By Lisa Phillips
Photos by Dan Chavez
I am Lisa Phillips, a Year 1 UC Master Gardener, Class of 2025. The best advice at graduation was to sample everything and then decide where you fit. Here's what I did!
Our Garden - My time at OG gave me a whole arc of hands-on experience. In the spring, I staked new tomato seedlings. Mid-summer, I harvested lettuce, and late summer, I pulled spent plants and planted cover crops.
OG Talks - Those weekly summer talks under the oaks were heavenly. Some talks reinforced classroom concepts (Vertebrate Pests, Insects, Citrus) while others were new to me (Propagation).
Presenting a Talk – My classmate Kitty Cole and I were invited to share our classroom presentation on Roses at OG. The idea was a little intimidating, given that we were first years! But we took the plunge. Not only did it force us to master the topic even more, but it also thrilled us to see others' passion for roses.
Social - It's not all soil and textbooks! UC Master Gardeners love food, as I learned from attending the OG Summer Potluck and the South County garden party. I was warmly welcomed and greatly impressed with everyone's delightful dishes.
Community Garden - San Ramon Community Garden asked for help with a diseased tree. I joined Dorothy Abeyta who, diagnosed Fire Blight and taught us how to treat it. The on-site visit was a significant complement to the classroom work because we were able to see problems —biotic and abiotic —up close.
Executive Committee Meetings – The monthly business meetings are open to everyone. All projects are reviewed, so a new person can get an overview of what the work is and where to lean in.
As a first-year, I'm grateful for the advice to "sample" before committing. Whatever you choose, there are plenty of friendly, knowledgeable CoCoMGs to help you on your way.
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