- Author: Missy Gable
With the events of late May 2020 to the present, it has become more important than ever to eliminate racism and anti-Blackness in our workplaces, in our classrooms, and in our lives. UC and UCANR students, academics, staff, and community members have initiated events and posted resources for personnel interested in supporting colleagues and furthering their own learning. We at the UC Master Gardener Program are committed to reviewing our policies and practices and institute change that will lead us to a more equitable and brighter future.
Using resources thoughtfully compiled by Marisa, Melissa has built a new Racial Equity Resources webpage on the UC Master Gardener Coordinator website.
The following resources are now available:
- Racial Equity Resources webpage
- Racial Equity in the Garden Presentaion (PDF)
- A portion of the Racial Equity in the Garden presentation was recorded and will be uploaded to YouTube early next week. A notification will be posted in this discussion thread once the recording is available.
If you have any questions about racial equity resources, concerns about program policies or would like to have a dialog about our program's goals around diversity, equity and inclusion, please reach out to Marisa Coyne and or Missy Gable.
Racial Equity Brown Bag Webinar (PDF)
- Author: Melissa G. Womack
UC Master Gardener Program Coordinators, Marcy Sousa and Maggie O'Neill, were recognized at this years 2019/20 STAR Awards for their incredible contributions and collaborative spirits for the UC Master Gardener Program and UC ANR.
INDIVIDUAL UC ANR STAR AWARD:
San Joaquin County
Stanislaus County has long desired a UC Master Gardener Program to support gardening questions to its residents. When it was able to secure funds to support a program coordinator position in late 2018, it was becoming clear that it was going to be a challenge to recruit and screen candidates for the new class of volunteers and provide a comprehensive training program by January of 2019. That was when Marcy Sousa, program coordinator in the neighboring county of San Joaquin, jumped into action and offered to fill host the Stanislaus trainees with her own.
Each week, the UC Master Gardener Program of Stanislaus County class of 23 trainees joined Marcy's already large class of 40 people. The additional trainees required extra time, planning, and coordination - plus mentorship of Stanislaus' new program coordinator Anne Schellman. Because of Marcy's extraordinary effort, Stanislaus County was able to graduate their first class of volunteers in May 2019, instead of having to wait another year.
“We couldn't have started our brand new UC Master Gardener Program in Stanislaus County without her hard work and help!” says Anne Schellman. "When it was time for Stanislaus County to start our own training program, I called Marcy multiple times each week for advice that she willingly gave. Marcy's enthusiasm, helpful nature, and generosity allowed me to develop Stanislaus' 2020 UC Master Gardener Program that just finished up via Zoom training. Our program would not be as rigorous or well-developed had it not been for Marcy's invaluable help.”
Not only does Marcy mentor and support fellow UC Master Gardener program coordinators, but she also supports the entire program serving on the UC Master Gardener Program's advisory committee. In this role, Marcy is crucial in helping to develop and review program policies, impact evaluation efforts, and provide guidance for the future direction of the program - all while running a robust program in San Joaquin County!
TEAM UC ANR STAR AWARD:
Maggie O'Neill
San Bernardino County
UCCE San Bernardino Program 'Integration Stars'
The UCCE San Bernardino Program 'Integration Stars' have been working hard to create a seamless, meaningful program integration that benefits all three of ANR's statewide programs: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), Master Gardener Program (MG) and Master Food Preservers Program (MFP). Maggie O'Neill played an important role on this team as they worked together to overlay and integrate programming to maximize benefits for San Bernardino County residents.
"I am thrilled to learn that 'Team UCCE San Bernardino County' was recognized by UC ANR leadership for their hands-on education across our MG, MFP, and EFNEP programs to help adults and children in underserved communities learn how to grow and preserve their own food and improve their health and diets," says Janet Hartin, Area Environmental Horticulture Advisor and County Co-Director.
During the 2018-2019 school year, building on the strength of EFNEP's relationship with schools, UCCE San Bernardino County started to incorporate UC Master Gardener and UC Master Food Preserver programs in the school setting. School administrators and staff see this addition as “value-added” to EFNEP and are more welcoming. Since 2018, the UCCE San Bernardino 'Integration Stars' have demonstrated program synergy at several schools in San Bernardino County. Jones Elementary was the first pilot school, where EFNEP provided nutrition education to youth in all first to third grade classrooms, followed by parent education from the Eating Smart Being Active series, two UC master Gardener Program classes on growing herbs and growing food in small spaces, and a UC Master Food Preserver class on food preservation. In addition, Maggie helped troubleshoot the challenges with school garden vandalism by switching to a garden cart on wheels and entertaining the children with worms in hand-on vermicomposting demonstrations.
