Central Vermont Chapter Projects - uvm.edu
13
Central Vermont Chapter Projects
Transcript of Central Vermont Chapter Projects - uvm.edu
Central Vermont Chapter Projects
A Note to Interns and VolunteersAmong the perks and joys of volunteering is making new friends while spending time “getting dirty” among fellow gardeners who are also earning their hours. There are always volunteer opportunities that don’t require hands-on gardening along with many that do.
I encourage you to offer assistance with projects. Planners may not yet realize they need help with gardening plans, signage, landscaping or other tasks. Unless you offer suggestions or ask how you can help, you may never know.
The incredible, selfless work being done around the state by our EMGs continues to amaze me! Having worked many hours at the North Branch Nature Center as my project, I can safely say that I look forward to socializing with my friends while we plant, prune, weed, dig and tackle whatever task is needed. Everyone I have met has become a friend.
In my job as Northern Support, I have visited many projects and continue to marvel at their quality and diver-sity. How many pounds of food are grown and donated to food shelves around the state? How many non-gar-deners learn from what we are doing and go on to have successful gardens of their own? How many public places and spaces are enhanced by our work? It is appreciated by all who see the gardens or reap the benefits of our work.
Welcome to the program!
Kitty WernerNW, Central & NEK RegionsUVM Extension Master Gardener Program Support
Contents
The Garden at 485 Elm Street, Montpelier
North Branch Nature Center Educational Pollinator Garden
Kellogg-Hubbard Library Garden
George Aiken Native Plants Garden at the State House
Rusty Parker Memorial Park
Crops By Kids Partners, Barre Town Middle and Elementary School
Marvin Newton House
Justin Morrill Homestead
Cutler Memorial Library Garden
Central Chapter Annual Plant Sale
Montpelier Farmers Market—Ask a Master Gardener Table
Hunger Mountain Coop Rain Garden
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. Any reference to commercial products, trade names, or brand names is for information only, and no endorsement or approval is intended. 2/2018
The Garden at 485 Elm Street, MontpelierThe Elm Street Garden is a volunteer-run, shared community garden, which teaches gardeners everything from preparing the ground, planting, maintaining and composting, to pest control and harvesting. Members help with the entire garden, including growing extra food which is distributed to those in need through lo-cal church programs. Extension Master Gardener volunteers serve as garden mentors and teach classes. Elm Street Garden also partners with the Vermont Community Garden Network and the Montpelier Parks Depart-ment.
Sandy Paar has taken over as project leader of the extensive on-site composting project EMG/MC Hannah Morris set up in 2016.
Volunteer Wishlist: More volunteers to teach their gardeners.
Location: 485 Elm Street, Montpelier
Contact: Sheryl Rapée-Adams, [email protected], Composting: Sandy Paar, [email protected]
Website: www.thegardenat485elm.org
North Branch Nature Center Educational Pollinator GardenThe North Branch Nature Center is a 28-acre reserve along the Winooski River, which provides nature pro-grams and hosts events for those interested in learning more about the natural world. Its pollinator garden was established with the help of Extension Master Gardener volunteers to teach adults and children the im-portance of pollinators. Many of our EMG events are held at the Nature Center.
After the new Nature Center addition was built on the site of the old pollinator garden in 2017, EMG volun-teers started developing several new gardens including a bird sanctuary, native flower gardens and a bigger pollinator garden at the entrance area to the Center. It is a work in progress.
With the help of the Central Vermont Solid Waste District, the old composting operation is being transformed into a complete system, rather than simply cold compost bins.
Volunteer Wishlist: More volunteers to plant the new gardens and help with the composting.
Location: 713 Elm Street, Montpelier
Contact: Sandy Paar, [email protected]
Website: www.northbranchnaturecenter.org
Relaxing after a 2-hour planting session at the front of the new building. September 2017
Working in the former pollinator garden
Kellogg-Hubbard Library GardenLocated outside the entrance to the Children’s Library at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, this gar-den is a showcase and backdrop for teaching the public about gardening. Extension Master Gardener volun-teers help maintain the gardens and provide answers to questions from the public. The library has been host to many EMG-sponsored and garden-related public programs.
In 2018, volunteers will be revitalizing the composting operation with the addition of two donated compost-ing bins. Master Composters and interns are welcomed and encouraged to help.
Volunteer Wishlist: They could use some younger EMGs to help with the garden as the monumental wall garden (above) is getting harder to maintain for the older volunteers
Location: 135 Main Street, Montpelier,
Contact: Jane Lendway, [email protected]
Website: http://kellogghubbard.org
George Aiken Native Plants Garden at the State HouseThis demonstration garden at the Vermont State House educates visitors about the uses of Vermont native plants in their gardens to attract and feed native birds and wildlife.
EMG volunteers removed invasive plants and rebuilt the gardens under the direction of Jean Vissering, noted landscape designer. The project started as a joint venture with the Vermont Chapter of The Nature Conservan-cy and the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS). BGS provides help with watering and bringing in mulch for EMGs to spread, some tree pruning, and weed removal.
Volunteer Wishlist: More volunteers plus help planning and creating signage in the garden and materials for the public inside the State House.
