March 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter

In this issue…

From the President…

He knows no winter, he who loves the soil,
For, stormy days, when he is free from toil,
He plans his summer crops, selects his seeds
From bright-paged catalogs for garden needs.
When looking out upon frost-silvered fields,
He visualizes autumn’s golden yields;
He sees in snow and sleet and icy rain
Precious moisture for his early grain;
He hears spring-heralds in the storm’s ‘turmoil
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil.

–Sudie Stuart Hager

My yard is covered with clean white snow and the thermometer is in the teens most mornings. There is only a glimmer outlining my raised beds as the snow has now engulfed them completely. A wide array of birds frequent my two bird feeders and numerous squirrels are actively cleaning up the ground under the feeders. The tranquility of winter is everywhere in my neighborhood. The signs of change and Spring seem far away! The Burpee seed display at my local grocery store has not seen much action yet. Spring and seed starting are just around the corner when I look at the calendar. 

The CCMGV Advisory Committee Board has not met this month as of this newsletter, but does have a lengthy agenda for late February.

Sadly, we have three Advisory Committee members who are terming out. On behalf of our Association, I wish to thank Elizabeth “Bonnie” Barthmaier, Leigh Mundhenk and Jim Casey for their dedicated service to the CCMGV as “Board” members. Their many and varied contributions are legendary. Their spirit and enthusiasm for our association will have a lasting influence on all of us!

There are three Advisory Committee (Board) opportunities available this year. This is a great opportunity if you are interested in shaping the future of the CCMGVA and to assist the Association in achieving our vision and mission.

The following are the qualifications for being an Advisory Committee Member per our “Guiding Document”:

  • Term commitment: Serve a term of three years and can be re-appointed for an additional three-year term. Members can serve two consecutive terms and may return after taking a one year leave from the committee.
  • Minimum qualifications: To serve as a member, MGVs must successfully complete the MGV training and their internship (initial 40 hours of volunteer service). They must also be enrolled in the program, up-to-date on their background check, and actively volunteering on approved projects.
  • Attendance: Attend and engage in all committee meetings. There are typically 9 meetings in a year with no meetings held in July, August, and December.
  • Subcommittees: Volunteer for and engage in the work of at least one standing committee. If you are interested in being considered for the “Advisory Committee”, please send me a letter of interest: garyhoyt50@gmail.com

Finally, in other association news, we have a date for our Spring Fling Potluck (formally the Annual Meeting). We’ll gather on Wednesday, April 9th at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. to mark the beginning of a new growing season, A potluck sign-up will be sent to you soon, so please start considering a delicious item  to bring.

–February has taught us the lessons of hope, that there are sunny days at the end of every freezing night and snow storm. Anonymous

Gary Hoyt

CCMGA President

MGV Plant Sale Update

What the world needs now . . . is the Master Gardener Plant Sale!  

Before you know it, the winter’s snow will make way for spring’s arrival and with it the highly anticipated Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Sale. Rows of plants with tents A dedicated team of MGVs has been busy planning the big day, which is scheduled on Saturday, May 24 2025 from 9:00 to noon.  The annual sale provides important financial resources for the program’s many community gardening activities and directly supports MGs projects.

You can expect to find all the reliably wonderful things:  vibrant annual blooms, vigorous vegetable seedlings, gorgeous perennials and our trademark array of native plants ready for your garden.  We’ve gone back to our tradition of scheduling the sale on Memorial Day weekend, when the timing is optimal for planting and gardening energy is at its peak.  Tidewater Farm will again be the picture-perfect setting for the day.  We have lots of fun planned for your family and friends; mini-workshops addressing a variety of topics, the Mainely Creemee ice cream truck and other surprises.People walking through rows of plants

Please be on the lookout for volunteer opportunities in the weeks ahead of May 24, and especially on the day itself.  We need you!  It’s a terrific way to spend time with your fellow MGVs, share gardening stories and of course shop where the selection is the best.  Hope to see you there!

