Skip to main content
0
Category

Beet 2024 06 June

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!

 

 

 

 

May 31

June in the Garden

By Beet 2024 06 June

I am continuing this series of articles and hope that you find them helpful and inspiring. In June, there is quite a bit to do in the garden depending on what you want to grow.  Our gardens still need to be cared for so that they will do well, and we will have a plentiful harvest. By caring for our gardens, we are also caring for ourselves – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The Jackson County Master Gardener Association has a great resource for gardeners to use. It is the Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley – Year-Round & Month by Month.  This great reference book for gardeners is mainly about growing vegetables, berries, and melons.

June is the time to:

  • This is the time to plan the fall and winter garden.
  • Plants which you can plant as seed outside (make sure to check the soil temperature)
o   Amaranth

o   Beans

o   Carrots

o   Corn

o   Dill

o   Leeks

o   Malabar Spinach

o   Lettuce

o   Okra

o   Pumpkin

o   Summer Savory

 

 

 

 o   Basil

o   Beets

o   Chervil

o   Cucumbers

o   Edamame Soy Bean

o   Lettuce

o   New Zealand Spinach

o   Parsnips

o   Scallions

 

 

 

 

 
  • Plants to transplant this month (make sure to check the soil temperature)
o   Cantaloupe

o   Eggplant

o   Tomatoes

 o   Celery

o   Peppers

o   Watermelon

 

  • Control Pests and Diseases
    • Powdery mildew on grapes
    • Control for aphids, leafhoppers, squash pugs and leaf miners – if necessary
    • Root maggot fly

 

Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley – Year-Round & Month by Month. This book contains a wealth of gardening information. You can purchase it at our local Grange Co-op or at the OSU Extension office for $21.00. It can also be purchased on-line at https://jacksoncountymga.org/shop/.  Note that a shipping fee will be applied.

 

Happy Gardening and Stay Cool

Garden For Life

 

May 31

Who Was Wanda Hauser?

By Beet 2024 06 June

Written by

By Mary Schrouder and Lindsay Trumbull

Have you wondered about the name on the demonstration garden in the northeast corner of Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center? You know, the garden with the little blue shed. It’s the Wanda Hauser Garden – but who was she? Why did she have a garden named after her? 

Imagine that in 1962, there was a conversation that went something like this…

“Wanda, they want to name the first demonstration garden here at the Ag Station after you.”

“Well, gosh, that’s a surprise. I can’t see why in the world they would think of little ole me.”

“I can give you plenty of reasons. How about the fact that you do so much around here and have such great ideas? Your idea of honoring the pioneers is one of them. Your timing is perfect, as we just had the 100-year anniversary of Oregon becoming a state. Or, how about the fact that you are a woman employee? I think that is rare. There are more reasons but, maybe, you should just smile and say, thank you!”

“Really, I wonder what it’s all about. I wonder if my husband Hank had anything to do with it. Sometimes he can be such a blabbermouth.”

“Maybe he told folks about you being in the service. As common as it was during WWII, not that many women were in the Army during the Korean War. And, in general, you are admired for everything you do.”

“I am proud of being a WAC. I will admit that. Who knows? We’ll see.”

We just don’t know if that conversation ever happened. Speculation can be interesting, but the facts add true depth.

Here is some of what we do know about Wanda Claudine Hauser. She was born in Portland, Oregon on August 19, 1927 to Clyde Ira and Margaret Lynch Campbell. Her ancestry can be traced back as early as 1687 in Germany and Switzerland. The earliest ancestors to come across the Atlantic are found in New Kent County, Virginia in 1712. Who could doubt their gardening skills? Certainly, they knew about balm, bane and wort as found in the Wanda Hauser Garden, as well as the hops that would have been used to develop yeast.

Wanda Claudine Campbell married Henry (Hank) Kenneth Hauser in Bexar, Texas on December 20, 1952 when she was twenty-five years old. Hank and Wanda had three sons: Robert, William, and Michael. Wanda was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. She was in the Women’s Army Corp (WAC) from 1950-1953.

