The Penn State Master Gardeners, Franklin County Recognition Dinner

by Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

A mini-gourd with fresh flower arrangement

Enjoying one of the last mild autumn evenings, Penn State Master Gardeners, Franklin County and guests gathered for their annual recognition dinner and program at Chestnut Landing, Menno Haven.



As usual the Special Events Committee provided beautiful centerpieces for the tables and each attendee was able to take home miniature flower arrangements presented in small hollowed gourds.



George and Sue Weigel (L,Miller)

The evening included a delicious dinner and a program by George Weigel, Central PA Garden Writer, Horticulturist and (per his Website) Certified Gardening Nut. George brought copies of his new book, "Pennsylvania Getting Started Garden Guide," for sale and signing. And also a box full of hyacinth bean seed pods - some were taken to MG homes for next year and the remainder went home with Juanita Kauffman for the greenhouse and plant sale.



John McGinley, MC (L.Miller)

Photographer Larry Miller (Thanks, Larry) held back on the full photo shot of MC John McGinley who wore his signature khaki shorts at the request of the Committee but opted for white shirt and bow tie for a more formal look. After good-natured no-ante betting on if Bill Stead would come in shorts, Bill arrived with Cindy and was wearing long pants.



In introducing our speaker, John related the story of how he, then a features editor and colleague of George at the Patriot-News and a Certified Gardening Wacko himself, one day said to George, “You like to garden, right? How’d you like to write a weekly gardening column?”



George talks about winter problems (L. Miller)

For the evening talk George picked a timely theme about winter problems as we are coming into the first weekend of very cold and maybe frost/freeze in our area.






Donna Scherer (L.Miller)

After the presentation, Donna Scherer, Master Gardener Coordinator for Franklin County, gave a brief recap of the year's highlights. Listed in the 2014 Annual Report for Franklin County it is noted that there were 97 active Master Gardeners who logged 1,078 continuing education hours and 9,630 volunteer hours. It is estimated that those volunteer hours have a time value of $211,282. A number of spouses were recognized for their volunteer time contributions as well.

Nina Redding, District Extension Director, made brief remarks on the accomplishments of the Master Gardener. Donna then handed out both recognition certificates and the coveted MG hour badges with volunteer hours listed (500, 1000, etc.).

The 2014 Master Gardener class was recognized.

(L-R) Verna Rife, Darlene Sord, Donna Scherer, Ruth Young, Cathy Campbell,
Jessica Kauffman, Pat Glasgow, Ron Schlecht (L.Miller) Not present: Jane Birt, Krista Cowan, Trey Gelbach, Walter Wray

 



Master Gardeners who achieved the 100 hour volunteer mark did not get MG hour badges but were recognized with certificates.

Jane Birt  -  David Brashier  -  Cathy Campbell  - Patricia Glasgow  -  Colleen Johnson  -  Jessica Kauffman   -   Paul Luka   -   John McGinley  -  Diane Morgan  -  Billy Morningstar  -  Tom Newcomer  -    Cindy Scanzello   -    Ronald Schlecht   -    Judith Scriptunas    -   Ruth Young

Volunteers with 500 hours

(L-R) Barbara Boyer, Penny Buckus, Jerry Lewis, Carol Kagan, Juanita Kauffman,
Diane Keeney, Georgia Townsend (L. Miller) Not present: Cindy Fair

Diane Fusting and Cindy Stead achieved the 1000 hour status.

Both Linda Horst and Denise Lucas hit to 1500 hour mark.

Denise Lucas and Donna Scherer (L.Miller) Not present: Linda Horst

Still just a bit behind in the race for top hours was Barb Petrucci, snapping at Nancy Miller's heels with 2000 hours.

Barb Petrucci and Donna Scherer (L. Miller)

And Nancy Miller with this year's top number of 2500 hours.

Nancy Miller and Donna Scherer (L. Miller)

 The program ended 15 minutes early and everyone took the opportunity to catch up and socialize before slipping out into a much chillier evening than it was earlier.

2012 Year in Review

As we start 2013, let’s look back on some of the highlights of the 2012 Master Gardener Season.

Background

The Franklin County Master Gardener Program is part of a nation-wide volunteer effort to help Land Grant Universities fulfill their mission to bring research based knowledge of consumer horticulture to the general public. In exchange for extensive training, Master Gardeners are asked to provide throughout the first program year, 50 hours of volunteer time, selected among the following activities: covering the phone hot-line during the growing season (April 15-October 15), teaching workshops, manning information booths, assisting in research, establishing and maintaining demonstration gardens, fulfilling speaker requests, and helping with funding-raising and publicity efforts, like our Plant Sale, Tomato Taste Day, and Fall Garden Tour that help keep the program sustainable. In subsequent years, 20 hours of volunteer time, and 8 hours of continuing education are required to maintain Master Gardener status.