Within the two-year span, the UCCE San Bernardino 'Integration Stars' have come together to reach more youth and families than would have been reached separately. Even more importantly, the Integration Team connected the dots for program recipients, teaching them how growing and preserving their own food directly relates to a healthier diet and lifestyle leading to a higher quality of life.
UCCE San Bernardino Program 'Integration Stars' Team Members:
- Christine Davidson
- Dee Denton
- Dalila Lizarraga
- Marilynn Ljungberg
- Maggie O'Neill
- Roxana Puentes
- Clara Wilshire
For details about the achievements of the STAR winners, see the recording of the June event posted at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/All_Hands.
- Author: Missy Gable
Our community has made incredible strides in growing our virtual presence. Programs are hosting workshops via Zoom, drop-in training on Facebook Live, and broadly sharing educational videos via YouTube. Measuring and communicating the impact of these virtual activities is critical as all of us work to maintain and or grow our budget support.
We're currently pulling together ideas and testing methods for collecting contact information in virtual events. The statewide office will meet with the new Director of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights at NIFA to request a review of the program's contacting reporting practices both for in-person and for virtual events.
In the near future, we will be adding guidance on evaluating virtual event to the evaluation webpage on the Coordinator website. Updates and guidance will be communicated via the UC Master Gardener Coordinator Collaborative Tools group.
Questions? Contact:
Tamekia Wilkins
Program Evaluation Coordinator
twilkins@ucanr.edu
- Author: Missy Gable
These resources have been published online and were announced on the UC Master Gardener Coordinator Collaborative Tools group:
- COVID-19 Phase 2 Information for UC ANR Programs and Volunteers
- COVID-19 Safety Requirements for Help Desks
- COVID-19 Related Safety Requirements for Demonstration Gardens
- COVID-19 Related Safety Requirements for Farmers Markets
All UC Master Gardener Program activities continue to need County Director approval at this time. The County Director at your location has or is developing a county location safety plan that outlines activities approved to resume at your location during Phase 2. The safety requirements created for UC Master Gardener Program activities are intended to assist County Directors in the development of these plans.
As we slowly resume activity, UC ANR is working to provide disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes at each location (as long as these items are available in the supply chain). County Directors are able to request personal protective equipment once their county location safety plan is approved. If your county is resuming any activities that include volunteers, please be sure that volunteers are included in the estimate for needed personal protective equipment at your location.
Portable Handwashing Station
If your volunteers are interested in creating a hand washing station for your demonstration garden, our colleagues at the University of Minnesota have created a short video entitled ‘How to build a portable handwashing station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMa5OTa3PnU.
Thank you all for your continued flexibility as we navigate life and programming during COVID. Please continue to share successful program and extension models with our community via the Master Gardener Coordinator Collaborative Tools group so we can learn from one another. Communication is key to our success moving forward and I'm grateful that our community cares and shares so readily!
Questions? Contact:
Missy Gable
Statewide Program Director
mjgable@ucanr.edu
Brian Oatman
Director, Risk & Safety Services
baoatman@ucanr.edu
- Author: Lauren Snowden
Although the in-person 2020 UC Master Gardener Conference has been rescheduled for 2021 we will be hosting a FREE virtual mini-conference Sept. 29 – Oct. 1.
Pick and choose what sessions to attend, if you can't make it LIVE all sessions are being recorded. Everyone is welcome, even the public! Once we have confirmed speakers a webpage with the agenda will be released for all to share.
Stay up to date on the latest virtual mini-conference news by reading the statewide blog and checking your email for updates from the statewide office.
2020 Search for Excellence in Judging Phase
The Search for Excellence (SFE) competition is an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the tremendous talents of UC Master Gardener volunteers from across the state. County programs were invited to submit educational and innovative projects for consideration, the application window closed on April 28 with 17 applications.
The published online SFE timeline for judging, awarding and presenting will again be adjusted to accommodate and reflect new judges, winner celebration and presentations. 2020 SFE winners will be featured on the statewide blog and online through sessions at the online mini conference this fall (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1).
