James City County/Williamsburg
Master Gardener Association
Projects/Programs for 2010

Home -> JCC/W MG Projects

I. External Projects
1. Community Outreach
2. Demonstration Projects
3. Health and Quality of Life Projects
4. Youth Programs
5. Special Projects
6. Stewardship Programs

II. Administrative Projects
1. Organizational Care
2. Fundraising Projects

III. Internal Education Projects

I. External Projects

1. Community Outreach

E1 Horticultural Help Desk -- Peg Crews pegcrews@cox.net 757-741-2991

The Help Desk is a service offered at the James City County Extension office and at the MG Farmers’ Market Booth to answer horticultural questions for homeowners. Citizens can call, e-mail, or come to the extension office or Farmers’ Market with questions or problems encountered in home gardening. An active master gardener or intern will research these questions and respond to the questioner. All information asked and answered is added to the electronic help desk, available at the JCC-MG website, designed to assist with gardening problems.

E2 Speakers’ Bureau -- Minouche Robinson minouche@cox.net 258-3467

Through the Speakers’ Bureau, Master Gardeners utilize their expertise, knowledge and awareness to educate the public on requested horticultural topics, using the guidelines of the Virginia Cooperative Extension. By creating a pool of active members, we are able to present a variety of formats to community groups. Topics available: Ask the Experts, Children and Youth Gardening, Demonstrations on Container Gardening and Composting, Landscape Design, The Master Gardener Program, Horticulture Topics, Therapeutic Gardening, Lawn Care, Gardening in Virginia, Water and Soil Conservation, and many others.

E3 Water-Wise Low Maintenance Gardening -- Harriett Parsons dparsons1@cox.net 253-0523 and Edith Schoenig edith.schoenig@cox.net 229-9358

The low-maintenance water-wise garden is located at the Human Resources Center (HRC) on Olde Towne Road.
HRC Garden: A variety of native and hardy drought tolerant perennial plants provide a showcase garden of low-maintenance requiring little watering. Many of the plants are identified with small plant markers to help educate the public. A large sign, identifying the garden as Water Wise Low Maintenance Garden created by the JCC/W Master Gardeners was installed in August 2003 courtesy of the James City Service Authority “Let’s Be Water Smart Program”. Master Gardeners maintain the garden throughout the year.

E7 Landscape Love -- Anne Nielsen anne-mail@cox.net 259-2455

Master Gardeners in 2-3 person teams visit homes to assist local residents with a variety of non-turf related problems. Our audience is local property owners requesting education about general (non-turf) landscaping topics, or if they are experiencing landscape problems and need assistance. We also see the potential of working with local homeowner community groups in either an educational or general problem solving capacity. Advice is offered on animal pests, flowers, groundcovers and mulch, insect pests, irrigation, landscape design, pruning, tree and shrub identification and care. The Landscape Love team has developed an extensive website database to help distribute landscape information to volunteers and homeowners (which can be accessed at http://jccwmg.org). There are two working sessions. The first is in the spring and generally runs from April15 to June 1. The second runs in the fall from September 15 to October 31. We do not operate Landscape Love during the summer. We typically have about 8-10 teams made up of experienced Master Gardeners and Interns. We try to limit the number of homeowner visits to 5 per team, per season.

E18   Farmers’ Market -- Art Gustafson arthurg@cox.net 564-1888 or Sally Sissel sissel@aol.com 258-9638

The Williamsburg Farmers’ Market is held on Saturdays at Merchants’ Square in downtown Williamsburg. The Master Gardeners have a booth there every other Saturday from 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. from May through October. Our booth is comprised of 3 tables under two canopies: one table provides turf information, one table provides general information and answers questions from the public (much like helpdesk at the extension office), and the third table varies from market to market. This table features a theme developed by various Master Gardener project volunteers. Themes have included herbs, vegetables, trees/shrubs, drought tolerant plants, plant propagation, perennials, etc. This project recruits 3 volunteers for each market at the helpdesk table while the turf and theme tables recruit their own volunteers.

E21 Turf Love -- Bob Winters robpwin@bellatlantic.net 564-1662

Turf Love is a partner program between Virginia Cooperative Extension, the James City Service Authority, and PRIDE.  Through public workshops and home visits, Master Gardener volunteers teach homeowners how to produce healthy turf while reducing the use of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides which pollute streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay.  Water conservation is also promoted through proper mowing techniques.  Information and answers to questions on lawn, soil and weeds are given at the MG Farmers’ Market booth every other week.  Turf Love is also part of the Master Gardener exhibit at the James City County Fair and various community gatherings. 

E23 Incredible Edibles -- Barbara Gustafson barbara-sg@cox.net and Art Gustafson arthurg@cox.net 564-1888

Incredible Edibles is designed to promote the use of locally-grown produce and to encourage the growing of one’s own fruit, herbs and vegetable, with a special emphasis on the underserved within the community. The primary program is focuses on parents at the Child Development Resources and is held every second week throughout the year. Programs are also conducted at the Farmers Market and at other sites within the community. New this year is an outreach program conducted in conjunction with the WJCC Community Action Agency teaching local high school students how to grow a community garden and distribute the harvest. This is held every Wednesday afternoon January through September.