Statistics

During the 2012 year, 80 Master Gardeners dedicated 5,904 volunteer hours to the gardening community of Franklin County. This included teaching 56 workshops and classes on topics ranging from seed starting to Japanese landscaping, and growing vegetables and fruit in the home landscapes.

9 new Master Gardeners completed their 3 months of training and are now working on their 50 hours of volunteer time during 2013 to obtain their Master Gardener certification badge.

From April through mid-October, Master Gardeners maintained the Garden Hotline and answered 959 questions on insect and weed identification, disease prevention in the home landscape, interpreting soil sample results, and general “how to” advice on growing vegetable and ornamental plants.

35 presentations were given by Master Gardeners to local groups and organizations and 15 displays were setup for county events.
Franklin County Master Gardeners again supported Penn State Extension at various regional events during the year - at the Farm Show in January, helping Penn State Extension’s Pesticide Education Team run their booth, at the Mid Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference in Hershey in February, the Pennsylvania Nurseryman’s Garden Expo in March, and the Summer Garden Experience in Landisville in July.

The Franklin County Master Gardener Blog recorded 44,271 page views for the year, for an average of 3,689 per month. In addition, our Facebook Page recorded 63 likes and 18,056 visits for the year.

Highlights of 2012

• Harvest 4-Health – in 2012, we expanded our efforts with the Penn State 4-H Harvest 4-Health program and Kids Learning After School (KLAS), adding Ben Chambers Elementary School to the Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School effort. Additional Harvest 4-Health partners we helped with plants and growing advice, included the St. Thomas Elementary School, New Franklin Elementary School, and the Coldbrook YMCA. Harvest 4-Health is a Penn State Extension initiative to bring together multiple disciplines within Extension on a focused effort at the local level to teach the newest generation about growing their own, fresh, nutritious food by planning, planting, maintaining, and harvesting produce from their own vegetable gardens. KLAS is a year-round after school program for grades 1-6 (ages 6-12) consisting of 60 students usually broken into 3 groups of 20.

• Patrick Gass Garden – Phase I of the Patrick Gass Garden was installed during the 2012 season. The Patrick Gass Garden will establish an educational and historical demonstration garden on the Franklin Farm Campus memorializing the leading role of Patrick Gass, a Chambersburg native son, in the Lewis and Clarke Expedition of 1804-1806. The project will present a horticultural and historical experience that demonstrates the importance of flora and agriculture in the young and expanding Republic. It will offer an educational experience for youth groups, school groups, historic groups, tourists, and public visitors. Watch this year as permanent signage goes up, and plans for Area 2 get underway.

• Victory Garden 2012 - We documented a whole season's worth of pictures (thanks to MG Georgia Townsend) and educational material for our blog.

• Establishment of a Drought Tolerant Demonstration Garden – Master Gardener Donna Berard and her team used their extensive knowledge of Xeriscaping to create a drought tolerant garden alongside the fence surrounding the Victory Garden.

• Refurbishment of the Herb Demonstration Garden – the oldest demonstration garden on the grounds was given a total facelift this past year, installing new raised beds, and preparing for new plantings in 2013.

• Spring Plant Sale – In 2012, our combined greenhouse vegetable and annual plant sale generated $10,296.85 in gross revenues.

• An Autumn Stroll – Our annual fall garden tour took place in the Penn National/Fayetteville areas this past year, generating another $1,780.00 in gross receipts.

• June Extension Open House – Penn State Extension of Franklin County sponsored its second Open House for the public with an afternoon event on June 20th and Master Gardeners were there to help as volunteers showing off our Demonstration Gardens - Gass Garden, Herb Garden, Perennial Garden, Drought Tolerant Garden, Pollinator Garden, and the Woodland, Meadow, and Native Habitat Garden (Wildlife Area). In 2013, we expect to finish the refurbishment of the Herb Garden, add a Bog Garden to the Wildlife Area, possibly add a Shade Garden there also, and continue the efforts on the Gass Garden.

• Tomato Day – The 12th annual Tomato Taste Day wherein we invite the public to judge two dozen or more different varieties of tomatoes and rate them for flavor and looks, took place on August 22nd. 145 people participated in 2012, giving a red cherry variety Sakura, from Sataka Seeds top honors. Because we had a late start growing our tomato patch here on the Franklin County campus, most of the varieties for the August 22nd event came from the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Centerr in Landisville. When the local crop came in, we sponsored a Mini Tomato Day on September 11, 2012, where Blush, a recent introduction developed by Baia Nicchia Farm was the runaway winner.

Many thanks to all the Master Gardeners who gave of their time and talents to make for a successful year.

Applause, Applause!

2011 Year in Review

As we enter a new year, it's a good idea to reflect back on the achievements of the previous year.  Here is the Franklin County Master Gardener input to the Extension Board's Annual Report.

