September 2025 Volunteer News & Updates
- Sep 16
- 5 min read
Ramsey County Master Gardener Volunteer Program
09/13/2025
September Updates
Enrollment for 2026 Ends 10/1
Last call! Enrollment for new Master Gardener volunteers ends on 10/01. If you know someone with a passion for gardening and community service, please invite them to apply!
Rebranding the Master Gardener Volunteer Program in Ramsey County
The University of Minnesota Extension and Ramsey County have agreed to rename the volunteer program in Ramsey County. Extension is managing an FAQ sheet about this change and they are collecting questions and comments from the email address rcname@umn.edu.
In August, a survey about the upcoming rebrand got responses from 80% of RCMG volunteers. THANK YOU to everyone who shared feedback. A small workgroup of RCMG volunteers, Extension program leaders, and Ramsey County staff are collaborating to select a new name and plan the rollout of the change The information from the survey and YOUR FEEDBACK will be used by the workgroup.
2025 RCMG Project Reporting Form
Attention project leads and co-leads! One person from each Project, Activity or Event needs to complete the 2024 RCMG Project Reporting Form. These are due before 11/09/2025. Please fill this in as soon as your project closes for the season, or sooner if you can.
Nominate a MG
Can you think of someone who inspired you this year? Nominate them for an RCMG annual award! RCMG wants to recognize volunteers who demonstrate exceptional performance and community service. We have 5 award categories for 2025. Nominations accepted until Sunday 11/23.
65% of Spring Hours Entered
We are getting closer to having all of the expected volunteer time from this spring recorded and we’re catching up on the summer hours as well. Thank you to everyone who has entered their volunteer hours in the past month. We know that it’s been hard to catch up and appreciate your help. Keep it up!
Non-Profit News
Board Blurb
The RCMG Board of Directors Meeting was held on September 9, 2025. New signage, the New/Continuing Project Grant Fund, the 2025 intern/mentor celebration, and the upcoming RCMG Name Change were discussed. The next Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom. All volunteers are welcome to attend.
Intern Roadmap
Intern-Mentor Celebration 9/28
As the summer gardening season comes to a close, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the hard work and dedication you've put towards the 2025 internships. To celebrate your efforts, we're hosting a RCMG Intern & Mentor Celebration on Sunday, 9/28 2-4 p.m. at the Ramsey County Library in Roseville. RSVP to join the fun!
Core Course Due 12/31
This is a reminder that all quizzes from the Pro-Hort/Core Course must be completed before the end of this year (2025). This applies to both interns going through the 1-year program AND interns enrolled in the 2-year program. This is a hard requirement that we don’t have the ability to change.
Changing to a 2-Year Internship
If you do not believe that you will be able to complete the required 50 hours of volunteer service this year (2025) please email RCMGInterns@umn.edu (please cc RCMG2@umn.edu) to request a change to the 2-year. You can review the expectations for the 2-year program requirements HERE.
If you no longer wish to continue your internship, please email the same folks above to let us know.
Volunteer Stories
Congratulations!
Please congratulate these Master Gardener volunteers on completing their internship requirements: Michael Erb, Arlene Seashore, Jacque Beavens, Tameisha Campbell, Mee Cheng, Barbera Kearn, and Linda O'Malley in the past month.
Bell No!
Join the initiative to add Creeping Bellflower to the noxious weed list managed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Shout out to Julie Ann Wegscheid for advancing this awareness campaign and inviting other RCMG volunteers to spread the word.
Volunteer Activities
New volunteer activities are announced on Thursday mornings and Sunday nights. If you are not receiving SignUp Genius notices, please contact rcmg2@umn.edu.
Yard and Garden Phone Line: 9/08-9/14
Sign up to answer resident’s garden questions from home through the Arboretum’s Yard & Garden hotline. These are excellent opportunities to volunteer remotely and build your garden knowledge at your own pace.
Coming soon: 2025 Buds, Blooms, & Thorns: 11/18
As gardeners, we have all experienced promise, success, struggle, and disappointment in our gardens. If you have a story from your garden, please take pictures and write a summary of your gardening high-(or low)-lights from 2025. We will share these stories at the November RCMG monthly meeting on 11/18. Details about submitting your story will be found on SignUp Genius soon.
Education Opportunities
Find approved opportunities to learn more on the RCMG website, the State MG Volunteer website, the MN Landscape Arboretum, or through Extension. Check with the program coordinator about other local events and learning opportunities.
Education Meeting Recaps
If you missed a previous monthly meeting, don’t forget that you can find recordings and summaries on the RCMG website. This is a great way to accrue Continuing Education hours and brush-up on what’s happening inside RCMG.
September Member Meeting: 9/16
Join us for RCMG’s next monthly meeting on Tue 9/16. We’ll be learning about "Trees and Windstorms" from Professor Lee Frelich, Director of the University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology. This meeting is hosted both in-person at the Roseville Skating Oval (Rose Banquet room) and online. RSVP today!
Book Club: The Light-eaters: 9/23
The next selection for RCMG Book Club is The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. There are copies of this book available through the RCMG Lending Library, and other copies available through the public library. Sign-up to join the discussion.
Central Regional Gathering: 10/25
Register for the 2025 Central Region Gathering! The Central Regional Gathering will be held at the Dakota Lodge at Thompson Park in West St. Paul (Dakota County) on Saturday 10/25 from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. Details for this educational event will be available in the September Statewide Master Gardener Update. Registration is required; no walk-ins.
Calendar
Office hours with Darren: In-person Weds (10am-2pm) and online Thurs (12pm-1pm)
9/08 to 9/14 – Yard & Garden Hotline shifts
9/09 – Board Meeting (on Zoom only)
9/16 – Monthly Meeting (hybrid format)
10/01 – Application for New (2026) Volunteers ends
10/07 – Board Meeting (on Zoom only)
10/11 – Start of RCMG New Member Interviews (on Zoom only)
10/20 to10/26 – Yard & Garden Hotline shifts
10/21 – Monthly Meeting (hybrid format)
10/25 – Central Regional Gathering
