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Sandy Hansen

Announcing the Annual Jackson County Master Gardener™ Association  Photo Contest

By Beet 2023 12 December

 

 

The Jackson County Master Gardener™ Association Member Services Working Group (MSWG) announces its annual photo contest.

 

✦The 2024 JCMGA Photo Contest is open to all current Jackson County Master Gardener™ Association members.

Photos may be submitted from January 1st  until February 1st, 2024.  We can accept two (2) photos from each member, although there will be only one winning photo per person.

✦Photographs are limited to those taken in gardens of the Rogue Valley and the focus must be on a plant or flower – no people (for privacy issues), or garden animals or insects.

✦Please submit your photograph in portrait format, rather than landscape format to jcmgaphoto1@gmail.com.

✦All photographs must be at least 1500 x 1575 pixels (5”x5-1/2” at 300 dpi) and all submitted photos become the property of JCMGA.

In addition, since the photograph on the cover of the directory is longer from top-to-bottom than from side-to-side, photos submitted must be in portrait format rather than landscape.

Please submit your picture to jcmgaphoto1@gmail.com and include your name, phone number, email address and a short description of the flora pictured. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Hansen, sandyhansen08@gmail.com.    All identifying information will be removed and the contest will be judged by members of the Member Services Working Group and the editor of the Garden Beet.

The winning photograph will appear on the cover of the 2024 JCMGA Chapter Directory, and four runners-up will have their photographs featured in the Garden Beet. Winners will be announced in the April Garden Beet. Four runners-up will have their photographs featured in the Garden Beet. Winners will be announced in the April Garden Beet.

Whether your garden consists of several acres or a single plant in a hanging basket, we would love the opportunity to honor the beauty you have created and nurtured.

  • All submitted photos become the property of JCMGA.

 

Field Trip to Oshala Organic Farm

By Beet 2023 07 July

 

 

 

 

The Membership Working Group is planning a field trip for September 13th at 3:00 to Oshala Farm in the Applegate.  Oshala is a certified organic farm that uses regenerative, sustainable cultivation practices.  The field trip is free and, if we have a sufficient number of MG participants, Oshala will give us an exclusive tour.  Additionally, we have the option to stay after the tour for a class on making tinctures and extracts.  There will be a cost for the class, but it should be a really fun learning experience.

 

If you are interested in attending this event, please contact me by August 31st.  Sandy Hansen (707) 332-4934, or sandyhansen08@gmail.com .

 

Garden for Life

March Calendar

By Beet 2023 03 March

 

  1. 2023 Class – Extension Auditorium and Practicum Mentor Training
  1. Winter Dreams/Summer Garden Working Group meeting
  2. 2023 Class – Extension Auditorium and  Practicum Mentor Meeting – Extension
  1. JCMGA Board Meeting – Hybrid
  2. Marketing and Technology Working Group meeting – Zoom
  3. 2023 Class – Extension Auditorium and  Practicum Mentor Meeting
  1. Winter Dreams/Summer Garden Working Group

17.  Community Outreach – Zoom

Fundraising Working Group – Extension

  1.   Member Services Working Group – Zoom
  2.   Garden Enhancement Committee – Extension
  3.   2023 Class – Extension Auditorium and Practicum Mentor Meeting – Extension
  1.   Gardens Working Group – Extension
  2.   2023 Class – Extension Auditorium and Practicum Mentor Meeting – Extension

 

People you should know:

Officers and Members of the Board

President:                    Marcie Katz

President Elect:            Barbara Low

Recording Secretary:   Jane Moyer

Archivist                       Pam Hillers

Treasurer:                    Sean Cawley

Asst. Treasure:            Keltie Nelson

Membership Sect.        Margaret Saydah

Member at Large:         Lucy Pylkki

Member at Large:         Trina Stout

Member at Large:        Cassandra Toews

Member at Large:        Dee Copley

Class Representative   Rob MacWhorter

OMGA Rep:                 Kathy Apple

Alternate OMGA Rep: Colet Allen

Past President:            Regula Pepi

Director:                       Grace Florjancic

 

Working Group Chairs

Ronnie Budge                            Community Outreach WG

Sandy Hammond                      Fundraising WG

Janine Salvatti                           Gardens WG

Barbara Low                              Member Services WG

Sandy Hansen                           Marketing and Technology WG

Barbara Low and                      Winter Dreams/Summer Gardens

Colet Allen and

Susan Koenig

Sandy Hammond                    Spring Garden Fair

 

Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials without discrimination based on age, color, disability, familial or parental status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, reprisal, sex, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.  Oregon State University Extension Service is an AA/EOE/Veterans/Disabled.