Consumer Horticulture – Master Gardener Program

Background

The Franklin County Master Gardener Program is part of nation-wide volunteer effort to help Land Grant Universities fulfill their mission to bring research based knowledge of consumer horticulture to the general public. In exchange for extensive training, Master Gardeners are asked to provide throughout the first program year, 50 hours of volunteer time, selected among the following activities: covering the phone hot-line during the growing season (April 15-October 15), teaching workshops, manning information booths, assisting in research, establishing and maintaining demonstration gardens, fulfilling speaker requests, and helping with funding-raising and publicity efforts, like our Plant Sale, Tomato Taste Day, and Fall Garden Tour that help keep the program sustainable. In subsequent years, 20 hours of volunteer time, and 8 hours of continuing education are required to maintain Master Gardener status.

Statistics

In 2011, the Franklin County program grew from 82 to 106 members, collectively providing greater than 5000 volunteer hours in support of Penn State Extension. Master Gardeners responded to 794 queries from the public at the hotline desk, conducted 26 separate workshops, educating more than 600 attendees, plus 22 more at the 16 week, season-long Victory Garden (vegetable growing) series, and 24 at the 6 week Landscape Design series. The Franklin County Master Gardener blog had over 24,000 page views for the year. We also staffed monthly information booths at the Farmer’s Markets in Chambersburg and Penn National, and participated in Renfrew’s Earth Day and the Apple Festival at Tayamenasachta. We also helped Extension Educators at the Farm Show Pesticide Education Booth, the Mid Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Growers convention, the Pennsylvania Garden Expo, and the Summer Garden Experience at the Extension Research farm in Lancaster county.

New Initiatives in 2011

• Harvest 4-Health - Partnering with the 4-H program and Kids Learning After School (KLAS), Master Gardeners established a vegetable garden at Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School in Chambersburg as part of the state-wide Harvest 4-Health program. Harvest 4-Health is a Penn State Extension initiative to bring together multiple disciplines within Extension on a focused effort at the local level to teach the newest generation about growing their own, fresh, nutritious food by planning, planting, maintaining, and harvesting produce from their own vegetable gardens. KLAS is a year-round after school program for grades 1-6 (ages 6-12) consisting of 60 students usually broken into 3 groups of 20. School year runs mid September through mid May, with a summer term from mid June to the end of July. The cycle starts over again in mid September.  These 60 students have been the recipients of hands-on learning about what it takes to create a garden bed and grow your own vegetables, as well as a weekly curriculum in basic botany, soil science, pest and disease management, and healthy cooking and eating. In 2012, we hope to expand the success of this project to the Colbrook YMCA in Chambersburg.
• Patrick Gass Garden - Through the generous support of the Alexander Stewart M.D. Foundation, Franklin County Master Gardeners broke ground on plans to establish an educational and historical demonstration garden on the Franklin Farm Campus memorializing the leading role of Patrick Gass, a Chambersburg native son, in the Lewis and Clarke Expedition of 1804-1806. The project will present a horticultural and historical experience that demonstrates the importance of flora and agriculture in the young and expanding Republic. It will offer an educational experience for youth groups, school groups, historic groups, tourists, and public visitors. Site prep took place this past summer and fall, and initial planting and signage for Phase I of the multi-year project will take place in the spring of 2012. 
• MG Videos - in 2011, we began a collaborated effort with the Chambersburg Public Opinion to offer video "how to's" on gardening topics:  Fall Gardening, Putting Gardens to Bed, and Holiday Decorating. 

Fundraising Events

• Spring Plant Sale – In 2011, we added a greenhouse vegetable and annual plant component to the annual May event, boosting revenues over $8,000, setting a record for our major fund raiser.  
• An Autumn Stroll – Our annual fall garden tour took place in the Blue Ridge Summit and Waynesboro areas this past year, generating another $1,100. This year, the Garden Tour committee dedicated its funds to the Patrick Gass Garden effort. 

Public Relations Events

• June Extension Open House – Penn State Extension of Franklin County sponsored its first Open House for the public with an all-day event on June 22, and Master Gardeners were there to help as volunteers in escorting groups of people around the Franklin Farm campus and show off our Demonstration Gardens. The campus Demonstration Gardens, designed and maintained by Franklin County Master Gardeners include: The Perennial Garden, The Herb Garden, the Pollinator Friendly Garden, and the Woodland, Meadow, and Native Habitat Demonstration Gardens. In 2012, we hope to refurbish the Herb garden, and newly establish both a drought tolerant garden and a bog garden. 
• Tomato Day – The 11th annual Tomato Taste Day wherein we invite the public to judge two dozen different varieties of tomatoes and rate them for flavor and looks, took place on August 24th. 164 people participated in 2011, giving a pink grape variety, Sakura Honey, a hybrid from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, overall first place honors.

Many thanks to all the Master Gardeners who gave of their time and talents to make for a successful year.

Take a bow, folks!