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Colet Allen

Dec 01

Winter Dreams / Summer Gardens 2024

By Beet 2024 12 December

 

This year’s Winter Dreams/ Summer Gardens was very successful!  The good thing is that we finally figured out how to reach the Landscaping Population (Thanks to Blake Elliot and his know-how) that we have been trying to reach for three years. We more than tripled the numbers of those seeking Continuing Education Hours (CEH) for the Oregon State Landscaper Contractors Board (LCB).  We had a total of 21 who marked Yes for CEH and 15 who attended the Zoom classes, six them attending all 16 classes!

These people expressed appreciation of the information that was offered, and thanked the presenters often and sincerely.  They engaged with questions and comments and offered some information themselves.  As a group, they were a very positive addition to Winter Dreams/Summer Gardens.  A couple landscapers indicated that they would seek more hours viewing the recordings and using the process that Winter Dreams / Summer Gardens has in place to give CEH when the recordings are the method of viewing the presentation.

We at JCMGA appreciate the landscaper’s attendance and their desire to learn more about sustainable practices, the use of Native Plants, Beneficials, and best practices that will produce healthier plants, better living soils and a more sustainable earth for the future with less herbicides and insecticides. We view them as partners in educating the public. They are key players in our Mission to Educate.

During my tracking of the Landscapers present on Zoom for each session, I also kept track of total attendance for each presenter. The range was 25 to 38 attendees, with 80% of the classes having 30 and above.

Yes, this was a great Winter Dreams/ Summer Gardens and I am already thinking about 2025!

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Jul 27

A Visit Which Led to a Journey

By Beet 2024 08 August

In June of this year, a Master Gardener friend came to visit, blessing me with her presence for a few days and gifting me with a strange little plant that has a habit of eating flies. You guessed it, the common name, Venus Fly Trap, Genus Name Dionaea.

Upon receiving this little life I thought, “Oh dear, how do I take care of it?” Well, a quick Google search revealed an excellent article by Deb Wiley and Lynn Alpine https://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/care/grow-venus-flytrap/  which lists all of her needs.  (I have decided she is a her.) I call her Venus.

This gift brought to mind some of the questions from an activity for the Cultivating Companions class that Grace Florjancic (our OSU JCMGA Coordinator) is currently teaching. This exercise asks several questions to help determine what kind of a plant parent you are. Reflecting on those questions, I have to say it depends on the plant.  Some of my plants given to me by loved people hold a special place in my heart and get the best care. I think Venus will require more of my attention initially, but that will change as she gets settled into her new surroundings.

The article by Wiley and Alpine gave me the information and confidence that I needed to go on this little journey with a plant that I had never considered. I am really looking forward to making her like my home and make it her home as well. Now I have several new things to consider: What will her container be? I know that she wants at least 4 inches of soil, and more is better for her roots. Where will the container sit to get the best light?  I now must allow some insects indoors for her to catch and eat.  The insects must be small enough that she can close her traps on them. She also likes a humid environment, being a native of the Carolina swamps in southern US. There Dionea is considered endangered as it has been collected to near extinction due to humans’ fascination with their habit of eating insects, so I need to help her live!

Now, how will I achieve the ideal humidity while still having an open container so her prey will come into her sphere of influence?  I was told not to tease her without giving her food, since motion is the trigger that causes her to trap by closing her several mouth-like structures once an insect is attracted. She emits a sweet smell which attracts the insects. False teasing can cause a decline in this scent and use energy that she should be using to grow and eat.

If Venus decides that she likes my offerings and hangs out with me, I will update you about her progress. I also would like to try my hand at propagation but will wait until she is bigger and stronger before asking her to reproduce.  I hope each of you have a guest that leaves you with such an intriguing project and lovely memory.  Thanks, Ronnie, for the lovely gift and for launching me on yet another thoughtful and interesting plant journey.

May 31

The Wet, Cold and Tough Performance of Master Gardeners at the 2024 Spring Garden Fair Event

By Beet 2024 06 June

They say what does not kill you makes you stronger.

Our volunteers certainly got stronger on May 4th!

