SHARE:  

October 2024

ANNUAL MASTER GARDENER RECOGNITION


What a treat to celebrate Master Gardeners at our Annual Recognition Lunch at Suffolk Farm. The much-deserved NY State MG colored pins were awarded based on volunteer hours and years of service. Those earning the green pins for the initial 125 hours were MGs Deb Davenport, Rita Moloney, Cynthia Ackerman, Kathy Dhundale, Karen Andres, Marty Garbarino, Carmela Carlin, Anahi Schaefer, Nancy Dickey,  Carol Holmes, and Beth Sutherland. For 350 cumulative hours, the red pins were awarded to Lory Henning, Ginger Baer, and Khadja Yannin. Blue pins for 700 cumulative hours were awarded to Bonnie Yellin, Pat and John Sperandeno. The purple pin is awarded to a Master Gardener with over 1000 cumulative hours and 20 years of service. This year we had one purple pin awarded to Nancy Smith. Congratulations to all the award recipients!


In Suffolk County we also honor one Master Gardener Volunteer each year for many outstanding contributions. Lynn Maher, MG Volunteer of the year 2021, finally got her sunflower pin. (Thanks for your patience, Lynn.) This year Hope Kranidis earned that Master Gardener award. Of special note. There is no NY State MG pin for more than 30 years of service. How fortunate we are to have MG Lin Schyler who has been volunteering all these years. We honor Lin her with a sunflower pin as well. To all, wear your pins in pride.


MG shirts from another year found their way to our celebration. One of the questions around the pile of t-shirts was inevitable. "When can I buy the vest, the apron and the denim shirt?"  The answer is regrettably outside my control. Cornell informs us when and only when the (copyright) MG swag is for sale. And there’s been no mention of a sale this calendar year. One of our MGS had a good idea. Why not send Cornell an order for a number of items? I’m exploring this approach.  


 

COMMUNITY OUTREACH


As you know, educational outreach is a key mission of the Master Gardener program. Master Gardeners are advocates for the best gardening practices across Suffolk County. When we collaborate with kindred organizations, Suffolk Master Gardeners are joining others in spreading the word and examples in their communities. Five recent examples deserve recognition. I’ve included photos when available.


A Methodist Church in Dix Hills asked for an Master Gardener site visit to their community garden on the church property. They wanted to figure out how they can improve their garden soil, increase vegetable output and levels of participant engagement. Thanks to MGs Carolyn Gee and Bonnie Yellin who made the site visit. They met with the Dix Hills leadership at their garden and advised them going forward.

 

On Saturday, September 14th, Suffolk Alliance for Pollinator Master Gardeners Alexandra Carnicorm (event organizer), Hope Kranidis, Carolyn Gee, Tara Sammis and Nancy Dickey hosted the last Plant Swap of the season at the Huntington Station Library. Plant selections available were houseplants and perennials along with a large selection of native plants including butterflyweed, cardinal flower, rudbeckia,coneflower, and goldenrod. The word about the importance of native plants is spreading in Western Suffolk.

   

A special thanks to our MGs Kathy Dhundale and Jeanne Branna who served as the key resources for Long Island librarians. Working directly with the Long Island Librarian Network who curate seed libraries at their home libraries, the Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators/Mid-Suffolk hosted a pollinator garden tour for twenty-eight librarian participants in September. Starting at the ReWild-supported garden at the Havens Homestead in Center Moriches, the librarians learned the benefits of offering native seeds to their patrons and gathered seeds for use in their home gardens. At nearby Ketcham Inn, they toured the vegetable garden where produce is grown to donate to local food pantries, the all-white-plant boxwood garden, and the kitchen garden. Of course, the librarians also visited the Book Barn at the site!

 

Members of the Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators/North Fork, hosted Seed Saving program demonstrations at the Southold library. Thanks to MGs Deb Kimmelman, Nancy DePas Reinertsen and Linda Carlson who shared the message how to save the native plant seeds for the next season.


Also on the North Fork, the Southold Civic Association held a garden tour session with the Peconic Estuary Partnership (PEP) and ReWild. MG Nancy DePas Reinertsen guided this effort that included a residential meadow and garden adjacent to the Peconic Bay. Gardening strategies to deal with storm water runoff on residential properties were featured.

Thanks to all the Master Gardeners volunteering under the Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators umbrella. We're making a difference in our communities!