Perhaps the least-known fact about Wanda Hauser was that she was an employee of Oregon State University and retired from the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station in Medford. Yes, she worked here! Additional questions surface now and perhaps you might want to discover more yourself.

Did you catch that name of where she worked? Digging deeper into Jackson County Master Gardeners Association’s history, we find that Oregon Land Grants were established in 1862. Oregon State University was established as the Land Grant College in Oregon in 1868. The Southern Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station was established in 1932, which eventually merged with the Jackson County Extension Service in 1994 to form the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center – a.k.a our beloved SOREC! It’s not as involved as an archaeological search, but if you can avoid getting lost in the terminology, it’s a fun challenge to peer back into history.

Now we return to our intrepid heroine. Wanda Claudine Campbell Hauser passed away on July 13, 2005, and is buried in Ashville, Buncombe County, North Carolina.

Maybe we’ve answered a couple of your questions. Perhaps you have more. For now, however, we’ll say…Thank you very much, Wanda Claudine. We will carefully tender your garden in your name.

Thank you to Jackson County Genealogical Society, Southern Oregon Historical Society and Oregon State Research and Extension Office. Additional history was found on the JCMGA website “How Did the Jackson County Master Gardener Association Get Created?”

 

 

May 31

Feijoa, Feijoa

By Beet 2024 06 June

Feijoa?

Say “Fay-oh-uh”…

Fay-oh-uh, Fay-oh-uh, bo boa

Banana fana fo foa

Fee-fi-mo moa

Fay-oh-uh

 

Feijoas, Acca sellowiana, (also known as pineapple guava, Guavasteen, Brazilian guava, fig guava and Guayabo del Pais), are little-known aromatic fruits usually had by growing your own.

Feijoas have grown wild since ancient times in regions of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. An archaeological dig in Santa Catarina, Brazil reveals where Southern Je peoples may have first consumed feijoa. The shrub was named by German botanist Ernst Berger after Portuguese naturalist Joao da Silva Feijo.

Fruits spread naturally throughout South America through animals and migrating peoples. German naturalist Fredrich Sellow was one of the first to collect fruits in Brazil and Uruguay in 1815. In the mid-to-late 1800s, Swiss botanist, M. de Wette, grew the species in Europe.

Horticulturist Dr. Edouard Andre grew feijoa seedlings in his garden (1890) which eventually spread across the Riviera to Spain, France and Italy. In 1901, Dr. F. Franceschi of Santa Barbara, CA, acquired seedlings that he sent to Florida.

In the early 20th century, feijoas thrived in New Zealand and are sometimes referred to as the fruit representative of that island. They’re also grown in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the US.

Though not true guavas, feijoas are in the same family and are consumed similarly to them. The word “feijoa” generally describes many varieties within this species.

This hardy-evergreen shrub typically grows to 10 to 15 feet tall. Leaf tops are dark-glossy-green with undersides that are silvery and fuzzy. Leave unpruned for a perfect privacy hedge birds in which birds love to nest, or shape to a single trunk or espalier.

Having bi-sexual flowers, you’ll need two or more named types for fruit production. Birds and Mason bees are great pollinators, but hand pollination is best.

Whether grown for fruit or display, flowers explode like sparklers with brilliant red stamens and puffy-white sepals to create a wonderful show. Their fragrance exceeds even that of the fruit that follows.

Skins are dullish-green with leathery-smooth to pebbly-rough textures. Whether pear-shaped or round, fruits the size of a hen’s egg, and have creamy-white, slightly granular flesh with a jelly-like center pulp and edible seeds. They are rich with vitamins C, A, K and E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, fiber and flavonoids.

Feijoas’ fragrant taste is often described as minty-pineapple, strawberry, and guava. Their edible flowers’ sweet, thick, white marshmallow-like sepals melt in your mouth like cotton candy.

Plant feijoas in a wind-protected, well-drained area with afternoon filtered light. Being heavy feeders, maintain and replenish their nutrients with rich compost and balanced organic fertilizer. Although drought tolerant, regular irrigation yields better fruit production and mulching protects roots.