Patricia Wheeler and Marty Riehle, co-chairs

 

 

Roots – Meet MGV Bonnie Moger

Bonnie grew up in Milford, Connecticut enjoying swimming, clamming, and boating on Long Island Sound all summer. She spent hours year round exploring the endless woods next to her home with her parents and dogs. These long walks in the forest and adventures at the beach instilled an early and deep love of nature. Bonnie’s family also spent time outside together in their flower and vegetable garden. “My mother grew an assortment of annuals and perennials. I worked alongside her learning the names of the plants and flowers. She also taught me about many wildflowers as we explored the woods. Since it was a shared interest, I’m sure that is what got me interested in flower gardening.” Gardener with basket of vegetables

Bonnie lived in Milford until she retired and moved to Westbrook, where she lives now and continues to grow a large variety of vegetables and flowers. “I love seeing everything grow and enjoy sharing veggies with friends,” a tradition of sharing carried over from her childhood. 

Bonnie’s top advice for fellow gardeners – enjoy it – and never stop learning. “I find that gardening continually presents interesting problems to solve which teach us. Every year in the spring I review my journal of everything I planted the year prior and I decide what I am going to grow in the upcoming year taking into consideration what worked and what didn’t.”

After getting the Master Gardener certification, Bonnie offered to join the group at the Casco Bay Dialysis Center. She was happy to contribute to providing diet-acceptable vegetables for the patients. “It is an extremely rewarding experience and the patients are very appreciative. We’d love to have 1-2 additional volunteers join us.”  

Outside of gardening, Bonnie monitors Great Blue Heron nests in Shapleigh Maine for the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to track the number of juveniles that fledge. “They are such magnificent birds to observe and photograph.” She also volunteers for Friends of Casco Bay.

Is there a Master Gardener Volunteer you’d like to see featured here? Nominate them by emailing Heather Wiggins Berger. 

Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight

The Cape Community Gardens at Maxwell’s Farm was established in 2009 by Nancy Miles, a Master Gardener.  The garden is situated on property owned by the Maxwell family, who have been generous supporters of this project. Aerial View of Community Garden Beds

The garden is managed by a dedicated committee composed of both Cape Community gardeners and Master Gardener Volunteers. The committee oversees the garden’s maintenance and helps coordinate the community aspects of the garden.  The committee meets each January to help plan workdays and review the garden’s budget.  

There is an opening workday in early April and a closing workday in late October or early November.  MGV’s are invited to join workdays, to assist with the Harvest for Hunger plots, or provide educational gardening workshops.  

Typical work days consist of:

  • Installing or taking down the fencing
  • Installing or shutting off the water lines
  • Weeding and mulching pathways
  • Preparing abandoned plots for new gardeners
  • Putting the MGV Harvest for Hunger plots to bed for the winter
  • Orienting new gardeners in the spring

The Cape Community Gardens at Maxwell’s Farm is always looking for new educational workshops. Past educational workshops have been led by MGV experts Tom Witwicki and Lynn Holland among others.  If you would like to provide an education workshop for the community gardeners this would be greatly welcomed!

The garden is located behind Ocean House, a day care center, and consists of 46 plots – most plots are 15 feet by 15 feet. The garden has an extensive water system and over time some gardeners have added raised beds to their plots.  One plot is reserved for the daycare to provide the opportunity for the children to garden.  Committee members are required to maintain a plot to help ensure involvement.  

