Less Noise, More Green: My Year as a URI Master Gardener

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

My Year as a URI Master Gardener

URI Master Gardener Program
The Produce Donation Project at Roger Williams Park in Providence, RI




When I look back over 2013, many of my fondest gardening memories involve being a Master Gardener. It really was a large part of my life.  I completed my training at the University of Rhode Island in April and quickly met the volunteer requirement. In total, I have volunteered almost 400 hours in 2013!

I became aware of the Master Gardeners in 2012 when I volunteered on a new permaculture project, still in the design stages, which was being installed by URI in a large city park near where I live. I was looking for a community gardening project to get involved with and this was perfect. Many of the people involved were Master Gardeners and I quickly realized that I had found 'my people'. They had the same passion and drive as I did for gardening and encouraged me to apply for the program. I spent that summer working on the Edible Forest Garden as well as in the adjacent Community Garden where a food donation Master Gardener project was flourishing.




Lynne Farr, Me and Sharon Clingham. These ladies are two of the Project Leaders. I do what they tell me coz I love 'em.



Over the course of 2013 I found myself involved in a lot of different projects, meeting lots of new people and learning, learning, learning. What I love about Master Gardeners are their willingness to share what they know and their encouragement when they see you pursuing your interests. There are opportunities to learn about any and all aspects of gardening. It is really a lot of fun!


Lynne, Mitch Williams and myself manning the Food Safety Booth at an indoor farmers market.



This year I volunteered on: the Edible Forest Project; Rhody Native Projects,which promote the use and protection of native Rhode Island plants in landscapes; the installation of water filtration gardens at Roger Williams Park to address storm water run off; I wrote many blog entries for the Providence Journal's online gardening blog; attended classes to become a Food Safety Specialist and almost completed the volunteer hours and served on the Image Committee. Phew!


PDP. Tom Piecuch in the background working hard.



My first love, however, remains the Produce Donation Project at the Community Garden. The leaders of this project are very dear to me and one of them, Lynne, is my Master Gardener mentor (I call her Momma Lynne because she takes such good care of me).

There are sixteen or so of us who regularly volunteered on this project. We nurtured these plants, from seed and seedling all the way through their harvest and donation to local food pantries and soup kitchen. This year we battled disease, pests, weather and produce theft. It was hard work, but I had an absolute blast. We laughed so hard at times it hurt. We despaired over the loss of the entire potato crop, then squealed in glee as we dug up sweet potatoes the size of our heads! In the end we harvested 1,650 pounds of food that fed those in need in our neighborhood. It doesn't get any better than that.


PDP: Tom still working hard.



I started writing a weekly newsletter for the Project and that, along with the ProJo blog, really was the impetus behind my starting Less Noise, More Green. I had forgotten how much I love to write and now I had a new passion to write about.


Lynne, myself, Sharon and Kathy. The PDP beds are in the front and the community garden beds are in the back.


As 2014 begins, the planning for many of these projects will begin as well. I'm excited to see what improvements we will make to the Donation Project this year and what new crops we'll try. I will be working on some new marketing projects for the URI Master Gardener Association and I'm excited about that as well. In the spring it will be time to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty with my friends again. I wonder what they will teach me this year?


PDP: This garden is quite magical on a summer's evening.



If you are looking for a gardening community to become involved with, I would highly recommend seeking out your state Master Gardener Association. It could be the start of a long meaningful relationship.


PDP beds at the height of summer.



See you in the garden,

Sue

Did you know Less Noise, More Green has a Pinterest site? Click through to Pinterest using the tab at the top of this page. Hit follow and never miss a new pin!

16 comments:

  1. A bonsai tree is both a great gift for yourself and others. It is a gift that keeps on giving because you can enjoy taking care of it and watching it grow. www.BonsaiTreeGardener.net

    ReplyDelete
  2. On a bit of paper, have a format of your garden shed plans. One needs not to be a draftsman or architect for this issue; a fundamental plan of the garden shed -, for example, what it would seem that like - will do since this will just fill in as a manual for the craftsman or creator in building the shed.Home Town Gardener

    ReplyDelete
  3. Others don't have this quality and think that its exceptionally hard to envision how the space will function. ThankYourGarden

    ReplyDelete
  4. The designing of the hose pipes follows two criterions, those that work under positive pressure meaning the pressure is from inside and can therefore burst, these are called discharge hose pipes. gas transfer hose

    ReplyDelete
  5. it was a wonderful chance to visit this kind of site and I am happy to know. thank you so much for giving us a chance to have this opportunity.. discharge hose

    ReplyDelete
  6. Aside from the space available, decide also which part of the garden it will be located. garden fountains

    ReplyDelete
  7. The main role of the private garden is to bolster a family. A relentless supply of home developed vegetables can not just bolster your family now, gardeners Luton Bedfordshire

    ReplyDelete
  8. The microbes or small scale living beings in the dirt would regularly separate natural issue into plant supplements, and help convert nitrogen from the air into a plant-usable frame.organic fertilizer

    ReplyDelete

  9. Charcoal is extraordinary in certain conditions and can give you a definitive smoky taste to your nourishment; in any case, it can likewise be volatile and hard to utilize. https://allbestchoices.com/

    ReplyDelete
  10. The tomatoes we buy in the stores are mass delivered without any respects for taste. I can in any case recollect the primary tomato (Tiny Tim) I ate out of my first greenery enclosure. Byhttps://vegetableflowergarden.com/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Cooperative Extension Office: The Cooperative Extension System is an across the country organize.find a review of best lawn mowers on doctorgardening.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your selection of topic is very good and also well written. Thanks for sharing. I feel like all your ideas are incredible! Great job

    ReplyDelete
  13. Really appreciate this wonderful post that you have provided for us.Great site and a great topic as well i really get amazed to read this. It's really good.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Awesome blog. I enjoyed reading your articles. This is truly a great read for me. I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles. Keep up the good work! أفضل شركة تصميم حدائق

    ReplyDelete
  15. Should the average homeowner know anything about home building and construction? Ideally, the answer to this question should be no because it is expected that the contractor be the one to take care of everything for the homeowner. The problem is that there are a lot of things that calls for some awareness on the part of the homeowner as far as knowledge about home construction is concerned.Alexandria apartments

    ReplyDelete
  16. Experienced contractors bring a wealth of knowledge gained from working on numerous projects. They have encountered various construction scenarios and know how to handle them efficiently. Their experience enables them to anticipate potential issues, offer practical solutions, and ensure a smoother construction process.chevron wood flooring

    ReplyDelete