Outagamie County Master Gardener Volunteers

Report of 2007 accomplishments

As of 1 October 2007, 109 MGV’s of Outagamie County submitted 8,147 qualifying hours for recertification. This consists of:

• 317 hours - Youth Education
• 599 hours - Community Education
• 5,418 hours - Support Services
• 1,813 hours - Continuing Education

We had 52 sanctioned projects. Over half of these are projects continued from year to year. Our MGV’s continue to provide guidance and direction to others in the maintenance of the project.

Once again, our Education Committee was very busy with support to our 13-week Basic Class and Garden Expectations, our annual conference that is held in March. This conference is open to the public and provides a full day of educational seminars. As well as offering advanced workshops to MGV’s in specialized areas, and maintaining and updating our growing resource library, they administered the program which provided subsidized tuition to 3 students who had applied for the Basic Class and requested financial aid.

The plant sale was another smashing success, as many members grew and donated thousands of plants. Two of the major highlights of the sale are the presence of our MGV’s acting as personal shoppers to assist the community in choosing the appropriate plants for their garden situation and a booth to diagnose problems and diseases.

A major beneficiary of the proceeds of the plant sale is the solid-structure greenhouse that we have purchased and will be using for growing plants for the sale and teaching care and propagation techniques to the Basic Class as well as the general public.

Our major point of focus this year was assisting the UW-Extension in its educational mission.

• The front entry garden was redone with more cutting edge plants and trees. All specimens now are marked with tall metal markers listing both the botanical and common names of the plants. It is a way of introducing varieties to the public. This garden also contains a “Fairy Garden” featuring miniatures. Another garden, featuring shade plants, is the “Memory Garden.” This garden also contains rocks engraved with the names of our departed members as well as a granite bench where one can sit and reflect on the beauty of nature and the impermanence of life.
• Our members manned the Hort Hot Line one morning a week from May through September. This accounted for 76 service hours contributed by 6 people.
• The Downtown Appleton Farmers Market Informational Booth is another important outreach. This market is the largest in northeast Wisconsin. Seventeen MGV’s manned the booth, distributing informational materials and giving horticultural and gardening advice for five hours on 10 Saturday mornings.
• In addition, we have given a sizable financial donation to help defray the UW-Extension office expenses for printing materials and brochures.
  
  

Submitted by Mary Moreau,

President of Outagamie County Master Gardener Volunteers