Beet 2024 05 May

• 
• Articles for the June Garden Beet due by May 15^th. Send articles to jcmgabeet569@gmail.com

May

• Spring Garden Fair – May 4 and 5 at SOREC (see flyer in this Beet)
• Medford Open Streets Event – May 17^th (see flyer in this Beet)
  • If you are interested in volunteering to work at our booth, contact Barbara Low barbaralow@msn.com
• JCMGA Board Retreat – May 24^th from 9:30-11:30 a.m.

June

• JCMGA Annual Membership Meeting – June 14^th from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
• JCMGA Monthly Board Meeting – June 14^th from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
• JCMGA Annual Picnic and Awards Ceremony – Saturday, June 29^th. We will have a guest speaker, Robert Coffan. He is with the Monarch Advocacy.

I want to thank Ann Ackles and Regina Boykins for their hard work in putting this directory together.

If you have not received it, please let our Membership Secretary, Ann Ackles, know at aainjvil@yahoo.com .

Please take a moment to look through the directory to make sure that your information is correct.  We have worked hard to make sure that there are not any mistakes.  If it is not correct, please contact Ann Ackles. 

At our April JCMGA Board Meeting, we approved the appointment of the following new board members:

• Rob MacWhorter as President-Elect

• Kaleen Reilly as Member-at-Large

• Sandra Hammond as Member-at-Large

Congratulations and we look forward to working with you!!

Class of 2024 Master Gardeners Practicum Students

Students and Mentors have been working together to plant seeds, monitor the plants’ growth, and transplant them into larger pots.

Great group of students!

Come to the JCMGA Spring Garden Fair

this Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5.

During this time our community has many families who are struggling to feed their loved ones.  We have an opportunity to help.  JCMGA wants to encourage people to participate. ACCESS Community Action Agency of Jackson County will again accept our produce this year.

Plant A Row started in Anchorage, Alaska, when garden columnist Jeff Lowenfels asked readers to plant an extra row of vegetables to donate to the local soup kitchen. Gardeners took up the challenge, and garden-fresh vegetables piled into the kitchen. The program went national in 1995, as gardeners across the country promoted planting extra crops for donation. Since then, gardeners have donated more than 20 million pounds of produce to food banks, soup kitchens, and related charities across the U.S. as part of the program.

Would you like to donate produce to people in need? There are three steps to participating.

1. Grow food! Whether you have a community garden plot, or just a few tomato plants, every pound helps.
2. In the June Garden Beet, we will have details on where your harvested produce can be dropped off. Details are being worked out now.
3. Once you’ve dropped off your donation, we will have a record sheet which you may use to record how much produce (by weight) you have donated so we can keep track!  Every pound counts! The Members Services Working Group and the Community Outreach Working Group are working on this.

Last year JCMGA members donated over 700 pounds of produce.

Please consider planting another row to contribute produce to Medford Access.

When I am among the trees,

especially the willow and the honey locust,

equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,

they give off such hints of gladness.

I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,

in which I have goodness, and discernment,

and never hurry through the world

but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves

And call out, “Stay awhile.”

The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,

“and you too have come

into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled

with light, and to shine.”

Submitted by Janine Salvatti 1/21/24

          JCMGA Annual Member Picnic

          Saturday, June 29^th

          5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

       SOREC Extension Auditorium

         569 Hanley Road, Central Point

• RESPOND by June 24^th to let us know:

• How many family members will attend?
• How many hamburgers, garden burgers or hot dogs your family wants?
• What year did you become a Master Gardener?

• We ask families to bring:

• A side dish or salad (last names beginning A-L) and desserts (last names beginning with M-Z)
• Your own plate, silverware, napkins, and drinking glass
• Members bring and wear your JCMGA badge

• Agenda to include:

• Guest Speaker – Robert Coffan from Monarch Advocacy
• Awards & Recognitions
• MG Class Reunion Recognition
• Potluck dinner

• A great time will be had by all!

• If you have questions contact Barbara Low at barbaralow@msn.com

A BIG THANK YOU to Grace Florjancic, Kathy Rogers, Virginia Clark, Jody Hulin, Erin Amato,

Jan Golden, and Barbara Low

for working the Jackson County Master Gardeners table at the Earth Day Event.

There were several people who stopped by our table to ask gardening questions, sign up to get more information about the How to Become a Master Gardener Program for 2025, and to browse our gardening guides.

Great job everyone!