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UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County

Hybrid Learning, Hands-On Growth

Dawn K - photo F.Oakes

Introducing the 2026 New Volunteer Training Class
2025 Fall TLD Article & Photo by Dawn Kooyumjian, CoCoMG Program Coordinator

I want to extend a warm welcome to our new trainees—the soon-to-be Class of 2026! It is an absolute pleasure getting to know everyone.  You bring a wide range of experience and excitement to the program. I can’t wait to see everyone certify!
This year’s class is hybrid, with a Thursday evening Zoom lecture and an in-person Saturday morning session. Having the lecture via Zoom allows us to bring in UCANR Advisors and Specialists from across the state.
I am especially thrilled that we are offering this year’s training class in the Rivertown classroom. It’s been years and years (and years) since we have been able to offer the New Volunteer Training adjacent to a UC Master Gardener Demonstration garden. This opens the door, literally, to expanding the experiential learning component of the class. Did you have any idea when you entered the class that you’d be digging holes and burying underwear?

Hopefully, you are enjoying the training so far as much as we’ve enjoyed developing and delivering it. You’ve had just a taste of the wonderful opportunities to come.

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NVT Trainees 2026-Rivertown by Dawn K.
NVT Sabine Kroeber and Preeti Shah bury a pair of underwear in their newly dug hole. Photo by Dawn Kooyumjian
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2026Trainees Digging a hole - Photo by Dawn K.
Class of 2026 trainees Lore Vanden Heuvel and Preeti Shah perform a percolation test at Rivertown Demo Garden. Photo by Dawn Kooyumjian

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