 

The Spring Garden Fair got off to a soggy start. May 4th temperatures never got into the fifties, and it rained a record 0.91 inches. There were only a handful of those 100+ volunteers who were not out in it and wet. Even lucky volunteers who were inside felt the cold, as the doors were open next to their table and the greenhouses were also chilly. The rest slugged through mud, puddles, and small rivers. Some had the pretense of being protected by the pop-up tents. But the slight breeze quickly removed that idea as they become almost as wet as people who had jobs directly in the weather.  

It takes a village, and our JCMGA village is a place where people work together. This was absolutely true on May 4th. Because of the incumbent weather, we expected that it would probably not be too busy.  Quite the contrary! Those JCMGA volunteers doing traffic and parking duties were real heroes and had the worst of it. We ow those folks a great big “Thank You.” They made it possible for the plant-loving public who braved the weather to get to the plants and buy, buy, buy!

The village had many helping hands that day. There were the plant people who answered questions and found what customers wanted inside and outside of the greenhouses. The cashiers were essential, for there can be no sale without them. The people who staffed the “park your plants” pop-up tables provided a storage place while people shopped for more.  The wagon pullers hauled all the plants toward the customer’s conveyance to a new home. The golf cart driver took passengers from the parking area to the shopping area, and then back to their cars. The rovers jumped in wherever needed when called upon for help. The adults made the children’s rock painting possible. And the charming, young, 4-H fellows took food orders and then bought us warm food to sustain us.

When Sunday came, the volunteers all returned and were ready to do it again. Fortunately, the weather improved. The 2024 Spring Garden Fair will remain an event that JCMGA volunteers will remember. Everyone should be very proud of their performance, true grit and ability to hang tough. They really showed what this group is made of.

Thank you all for your amazing tenacity, forbearance, and generosity of spirit that truly made a miserable day into magic for those brave souls who came. SFG 2024 was a great success. Many, many thanks!

May 31

Rosenelle is Retiring From JCMGA

By Beet 2024 06 June

Rosenelle Florencechild has decided to retire from JCMGA engagements after being a long-time active member. As many of you know, Rosenelle always stepped up when the Speakers Bureau received a request for a speaker in her area of expertise. She has been a welcome presenter at most of the Rogue Valley’s Garden Clubs, JCMGA Speakers Bureau, OLLI Gardening classes and a presenter for Winter Dreams Summer Gardens. and has been an asset to the Rose Society.

Currently, Rosenelle will be reducing her speaking engagements to begin spending more time enjoying what life brings her.

She has a large archive of classes and presentations that she has developed over the many years she has been a Master Gardener. She does not want that information and knowledge lost. She has kindly offered to give these presentations to anyone who would like to work with her to make these presentations their own. This is an extremely generous offer. It would be a wonderful jump start for some of our recent additions to JCMGA who have expressed the desire to continue with JCMGA’s mission of spreading gardening information to the community via the Speakers Bureau.

I have sent an invitation to those who might be interested in becoming speakers to give them a head start working on presentations. If you have not received that invitation, contact me (Colet), and I will add your name to the list (coletallen1@gmail.com).

We wish Rosenelle an incredibly happy and well-earned retirement and hope she will stop by occasionally and let us know what she is up to. Thank you Rosenelle for your many hours of service and your outstanding contribution to JCMGA’s mission over the years.

Happy Retirement!

 

 

 

 

Mar 31

Gold Hill’s Journey to an Excellent Community Garden

By Beet 2024 04 April

 

I recently stopped in Gold Hill to see the progress that’s been made in the past 18 months in creating a community garden. Tammy Wilkinson of eXp Realty, and Joel with Gold Hill CanDo have been working with Jackson County, community volunteers and the City of Gold Hill to produce a total of 18 raised garden beds with wide tops to sit upon. They have 4 smaller pollinator metal beds as well as 2 pallet garden beds for kids with plantings around the fruit trees. “WOW!” is all I can say. Here is a brief timeline of what they did to make this garden a reality in 18 months.

