Volunteer News February 2026
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
Ramsey County Garden Education Volunteer Program
02/14/2026
Message From The Coordinator
We live and serve in stressful times. In the past couple months, Minnesota has seen an extremely large number of federal agents in our neighborhoods. There have been many violent encounters with citizens and immigrants, documented and undocumented. This has had a negative effect on our mental, physical, economic, and community health. We want you to know that our priority is the safety and well-being of our volunteers.
If you are leading a volunteer activity or event as a project lead or shift lead, you have the option of canceling the event if you feel the conditions are unsafe. Most of the time this refers to the weather, but any conditions that affect the environment can be considered. Consult the Inclement Weather Guidelines (a Google Document) for guidelines on assessing or cancelling an event.
If you are participating in a volunteer activity and event and encounter any issues that cause you to feel uncomfortable or unsafe, you have the option of leaving events before the end of a shift. However, we ask that you fill in an Incident Report (Google Form) if you do this, so we can follow-up with you afterward.
If you do not feel that you are able to fulfill your 2026 volunteering requirements for personal reasons, active and emeritus-active volunteers in good standing may request a Leave of Absence. This is a sabbatical-like option and is designed for a voluntary 12-month leave from the volunteer program. Read More about Volunteer Status Options to get more details. If you would like to request a Leave of Absence for this year, let us know by filling in the Contact Info Change Request Form (a Google Form).
Resources for your Well-Being:
Earl Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing: Living Through Crisis.
Earl Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing: Well-Being 1-001
Hidden Brain Podcast: How Nature Heals Us.
University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: Calm Awaits at the Arboretum
February Updates
Volunteer Tools & Resources
We’ve added a new page to the Volunteers menu on the website called Tools & Resources. Please check this page to find a collection of materials that are designed to help volunteers in Ramsey County. These are intended for all volunteers in the Extension program, as well as information for volunteers taking a leadership role in volunteering activities.
New Name Badges and Shirts
In the coming weeks, all returning Ramsey County volunteers will receive a new name badge and shirt to wear while volunteering. The new badges will replace "Master Gardener" with "Garden Education Volunteer," and, like all badges produced starting this year, they will show first names and last name initials only. This format prioritizes volunteer safety by preventing members of the public from easily looking up personal information or home addresses online. Watch for a message asking you for your preferred shirt size.
Deadline for Contact Info in 2026 Volunteer Directory
LAST CALL! Contact info changes for the 2026 Volunteer Directory are due by 2/22. As a reminder, this is an INTERNAL document only, and none of the contact information is shared outside of our volunteer group.
If you want to make changes to your email, phone number, home address or volunteer status for 2026 but haven’t responded yet, please fill in this form or contact Brianna Gohde at RCMG2@umn.edu
If there are no changes, please send a message to Brianna Gohde at RCMG2@umn.edu
If you want to help us track down missing information you can! Sign up for the phone tree.
Your Monthly Plant Pun
What did the flower decide to study in college?
(Look for the answer below.)
Non-Profit News
The Ramsey County Master Gardeners nonprofit is a 501(c)(3) organization that is separate from the University of Minnesota Extension Garden Education Volunteer Program and helps raise funds for volunteer activities.
Board Blurb
The RCMG Board of Directors Meeting was held on February 10, 2026 on Zoom. The next Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom. All volunteers are welcome to attend. (By computer, smartphone, or tablet on Zoom Video Conference with Meeting ID: 949 4344 4368 and Passcode: 060589.)
2026 Plant Presale Pick-up
Mark your calendars. If you ordered plants during the January pre-sale, pickup will be Monday, May 11, 2026, from 3 PM - 6 PM at the Barn (2020 White Bear Avenue, Maplewood, MN 55109).
Project Grants are Available
Attention Project Leads! If your project needs extra funds for 2026 or you have questions about how to apply for a Project Grant, contact the RCMG Finance Committee Chair, Julie Bechtold.
Wanted: File Cabinet
The RCMG nonprofit corporation is looking for a donation of a file cabinet. The ideal file cabinet would be vertical, metal, locking (with keys), 3 or 4 drawers and in good condition. Because the RCMG nonprofit is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, your donation qualifies as tax-deductible. Please contact Julie Bechtold (juliebechtold@gmail.com, 651-497-7072) for more information.
Intern Roadmap
Core Course Info
At this point, new interns should have completed or be working on completing the Botany and Horticulture, Soils, Composting, and Fertilizers, Integrated Pest Management, and Plant Pathology core course units. This pace helps you be ready to hit the ground running in May. If you are having any trouble accessing the course or using Canvas, email Jennie Wagner (wagn1400@umn.edu).
Send a Directory Photo
We need pictures for our internal volunteer directory. Please email a photo that has a clear view of your face (selfie or photo with other people) to RCMG2@umn.edu. This is a tiny thumbnail but it’s invaluable to help us know who to look for at events during the year.
Logging Your Volunteer Hours
By now, interns should have received a rather lengthy email with instructions on how to log into the volunteer database on the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Volunteer website. Even if you don’t have any volunteer hours yet, it’s helpful to get this set up in advance.
The video tutorials are particularly helpful. If you have not received this email or have questions, please email mgweb@umn.edu.
Ramsey County Garden Education Volunteers’ Project Fair – 3/26
The annual Project & Activity Fair is a great chance for ALL volunteers to learn about the many types of volunteer activities that are available in the coming year. The 2026 Project Fair is scheduled at the Oval for Thursday, 3/26. Watch your email for a sign-up invite. Meanwhile, you can view the 2025 Project Directory here.
