3/14/2024
March brings breezes loud and shrill, Stirs the dancing daffodil. (Sara Coleridge (1802–1852), "The Months")
Message from the Coordinator
As a native Minnesotan I think an accurate description of the weather the last few months is "interesting."
It appears that it will be an early spring this year. With the spring season comes the anticipation for the upcoming gardening season. I know many of you have begun starting your seeds indoors and are planning for the growing season ahead. In addition, I know that many of you are working hard on the upcoming RCMG Plant Sale on May 18th!
With the upcoming gardening season comes planning for Master Gardener projects and activities. I encourage everyone to attend the RCMG Volunteer and Activities Fair on Tuesday, March 26th at the Roseville Oval.
Finally, if you have some extra time before the gardening season begins, we encourage you to check out the many training options available to you on the RCMG website.
RCMG Project Fair on March 26
The annual Project Fair is highly recommended for all interns and new volunteers in RCMG. It is a great chance for ALL volunteers to learn about the many types of volunteer activities that are available in the coming year. The Project Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, 3/26 from 6:30 PM until 8:00 PM; RSVP today!
2023 Awards & Recognition Winners
Ramsey County is lucky to have such dedicated Master Gardener volunteers serving the community. Check out the list of exceptional volunteers who went (far!) above and beyond the program's minimum expectations in 2023! These include project leaders, busy volunteers, and committed peers.
To everyone who received recognition, CONGRATULATIONS! It was well-earned. You are an invaluable part of the RCMG community.
Gear up!
Help increase awareness of the Master Gardener program and potentially recruit gardeners to join us by wearing approved promotional apparel. You can order approved promotional apparel via Extension and be ready for all your community-engagement activities this year.
Continuing Education Requirement Update for Interns
Per the MN State Volunteer Manual for Master Gardener volunteers, interns are NOT required to enter continuing education into the state database to complete their internship requirements. That being said, being an informed gardener is central to our mission of sharing up-to-date horticulture with residents so we strongly encourage all volunteers - interns and returning - to record the time they spend furthering their garden knowledge.
Reminder: Interns should not record time spent completing the core course as Continuing Education. Only returning volunteers (active and emeritus) can record time spent reviewing core course materials.
Volunteer Training Spotlight: Using SignUp Genius
All volunteers are encouraged to review the information about how to use SignUp Genius. Learn the ins and outs of the tool you’ll use the most as an RCMG volunteer. Don't have time to watch a video? Flip through the slides.
Darren Lochner
RCMG Program Coordinator
Brianna Gohde
RCMG Volunteer Assistant