Joel and CanDo coordinated with the City of Gold Hill to receive donated land free of charge. The parcel was completely covered in blackberries, along a multiple use pathway not far from the sports field and next to the Gold Hill Water Treatment facility. This property can be expanded as the gardens grow. A fire break was also created by removing the blackberries and brush by the water treatment plant.

The City of Gold Hill allowed the Water Treatment Facility to provide free piped-in water to the garden area. CanDo provided the donated funds for the piping and the community gardeners trenched and installed the lines, with permission from the City.

Joel and Tammy wrote grants for the garden. CanDo volunteers raised funds through donations. Jaxon Company (a hemp flower producer) contributed funds and their employees and families helped build the garden as a community project.  A Xerces Society grant provided plants for the pollinator garden project. In lieu of funds, other organizations provided knowledge, referrals, volunteers, communication to a broader audience and other in-kind resources. Last year, gardeners who had more produce than they could use donated it to their local food bank, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and people walking by the gardens.

Future plans are to continue the growth and integration of the Community Garden by providing a great place for people to grow their food, receive information, acquire gardening knowledge, inspire an appreciation of gardening and share surplus produce, seeds and plants with everyone.

Making a successful Community Garden is all about people coming together to create something for the common good. Collaboration is key. Gold Hills’ experience can be a model for others who plan to start their own successful Community Garden. If you are interested in creating a Community Garden, you can attend the Jackson County Community Gardens Network Meeting that meets quarterly in Talent. More info is available at the JCMGA website.

Photos of Gold Hill Community Gardens

Jan 31

Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest

By Beet 2024 02 February

Written by Suzanne Simard

Recommended by Colet Allen

 

This book is a memoir of Suzanne Simard’s 30+ year journey through scientific research to find the Mother Tree.  The book reads like fiction with great story telling, humor and a childlike love and curiosity about her surroundings.  Suzanne’s upbringing in an extended, loving family of loggers, farmers, and ranchers in the northern forests of British Columbia, Canada put her on a lifelong journey through scientific research. She not only loves the trees – they are her passion.

She says that at 7 years old she watched her grandfather dig out the side of their outhouse to rescue their dog, Jiggs, who had fallen in and could not get out. This was the first time she remembered questions forming as the shovels of soil lifted up various layers from the forest floor. As she ran her fingers through handfuls of roots and other organic materials, she wondered what was all this different stuff. There were different colors, textures and masses of stringy material. What was its purpose?

What I loved about this book:

  1. How her family’s way of life in the forest informed so much of who she was and what she loved, and also helped prepare her for her life’s work – even if she didn’t know it at the time.
  2. How she framed and explained her questions and then set up experiments to determine if what she thought was happening was indeed happening. Her descriptions were magical, lyrical, and lovely. I could smell the forest as I listened to the audio version of her book read by her. (You can download the audio book from the Jackson County Library.)
  3. That she gave credit to those who came before her, such as grandparents and indigenous people. Their intentioned observation and spiritual beliefs about the natural world led and guided some of Suzanne’s ideas as she developed her scientific inquiries.
  4. Her bravery and stick-with-it-ness in the face of criticism from governmental agency personnel, corporate-motivated greedy foresters and less enlightened colleagues who could not, or did not, want to understand or even consider her ideas.
  5. That she made discovery after discovery until there was no way that her research could be refuted.
  6. How her research and discoveries, along with those of others, are slowly changing destructive logging practices, such as clear cutting. Seeing these ignorant and destructive practices slowly change gives me and others hope that nature is more about collaboration rather than competition. Hopefully we can help our forests to help us – and we can save ourselves.

 

Suzzane Simard: How Trees Talk to Each Other/TED Talks: I recommend this talk. You will see who she is, enjoy her delightful sense of humor and get a sense of the book in about 18 minutes.

https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other?language=en

Finding the Mother Tree was published May 4, 2021 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Nov 29

“Unsheltered” by Barbara Kingsolver — A Book Recommendation

By Beet 2023 12 December

Now that I have learned how to access library audiobooks and download them to my phone, I am listening to a couple more books a month while driving in my car. Learning this process and getting it into my aging brain was on my 2023 goals list.  With the help of our Jackson County Library System, I have mastered this new skill that our young people take for granted, as we older folks did with a landline at their age.

