Coordinator’s Column

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Gardeners,

We are in those cold winter months where family and friends gather to celebrate. There is much for the Jackson County Master Gardeners to celebrate this year also.

• We have completed a total of 8,981.8 volunteer hours this year!
• Plus, an additional 1,133.4 hours of Continuing Education Credits!
• 65,914 people in the County were reached through our efforts!
• 1,108.5 pounds of produce were donated, largely from the Plant a Row Campaign and our Veggie Demonstration Garden!

 

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year a success. All of your hard work really demonstrates our impact as an organization. As we continue to expand what we do as an organization, these numbers will continue to grow. I am looking forward to working with you all again next year!

Speaking of next year, what’s new for the Jackson County Master Gardeners in 2024? In addition to our current volunteer opportunities, we will be expanding into a few new areas.

We are happy to announce the initiation of our Friends of the Demonstration Gardens volunteers. These volunteers are folks who are not Master Gardeners but are still interested in getting some hands-on education and practice volunteering in our Demonstration Gardens. This will expand our reach within our community and help our GEMs keep their gardens in tip top shape. If you are interested in helping coordinate this group of volunteers, reach out to me (Grace Florjancic) at grace.flroajncic@oregonstate.edu!

Seed to Supper is making a comeback! This 6-week gardening class is designed for those in our county of lower incomes to teach how to veggie garden on a budget. This program is important in helping create a more resilient and food secure Oregon. If you are interested in becoming a Seed to Supper instructor, reach out to me at grace.florjancic@oregonstate.edu!

We have a new initiative under construction and if the grant is funded, we will be charging ahead in the summer of 2024. The working title is “Plants for Gramps”, and it will take place in various Jackson County libraries. It will be a short workshop series based on horticultural therapy activities to help combat mental health challenges and loneliness in rural older adults. Our goal is to help folks be able to access the benefits of interacting with nature indoors and from home as well as connecting with new people to foster a sense of community. If you are interested in becoming a Plants for Gramps instructor, reach out to me at grace.florjancic@oregonstate.edu!

Thank you to everyone for your hard work over this past year. I know there are endless opportunities for the future, and it can be a challenge to make sure we accomplish all the exciting goals we have when taking on new initiatives and expanding old ones. I am available to discuss ideas about future endeavors. Drop me a line! By now you should all know my email: grace.florjancic@oregonstate.edu