E32 Pruning Clinics -- Carol Fryer cfryer@cox.net 220-0759

The Pruning Program is an environmental program that promotes sustainable landscapes. The program provides educational training to community groups and homeowners on pruning and care of ornamental shrubs and small trees. The program offers workshops and home-based pruning lessons for individual homeowners and small groups. Pruning sessions are scheduled in the winter/early spring. Homeowners and groups are instructed in pruning techniques, appropriate tools and are provided with additional resources on pruning instruction.

E37 Backyard Barrels and Bins -- Dennis Wool wool@cox.net 903-8064 and Roger Evans 206-1039

This sustainable and environmentally friendly project educates the public about how to make and use self watering container gardens and compost bins in order to make fresh grown vegetables available to everyone. The project will also build some containers and bins for display and sale at garden events.

E38 JCC Fair Participation and Display -- Jeanne Muller jmuller15@netscape.com 220-3689 and Greg Allen allensofva@verizon.net 258-5348

This project plans for the organization and participation of JCC Master Gardeners and JCC MG Projects in the annual JCC Fair. The Fair displays and presentations provide sustainable gardening information and educational materials to residents and homeowners in the area.

E39 Diagnostic Clinics -- Sherry Curtis sjcurtis@cox.net 880-2016

Diagnostic Clinics are held in the JCC Extension Office during late spring and early summer and at least once a season at the Williamsburg Farmers Market. The clinics are designed to provide public information and education on identifying plants, diagnosing pests and diseases and to provide information on proper, safe and environmentally conscious treatment of homeowner plant problems.

2. Demonstration Projects

E5 CW Learning Gardens -- Rebecca Sutton rebeccasutton@cox.net 259-2214

There are two Colonial Williamsburg learning, teaching, and demonstration gardens where Master Gardeners work.  The Reid and Shields gardens are both in the Historic Area and grow 18^th Century plants. Separate interest groups focus on different areas and are coordinated by the project chairman.  In addition, Master Gardeners, who have been trained and cleared by CW, lead educational “Meet the Gardener” tours through the Reid Garden on Mondays and Thursdays, April—October.  The Vegetable and Herbs Garden team members work weekly on Fridays, late February—November.  The Flowers Garden team members work weekly on Tuesdays, March—November.  The Orchard is used for pruning classes and is maintained by two master gardeners.  The Composting team works whenever a demonstration is needed.  Most work is done in the morning. NOTE: Volunteers in the Reid and Shields gardens must be willing to commit to a minimum of 30 hours annually.  Upon completion of the JCCW intern commitment, the newly designated Master Gardener may apply for any open CW garden volunteer position in the Reid or Shields.  All such persons will complete a CW application, be interviewed, and selected by CW personnel to fully qualify.  Any other JCCW MG may also follow this procedure in January of any year. 

E16 CW Greenhouse -- Jack Gross jack-gross@cox.net 229-3716

The CW Greenhouse Project provides a hands-on propagation, seedling and grafting learning experience for Master Gardeners. One of the most important goals of the nursery is providing flower, vegetable, herb and shrub material that was grown in Colonial times so that the public can be educated about Colonial plant material. The Greenhouse provides plant material to the Reid and Shields demonstration gardens. Horticultural research from the CW Greenhouse is shared with the EO MG Helpline. Volunteers at the greenhouse work with a variety of community organizations on educational projects.

E20 Melissa’s Meadow -- Grace Raymond  raymondgm@aol.com  566-3921

Melissa’s Meadow is a native plant meadow located on the campus of William and Mary.  It was designed and created as a joint project of the JCC/W Master Gardeners and members of the John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society.  Members of both groups share their skills in maintaining both the meadow and developing programs.  Presentations and seminars on drought-tolerant native plants grown in the meadow are conducted throughout the year, both formally and informally.  In the fall seeds are collected and made available to outreach programs, such as through the Farmers’ Market and several area elementary schools where they have become the beginning of school gardens. There are about a dozen newcomers as well as vintage Master Gardeners who maintain and monitor the meadow’s health. We generally meet every third Thursday throughout the growing season. This Meadow is a wonderful resource for newcomers to Virginia to learn what will work here in spite of drought and deer, who frequently sleep in the meadow!

E33 Mobile MG -- Denny Mehigan dmehigan@cox.net 220-8846

This project consists of a display board that extends outreach by focusing on different project conducted by Master Gardeners.  The board increases the participation of MG in community events where people work, live and play.  The board can be changed for each presentation and can highlight activities of interest.

E35 New Kent Demonstration Garden -- Sue Voigt svoigt1@cox.net 804-966-8487 and Ralph Ashton ralphashton1@verizon.net 804-932-9990.