Volunteer Stories
Sea of Grass (Book Review)
The Book Club read and discussed Sea of Grass: the Conquest, Ruin, and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie in January. Authors Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty, both former environmental reporters at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, trace the tragic disappearance and near extinction of the American prairie. Fortunately, there are success stories of communities and environmental groups banding together to undo some of the damage. You can borrow a copy of this book or many others for continuing education credits but please remember to return books to the Lending Library once you complete them.
Volunteer Activities
New volunteer activities are announced on Thursday mornings and Sunday nights. If you are not receiving SignUp Genius notices, please contact please contact Brianna Gohde.
New Projects for 2026
If you are considering starting a new volunteer activity for this year, please complete the New Project Proposal Form.
Documenting your Volunteer Hours
The new database for logging your volunteer and continuing education is not yet available. You can keep track of your volunteer and continuing education hours on this form or continue to log hours on the old database on the state program website.
Ramsey County Monthly Meeting Volunteer Roles
Help out at the next monthly meeting. Every month we need volunteers to make our meetings run smoothly. We are looking for people to help with: Set-Up, Welcome table (Greeter), Journalists, Time Keeper, Zoom Aide, and Clean-up. Sign up to volunteer via Sign Up Genius.
Yard and Garden Phone Line: 3/07-3/13
Sign up to answer residents’ 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.
Lawns to Legumes Update & Spring Coaches Needed
Lawns to Legumes is seeking volunteers to coach grant recipients as they plan and plant their native gardens. Ramsey County Garden Education Volunteers are welcome to sign up as coaches and count time spent as volunteer hours. More information about coaching and the sign-up form are available on the Blue Thumbs website.
2026 Plant Sale: 5/16
The 2026 RCMG Plant Sale is scheduled for May 16. Volunteers will be needed for set-up on May 14-15 for and for the sale day. We are still looking for people to sign up to grow plants from seeds. The tabs on the linked page will give you options for tomatoes, vegetables, and herbs. There is also a tab for donating houseplants!
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.
February Monthly meeting: 2/17
The February 17th monthly meeting will be held via Zoom only. The education topic will be Homegrown National Park. Krista De Cooke will highlight the biodiversity crisis and why it matters. Homegrown National Park is a grassroots movement co-founded by Doug Tallamy that is mobilizing people across the country to restore habitat and build healthy ecosystems in their own yards and communities. Sign up for the monthly meeting here.
Education Meeting Recap
The January monthly meeting was held on 1/20 via Zoom. After a nonprofit board update by Beth Fritcher, John Loegering of U of M Extension, Crookston, provided a very informative and interesting presentation on Mitigating Wildlife Damage in Your Yard and Garden. If you missed a 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.
March 2026 Book Club: 3/24
The Ramsey County Garden Education Volunteer Book Club will meet on Tuesday, March 24th, to discuss Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane. Macfarlane, who is celebrated by The New York Times for his lyrical, effortless prose, turns his attention to one of humanity’s oldest and most urgent ideas: that rivers are not just waterways but living beings deserving of recognition, respect, and legal protection. Sign up to join the March 2026 Book Club.
Check out a Book from the Lending Library
If you are looking for some winter reading and inspiration, visit the RCMG Lending Library.
Core Course Access for Master Gardeners
As a certified, active Master Gardener volunteer, you have the opportunity to retake the Core Course at no charge. Many Master Gardener volunteers find that repeating this course from time to time keeps their skills and knowledge up-to-date.The time spent reviewing the course can count toward your required five hours of continuing education. Register here.
Gardening from the Ground Up 2026
University of Minnesota Extension educators are excited to offer the sixth annual Gardening from the Ground Up webinar series, a free weeklong program designed to help gardeners build skills from soil to harvest. The first session is scheduled for February 16th. Join us online for five focused, practical sessions led by Extension experts, covering everything from building healthy soil and understanding microbes and product labels, adapting to shifting growing conditions, and harvesting and storing produce for long-lasting quality.
Lawn Leaders
Lawn Leaders complete a mix of online and in‑person training focused on lawn care management, watering efficiency, and turfgrass establishment. After training, each volunteer hosts a small neighborhood event between May and October. Demonstration options, supplies, and handouts are provided. The estimated time commitment is about five hours of online learning and five hours of community engagement. Volunteers can choose the topics that best fit their neighborhood, and it continues to be a great fit for people who enjoy connecting with neighbors and sharing practical, research‑based lawn care information. If you would like to learn more about the program please contact: Gary Deters
Climate-Conscious Gardening: RCMG Climate Responsiveness Project
This month's Climate Responsiveness article is about making climate-conscious plant choices, in particular keystone plants. A keystone is the central stone at the top of an arch that holds the two sides together. In the natural world, the arch consists of the relationships between the native plants and insects which coevolved over time. Check out this blog post for more information.
Calendar
In-person office hours with Darren at the Maplewood Extension Office on Wednesdays (10am-2pm); reserve your time here. Contact him directly to schedule additional times.
2/17 – Monthly meeting (Zoom only)
3/07-3/13 – Yard & Garden Hotline shifts
3/10 – Board meeting
3/24 – Book Club Discussion
3/26 – Project Fair
5/14-5/15 – Plant sale set-up
Quick Links
RCMG Resources
Extension Resources
Access the MN Arboretum for free with code MG2026
