Gardeners Mini-College 2009

 

Welcome Fellow Gardeners,

During WWII, planting a ‘Victory Garden’ was done with great pride.  It involved the entire family, and 20 million Americans answered the call of “Plant More in 44” producing approximately 40 percent of the vegetables consumed nationally.

I recently read that at the W. Atlee Burpee & Co., sales of seeds for vegetables and herbs in 2008 rose 40% compared with 2007.  A spokeswoman cited spikes in food and gas prices, as well as worries about food safety and interest in organic food.

Ball Jar Co. recently stated that the company realized an increase of 30 percent in canning jar sales in 2008, an indication of more home-canning of fresh produce.

Today, gardens are being planted in backyards and on building rooftops. There is a sense of urgency to lessen our reliance on mass-produced or imported food, reduce our carbon footprint, and come together as a community. It wouldn’t hurt to save on our grocery bills in this disastrous economic downturn either.

I’m excited to be able to invite you to an outstanding educational event that will address the issues of ‘Backyard Food Solutions: Local. Sustainable. Secure.’

See you there, Betty Faller, Mini College Co-Chair

Register Now! online event registration by RegOnline

Mini-College Schedule

Questions about Mini-College? Please email your question to the Mini-College Team.

General Information

The Oregon Master Gardener Association  thanks the following sponsors of the 2009 Gardener's Mini-College:

 

                                                           Gardener’s Supply Company

The Oregon Garden                          and the Grow What You Eat Campaign        

 

Master Gardener Food Drive

At this year's event, we will be collecting fresh produce and store bought canned goods for the Linn-Benton Food Share. Canned goods which are particularly needed include low-sodium vegetables and low sugar fruits (packed in fruit juice or light syrup). Meals ready to eat, such as soups or stews in 'pop top' cans, are also particularly appreciated. We are sorry, but we cannot accept home-canned goods at this food drive.

Confirmed Speakers

Ann Bettman, Assistant Professor U of O and Director Emeritus of the Urban Farm, will give a keynote speech on Backyard Food Solutions.

Rosalind Creasy, garden and food writer, photographer, and landscape designer, will be a special session speaker, sharing her passion for "Edible Landscaping".

Rose Marie Nichols McGee, owner of Nichols Nursery, will be presenting a talk on "Small Space and Container Gardening".

Gail Langellotto, Statewide Coordinator of the OSU Master Gardener Program, will be speaking on Genetically Modified Foods.

Steve Renquist, OSU Extension Agent in Douglas County, will be presenting a talk on Backyard Vineyards.

Steve Castiagnoli, OSU Extension Agent in Hood River County, will be speaking on Home Winemaking.

Jennifer Burns Levin, Lane County Master Food Preserver and food writer, will be presenting a talk on local eating and micro-food networks in the Willamette Valley.

Nellie Oehler, Retired OSU Extension Agent, will be giving a talk on preserving foods from your home garden and a demonstration.

Ross Penhallegon, OSU Extension Agent in Lane County, will be giving a Pruning Demonstration at Lewis Brown Farm.

Jim Myers, OSU Professor, will be presenting a talk on Vegetable Varieties for the Willamette Valley.

Chef Daniel Brophy, Oregon Culinary Institute & Master Gardener, will be presenting a talk on Backyard chickens.

Sam Angima, OSU Extension Agent in Lincoln County, will be presenting a talk on Heavy Metals in Garden Soils.

Anne Donahue, Compost Specialist for the City of Eugene and Lane County Master Gardener, will be talking about Hot and Cold Composting.

Anita Azarenko, OSU Professor/Head of Horticulture Department, Varieties of Fruit Trees for the Home Garden.

Liza Ehle, owner By the Sea Gardens, Bandon - will be giving a talk on Fertilizers.

Jude Hobbs, Horticulturist and Permaculture designer - will be presenting a talk on Edible Gardens at the Oregon Garden.

Chip Bubl, OSU Extension Agent in Collumbia County, will be giving a talk on Protecting your Vegetable Garden from Vertebrate Pests.

Andrew Millison, a Permaculture teacher and landscape designer, will be presenting a talk on the Permaculture design process.

Morris Ostrofsky, Lane County Master Gardener, will be speaking on Pollination by Backyard Bees for Fruit and Vegetable Production.

John Luna, OSU Associate Professor, will be giving a talk on the use of Cover Crops in the Garden.