In the past, I bought audio books (very expensive) and played them on my device in my car and at home. In 2021, I purchased a new Outback and, only after getting home realized it did not have a CD player. I was devastated, as I had close to 200 audiobooks in my home library.  At about the same time my home CD player died. Was the Universe trying to tell me something? So, I donated all of my audio books to the library, took the tax write off and moved on.

Now that I’m downloading library audiobooks to my phone, I am once again getting more books under my belt. Interestingly, one of the first books that I listened to was “Unsheltered” by Barbara Kingsolver.

Every book of Kingsolver’s that I have read (which is most of them) always brings surprise and delight. Her insights into family dynamics, social justice, science verses religion and so much more always give me a new perspective that I had not expected when I chose the book to read. “Unsheltered” is no different. One fascinating character in the story was Mary Treat, who is a real person and known for her work in botany and entomology. In the 1830’s. Mary corresponded with Charles Darwin, which adds some interesting discussions about Darwin’s work and ideas. As a lover of plants and the science around plants, this was one of the aspects of this book that I found most delicious.

This is a fascinating and complex read on many levels. I have spent many enjoyable reflective moments on various elements of the book since finishing it. The website below gives a fuller synopsis of the novel. Maybe one of these days as we are working in the gardens at SOREC we can have a lively discussion about “Unsheltered” by Barbara Kingsolver.

https://www.tomakemuchoftime.com/blog/book-review-of-unsheltered-by-barbara-kingsolver

Sep 29

What Is Going On in the Herb Demo Garden?

By Beet 2023 10 October

By Colet Allen and Herb Garden Team

At the end of 2023 Practicum, Jory Kaplan and I became Co-GEMs of the Herb Demo Garden to rescue it from its sad state of overgrowth with oregano. We had others who wanted to join us, so a team was built. Shirley Wentworth, the previous Herb Garden GEM, generously helped us with identification of what was left after the oregano invasion, even though she was struggling with a major shoulder issue. She gave us her notebooks and lots of historical information on the garden. She still comes occasionally to check on our progress and we are grateful for each visit.

There is a big rose bush in the middle of the garden and the team discussed its future. Due to limited space, our plan was to remove it eventually. Joanne Mitani researched with her Rosarian friends and let us know this should be a keeper. It is a Black Cherry rose from Jackson & Perkins, patented in 2006. There is a 20-year patent on it, so we have until 2026 before that patent expires and we can propagate the rose. It is not a climber and should only be about 3’ tall. We are pruning it back to its expected size and will determine what to do with it next year. Thanks, Joanne, for the research and education on this beautiful and happy thriving rose.

Our concepts and guiding ideas are:

  • To consider labor and aging backs by making the garden as maintenance free as possible.
  • To make it truly a demonstration garden, show several different gardening techniques that will support growing herbs. The various ideas were barrels, a rock garden, a terraced container area, raised beds, and inground planting for larger and taller plants. It was not our goal to make a traditional Herb Garden but something providing more educational opportunities.
  • To incorporate art into the garden. We hope our efforts will be a positive visual addition to the Entry Garden for the front of SOREC.
  • To base the refurbishing effort on team decisions and collaborative work.
  • To bring in friends and relatives who want to work in the garden to join us.

We have been able to address our main ideas and goals. So far, we have received a donation of four wine barrels that we are preparing for Cultural Kitchen Gardens – Mexican, Indian/Middle Eastern/African, indigenous (potentially) and teas. Over time we may rotate the plants in the barrels as we discover different cultural herbs that will grow in our region.

We may use metal stock watering tanks rather than building raised beds. We received an offer of a donation of two tanks that we felt would accommodate our needs. We will paint and decorate these tanks and make them more appealing to the eye.

The container terraced area will be addressed later in the year, and we have a donation for materials and the potential for an individual to help construct that phase of the project.

Finally, Grace connected us with a Community Collaborative Citizen Science group called Oregon Season Tracker.  She has installed a sanctioned rain gauge in the Herb Garden and will be monitoring and reporting the information gathered. This puts us on the map with a nation-wide effort. There are other Citizen Science projects and, for some of them, Master Gardeners can earn hours with these organizations. If you are interested talk to Grace.