Harvesting is the best part. Spread tarps, cloths, or nets to catch ripe fruit that naturally falls from the plant. Use in 2-3 days before the flavor deteriorates or refrigerate. Consume raw by spooning pulp from within the skin, or freeze, dry, or make preserves or sauces. Use in cooking and baking and to make sorbet, pie filling and custards. Chop and slice for salsas and salads. Substitute for apples in recipes.

If you’re seeking a more exotic-tasting fruit or tweaking up your tropical landscape, try a feijoa to add just the right sweetness and spark.

 

Resources:

Specialty Produce

Feijoas Information and Facts

American Health and Diet Project

Foods Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere

Feijoa Feijoa

Feijoa facts

One Green World

Pineapple Guava Growing Guide

Plant Sources:

One Green World

http://www.onegeenworld.com

Raintree Nursery

http://wwwraintreenursery.com

 

Recipe:

Feijoa Mango Freeze

3 cups feijoa, peeled and cut in pieces

2 large mangos. Cut halves off the seed, then remove flesh from skin.

¼ cup agave or honey

½ cup Meyer lemon juice

1½ cups vanilla Greek yogurt (nonfat or low fat)

Puree feijoa and mango together in a food processor. Pour puree into a large bowl, then mix in the agave, lemon juice and yogurt. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to directions or in a metal cake pan in freezer. If using a cake pan, remove mixture when partially frozen and stir to break up crystals. Serve soft frozen with slices of feijoa and mango cubes. Pack in freezer containers to store.

 

 

 

 

 

May 31

JCMGA Working Group Summaries

By Beet 2024 06 June

Community Outreach Working Group – Ronnie Budge

  • Community Garden Grants:

Sherri Morgan, chair of the Community Gardens committee, is attempting to identify and visit all such gardens in Jackson County. She wants to list them, with addresses, on the JCMGA website.  Sherri reported that she received five applications for community garden grants by the May 15 deadline, each of them from gardens that did not submit applications last year. The total grant budget is $2,000 which the committee may divide among the applicants in any way that seems best.

  • Extension Expo in Josephine County:

MG Coordinator Grace Florjancic asked the COWG to consider having a table at the Josephine County Extension Expo on July 19 and 20, perhaps to include a display of native plants. The purpose of the Expo is to help boost positive relations with Josephine County residents. JCMGA’s table could demonstrate how a well-funded Master Gardener program can benefit them. Barbara Low volunteered to organize the table if she can recruit sufficient volunteers to staff it, since she will not be able to attend. Sherri volunteered to be there.

  • Friends of the Gardens:

Barbara reported that there seems to be growing interest in the Friends of the Gardens program and suggested holding a general information meeting in June.

Rack cards to promote the Friends program are ready for printing. The COWG does not have a budget for printing, but the Members Services Working Group may have some funds.

  • Updates on Special Events:

The Medford Open Streets event was to happen the evening of the COWG meeting, May 17, with Marcie Katz overseeing the setup. Our table is to be in Alba Park.

  • Speakers Bureau:

Colet is attempting to recruit volunteers to meet with Rosenelle Florencechild and be trained in how to present workshops on growing lavender.

 

Fundraising Working Group – Jane Moyer

  • The Fundraising Working Group had a booth at the Spring Garden Fair selling garden hats, two types of bird houses, owl houses, and glass garden art. Due to record setting rain, not much sold the first day but the sun came out for the second day and sales increased dramatically.  Total receipts came to $470.  Additionally, Garden Guides were sold at the Practicum cashiers’ table.
  • A Karl Carlson grant application was sent to the Oregon Master Gardener Association asking for $250 towards a lathe house.

 

Gardens Working Group – Janine Salvatti

  • We have been working on the Demonstration Gardens. They are looking great!
  • We are scheduling more garden tours this year.

 

Marketing & Technology Working Group – Barbara Low and Keltie Nelson

  • We are continuing to work on providing marketing and publicity for our upcoming events.
  • We are looking for members who would be interested in joining our group.

Many of the activity that this group provides can be done at your home.  Please let us know if you are interested.

 

Member Services Working Group – Barbara Low

  • We have been preparing for our upcoming JCMGA Annual Membership Picnic on Saturday, June 29th.
  • We are starting to work on updating the JCMGA Membership Renewal form.
  • We are also working on the upcoming Plant A Row project – which includes collecting extra produce from our members gardens to give to ACCESS.

