The Dirt – January 25, 2019: Northern Region Impact, February Classes

What’s Inside:

Northern Region Impact, February Classes

REMINDER: MG Renewal Forms Due by March 1, 2019

Click here for the renewal form, due by March 1, 2019. We will also accept renewals and volunteer activity fees in person at the February 9, 2019 MG meeting. Remember, volunteer activity fees are requested from all active MG’s fund pins, awards, and recognition events. You may request a hardship waiver if needed. We will send out one confirmation email after the March deadline, letting you know that your renewal has been processed. Questions?  Please email Judy Arruda at auggiejude@hotmail.com.

Compiled by Debbie Rodin, Northern Region URIMGP Council Coordinator
Compiled by Debbie Rodin, Northern Region URIMGP Council Coordinator

Public Education Statistics

Demonstration Gardens

  • # of gardens:                                7
  • # of direct adult contacts:             2,956
  • # of direct youth contacts:            289

School Gardens

  • # of gardens:                                11
  • # of direct adult contacts:             181
  • # of direct youth contacts:            2,046

Public Presentations

  • # of sessions given:                      26
  • # of direct adult contacts:             246

Kiosk

  • # of kiosks offered:                      16
  • # of direct adult contacts:             1,331

Soil Testing

  • # of events hosted:                       17
  • # of tests conducted:                    378
  • # of direct adult contacts:             203

Total Direct Contacts:                        5,125 adults                                2,335 children

Food Donations

Good Shepherd Community Garden, Seekonk Meadows, Slater Mill, Mount St. Charles Academy, Plant a Row Program

  • Pounds of food donated:              1,047
  • Donation recipients:                      Local soup kitchens and food pantries

2018 Highlight

Mount St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket

The geodesic-dome greenhouse and the newly-built raised beds are impressive and innovative.  Solar power is used to heat the structure and planting beds, as well as water.  Forty-five students within the Environmental Club are actively involved two to three days per week. The theme is recycle, reuse, and reduce. Mary McNulty, Eileen Czyrklis, and Janice Ferry guided students in activities from planting seeds through harvest, including amending soil, learning how to make growing structures from bamboo, building cold frames, and maintaining worms in a worm hotel. Their gardening efforts led to 602 pounds of produce that were donated to the All Saints Soup Kitchen.  Volunteers from the soup kitchen were able to share with students just how valuable these donations were.

Read the full 2018 Northern Region Report.

In the next issue: Southern Region Report

NEWS & INFORMATION

Join Us at the February MG Meeting

Saturday, February 9 (Snow date: 2/16)  | 9:00 am–12:00 pm
URI Swan Hall Auditorium

We look forward to seeing you at our first MG meeting of the year! Join us for fellowship, food, and fun, not to mention continuing education hours!  Please register in Volgistics.

Communicating Science to the Public

As an Extension Educator, you may find yourself answering tough questions from the public, explaining why a client  should adopt sustainable gardening practices.  ‘What should I spray for _____?” is a common question. Our MG meeting keynote speaker is Sunshine Menezes, URI Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Communication, who will provide innovative strategies for communicating complex concepts. How do we effectively encourage the public to become stewards of the land? As Executive Director of the Metcalf Institute, Menezes frequently gives lectures about the importance of science communication, working with the news media, and how to become a more effective science communicator.

Food Donations

We will be collecting non-perishable food items to address food insecurity among our students on campus. Donations will go to families at Graduate Village. Items of need include red/green lentils, brown/white rice, beans, chickpeas, flour, pasta, oil, coffee, tea, tomato sauce, sugar, snacks (nuts, pretzels, etc.), peanut butter, oatmeal, and cereal. Please consider bringing an item to the Master Gardener meeting to support these families.

Sales

We will sell Garden Symposium tickets and Gardening with the Masters tour tickets at this event. You’ll also have the chance to complete a volunteer renewal form if that’s still on your “to do” list. Cash, checks, and credit cards happily accepted.

In Memory of Richard Perreault

 

Richard A. Perreault, 77, a long-time URI Master Gardener with well over 1,000 hours of volunteer time, died Jan. 18 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Dick took the Master Gardener Course in 2003 and immediately became involved in activities at East Farm. He was an early member of Rudi’s Rangers, a support group for Master Gardener projects, and soon developed expertise in drip irrigation systems to the point that he became known fondly as “Dr. Drip.” He was also instrumental in creating irrigation systems for the URI Botanical Garden, gave presentations on the topic, and cheerfully helped other Master Gardeners.

As treasurer of the Master Gardener Foundation of RI Inc. for many years, he helped secure the organization’s financial well-being by arranging for the Rhode Island Foundation to handle its endowment. Today, the invested endowment provides annual funding for horticultural programs.

Please read the obituary on the Barrett & Cotter Funeral Home website for information on visiting hours and the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association, RI Chapter or the Master Gardener Foundation of RI Inc. through the Rhode Island Foundation.

New York Times Reports Greater Climate Change Concern

Yale University and George Mason University surveyed 1,114 Americans to record their responses to global warming. The article quotes Sunshine Menezes, speaker at the upcoming February MG meeting. Worth a read!

HELP WANTED

Volunteer for the Ornamental Greenhouse Project

The Ornamental Greenhouse project at East Farm raises annuals and perennials from seeds, plugs and cuttings for URIMGP Projects and the Spring Sale in May. We have openings for volunteers on each daily crew. The project runs from March through mid-May. Volunteers must commit to working 3 hours one morning each week plus be able to volunteer for at least one afternoon activity (ie. afternoon watering, nematode applications and sale set-up). Volunteers pot up plugs and seedlings, monitor water needs and inspect plants for pests and diseases. Greenhouses are cleaned daily and participants should be able do some moderate lifting. In addition, working conditions are quite variable from cool in March to quite warm and humid as the season progresses.