 

Spring Garden Fair

By Beet 2023 03 March

Jackson County Master Gardener™ Association 

2023 Spring Garden Fair

Saturday, May 6th

9:00 until 3:00 p.m.

 

     Garden for Life

 

 

Location:  SOREC Extension

569 Hanley Road

Central Point OR 97502

Admission is Free!

Announcing the Annual Jackson County Master Gardener™ Association Photo Contest

By Beet 2023 02 February

 

The Jackson County Master Gardener™ Association Member Services Working Group (MSWG) announces its annual photo contest.

 

✦The 2023 JCMGA Photo Contest is open to all current Jackson County Master Gardener™ Association members.

Photos may be submitted from February 5th until February 26, 2023.  We can accept two (2) photos from each member, although there will be only one winning photo per person.

✦Photographs are limited to those taken in gardens of the Rogue Valley and the focus must be on a plant or flower – no people (for privacy concerns), no pets, no chicken coops, or other form of livestock and insects.

✦Please submit your photograph in portrait format, rather than landscape format to jcmgaphotos1@gmail.com.

✦All photographs must be at least 1500 x 1575 pixels (5”x5-1/2” at 300 dpi) and all submitted photos become the property of JCMGA.

In addition, since the photograph on the cover of the directory is longer from top-to-bottom than from side-to-side, photos submitted must be in portrait format rather than landscape.

Please submit your picture to jcmgaphotos1@gmail.com and include your name, phone number, email address and a short description of the flora pictured. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Hansen, sandyhansen08@gmail.com.    All identifying information will be removed and the contest will be judged by members of the Member Services Working Group and the editor of the Garden Beet.

The winning photograph will appear on the cover of the 2023 JCMGA Chapter Directory, and four runners-up will have their photographs featured in the Garden Beet. Winners will be announced in the April Garden Beet. Four runners-up will have their photographs featured in the Garden Beet. Winners will be announced in the April Garden Beet.

Whether your garden consists of several acres or a single plant in a hanging basket, we would love the opportunity to honor the beauty you have created and nurtured.

  • All submitted photos become the property of JCMGA.

Purslane – Weed or culinary succulent?

By Beet 2023 02 February

I don’t know how many times I have looked at the purslane in my garden and stopped to ponder if I should leave it or pull it, if I should eat it or compost it. As it turns out, I found I should leave it because it is an edible succulent. In Colonial America, it was common to eat purslane, as it was plentiful and it was free. Also, from what I have read, it is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially the Portulaca oleracea.

Purslane is still used in many kitchens in Europe, especially in France. The use of purslane has been featured in many cookbooks throughout the ages. In 1600, an Englishman recommended it be used in salads. The flavor lends itself to being used not just in salads but because it is tart and salty, it could be used pickled and sauteed with eggs.

Purslane is a member of the Portulacaceae family. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is widely consumed as an edible plant, and in some areas, it is considered invasive. Portulaca grandiflora is a well-known ornamental garden plant. Purslanes are relished by chickens. Some Portulaca species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the nutmeg moth (Hadula trifolii).

 

 

What’s going on?

By Beet 2023 02 February

Marketing and Technology Working Group —

Off to a great start in the new year, the Marketing and Technology Working Group had our first meeting on January 9th.  Our meetings are held on the second Monday of each month unless it works out to be a national holiday.  This month’s meeting, we discussed many topics such as:

  • The focus of the Garden Beet
  • The Working Group budget for 2023
  • The Brochure
  • The use of QuestionPro
  • The new class for 2023
  • Zoom recordings.

If you are interested in joining our group for a discussion or to lend a hand or if you want more information, please contact Sandy Hansen, Chair at sandyhansen08@gmail.com or 707-332-4934.  All are welcome.

 

Member Services Working Group –

We are off and running!  Our working group members along with some other Board members organized the Class of 2023 First Day Lunch – a great success.  We are now working on updating the Chapter Directory for 2023.  Our goal is to have the directory ready for you by the end of March.