Rain gauge on the right.

We are developing a list of seeds to grow next spring. We will be looking for donations if you have some available. The babies that we captured from the original herb garden and the Practicum donations were placed in the nursery and have mostly done very well. Now that the weather is cooler and rains are in our future, we transferred those to the garden and they will be transplanted in their permanent locations in the next few weeks.

In addition to our two-legged friends, we are delighted to see pollinators, frogs and small black lizards enjoying the garden.

We are grateful (Thank YOU) for those who have volunteered and hope that their experiences inspire others to give us a try.

Specifically, thanks to everyone who worked to get the donation of the wine barrels, especially Nicole, Brian, Marie, Monette, Mark Hoffmeister and Padigan’s Winery. Mark and Monette also prepared the barrels so that they could be used for planting. It takes a village. Also, the stock tanks to be used as raised beds were donated my Jory Kaplan and Marie Carbone. These donations are greatly appreciated and have put us ahead of our expected refurbishing time schedule. The major items remaining will be plants and seeds.

I have also been told that there is a large pile of rocks on site under the cherry tree. Now I must locate that cherry tree. It will be a lot easier to pick them up in wheelbarrows on site and wheel them to our garden. The Rock Garden will be our fall and winter project and will hopefully be ready for planting next spring.

 

 

Jul 27

OMGA Joy of Gardening Conference

By Beet 2023 08 August

I was lucky to attend this year’s Oregon State University Extension Service Joy of Gardening Conference, two days of research-based classes on edibles, ornamentals and pollinators. It was held in Corvallis, OR on July 7 and 8. The conference was well organized and had excellent presenters. I learned a great deal about gardening that can be applied to my personal garden as well as Jackson County Master Gardener Association projects, training and gardens.

In addition to attending, I volunteered to help new attendees staying in the dorms to get their room keys, building passes, and directions to registration, etc. I also wrote a process to provide guidance to participants and the planning committee, and submitted it to the planning committee for use in 2024. Volunteering gave me insights and great appreciation for how hard the Joy of Gardening planning committee works and the value they bring to the Master Gardeners of Oregon. Thank you, Oregon Master Gardener Association.

The conference was excellent and every presentation provided new information to help Master Gardeners deal with current issues. I learned lessons that will be passed back to the Joy of Gardening planning group, and can also be applied to projects here at JCMGA. There were two outstanding Keynote speakers:

Tom Kaye on Coping with Climate was informative, had a good sense of humor and summarized recent research on how plants respond to changing climate. We hope he accepts our invitation to present at the 2024 Winter Dreams/Summer Gardens (WD/SG).

Dr. Melathopoulos is affectionately called “the Bee Guy”. He spoke at last year’s WD/SG and is scheduled again this fall. We hope he will update us on the fabulous Citizen Science efforts of Josephine County Master Gardeners, especially their findings about rare bees. Josephine County Master Gardeners will continue collecting data on rare bees in spite of their county commissioners’ defunding decisions. OSU is helping. This is great news.

The Joy of Gardening Conference is also a place to connect with groups to make a difference. I took a class on “Citizen Science”, an approach in which volunteers help conduct scientific research. Master Gardeners may be able to earn volunteer hours and provide a valuable service as they gather data, and it doesn’t take much effort! Please contact Grace Florjancic with any questions.

Grace and I participated in a round table discussion where we learned that most chapters are looking for ways to increase participation, retention and expand volunteers and membership. Grace and I discussed our efforts with creating Friends of the Gardens. The round table was an opportunity for different chapters to compare their issues and problem-solve. I think it should be included every year.

I was so thrilled to see how well JCMGA is doing as a chapter. We had the greatest number of people mentioned for awards. Lynn Kunstman was awarded the Master Gardener of the Year at the state level. She so deserves this recognition.  Thank you, Lynn, and congratulations. You go, girl!

OMGA raises scholarship money, via a raffle, to help people attend the Joy of Gardening Conference. This year, their Send a Friend project provided five people across Oregon the opportunity to attend. Next year, JCMGA could look into a similar fundraising effort. Perhaps it could be a reward for one of our Friends of the Garden or an outstanding student in the 2024 class.

