July 23, 2018 at 6:07 p.m.
Master Gardeners volunteer work adds up to healthy communities
Master Gardeners volunteer work adds up to healthy communities
In Oneida County alone, master gardeners put in 43,965 volunteer hours since 2000. In just 2017, that total was 1,297 hours. The estimated value of Master Gardeners' service in the state of Wisconsin in 2017 was $4.5 million. For 2018, there are 2,474 Master Gardener volunteers certified, 578 of which were newly trained in 2017.
Merry Lehner, who heads the Master Gardener training in Oneida County, presented information regarding how volunteers in the program help the community to the Oneida County Conservation and UW-Extension committee. She explained the role of Master Gardeners as a connection between the people of the state and the university system.
"We have such a network of specialists at the UW level," she told the group. "People call with all sorts of questions and sometimes we don't have the answer, but we have so many specialists to call, we can always find the answer." She provided the group with just a sampling of the types of calls the Extension office fields throughout the year, mostly during the growing season. Questions ranged from a need to ID tiny flies found dead on a windowsill or issues growing grass on a shady slope to who sells poultry to raise in Oneida County.
The main goal for Master Gardeners originally, Lehner said, was to assist the extension office with horticulture questions. At this time, there are four volunteers who come into the office and assist in that regard on a regular basis now. Not only do the volunteers assist with those questions, but they have also been trained to take in soil and water samples.
Master Gardeners also work in the community and provide a range of services. For instance, the gardens that welcome visitors to the courthouse, as well as other gardens in public areas around Rhinelander, are tended by the Master Gardeners. Growing native plants in these gardens, the Master Gardeners help pollinators by providing food and habitat with these gardens.
The garden at Central Elementary School was planted by students under the direction of local Master Gardeners as well. The garden itself was made possible due to a $1,500 grant in 2016 with an additional grant of $1,000 in 2017 to construct a higher fence to keep out deer.
Working in the community garden on Thayer Street in Rhinelander is a large undertaking and one in which the Master Gardeners take great pride. The Master Gardeners work side by side with volunteers to prepare, plant, weed and harvest the garden each year. The harvest is then brought to the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry for their customers. Each spring, the Master Gardeners of the North also raise tomato and pepper plants which they give to any customers of the food pantry who are looking to learn to grow their own food.
At the UW-Extension committee meeting, Bob Mott pointed out the Master Gardeners program showcases the mission of the UW-Extension program in general. It connects the citizens of the state with the university system to answer questions and to find direction in different areas. Anyone interested in learning more about the Master Gardeners program, or becoming a Master Gardener, can call Lehner at the UW-Extension office at 715-365-2750 or email her at merry.lehner@ces. uwex.edu.
Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].
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