Find us at Farmers Markets throughout the county. Bring your home gardening questions or problems and Master Gardener Volunteers will help you find solutions. We have materials on many topics including a deer resistant plant list, tree care information, Quick Tip Cards on a variety pest management issues as well as websites and other resources to help YOU be a better gardener! Stop by and say hello to the Master Gardener booth at your local Farmers Markets!
Annually, we partner with the El Dorado County Fair and manage the fruit and vegetable building which is where all of the floral entries, gardening displays, vegetables and fruit entries are found. Come and see contributions and prize winners from your community. We have learning displays and an information table staffed by Master Gardener Volunteers who are excited to talk to you about your home gardens and sustainable landscape.
We have a speakers bureau of volunteers who will come and present to your community group or organization on a variety of topics. Topic examples include; Attracting Beneficial Insects, Pollinator Gardens, Citrus, Demystifying Drip Systems, Gardening with Deer, Herbs, Hummingbirds, Lawn Substitutes, Succulents, Pumpkins, Seed Starting, Sustainable Gardening, Vermiculture (Worm Compost), Native Plants and Wildlife Gardening. Contact us at (530) 621-5512 or mgeldorado@ucanr.edu to book a speaker.
Farm Day is an outreach event Master Gardeners participate in annually which is organized by Ag in the Classroom. Third grade classes from across the county take a field trip to learn all about El Dorado County agriculture. Master Gardeners teach about the Water Cycle, Composting, Eat the Rainbow, Eating local and Herbs!
Master Gardeners partner with Motherlode Rehabilitation (MORE) clients. MORE has the mission of empowering people with disabilities to improve their lives. Master Gardeners share in MORE's vision of, "full inclusion for all people," by bringing them to the Sherwood Demonstration Garden twice a month to do hands-on garden education and nutrition. Clients bring what they learn back to the MORE garden to produce their own food on site and cook what they've grown!
Master Gardeners have an outreach partnership with El Dorado County Probation Department, El Dorado Office of Education and Northern California Construction Trade Training Program (NCCT). This is a unique collaboration where Master Gardener volunteers work with clients to teach and educate on gardening, composting and nutrition through hands on learning at the NCCT garden facility in El Dorado, CA. Upon completion of the program, the goal is that clients are able to become employed in prevailing wage jobs which enable them to provide for themselves and their families.
