Mini-College

The 25^th Anniversary of the Annual Gardeners Mini-College will be held from July 23-26, 2008 at the CH2M Alumni Center on the OSU campus in Corvallis, OR. This event is the Statewide Master Gardener Conference for Oregon gardeners. Please join us! The registration form may be accessed as a .pdf file, below.

REGISTRATION PACKET NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

On July 23-26, 2008, gardeners from across the
state of Oregon will gather in Corvallis, for the 25th annual Gardeners
Mini-College. The theme for this year's Mini-College is 'Going Green on
our Silver'--a theme that pays tribute both to the illustrious history
of the Oregon Master Gardener Association, as well as the sustainable
gardening techniques that the Master Gardeners teach and promote.
Seminars, workshops and discussions will highlight both of these areas.

You do NOT have to be a current OSU Master Gardener in order to attend Mini-College.  This conference is open to all!  Please join us for what promises to be a fun and educational event.

Questions about Mini-College?

Please email your question to the Mini-College Team.

Sponsorship Information

Do you own or operate a business that might be interested in sponsoring this event? Sponsorship opportunities begin at $250.00, and includes recognition in the Mini-College registration packet (given to 300+ Master Gardeners) and logo/information display at Mini-College. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please click here.

Mini-College Schedule

• May, 2008: Registration materials will be mailed out to current members of the Oregon Master Gardener Association in the Spring 2008 issue of the Gardeners Pen newsletter
• June 6, 2008: Early registration ends. Registration materials not postmarked by this date will not receive a 10% discount.
• July 7, 2008: Registration ends.
• July 23, 2008: OMGA Leadership Forum, Kick Off Banquet
• July 24, 2008: General Session, County Master Gardener of the Year Awards, Seminars, Tour
• July 25, 2008: Seminars, Tour, Annual Banquet, Keynote Speaker
• July 26, 2008: Workshops and Tours

Confirmed Speakers. Please check the registration packet for a complete list of speakers and tours, as well as descriptions of each class.

Dr. Douglas Tallamy, author of the book 'Bringing Nature Home' will be our keynote speaker!

Chef Daniel Brophy, Oregon Culinary Institute will be speaking on Cooking with Garden Herbs.

Anna Ashby, Pam Dowling and Cathy Burdett, Yamhill County Master Gardeners will be speaking on Winter Vegetable Gardening.

David Sandrock: Co-Owner of Sandrock Landscape Designs will present a talk entitled 'Rethinking the Urban Landscape: Ten Ways YOU Can Save the Planet'.

Micheal Burgett: Emeritus Faculty of Horticulture at OSU will be speaking on Pollinators and the Bee Crisis.

Linda McMahan: Associate Professor of Horticulture at OSU and Extension Staff Chair in Yamhill County will be speaking on the use of Native Plants in Home Gardens.

Weston Miller: Urban and Community Horticulture Extension Specialist for the Portland Metro Area will be speaking on the Garden Enhanced Nutrition Education program. Weston will also be presenting a second talk on rain gardens.

Cindy Wise and Lane County Master Gardeners will be speaking on composting.

Neil Bell: Extension Horticulturist for Polk and Marion Counties will be talking about Plant Problem Diagnosis.

Sam Chan: Aquatic Ecosystem Health Educator with Oregon Sea Grant will be our special session speaker. His talk is entitled 'Gardensmart: Taking Action on Invasive Species in Your Garden and Community'.

Steve Edwards: Master Gardener Program Assistant for Central Oregon, will be speaking on Naturescaping.

Morris Ostrosky: Lane County Master Gardener, will be speaking on backyard bee keeping.

Carla Albright, Author of 'Coastal Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, from Northern California to British Columbia' will be participating in a panel discussion on 'Green Gardening'.

Maurice Horn, co-owner of Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose, Oregon will be presenting a talk entitled 'EAST MEETS WEST: The Worldwide Legacy of Clematis'.

Gail Langellotto, Statewide Coordinator of the OSU Master Gardener Program will be speaking on global climate change and the home gardener.

Lizzie Ehle, Landscape Contractor and Designer (By the Sea Gardens) will present one talk on Organic Gardening, and a second talk on Managing Home Greenhouses.

A panel of 'green' Master Gardeners from several regions of Oregon will discuss how they deal with soil, water, fertilizers and pests within their region. Panel members include Carla Albright (Tilamook County), Carol Horning (Marion County), Val Tenney (Wasco County) and Jacquie Stewart-Schade (Central Oregon.

John Parrot, Lane County Master Gardener will be presenting a talk entitled 'Our Spider Friends'.

Steve Renquist, OSU Extension Agent in Douglas County will be presenting a talk entitled 'What is an OSU Extension Certified 'Oregon Sustainable Landscape'.

Confirmed Tours

Erin Shroll: graduate student of Horticulture and Green Roof Researcher will be leading a tour of the Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture on the OSU Campus.

Brandon Trelstad: Sustainability Coordinator for OSU will be leading a walking tour of the sustainable initiatives in place or underway on the OSU Campus.

Al Shay, graduate student of Horticulture and Instructor in the Department of Horticulture will lead a walking tour of the plants on the OSU campus.

Confirmed Workshops

Chef Daniel Brophy: Oregon Culinary Institute will be leading a hands on workshop about cooking with herbs, entitled 'Herban Renewal, The Reclamation of the American Diet'.

Linda Edwards: OSU Craft Center will be leading a drawing workshop entitled 'Capture Basic Plant Forms with Ease Using Paper and Pencil'

Housing Information

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.

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.

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. Approximate rates for the room and meal package, the room only option, and the meals only option may be accessed here. Additional information on booking each of these three options will be posted, when available.

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.

Registration Information

Registration materials will be published in the May 2008 Issue of the OMGA Newsletter, The Gardener’s Pen. Early-Bird Registration ends June 6, 2008: A 10% discount off the cost of registration is available for registrations that are postmarked by June 6, 2008. Registration ends July 7, 2008.

Parking

A parking permit is required to park in the parking structure located just north of the CH2M Alumni Center, the green and red marked lots adjacent to Bloss and Finley Halls, and the parking lot at Reser Stadium. A 3-day permit, at a cost of $15, is available through registration. There is NO FREE parking by the Hilton Garden Inn.

Daily parking, on the OSU campus, is $5.00 per day. Daily permits can be purchased on site from one of the many 'pay and display stations' (i.e. parking machines) on campus.

Mini-College Costs

More details on Mini-College Costs can be found in the registration packet.

Mini-College Awards

Each year at Mini-College, we recognize individual Master Gardeners, Master Gardener Associations and private businesses that have made a positive contribution to local and statewide Master Gardener programs. Recipients of the County Master Gardener of the Year will be announced at the General Session of Mini-College, on July 24, 2008. Recipients of the State Master Gardener of the Year and the Behind the Scenes award will be announced at the Celebration Banquet, on July 25, 2008. Applications for all awards are due by May 25, 2008.

Statewide Master Gardener of the Year Nomination Form

Behind the Scenes Award Nomination Form

County Master Gardener of the Year Nomination Form

Certificate of Appreciation Nomination Form

Search for Excellence

Search for Excellence (SFE) is the recognition program of Master Gardener volunteer work, both throughout the United States and Canada, and across the state of Oregon within the OMGA. All SFE applications must show that significant learning took place, whether by Master Gardeners or the general public. Applications are due to the SFE committee by June 2, 2008.

Applications for SFE may be accessed here.