MGV's in GardenCape Community Gardeners Wendy Garland and Marybeth Richardson help maintain the two plots for the Harvest for Hunger program with assistance from the broader gardening community and MGV’s.  In addition to the two work days, Cape Community gardeners are required to take on some additional tasks such as weeding and watering the Harvest for Hunger plots.  The produce grown is carefully chosen based on past successes and includes garlic, onions, beets, cabbage, peppers and squash.  Most of the seedlings for the Harvest for Hunger plots are donated by gardeners who have extra plants.  The Harvest for Hunger plots each year generate about 300 lbs of fresh produce!  The harvested produce is donated to the food pantry in Cape Elizabeth, which was originally founded by Nancy Miles MGV – previously known as Judy’s Produce Pantry – to provide fresh produce for those residents who have limited access to fresh produce.  Over time, the food pantry has grown astronomically and in addition to fresh produce, now offers canned goods and frozen meals.  A huge thank you to Donna Savage, who has been instrumental in planning and harvesting the Harvest for Hunger plots and transporting food to the food pantry

One of the key goals of the Cape Community Gardens at Maxwell Farms is to foster a sense of community. One of the ways the community garden does this is by hosting Friday Happy Hours at the garden one to two times during the summer.  Gardeners bring food made from their harvest, and these gatherings have led to lasting friendships and connections.  Deb Cavanaugh liaison for MGV and the Cape Community Gardens shares a story of two gardeners, Kathy and Jean, who formed a lasting friendship through the garden:

Jean and I were both new residents to Wildwood and had met on a few occasions. In the Spring of 2022, I had the opportunity to invite Jean to come and visit our plot at Maxwell Gardens ~~~ what a momentous decision! Jean had retired from organic farming in Virginia 9 years earlier. She was reluctant to get back into gardening. She remembered the various difficulties of gardening and was uncertain if she wanted to return to those challenges. Jean was very impressed when she saw Maxwell Gardens for the first time. She marveled at the concept of sharing the space and the lay out of the Community Garden. She was hooked! Vivian Findlay, another Wildwood neighbor, offered Jean some of her numerous strawberry plants. That day we decided that we would partner and share our garden plot. It was the beginning of our deep friendship. The excitement of planting, harvesting, and eating our own veggies is matched only by how much we enjoy working together along with the camaraderie of the Maxwell Garden Community. Both our garden and our friendship have continued to flourish!!!

Thank you to the Cape Community Garden at Maxwell’s Farm committee for their hard work to keep the garden going: Tom Meyers (Committee Chair), Wendy Garland, Kate Kerkam, Dave Dufour, Bill Brewington, Jason Weissm, Leslie Herrick, and Deb Cavanaugh.

If you are interested in volunteering at Maxwell Community Garden, please reach out to Deb Cavanaugh or Tom Meyers.

We’re looking for volunteer projects to feature in our Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter. If you are interested in having your project featured – or if there is a project you would like to learn more about – please reach out to Kerri Frazier.

Ask an MGV: Tips & Tricks for your Best Garden Yet

Q: I want to start my seeds indoors NOW – but should I? 

A: I placed my Johnny’s order earlier today and realized I could use a refresher with regards to when to actually start my seeds indoors. In previous years, I’ve started too early and ended up with pot-bound pumpkins and very leggy tomatoes, so this year I’m determined to pace myself. Who better to consult than my fellow MGVs? If you’re needing a refresher on seed starting, check out this article. It covers everything from growing medium and container types to lighting and potting/planting timelines. I may even try building my own seed stand this year!

We want to help you with your gardening issues. To get help from your fellow MGVs, submit your questions to Heather Wiggins Berger.

Upcoming Events

Save the Date 

Spring Fling Potluck – Wednesday, April 9th from 5:00 – 8:00 PM – Wolfe’s Neck Farm’s Smith Center in Freeport 

Cumberland County MGV Speaker Series

The Master Gardeners Education Committee would like to hear from you as we start planning the September 2025-June 2026 series. Let us know any topics that interest you and any places/gardens/farms you would like to visit. Please send your suggestions to Barbara. Here’s the current upcoming schedule: 

University of Maine Extension Events

Community Events

Past Editions: Missed a previous newsletter? View them all HERE  (password: ladybug)
About this Newsletter: The Cumberland County Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter is edited by Clarissa Brown, Kerri Frazier, and Heather Wiggins Berger. If you would like to submit an event, article,or help with any aspect of the Newsletter, please contact Heather Wiggins Berger, the newsletter coordinator.