In closing, I would like to mention another lovely activity at this year’s Joy of Gardening. Attendees visited the Polk County Inspirational Garden. We were met upon entering the garden by a Master Gardener and given refreshments, learned some history and took an informative stroll through this reclaimed area. I will let you learn about this beautiful space, its creation and development on your own virtual visit.

The Inspirational Garden has an acronym with an interesting history. FIG stands for Friends In the Garden. This beautiful place is managed and maintained by the Master Gardeners of Polk County and Friends, who are all volunteers. Brooke, the interim State MG, helped get the friends part of this in place as it was known that Master Gardeners alone could not do this on their own. Thank you to Brooke for helping to make that happen. This is a good example for us all. Many chapters have a claim to fame. It would be nice if these outstanding works were shared with OMGA and OMGA could advertise to all what Master Gardeners are doing throughout the state.

Attending the OMGA Joy of Gardening Conference was inspirational and provided me with many learnings to pass on to others. I encourage everyone to attend when they can.

May 31

The Class of 2023 – The Bounce Back Class

By Beet 2023 06 June

At JCMGA, 2023 has seen the Master Gardeners jumping back into what is beginning to feel almost normal. Several things have come together and created the look and feel of former excellence once again.  The open vacancy for our OSU Coordinator was filled in January with Grace Florjancic. She is a quick study, and we are so happy to have her energy, enthusiasm, and knowledgeable leadership helping to put JCMGA back in line as one of the best Master Gardener Chapters in the state of Oregon. Welcome Grace!

Jane Moyer and a group of JCMGA mentors helped to organize the 2023 Master Gardener Program, with a 14-week class every Wednesday afternoon beginning in January.  Students learned from a 22-chapter text, online modules and in person instruction. They also teamed up with other classmates to create presentations on many Plant Families. They researched their subjects, created online presentations, and presented their findings to approximately 75 people in attendance. Hopefully, each student will pass on their learned knowledge to a broader community in the Rogue Valley.

The Master Gardener Class of 2023 is a promising lot. They started out 55 strong and at this writing the class has only lost two of its original members. There is a large age range represented. Kemper Rose was in utero during the first 2 months of class. Her mother Kendyl Berkowitz was in the early stages of labor during Sunday’s Practicum before Kemper Rose was born later the following day on March 13th, 2023.

Kendyl provided the following interesting facts about Kemper’s name, “Less than 100 people in the world are named Kemper every year. And her name means ‘farmer’. Her middle name is Rose, partly because we have grandmothers with that name but also because I am Bette Midler’s biggest fan EVER.” This was a family affair. Kemper’s Grandfather Jory was also taking the class, along with Kendyl and Kemper Rose. Dad and husband Michael was busy supporting the family and helping to keep Oregonians safe as a supervisor for Oregon State Police Dispatch.  I am sure dad was doing some double duty helping to keep Kemper’s 2-year-old brother happy with mom going to class and keeping up with her job as Executive Director for Rebuilding Together Rogue Valley. This is a nonprofit that uses donations and grant funding to supply low-income disabled homeowners with home modifications to keep them safe at home for as long as possible. Kendyl, on behalf of Rebuilding Together, has also provided a generous grant for JCMGA’s use for improving access to the demonstration gardens.

This class brings many skills and talents to JCMGA. They have signed up for several roles that were vacant after Covid took its toll over the past two challenging years. They have learned new skills and gardening techniques that they can use for the rest of their lives and will hopefully spread this newfound information to our Southern Oregon communities. They have also made new friends.

One of the traits that I witnessed during the Practicum was how our group, mostly strangers, became a well-oiled machine. Once they were taught where things were located, the processes they would use during practicum and the jobs that needed to be done, they worked together. There were no slackers in this group. They volunteered readily, helped one another, buddied up to be more efficient and offered suggestions.  They learned from each other as well as our two knowledgeable and supportive Mentors. It was a joyful way to spend three hours, continuing to learn new skills, volunteering for a wonderful organization and being surrounded by growing plants.

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