 

Program Support Working Group – Grace Florjancic

  • The Master Gardener training class has been wrapped up and now students are out getting their volunteer hours completed. If anyone has any questions or needs help filling in their hours, please chat with me! We will get it all worked out. Many students have been enjoying their time in the Plant Clinic so far. It will get quite busy this summer with lots of questions from the public.

 

Spring Garden Fair Working Group – Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki

  • Even with the bad weather, the Spring Garden Fair was a great success!

 

Winter Dreams Summer Gardens Working Group – Colet Allen, Susan Koenig, and Barbara Low

  • We are continuing to prepare for the upcoming Winter Dreams Summer Gardens 2024 – October 18, 19, 25, and 26. Mark your calendars!
May 31

JCMGA Board Meeting Minutes – April 12, 2024

By Beet 2024 06 June

 

Board Members Present (In-Person or Via Zoom):

Barbara Low, President, Co-Chair, Winter Dreams Summer Gardens WG, Co-Chair Marketing & Technology WG

Marcie Katz, Past President, Co-Chair Spring Garden Fair WG

Regula Pepi, Assistant Treasurer

Kathy Apple, Recording Secretary

Colet Allen, OMGA Representative & Co-Chair, Winter Dreams Summer Gardens WG

Pam Hillers, Archivist

Lucy Pylkki, Member-at-Large & Co-Chair, Spring Garden Fair WG

Ronnie Budge, Chair, Community Outreach WG

Janine Salvatti, Chair, Gardens WG

Rob MacWhorter, Member-at-Large

Keltie Nelson, Treasurer, Co-Chair Marketing & Technology WG

Ann Ackles, Membership Secretary

Jane Moyer, Chair, Fundraising WG

Grace Florjancic, OSU MG Program Coordinator

 

Board Members Absent:

Cassandra Toews, Member-at-Large

Rebecca Cohn, Member-at-Large

Janet Wright, Student Representative

 

Guests:

Sandy Hammond

Sheri Morgan

Sean Cawley

Kaleen Reilly

Connie Lyssand

Call to Order:  The meeting was called to order at 9:35am by President Barbara Low.

Additions to the Agenda:  Colet Allen asked to add an OMGA report discussion to the agenda.  Ronnie Budge needed to leave early so the Community Outreach Working Group recommendation was moved forward.

MOTION:  It was moved and seconded to add the OMGA report discussion to the agenda and rearrange the agenda sequence. Motion passed.

Approval of the Consent Agenda:   President Barbara Low asked a clarifying question about the Gardens Working Group report.

MOTION:  It was moved and seconded to accept the Consent Agenda as presented.  Motion passed

Approval of the Agenda:

MOTION:  It was moved and seconded to approve the agenda as amended. Motion passed.

Approval of the Board Minutes from March 8, 2024 and the Executive Committee Minutes from March 20, 2024:

MOTION:  It was moved and seconded to approve the Board Minutes from March 8, 2024 and the Executive Committee Minutes from March 20, 2024 as written.  Motion passed.

Announcements:

  1. President Barbara Low announced that the 2024 Chapter Directory will be mailed to members by next week.
  2. Earth Day will be celebrated April 20th at Blue Heron Park in Phoenix. JCMGA will have an information booth where Garden Guides will also be sold.
  3. Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki, Co-Chairs for the 2024 Spring Garden Fair provided an update on preparation for the event. Thirty-five vendors have been secured along with four food trucks.  A five-dollar parking fee will be implemented except for member volunteers who will receive free parking passes.  Friends of the Animals will be present with dogs for adoption.
  4. The annual Medford Street event will be held May 17th. JCMGA will have an information booth where Garden Guides will also be sold.
  5. The annual JCMGA Annual Picnic will be held June 29th with a special guest speaker from Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates.
  6. The update from Sheri Morgan regarding the Community Garden Grant was tabled.
  7. Colet Allen provided an update on OMGA activities including the latest information regarding the annual Joy of Gardening conference to be held July 12 & 13, 2024.
  8. Sandy Hammond reported that the month-to-month Garden Guide inventory may be depleted by the end of the year which will necessitate a new printing with associated costs.