Location: 115 State Street, Montpelier, behind the State House
Contact: Jane Lendway ([email protected]) and Georgia Valentine
Rusty Parker Memorial ParkThis demonstration garden is located in a popular public park in the heart of Waterbury. It funded by the Wa-terbury Rotary Club and supported by the Big Brother program. Many events are held here throughout the summer including a weekly farmers market and music events.
EMGs assist with design, planting and maintenance of the summer annual and perennial display. Volunteers mentor those new to the garden and coordinate schedules to foster interaction among all volunteers. Rotary work days are scheduled to allow EMGs to work with Rotarians, providing “how-to” mentoring. In the fall, the Big Brother organization is invited to the park to help rake and play in the leaves, plant daffodils, and talk about caring for other park plants. Students get hands-on experience, and learn how and why volunteers care for the garden and park. This makes learning fun for all!
Volunteer Wishlist: More volunteers and a co-leader
Location: Park Row, Waterbury
Contact: Denise Badowski, [email protected]
Crops By Kids Partners, Barre Town Middle and Elementary SchoolCrops by Kids teaches students about nutrition, fresh produce and plant life cycles through direct engage-ment with its onsite school garden. Produce is integrated into the school cafeteria food menu, and leftovers and garden cleanup are later composted. Extension Master Gardener volunteers partner with the Barre Town schools to train teachers in gardening skills, engage with the community, and maintain the garden during summer months. There is on-site composting -- and they use it!
Volunteer Wishlist: More volunteers! This group would like to have a Master Composter help educate the children and school community about composting.
Location: 70 Websterville Rd, Barre
Contact: Deb Curtis, [email protected]
Marvin Newton HouseThe Marvin Newton House is a historic house museum on the Vermont State Register of Historic Places. Many garden plants were changed over the years and were no longer historically accurate. With funding from the historical society, donations from volunteers, and efforts from Extension Master Gardeners, the gardens are slowly being restored to their original splendor.
Volunteer Wishlist: Volunteers are needed for many activities: placing identification markers on historically accurate plants; help with educational tours and educating the public on Vermont’s gardening past; staffing “Ask a Master Gardener” tables; upgrading gardens to maintain historical accuracy.
Location: 8 Ridge Road, Brookfield
Contact: Brigitte Lackey, [email protected]
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Newton_House
Justin Morrill HomesteadThe Justin Morrill Homestead is a state-owned historic site and includes a demonstration garden maintained by The Friends of the Morrill Homestead. This was the home and ornamental farm of Vermont Senator Justin Morrill, author of the Land Grant Act of 1862. The garden is available to Extension Master Gardener volunteers for teaching purposes and those who volunteer may help with educational events. EMG volunteers work with Margie Carpenter, landscape historian and head gardener, on restoration and maintenance of the gardens. This is also one of Professor Emeritus Leonard Perry’s favorite gardens to conduct plant trials, and one high-light is the children’s fairy garden, hidden in a copse of trees just above the demonstration garden.
Volunteer Wishlist: Margie can always use more volunteers in the garden.
Location: 214 Justin Morrill Highway, Strafford
Contact: Margie Carpenter, [email protected]
Website: http://historicsites.vermont.gov/directory/morrill/homestead
Cutler Memorial Library GardenThis historic garden is outside a restored 1938 library building in Plainfield. Extension Master Gardener vol-unteers meet on dedicated work days to provide assistance to community members who are interested in maintaining and learning from the garden. The project partners with the Library Trustees and the Friends of the Library.
Volunteer Wishlist: They can always use more volunteers to maintain this garden.
Location: 151 High Street, Plainfield
Contact: Heather Ellis-Lynch, [email protected]
Central Chapter Annual Plant SaleHeld each year on the first Saturday in June at the North Branch Nature Center, this popular plant sale is the chapter’s fundraiser. Opportunities for volunteering (and earning hours) include growing and/or potting up your own plants, helping organize the sale, collecting and delivering the plants to the sale, and helping on-site the day of the sale.
Volunteer Wishlist: More volunteers for plant prep, transport, pricing, selling!
Location: North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier
Contact: Joan Senecal, [email protected]
Website: http://centralvermontmastergardeners.org
Montpelier Farmers Market—Ask a Master Gardener TableThis Ask a Master Gardener informational table was located at the Montpelier (Capital City) Farmers Market, but has been dormant due to lack of volunteers. When active, the display is set up at least once a month. Ex-tension Master Gardener volunteers provide customers with science-based gardening advice.
EMGs interested in taking over leadership of this activity should contact Kim Raine (former coordinator) for more information.
Volunteer Wishlist: Volunteers! Someone to take this project over.
Location: 60 State Street, Montpelier
Contact: Kim Raine, [email protected]
Website: http://montpelierfarmersmarket.com/
Other Projects
Hunger Mountain Coop Rain GardenThe rain garden next to the Co-op parking lot catches and filters rain water runoff before it goes into the Winooski River. In the spring, sediment is cleaned out and hauled away, and the garden is made ready for the coming season.
Volunteer Wishlist: Volunteers!
Location: 623 Stone Cutters Way, Montpelier,
Contact: Sophie Nichol Sauvé, [email protected]
Website: http://www.hungermountain.coop/