If you are interested in this project, you need to commit to weekly attendance in the greenhouse for the entire season. A mandatory orientation will be Saturday, February 23, from 9:00 am–12:00 pm in Pharmacy Rm 170. Crews begin working in the greenhouse the week of February 24. This sign-up is for current MG’s and those working on their Blue Pins. To volunteer, send an email by February 1 to Marylee Godwin, indicating the day of the week you can work. Your name will be entered into a lottery if we have more volunteers than work slots.

MG Symposium Backstage

The ever-popular MG symposium takes place this year on Saturday, March 2. The symposium committee seeks volunteers for Friday, March 1, 3:00–5:00 pm and Saturday, March 2, 2:30–4:30 pm to set up and take down tables and chairs and to carry Symposium-related items to and from the outreach center. You will earn five hours of volunteer time for this.

Volunteers are also needed for Saturday, March 2, 7:30–9:00 am to guide attendees from the parking lot at the Fine Arts building over to the CBLS building (two volunteers needed). You will receive five volunteer hours.

These volunteer opportunities are open to all Master Gardeners and interns on a first come, first served basis. Please check your calendars before making a commitment and contact Melanie Racioppi.

East Farm Demonstration Garden Co-Leader

As a Co-Leader you will engage in all aspects of leading and managing weekly tasks in a diverse 8,000 square foot vegetable garden with herbs, companion plantings and native plants. Voted 2018 Project of the Year for building and preserving best gardening practices while collaborating with area partners to promote inclusivity by inviting and educating residents and visitors. We donated all vegetables grown in the garden to a local food pantry. We also work with other URIMGP gardeners on campus, as well as professors and research experts, on trials of new plants and maintaining existing flower and pollinator gardens throughout the campus. Our main day of work is Saturday mornings and occasionally Wednesday mornings. If you have leadership and project management experience, a good working knowledge of gardening, especially vegetables, and want to work with a phenomenal team of dedicated volunteers, please contact Nan Quinlan.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

NEW! TickTalk Webinar
Wednesday, February 13 | 12:00–1:00 pm

UMass Extension launches a Tick-o-rama of webinars presented by Dr. Stephen Rich, UMass Laboratory of Medical Zoology. Round one, Ticks and Personal Protection: Reducing Risk of Tick-borne Disease, aims at reducing the frequency and longevity of tick bites. Best practices for tick safety will be discussed in context of what can be done before AND after a tick bite to ensure favorable outcomes. Monthly webinars will follow. Register through UMass Extension.

NEW!Pest Update and Vegetable Gardening with URI Faculty and Extension Staff
Friday, February 15 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Learn about current insect and disease problems in the landscape from URI Plant Clinic Director, Heather Faubert. Dr. Rebecca Brown will discuss choosing vegetable varieties and other considerations for planning a vegetable garden.  Bring your questions for our URI Faculty and Extension staff! Register in Volgistics.

Not Your Grandma’s Hydrangea: Exceptional Hydrangeas Plus Tried and Proven Tips for Growing Them
Saturday, February 23 | 11:00 am–12:00 pm
Online lecture ($12)

The second of Kelly Ann Mendez’s webinar series approaches the wide field of hydrangea cultivation, including any new cultivars as well as recommendations for growing gorgeous specimens, even in colder climates. Check out her website for details.

Only 3 spots left! RI Mushroom Company: Come and Learn How Mushrooms Are Grown
Tuesday, February 26 | 1:30–2:30 pm
Rhode Island Mushroom Company, 141 Fairgrounds Road, West Kingston RI
(Next to Arnold Lumber. Parking: Go inside the gate at Arnold Lumber, turn right and look for the company logo. If necessary park on the street.)

Are you a fungi fanatic or a person who can’t tell a shiitake from a crimini mushroom? Either way come see how mushrooms are commercially grown. Formed in January of 2013, the The Rhode Island Mushroom Co. is a growing and dynamic company that cultivates and distributes exotic mushrooms to restaurants and specialty markets in Rhode Island and beyond. The tour includes a brief history of the company and what future plans might be followed by a tour of the grow rooms, packing rooms and a walk-in cooler that holds all the products. The tour will be followed by a Q&A session. Be a “fun guy” remember to register in Volgistics.

The URI Garden Symposium Points to Spring!
Saturday, March 2, 2019 | 8:00 am–4:00 pm
URI Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences (ADA accessible facility)
$65/person until February 1 | $75/person after February 1

Education sessions:

  • Brie Arthur, The Foodscape Revolution
  • Nancy Lawson, The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife
  • Vincent Simone, How to Grow More With Less: Sustainable Garden Methods

For more information, please check the URIMGP website.

Tech Skills: Google Drive

The Master Gardener Program’s primary mode of sharing internal documents and files is through Google Drive. This method allows us to easily communicate, edit, and share data within the MGP community. If you are unfamiliar with Google Drive, please take some time to review these training videos:

Have something you’d like to see in The Dirt?

Please email us at thedirtnewsletteruri@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you! Have a submission related to the URI Master Gardener Program? Send it to us (in email or MS Word ONLY please) by Tuesday at 8:00 pm to include in that week’s newsletter!

Questions?

Do you have questions about the URI Master Gardener Program? Please find our leadership directory in the documents page. This will point you in the direction of the proper council member, MG leader or staff member who can answer your question.  

Stay Connected with the URIMGP!

Follow @URICoopExt on Facebook and Instagram. Not into social media? Visit the MGP website for our event listing.