President’s Report:   President Barbara Low shared the following information with the Board:

  1. President Barbara Low continues to meet monthly with MG Program Coordinator Grace Florjancic.
  2. The OMGA Awards Nominations Committee has met. MailChimp’s have been sent to members requesting nominations for the various award categories.  Pam Hillers has been added to the committee membership for her historical award knowledge.
  3. President Low asked the Board for feedback regarding sending the draft Board meeting minutes out to all members for input. The Board appreciates the early feedback opportunity.
  4. President Low demonstrated the new JCMGA website location for the Policy Manual where individual policies can easily be located.

Finance Report:  Treasurer Keltie Nelson provided highlights from the March financial statement and the Budget Versus Actual report.  She clarified the reimbursement process and accounting of last year’s large donation to JCMGA.

Membership Secretary Report:   Membership Secretary Ann Ackles provided the Board with a current update on membership.  As of this date, JCMGA has 139 paid members, 19 Life Members, 5 Associate Members, and 61 students.

MG Program Coordinator Report:  OSU MG Program Coordinator Grace Florjancic reported that the MG class is in its last month of instruction.  On the last day, April 24th, JCMGA Working Groups will interact with students to provide information and respond to questions regarding JCMGA activities.  This will occur from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.  The Plant Clinic may need another computer station as the OSU PNW Weed, Insect, & Plant Management Handbooks will no longer be printed and only available online in the future.  A statewide training for Seed to Supper instructors is now available.  The Oregon Department of Transportation has removed trees along the highway in the arboretum which now allows for safer viewing of oncoming traffic.  The Master Plan for the SOREC property septic system is still undecided as is the date for demolition of the Creepy Old House.

Business:

  1. Master Gardener Education Scholarship Fund: Ronnie Budge, Chair of the Community Outreach Working Group, on behalf of the Working Group, proposed the concept of JCMGA offering a financial scholarship to assist Jackson County Master Gardeners to continue their gardening education.  Ronnie Budge and Sean Cawley responded to questions from the Board.

MOTION:  It was moved and seconded to establish a Master Gardener Education Scholarship Fund to assist Jackson County Master Gardeners to continue their gardening education using the interest earned on JCMGA’s Business Ownership Account at Rogue Credit Union as the source of funding.  Motion failed. 

MOTION:  It was moved and seconded to approve the concept of a Master Gardener Education Scholarship Fund to assist Jackson County Master Gardeners to continue their gardening education and direct the Community Outreach Working Group to draft policies and funding procedures for awarding scholarships to be brought to the Board for its consideration and approval.  Motion passed.

  1. Approval of Appointed Board Members: President Barbara Low presented three appointments to the Board, Rob MacWhorter for President-Elect, Kaleen Reilly for Member-at-Large, and Sandy Hammond for Member-at-Large.

MOTION:  It was moved and seconded to appoint Rob MacWhorter for President-Elect, Kaleen Reilly for Member-at-Large, and Sandy Hammond for Member-at-Large to the 2024 Board of Directors.  Motion Passed.

  1. Student Representative Resignation: President Barbara Low informed the Board that Student Representative, Janet Wright has needed to resign from the Board.  Program Coordinator Grace Florjancic is currently searching for a new student representative.

President Barbara Low ended the meeting with shouts outs to Grace Florjancic for conducting such a well-organized MG class this year; to Marcie Katz and Lucy Pylkki for all their hard work in getting ready for the Spring Garden Fair; and to everyone on the Board for their support and due diligence.

Adjournment:  The meeting was adjourned at 11:30am.

Next Meeting:   The next Board meeting will be held May 10, 2024 from 9:00am to 11:30am.

JCMGA 2024 Spring Retreat – May 24, 2024

Agenda will include:

  • Review implementation of strategic plan
  • Membership discussion, looking at priorities
  • Opportunities for use of WDSG education recordings

Respectfully Submitted by Kathy Apple, Recording Secretary

 

 

Close Menu