Some of you may know landscape designer Edwina Von Gal from the launch of the Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators. Her organization, PRFCT Earth, is happy to announce the Living Lands LI program. Tim Wheeler is the LL LI managing representative offering free site visits to South Fork property owners to help them transition to toxic-free nature based. More info and sign up here: https://perfectearthproject.org/living-lands/


MASTER GARDENER ADVISORY COMMITTEE


The Master Gardener Advisory Committee (MGAC) continues working on the MG Approved Site List. Please understand this is an ongoing work in progress with the new 'Provisional' sites noted. Here's a link to the current Master Gardener Approved Sites. Please drop a note to Chris DeSantis with any questions.


In 2023, MGAC accepted 5 new sites with PROVISIONAL status. The MGs who proposed these sites for the Approved List are working with MGAC over a two year period to determine if these sites should be added to our list because of their potential educational outreach, commitment of other volunteers including Master Gardeners, and site support. (The sites are: Yaphank Historical Society, Comeswogue Community Garden, Greenlawn LIRR Station, Nissequogue State Park and Brookside State Park.) Master Gardeners are welcome to volunteer at these sites.


The MGAC decided that since these 5 provisional sites remain under review until the end of 2025, it's not wise to open the MG process up for new site applications until January of 2026. Our moratorium on new site applications remains in effect until then.

MG Volunteer Hours

Submit your volunteer hours before you forget them. Please complete the Qualtrics Volunteer survey linked here. https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aiagRHzCO3z8smO

 

Remember you’re responsible for keeping track of your hours. We need the total number of hours per this calendar year as well as your legacy hours since you became a Master Gardener. Those working on their first 125 volunteer hours need to contact me directly via email when 125 hours are satisfied.



_________________

Volunteer Opportunity

Thanks to a grant from the Long Island Sound Study, I've been working with the NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on offering a new course to the public at large about better ways to garden given our proximity to the Long Island Sound.


I'm looking for MG Teaching Assistants for this 5 plus week hybrid course that launches in February, 2025.


Content will cover themes familiar to Master Gardeners: storm water management, rain gardens, native plants, lawn reduction, soil health and fresh water use. In this pilot offering, Coastal Gardening hopes to attract civic representatives from townships that border the Sound.


The hybrid course of in-person and online learning is scheduled for February until early March. Field trips are planned for later in the Spring in Northport and Nissequogue State Park.


Teaching assistants must be available to meet in person in February and March.



If interested in a TA position, please drop me a note with COASTAL GARDENING in the subject line. rz378@cornell.edu

CONTINUING EDUCATION


The Massachusetts Pollinator Network hosts monthly presentations by field experts. These presentations are on zoom; register to get the link.


Tues., October 29th - Less is More: Eco-Friendly Fall Cleanup, with Heidi Dollard


Tues.November 12th - Night Pollinators, Emily May of Xerces Society

Greenlawn Fall Clean Up Day

Saturday, October 5  9-11AM (Raindate: October 6 9-11 AM)

 

The Greenlawn Native Garden, along the pedestrian walkway parallel to the tracks at the LIRR Train Station, is looking for CCE Master Gardeners to help local volunteers differentiate pollinators from invasives as they weed and lay mulch paths. This activity is part of the Greenlawn CleanUp Day, bringing people together to care for their community.


Contact MG Susan Matthews

 

Cell phone: 631-223-5846

susmatt3@gmail.com



 "UNLAWNING AMERICA"


Join Doug Tallamy's Homegrown National Park for a 90 minute session with designer Benjamin Vogt on Thursday, October 10th at 12:30 PM CDT 

(1:30 EDT) for a 90-minute session where you’ll learn:

  • Selecting native plants
  • The benefits of matrix design
  • Site preparation and maintenance
  • Tips for removing lawn

Event Details:

  • 💻 Location: Virtual (Zoom link will be sent on registration, with replay available
  • 🎟 Tickets: $25

Register







This newsletter is posted on our MG webpage linked here.


If you have photos or news to share in the newsletter, you can email me at rz378@cornell.edu


Or...


Post photos, events and news on our Master Gardener facebook page.


Here's the facebook link. https://www.facebook.com/groups/106946829922350/


Happy Gardening!

Roxanne Zimmer



 423 Griffing Avenue, Suite 100, Riverhead, NY 11901-3071
631-727-7850

Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.
 
Cornell Cooperative Extension is funded in part by Suffolk County through the office of the County Executive, and the County Legislature. 

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram