Companions Grant which was focused on senior citizens in rural areas. Many of our members – including students – participated in working with the seniors. It was a great success!
  • The JCMGA Fall Festival was a great one-day event held on the SOREC grounds, with a huge number of native plants being sold. Thank you to Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki for heading this event.
  • Our annual Spring Garden Fair was well-attended, despite torrents of rain that turned our parking field into a mud bath! Many thanks to Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki who managed this event. Great job! The 2025 SGF will be held at Jackson County Expo on May 3-4, 2025. Mark your calendars.
  • We have had more people wanting to get involved with our working groups, events, and the Board.

Next month I will highlight what the other working groups have accomplished this year.

We are a very active organization which provides gardening expertise – whether hands-on or via classes – to our members and community.  This year we have had more people step forward to help with projects, contribute to our discussions, listen to each other, brainstorm, compromise, and move forward with creativity and respect.  Thank you.

It takes all of us working together to accomplish our goals. Thank you to all those who have helped with our projects this year. We should be proud of what we have accomplished and continue to move forward next year.

Wishing you all the best during the upcoming holiday season!

 

 

 

 

 

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