This vegetable and fruit garden located behind the New Kent VCE Office at 11809 New Kent Highway, New Kent consists of 18 raised beds that demonstrate home gardening techniques. Plants include a variety of vegetable, herbs, berries and fruit trees. The garden, visible to the public, demonstrates water conservation and organic gardening techniques and use of companion plants to attract beneficial insects. It has a cold frame house for early propagation. The garden is maintained by New Kent MG’s and interns. It will be showcased at the New Kent Envirothon on April 17, 2010.

3. Health and Quality of Life Projects

E6 Therapeutic Gardening -- Barbara Gustafson barbara-sg@cox.net 564-1888 and Linda Lucas esllal@cox.net 565-0335

Therapeutic Gardening consists of a number of distinct programs at different facilities in the community. The goal of all these programs is to promote the well-being and quality of life of people with special needs through a variety of horticultural activities. The program at Spring House at Patriots Colony is for memory-impaired residents and starting in April will meet once a month. Programs at Woodhaven at Williamsburg Landing and Spring Arbor are for assisted-living residents. These programs meet twice a month from early April through August. At Methodist Respite Care Center, volunteers conduct a session once a month year-round with severely physically and emotionally handicapped adults. From February through June 2010 there will be a program at Eastern State Hospital (ESH) for adults with moderate mental or emotional illnesses. The ESH program will be held in their greenhouse.

4. Youth Programs

E27 Mattey’s Garden -- Genrose Lashinger glashinger@cox.net  221-0370

This garden is a hands-on outdoor classroom at Matthew Whaley Elementary, aligning the science curriculum and SOL’s with gardening activities.  Master Gardeners and volunteers from the American Herb Society help kindergarteners learn about seeds by growing salad vegetables and herbs.  The kindergarteners also have a butterfly garden.  First graders are involved in the Master Gardener Seeds of Learning Project, raising their own plants as well as reading literature about gardening and plants.  Second graders work and study in the garden with the Roots and Shoots program.  Third graders do a test garden with loam, clay and sand.  Sugar snap peas and decorative gourds are also grown in that area.  Gourds are harvested the following fall to be made into birdhouses. Fourth graders have a  4-H unit sowing plants grown in Colonial Virginia.  Fifth graders help prepare the garden for planting in the spring and putting the garden to bed in the fall.  Parents and other community volunteers also assist in all phases of the garden. 

E10 Seeds of Learning -- Pat Janot janotap@verizon.net and John Giffin giffinj@cox.net 345-5209

The Seeds of Learning project involves approximately 950 first grade students in all our elementary schools with four Master Gardener volunteers generally presenting the program to each class of 18-20 students in every first grade classroom in the Williamsburg-James City County School System. The objective is to introduce students to gardening using the Standards of Learning science curriculum as a guide. The demonstration lessons are designed to assist the teachers in meeting first grade SOL requirements regarding plants using hands-on interactive activities. Master Gardeners teach children about different types of seeds, growing requirements (soil, water, sun, and air), and how plants grow. The Seeds of Learning Project presents important concepts of science in a clear, non-threatening manner while meeting the Virginia Science Standards of Learning concerning plants for the first grade. SOL runs from April through early June.

E12  Youth Environmental Education -- Kari Abbott  bearsbasket@cox.net  564-4539

The Junior Master Gardener Program strengthens children’s knowledge of plants, animals, insects, and the environment, by supporting and reinforcing Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL’s) in a positive fun way.  Children learn to ask questions, find answers, increase their knowledge about the world and increase their skills in working with the land.  The impact on SOL's will be primarily in science, but with a literacy emphasis, it will enhance children's desire to read.  Volunteers act as school leads, classroom assistants or subject matter experts. 

E34 Educational Tours of the Ellipse Garden -- Helen Hamilton helen44@earthlink.net 564-4494 and Claire Britcher clairebritcher@verizon.net 229-7265

This project involves leading educational tours appropriate to the group and the season through the Ellipse Garden (Williamsburg Botanic Garden) in Freedom Park.

E36. Merrimac Detention Center -- Minouche Robinson minouche@cox.net 258-3467 and Helen Kidder greenground@earthlink.net 566-8285

This is a ten-week program offered a number of times during the year, by the Master Gardener Association, teaching horticulture skills to sentenced juvenile offenders between the ages of 14-17. The project objective is to expose the student to sound horticultural practices, through classroom lecture, guest speakers from the landscape industry, hands-on experience, and field trips, ultimately helping them develop a horticultural portfolio and earn a skills certificate. These classes earn the student credit towards SOL requirements and/or a GED. Classes meet once a week for one hour during the winter/spring months. Topics covered are: Working in the horticulture industry, propagation, insects and diseases, weed identification and soils, woody plants and pruning, grafting, and herb and vegetable gardening.

5. Special Projects

E9 VCE Special Projects -- Doris Heath dheath@vt.edu  564-2170