Master Gardener Annual Awards LUNCH

Wednesday, September 10

Sisters of St Joseph, Brentwood

Come one, come all.

Please note our location.

Our Annual Awards lunch will NOT be at Suffolk Farm in Yaphank.

SCHEDULE of EVENTS

10:30 -11:30am

LINPI (Long Island Native Plant Initiative) will be open for sale of their locally-sourced native plants. Thanks, Greg, for opening for us! (See the orange star on the map below for LINPI location.)

Noon-1pm

Lunch & Awards. We're keeping it simple this year. No potluck. Bring your own lunch and beverage. Thanks to those of you who let me know about earned pins. WHO still needs to tell me about accumulated legacy hours? See the Master Gardener pin benchmarks image below. Drop me a note at rz378@cornell.edu. Please wear your MG badges. We'll gather inside at the red pointer on map for LUNCH

Cornell signs will be posted.

1-2pm

Restored Meadow Tour on the Sr. of St Joseph property with site ecologist Heather Coste.

See the green triangle for where to park. PARK HERE

Suggestion.

Use the Second Avenue entrance to the Sr. St. Joseph property marked in the the yellow arrow on the map below.

New Continuing Education Opportunities

Some of you know that I spent most of my career as a college professor. That's why it was well within my wheelhouse to introduce two new courses to the Cornell Extension Suffolk lineup: Joy of Gardening and more recently, Coastal Gardening. It has been my pleasure to see Master Gardeners in both of these courses that were designed for the greater Suffolk community.

Whether teaching familiar courses or new ones, September has always been a special month for me as it marked the return to the classroom. What can I do for Suffolk Master Gardeners to ring those September school year bells this year?

Continuing education is an ideal way to learn more about a topic of gardening interest. Continuing education is also another way to earn MGV hours.

Over the years, a couple of you have asked me what COURSES can be explored beyond Master Gardener Training.

Let me refer you to two COURSES that are free, resonate with the Cornell Master Gardener mission, and are accessible to anyone with a computer.

MASTER RAIN GARDENER and MASTER COMPOSTER

I’m taking the Rain Gardener course (7 modules, 4-6 hours to complete, online, no schedule, no cost) offered by the University of Connecticut. Start here for details. https://clear.uconn.edu/training/uconn-clear-training-courses/rain-garden-design-installation-and-maintenance-course/

I’ll be taking the Master Composter course next. (8 topics, 8-10 hours to complete, no schedule, no course fee) offered by Michigan State University. Start here for more details.  https://www.canr.msu.edu/courses/master-composter-online-course

What if a couple of Master Gardeners pursued these online courses above on their own? Maybe this fall? Maybe during the winter? Once completed, I’d be happy to add complementary field experiences to give you recognition as either a Suffolk Master Rain Gardener and/or a Suffolk Master Composter. WOW! Maybe another badge or pin and a tee shirt?

Let the school bell ring!

Too, if any Master Gardener would like to assist me in developing this possible initiative for Master Rain Gardener or Composter program recognition, please drop me a note. Remember. Helping me earns you MGV hours. rz378@cornell.edu

Looking Ahead to 2026

SPRING GARDENING SCHOOL and MAYFEST

I've heard the friendly suggestion that we should offer some NEW programs for our day-long gardening events. Here's what you can do to make this easy. Send me a note. Maybe that's a class on "Gardens in Small Spaces,"

or " A Cut Flower Garden or...."

More importantly, if you can offer a new or new version of a prior program, likewise drop me a note. Maybe that's a "Moon Garden for Pollinators,"

"The Beauty of Peonies," or....

What you'd like to take or what you can offer.....

rz378@cornell.edu

Congratulations to Master Gardeners Deb Hryvniak, Maureen Preziosi, Eileen Culhane, Gina Ristau, Joseph Hinton and Monica Zenyuh for the completion of their first 125 hours volunteering as a Master Gardener. Thanks, Gina, for donating the volunteer fee back to the Master Gardener Program.

Master Gardeners. Please check the list below to identify the pins you have earned, but not yet received.



Please send me an email asap with pins in the subject line if you'd like to receive these pins at the Annual Awards on Sept. 10. If unable to attend, please ask a Master Gardener to pick up for you. Many thanks! rz378@cornell.edu

Remember you’re responsible for keeping track of your hours: 1) the number of hours since January of this calendar year and 2) the LEGACY number of hours prior to this calendar year 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. Please keep YOUR RECORD (where & when) of these first 125 hours as they need to be submitted for anyone pursuing return of the $125 fee.

The Master Gardener reporting volunteers hours survey is linked here. https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aiagRHzCO3z8smO

Here's the MG Approved Site List.

This list is revisited by the Master Gardener Advisory Committee each year.

Native Garden Crawl Saturday, September 13

9-noon

Quogue, Quiogue & Remsenberg

Meet at the Quogue Library for the locations of the other 5 private gardens. Garden hosts will be available at each site to answer gardening questions. See the flyer above for more details.

NATIVE LANDSCAPE SITE

Saturday, September 20

10am-1pm

962 Springs Fireplace Rd. East Hampton



PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

30 person limit.

Contact MG Patty Collins pcollins44@yahoo.com

Tour the Marshouse grounds of native landscape designer Edwina Von Gal. Allow time for travel delays through the Hamptons. Carpool if possible.





This newsletter is posted on our MG webpage linked here.https://ccesuffolk.org/gardening/master-gardener-volunteers

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.