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Jackson  County  Master  Gardener  Association Board  of  Directors Executive Committee  Meeting

By August 2, 2020

Jackson  County  Master  Gardener  Association

Board  of  Directors Executive Committee  Meeting

July 10, 2020

 

Announcements

At the June meeting, the board approved getting a ZOOM subscription. However, Ronnie learned it has to be in the name of one person who has to arrange every meeting which defeats the intended purpose. It was decided to use the subscriptions that many of our board members have unless/until they prove inadequate.

The OMGA quarterly meeting was held via ZOOM. Barbara Davidson was unable to attend, but Ronnie Budge and Lynn Kunstman observed. Both expressed gratitude for Barbara being willing to be our representative.

Updates on

Master Gardener program

Erika Szonntag was unable to attend the meeting. The Master Gardener Program updates are in her board report on Dropbox. The June report was inadvertently headed as May. It will be changed. The meaning of “Growing Gardeners” was asked. It was suggested the meaning might be to encourage more diversity and clarification will be requested. Erika will be asked to invite Gail Langellotto and the new OSU Outreach Coordinator to attend the August board meeting to discuss how JCMGA can best utilize the services of the new Outreach Coordinator.

Updates from

Gardens Working Group

  • ✴Janine Salvatti reported the Enhancements Committee has evaluated the gardens and thank the GEMs and volunteers who have been making remarkable progress on cleaning them up. They have decided they will concentrate on clearing the pathways. They will also repaint the tables and chairs in the Kitchen Garden. Jane Moyer will contact GEMs who have not yet come to the gardens.
  • ✴Only a few of the new plantings around the SOREC sign have been lost. Erika will be asking the mowers to keep the foxtails out of the planted area around the sign. Lynn Kunstman suggested seasonal cover crops be planted to crowd out the weeds.
  • ✴Lynn Kunstman asked about cutting the Himalayan blackberries along the Weyerhauser fence line. Janine will bring it to the Gardens Working Group.
  • ✴A Gardens Working Group ZOOM meeting has been scheduled for July 20.

Updates from

Fundraising Working Group

Sandy Hammond reported that a community group will be holding a yard sale the last weekend of August. The organizers say they plan to donate the proceeds to JCMGA.

Updates from Community Outreach Working Group

  • attendees. Attendees will be asked to send questions in advance, if possible.
  • ✴Lynn Kunstman reported that the July 14th Community Education Class will be presented online.
  • ✴It was suggested a donation button be included for all online presentations.
  • ✴Jim Buck reported Sherri Morgan is working on an online tour of local native plant gardens (8-10 gardens) two weeks after Spring Garden Fair (mid-May). Volunteer helpers will be needed.
  • Patrice Kaska seconded. Unanimous approval. Séan Cawley volunteered to work with Jim.

Updates from Communications Working Group

Ronnie Budge read a report from Kate Hassen.

  • ✴Jane Moyer will be writing an article for The Garden Beet August edition on the Grange rewards program.
  • ✴Jack Ivers, editor of The Garden Beet, sent a style sheet to the writers.
  • ✴An effort will be made to have more ads posted in the classified section in the members section of the JCMGA website.
  • ✴The format of the JCMGA online directory is being updated to make it more user friendly.

      

Updates from Spring Garden Fair Working Group

  • ✴Plan A (SGF at the Expo) and Plan B (SGF online) are being developed.

Updates from Member Services Working Group

  • ✴New members are being added to the directory.
  • ✴Rules for the photo contest will be in the August Garden Beet.

Donate practicum plants to community garage sale

  • ✴Lynn Kunstman moved that plants carried over by the Practicum be donated to the community yard sale. Janine Salvatti seconded. Unanimous approval.

OSU scholarship

Barbara Davidson moved that JCMGA support distribution of funds from JCMGA’s OSU Endowment Scholarship Fund in the amount of $2,500 each, provided our requirement qualifications are met, to Student #1 (senior horticulture student wanting to continue his family nursery business) and Student #2 (senior horticulture and agriculture major wanting to work in either food production or greenhouse production). We also request that OSU provide the recipients with the following information and ask that recipients let us know when they receive the scholarships: (Jackson County Master Gardener Association, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point OR 97502, Attn: Barbara Davidson, JCMGA Scholarship Chair.) Second by Kathy Apple. Unanimous approval.

Ideas for celebrating winners of OMGA awards

Winners of the 2020 OMGA Awards were announced:

  • ✴OMGA Master Gardener of the Year: Barbara Davidson
  • ✴JCMGA Master Gardener of the Year: Steve Hassen, Doug Kirby, Bill Elliott, and John Kobal jointly.

JCMGA Behind the Scenes Master Gardener of the Year: Dee Copley

Usually the OMGA Awards are given at the August picnic. Due to Oregon COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no picnic this year. Ideas for how to present the awards were brainstormed. Lynn Kunstman will investigate the possibilities.

Ideas for reaching out to 2020 students

Board members expressed concern over keeping the 2020 students involved in JCMGA activities. Lynn Kunstman and Jane Moyer will compose an email to students to reiterate the process for working in the gardens to earn volunteer hours. A list of the GEMs’ email addresses will be included so students can contact those for the garden(s) they want to work in. Jane will contact the Practicum mentors asking that they reach out to students in their session to encourage continued participation. Lynn will contact Gina Velando to ask that she do the same with the Garden Buds. Patrice Kaska and Jane Moyer will send spreadsheets of member interests to Barbara Davidson as she searches for members interested in working with OMGA. Lynn volunteered to arrange ZOOM meetings to facilitate these efforts.

Next meeting: Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

 

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