Toni Stephan, Central Oregon Master Gardener, will be speaking on Season Extenders for the Garden.

Weston Miller, OSU Extension Agent Portland Metro - will be giving a talk on Organic Gardening.

Evening Garden Tours

There will be three outstanding garden areas for you to view. Driving directions for the gardens will be available at the registration desk. You are responsible for your own transportation, and carpooling is encouraged. No transportation will be provided. Highlights include espalier fruit trees, square-foot garden beds, edible sustainable landscapes filled with organic fruit, water wise gardening, rain gardens, and more.

Oregon Master Gardener™ Associations Leadership Forum:

Leadership Forum breakout sessions will be either lectures or informal group discussions, led by people experienced in a particular subject. Forums will be given on the topics to enhance your work as volunteer, as an officer of your chapter and the OMGA. You do not have to hold an office to participate there is something for everyone. Lunch will be in Arnold Hall and refreshments during the Afternoon Break.   

Professor Flaxen Conway, OSU Dept. of Sociology, will give a short overview of the organizational stages of nonprofit Boards at the opening of the day. Then later she will lead a discussion on the “Life Cycles of Nonprofit Organizations”: Understanding the life cycles can help to better plan and prepare for the future. Over-view of life cycle stages (name, characteristics, key issues,) helps you to determine what stage the OMGA and your chapter is in and helps with planning. A tool will be used to assess where your Chapter is within the stages.

A primer on roles and responsibilities of Master Gardeners and their relationship with Master Gardener Associations, OMGA, OSU Extension Service, and the Master Gardener Program. How Master Gardeners can better support recognition of OSU and Extension Service via their use of logos, marketing materials, etc. The uses of photos with people in them require authorization to use, how to ask for permission and the use of the model release form. Speaker will be Mark Crossler, OSU Extension & Experiment Station Communications, Marketing Leader.

Master Gardener Idea Exchange, a brainstorming exercise across OMGA Chapters, Larry Sutton, OMGA Alt Rep Douglas County, is your facilitator. Come share your great ideas.  They will be collected and available for all.

How to optimize the OSU Events Calendar: You will learn how to submit events to your County’s website and the State Master Gardener Program website. This session is recommended for Master Gardeners who work with publicity, county program websites and OSU staff. Online demonstration and presentation by Patty Driscoll, Administrative Program Assistant, Statewide Master Gardener Program.

Training Design and Implementation Strategies: Learn how the Scotts Training Institute increases knowledge with their retailers on product information, environmental awareness, and best garden practices. Sharene Rausch, Specialist – Training and Tradeshow Fulfillment, Scotts Training Institute.

Regulatory Update and Board Recruitment: The legal roles and responsibilities of your board of directors in state of Oregon and Board Recruitment: Getting the best and keeping the best of your board leadership. Speaker, Heidi Henry, Consultant and Financial Stewardship Resource Presenter. 

Meet our Extension Agents & MG Program Coordinators: Many State Extension Agents and MG Coordinators will be available for an informal networking session and idea exchange.  Come meet other members of our MG team.

Advance Presentation Skills: Tips and practice to deliver a short public speech with impact. Learn to use props effectively when speaking or teaching. Instructor, Bettina Schempt, Oregon State Toastmasters. Note: You are encouraged to bring a sample speech or training project and your props (such as a plant or pot or display item), to work on at this class.

Cultural Diversity: Each of one of us has a different experience as a member of a community in relation to the land and what that means. For example, some people who participate in Village Gardens are descendants of American slaves who have a very complex relationship to agriculture. Some are recent immigrants who have had their relationship to the land recently disrupted by war or economic challenges. Food and land are at the core of culture and identity. Come listen to Tera Couchman Wick, Program Director, Village Gardens, A Janus Youth Program, on the participants’ experiences in the community garden. Click here for information on A Janus Youth Program

Advance Parliamentary Procedures Hands-on Training, Speaker, Jan Schidler, Marion County.

Publicity Roles/Responsibilities forum will be led by Jerry Anderson, Washington County.

Long-Range Planning by Sam Sadtler, OMGA Rep Tillamook County.

Time Management: Case Studies by Joe White, Josephine County.

Officer Forums:

Presidents and Vice Presidents, “What Makes an Effective Board” will be lead by Bill Eller, OMGA President from Curry County and Rod Bach, OMGA Past President from Marion County.