If you are interested in being a part of our group, contact Barbara Low at barbaralow@msn.com .

 

Winter Dreams Summer Gardens Working Group –

Our group has started meeting to review the WDSG 2022 evaluation survey data.  What went well and what we can improve.  This month we will start planning the WDSG 2023 Symposium!

If you are interested is being a part of this group, please contact Colet Allen coletallen1@gmail.com , Susan Koenig srkoenig@aol.com or Barbara Low barbaralow@msn.com .

 

Unsung Hero of the Master Gardener Program — Linda Holder

By Beet 2022 12 December

Linda Holder has been a Master Gardener since 1998. As you can imagine, Linda has seen the ebb  and flow of the Master Gardeners over the years with some good times and not so good times, but I would bet she saw more good years than bad. Recently, she recounted one of the good memories from when the Master Gardeners hosted Fall Festivals. Linda said the festival was held on campus. All of the different SOREC programs had booths and there was not only a 4H petting zoo, but there were hayrides around the campus. Of course, Linda was more likely than not very much involved with that.

Over the years she has held many positions, including being President of the 2005 board. Linda was also one of the Spring Garden Fair Co-Chairs from 2017 to 2019, where she served as the Vendor Coordinator. Linda and her crew wrangled more than 100 vendors, a mix of plant growers, artisans, bakers and candy makers. She laid out the site map across the Expo, with each vendor’s particular preferences in mind. Linda and her other Co-Chairs (Kate Hassen, Jane Moyer and Sandy Hammond) had several years of successful Spring Garden Fairs.

Because of Linda’s knowledge of the Master Gardeners, she is one of the archivists along with Pam Hillers. Linda’s penchant for organization serves her well in this task. Throughout the years, she gathered information about all of the Master Gardener Events and documented them for prosperity.

Linda keeps Board members on task by regulating Dropbox files where we have all of our Board reports. She is very sweet when she makes you promise to follow the guidelines. It is necessary for the reports to be consistent and orderly so anyone who reads them can completely understand what is going on.

Besides being so heavily involved behind the scenes, Linda is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. She never has harsh words about anyone. Linda is a trusted member of the Master Gardener program. Linda is extremely smart as well.

Unsung Hero — Sandy Hammond, Busy and Smiling

By Beet 2022 10 October

Most of you know Sandy Hammond. But just in case, let me tell you Sandy is one of the most delightful people in the Master Gardener Association. Sandy graduated in the class of 2015 which she describes as “The Best Class Ever” and maybe she is right.     

There are so many ways to describe Sandy, but here is my best description. Sandy is one of the most generous, funniest people I know. She starts every meeting you have with her with a joke or some kind words. Sandy is always smiling and is quick to have a good laugh. She exudes warmth and kindness.

Since becoming a Master Gardener Sandy has been busy – and boy howdy has she been busy! She has been the chair of the Fundraising Working Group (FWG) for several years. The FWG has put on yard sales, pop up sales and the Holiday Gala. The yard sales have been a huge undertaking, lots of organizing to make sure there are enough volunteers to ensure the event goes off without a hitch. The pop-up sales are made possible by her coordination with Lynn Kunstman in the Native Plant nursery. And there is the Holiday Gala which we had before the pandemic and are planning to have again this November.

In addition to her work as chair of the FWG, Sandy also volunteers in the Demonstration Gardens every Wednesday. She has served on the Board as both a Chair and a Representative. She has been a Practicum mentor over the years. Sandy was also co-chair of the Spring Garden Fair, taking on publicity and finance, two very important positions with lots of responsibilities. She has handled them both with grace and ease.

Being a Rogue Valley native has been extremely helpful as she sells our Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley: Year ‘Round & Month by Month. Sandy sells the GGRV all over the valley. She has clients from Grants Pass to Ashland to whom she personally delivers. Sandy’s sales have been a major contributing factor to our ongoing revenue stream for the past couple of years.

In Sandy’s spare time, she and her husband love going on epic camping trips in her motorhome with 45 of her closest friends and her beloved dog. While camping, she loves to cook for the crowd and put on variety shows.

Sandy is truly a special person. If you don’t know her yet, you should!