Last spring, we were all ready to host another Open House and Plant Sale on Mother’s Day weekend. When the realities of the pandemic became clear, we canceled the event for the safety of everyone involved.
We typically have more than 500 visitors and dozens of volunteers on site at the Leon County Extension Office. This year we are happy to announce we have adapted our annual fundraiser to a monthly learning and growing opportunity for the whole community.
Our Master Gardener Volunteers will be teaching Thursday evening classes on particular plant groups throughout the year in our new series: Plant with Purpose. Topics will range from milkweed to shade plants to vegetables and herbs for different seasons.
Portsmouth Herald
SANFORD - Sanford Community Garden is now accepting applications for the 2021 gardening season.
Sanford-Springvale Mousam Way Land Trust in partnership with University of Maine Extension’s Master Gardener Volunteers will be offering 24 raised beds, each 4-feet by 12-feet, for folks to grow their own fresh food, herbs and flowers. Three additional raised beds will be used to grow food for a local food pantry.
The first year of gardening fun was featured in the October issue of UMaine Extension’s “Maine Home Garden News”: extension.umaine.edu/gardening/2019/10/01/maine-home-garden-news-october-2019/#funchallenges .
Beginning April 1, Master Gardeners and Trust volunteers will jointly oversee the project and will be available to offer guidance as needed, in accordance with established COVID-19 protocols.
OSU Extension upholds its mission in 2020
Schmerge
SIDNEY The Shelby County Ohio State University Extension mission is that “Ohioans have the knowledge and resources they need to actively engage in creating conditions in which they thrive.”
“In a year like 2020 that mission was important to uphold, along with finding new and creative ways to implement that mission. At times we were uncertain what we could do and how we could interreact with county residents. We as OSU Extension came up with new and creative ways to make sure Shelby County could still thrive in the face of adversity,” said Matt Schmerge, extension educator, agriculture and natural resources, OSU Extension Shelby County.
Master Gardener Volunteers from across Ohio grew nearly 80,000 pounds of produce in 2020 statewide and donated it all to 101 food pantries in cities and towns across the state.
The Master Gardener Volunteer program is a U.S.- and Canada-wide effort that in Ohio is run by Ohio State University Extension, in the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
The produce grown included fruits, vegetables, and herbs and was equivalent to 65,200 meals, according to Pam Bennett, state master gardener volunteer program director and horticulture educator with OSU Extension.
Although Master Gardener Volunteers have grown and donated food through this program for 20 years, growers ramped up their production efforts to help deal with the growing issue of food insecurity issues faced by individuals and families in 2020 statewide, said Mike Hogan, an OSU Extension educator who facilitates the program in Franklin County.