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Master Gardener Volunteer Program year in review

The Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program has accomplished so much in the past year, bolstered by the addition of a newly trained cohort last fall. Together with the veteran MGVs, they devoted over 1,000 hours to serving their community, strengthening the program, and increasing their knowledge. 570 of these hours were in direct service – teaching classes, writing articles, tabling, and answering questions from gardeners across the county. This group is tearing it up!

In May CCE held a Grow and Preserve Open House at the Extension Learning Farm to kick off the growing season and highlight the MGV and Master Food Preserver programs. Dozens came out to the high tunnel to plant seeds to take home and consult with Master Gardener Volunteers.

Classes
Two new MGVs jumped right in to facilitate the Seed to Supper course for beginning gardeners, which we offered in Morristown this year. In addition to these 5 classes, MGVs taught or assisted at nine other classes throughout the year, including several in our Grow and Preserve Series where we paired growing classes with preservation classes in the Harvest Kitchen. New MGV Brad and Linda led classes on Tree Identification, and Annie taught about Planning for Year Round Blooms. Loni brought samples to a high school session on Edible Wild Plants, and several MGV co-presented about growing their favorite fresh herbs.

Linda C teaches about growing fresh herbs
Linda C teaches about growing fresh herbs at littleGrasse Community Farm.

Blog posts
Master Gardener Volunteers wrote a total of 15 Fruition posts, plus another five that I contributed. From testing garden soil to growing tomatoes to getting great blooms on indoor plants, these posts cover a lot of ground. In case you missed any,  click the Gardening and Homesteading topic under “Posts” to find them all.

Growline
The moderators of our garden hotline ”the Growline” spent 80 hours answering 135 inquiries, often undertaking research on a new topic and occasionally visiting a site to gather more information. Though this is likely an undercount, it’s valuable to have a record of so many of the topics of interest to area gardeners and homeowners.

Field trips
The Master gardeners loves to learn and really enjoys visiting farms and gardens as a group in addition to our monthly planning meetings. The veteran MGVs met the new cohort in December for a wreath making session at the Extension Learning Farm where the group also helped with maintaining the ornamental beds in the spring and Nick Hamilton-Honey guided us through an enlightening Diversity training. MGV make wreaths together in December 2022

In May, Janet Lomastro led a hands-on small-batch composting workshop in Potsdam, a technique many in the group are now experimenting with at home. Master Gardener Volunteers learn about Janet's composting technique Read more Master Gardener Volunteer Program year in review

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Meet Carolyn Filippi, Master Gardener Volunteer

With a new cohort of Master Gardener Volunteers ready to begin, we’d like to introduce them (AND YOU!) to the group of MGVs who have sustained this program for the last several years. Meet Carolyn Filippi!

What was your path to gardening?

I grew up in a mid-sized city with virtually no understanding of growing plants. In my high school years my mother had a small garden with tomatoes and peppers each summer but I paid little attention except to pick the fruit. In the early ‘70s I moved from the city to the country to get “back to the land” like many others of my generation. I began farming immediately to provide as much of our food as possible. I remember standing in the garden that first spring holding Rodales’ Organic Gardening book, hoe in hand, reading about how to plant potatoes. I used that book a LOT that first season!

Carolyn preserves tomatoes

What benefits do you gain from gardening?

There are so many benefits! I love working outdoors. Gardening is great exercise, not just physically but mentally. It’s stimulating to brainstorm and plan new projects, then execute those ideas and solve all the issues that invariably arise throughout the growing season. The unique nature of each season and the sheer number of plants and living creatures in the ecosystem means there’s an endless opportunity for learning.  

Gardening also provides a time to be present and contemplative. It’s an opportunity to stop and smell the roses- and then check them for insects, new buds, adequate water, etc.! The garden brings me peace. And the icing on the cake is enjoying the increased wildlife, especially the birds and butterflies. 

Why did you want to become a Master Gardener Volunteer?

I was looking for a new way to connect with my community. By becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer I could help others learn to garden or find answers to perplexing problems and I was eager to learn from the experience of other volunteers.     Read more Meet Carolyn Filippi, Master Gardener Volunteer

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Meet Ken Kogut, Master Gardener Volunteer

With a new cohort of Master Gardener Volunteers finishing their training, we’d like to introduce them (AND YOU!) to the group of MGVs who have sustained this program for the last several years. First off, meet Ken Kogut!

Can you remember the moment you decided to become a gardener, or when you realized you had become one?

I grew up in a gardening family. I have many memories of gardening as a child. I also grew up in a farming extended family and all my relatives were gardeners, so I guess you can say that gardening is in my DNA. My first garden as an adult began after purchasing my first home outside of Saranac Lake in 1983.  My wife thought I was crazy when I presented my primary new home requirement as a place where I could garden. Gardening in Saranac Lake is not easy; I quickly learned that I could get a frost every month of the year! Cool season gardening takes a lot of work and a willingness to really temper your expectations of what you can successfully grow.Ken, enjoying the great outdoors

What benefits do you gain from gardening?

A great question! There are so many positive things I get from gardening. First and foremost is the wonderful food my garden supplies nearly year round. My goal every year is to produce enough food so that we can be (somewhat) self-sufficient. Through canning, freezing, and cold storage of produce, we have now pretty much reached self-sufficiency. It gives my wife and me great pleasure to sit down for a meal and realize that nearly the entire meal has come from our property… But food is just one of many things that my garden contributes. Self-sufficiency, pride, peace of mind, relaxation, escape from the endless news cycle we live in, and the beauty of watching things grow are some of the other benefits my garden provides. Finally, gardening makes me feel in touch with the natural world around me and nature’s annual rhythm.  

Why did you want to become a Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV)?

Being a Master Gardener Volunteer has allowed me to serve the public on a topic that I love to discuss.  Public service was always a part of my career as an employee of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. After my retirement, becoming a volunteer to work with the gardening community was a way for me to give back after an enjoyable 34 year career. Read more Meet Ken Kogut, Master Gardener Volunteer