County Representatives and Alternates - The Two Minute Warning: Develop a network that will yield the best news of your chapter.  Hone your chapter oral reports to cover the essentials. Facilitator, David Rugg, OMGA Vice President from Jackson County.

Treasurer's Training: Preparing present and future chapter treasurers to meet their requirements and obligations, speaker Katherine Johnson, OMGA Treasurer from Columbia County.

Secretaries and Historians, selected topics will be discussed from these two meaningful and important jobs. The facilitators will be Linda Eggiman, Multnomah County and Marilyn Scheffler, OMGA Secretary from Benton County.

Saturday Workshops

Sue Sierralupé, Lane County Master Gardener & Herbalists - will be presenting a workshop "Homemade teas from Garden Herbs". We will learn how to grow, harvest and mill our own teas as well as techniques for presentation for gifts. We will make our own tea bags and sample a variety of easy to make herbal blends. This workshop is perfect for the budding herbalist and those that need new ideas for familiar plants.

Chef Daniel Brophy, Oregon Culinary Institute, will be leading a hands-on cooking workshop "’Herban’ Renewal with a Spicy Twist".Teams of participants will be preparing recipes that showcase the amazing impact of aroma on food.  Practical tips on growing, harvesting, preserving, and implementing an 'herbalicious' lifestyle will be presented. Note: Bring an apron, knife, and closed toe shoes.

Saturday Tours

Gathering Together Farm: Frank Mortan, Wild Garden Seed; JC Mersmann, Head Chef at GTF. Gathering Together Farm is a certified organic vegetable and fruit producing operation that began in 1987. Located in nearby Philomath, small fields in odd shapes integrate into a diverse production system that totals about 65 acres. Learn about the ecology of an organic farm via  a guided tour, ending with a farm-stand lunch.

Cooped in Corvallis: Chicken & Duck Tour: Self-guided tour of chicken coops in the Corvallis area. Talk with the backyard fowl keepers and get tips for integrating chickens into your own backyard.

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Mini-College Registration and Costs

Registration is open. You can register online or by mail. If you are unable to pay online, go ahead and register online. Choose paying by check and your spot will be reserved, you still must have the check postmarked either by Friday, June 26, 2009 the the early registration deadline or by Wednesday, July 15, 2009 the closing of registration.

We are again offering an early registration discount. You will receive a $7.00 discount on either the on-campus package or the all-classes fee. Alternatively, a $4.00 discount if you are only able to attend one day. Early Registration deadline is Friday, June 26, 2009, you must either pay online or have your registration form and check postmarked by this date.

The price of the on-campus package is $245.00*. This includes all classes, eight meals and three nights in Bloss Hall (double room). There will be optional on-campus costs for a single room and early arrival.

The off-campus package for all classes is $70.00* and you may purchase all eight meals for $94.00.

If you can only attend 1 day of Mini-College: The cost for classes only either Thursday or Friday, without meals or lodging is $40.00*.

*Note: Wednesday Leadership Forum which is not included in any of the above packages is $10.00, includes box lunch and there is no early discount.

Optional À la carte meals:
The Kick-off Meal, Wednesday night is $25.00.
The Awards Banquet, Friday night is $30.00.
For those who want to buy individual meals at the cafeteria you may do this at the meal hour directly from the cafeteria.

Housing Information

Housing and parking information for the 2009 Mini-College will be posted as soon as they are available.

Bloss Hall: A block of rooms has been reserved at Bloss Hall, on the OSU Campus, for the Gardeners Mini-College. These basic, dorm-style rooms are available to Master Gardeners, along with the campus meal package.

Hilton Garden Inn: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Garden Inn for the Gardeners Mini-College. These rooms are available to Master Gardeners at the following, reduced rates.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad
Guest Room Rate	$112.00	$112.00	$124.00	$134.00

Reservations at the Hilton Garden Inn may be made by calling 541-752-5000, 24 hours a day. Callers must request the Oregon Master Gardeners rate at the time of booking.

Other Housing Options: The Corvallis Tourism Bureau maintains a comprehensive list of lodging options in town, as well as information on local dining, activities and events.

Parking Information

A parking permit is required to park at OSU campus. A 3-day permit (Wednesday - Friday), at a cost of $15, is available for through registration. Daily permits are available at machines for $5 in the Reser Stadium lot and in the parking structure north of the Alumni Center. 

Register Now! online event registration by RegOnline