May 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter

In this issue…

From the President

“May is the most beautiful month of the year, a month alive with warm color, the flowers and the trees are in full bloom, and even the sun joins this rhapsody by emitting warmer rays.” – Lillian Berliner

I’m rediscovering the yearly hope of all gardeners for a good growing season. Our daffodils are blooming, peepers chorusing at night and the garden garlic seems to have enjoyed a couple of spring snow dustings. The first round of our onions, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage are happily growing indoors.

Two of my favorite garden plantings, tomatoes and peppers, have germinated. I’ve assembled our cold-frame in hopes of soon moving some seedlings outside for acclimatation. Inspired by the new growing season bursting forth, little league games, spring dance recitals, new birds arriving, buzzing bees, and proms and graduations…this is the season of enjoyable moments and dreams. 

April has been the month of our traditional annual meeting which has now evolved into our Spring Fling. This year, through the extraordinary efforts of Lucretia Bagley, Bonnie Barthmaier, and Sally Wright, our pot-luck gathering at Wolfe’s Neck Farm on April 9th, welcomed over sixty Master Gardeners.

We’d like to thank the aforementioned Spring Fling gathering committee members, Wolfe’s Neck Farm and the Maine Flower Collection (they provided beautiful arrangements) for making the Spring Fling special!  From the welcome table to the Seed Project Fair and member survey, there was a sense of energy and renewal.

In addition to camaraderie among the gathering and the great food, there are few items of note to mention:

  • Bonnie Barthmaier, Jim Casey and Leigh Mundhenk were recognized for their many and varied contributions to the Master Gardener Board (Advisory). Be assured they have all expressed their desire to continue to be active in a variety of our activities. Each received a book as an expression of our appreciation as well as a well-deserved round of applause.
  • Lucretia Bagley organized the Seed Grant Fair which displays the great work being done at the following projects:
    • New Gloucester Public Library
    • Curtis Memorial Library
    • Harpswell Community Garden
    • Tedford Garden
    • Yarmouth Community Garden
    • Sagamore Village
    • Riverside Garden
    • Casco Bay Dialysis
    • Growing to Give
    • Beth Condon Memorial
    • Ronald MacDonald House
  • Pamela Hargest recognized new Master Gardeners who have completed their training with diplomas. Welcome!
  • We welcomed two new Advisory members who many of you may know: Janet Kane and Amy Starnes. Both Janet and Amy have expressed an interest in welcoming younger generations into the program. We look forward to seeing the energy and enthusiasm they both will bring to leadership. 

    • Janet completed her MGV training in 2018 and has been instrumental in several gardens including Tidewater, Oxford Street Garden, Riverside Shelter Garden, and the plant sale. From her early years growing up on a dairy farm in Vermont, Janet became familiar with hard work and a love of plants. With the current state of our climate and eroding environmental laws Janet is eager to train as many people as possible in sustainable practices. 
    • Amy completed her MGV program in 2023 and has already volunteered on multiple projects, including the Riverside Homeless Shelter, Sagamore Village community garden, gleanings, and the plant sale. She has been inspired by the talented and dedicated volunteers in the program and is excited to bring her background in communications and nonprofit management to ensure we have all the tools needed to give back to our communities.  
  • Susan Van Wyck shared reflections of her experience as the first Cumberland County Horticulturist. Susan taught the first master gardener training class in the early ‘80’s. She also developed the curriculum and taught the course while serving as the vegetable horticulturist for seven other Maine counties. She was excited to see how the original class of twenty-five students has grown into our current membership and mission.
  • The Annual Plant Sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 24th at Tidewater. Please see more details below!                     

Enjoy the beginning of the growing season. May it yield us not only a bountiful harvest, but as importantly, tranquility.

Gary Hoyt
CCMGA President

MGV Plant Sale Update

If you don’t already have the date circled in green on your calendar, make sure that this year’s Master Gardener Plant Sale gets added to your agenda for Saturday May 24th (Memorial Day Weekend). The event will be held from 9am to 12pm at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth. 

With snow finally in our rearview mirror, we can start working in the soil and get our hands dirty. Hurray!  In addition to working in your own garden, we hope that you’re planning on volunteering for the annual Master Gardener Plant Sale. Remember, this is our largest fundraiser and the proceeds from the sale fund a variety of MGV activities, especially the seed grant for MGV projects.

Shortly, you will receive the call for volunteers needed on the day of the sale. There are multiple areas that benefit from your expertise: perennials, annuals, veggies, gently used, cashier, education, raffle tickets and parking. Make sure you sign up! It’s a great way to meet your MGV volunteer requirements.

Between now and the day of the sale, several committees need assistance: 

  • The Dig Team will be starting to transplant perennials from generous garden donors. 
  • The Annuals and Veggies Team are starting their work, planting seeds, watering and transplanting. 

As you start your spring clean-up, consider recycling your unused garden tools, gadgets and other garden related tools. The Gently Used Committee would love to receive your donation. You can drop off your gently used items at Tidewater Farm on Friday May 23rd between noon and 6:00 PM or the morning of the sale before 8:00 AM. If you can’t drop them off at Tidewater Farm, please contact Sandi Dunham.

Finally, remember to tell your family and friends about our great plant sale with lots of educational opportunities for kids and adults! See you then!

Roots – Meet MGV Pamela Hargest

A photo of Master Gardener Volunteer and Horticulture Professional Pamela HargestPamela Hargest – Master Gardener (since 2016!), UMaine Extension Horticulture staff, Tidewater Farm manager, and – baker??!! Who knew! “Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been baking treats and making my own recipes. My favorite things to bake are sourdough bread and anything with lots of butter – pie, scones, cookies, you name it!”

Originally from Maryland, you may also be surprised to find out that Pamela had little childhood experience with gardening. “My parents were not gardeners so I wasn’t exposed to gardening until I worked for a native plant nursery in high school and visited a farm my sister worked at, but I was immediately hooked. Ironically, both my sisters and I ended up working in agricultural/horticultural fields even though our parents didn’t teach us a single thing about gardening.”

After graduating from Towson University with a BS in Environmental Science and Studies, Pamela joined the City of Baltimore Department of Parks and Recreation where she assisted with the development and expansion of City Farms, a city-wide gardening program with 700 participants and 11 city farm sites. After a couple of years, she moved up I95 to Maine where she worked on a few farms before completing the York County MGV training in 2016 and helped with the plant sale and at a local shelter garden. 

Since joining UMaine Extension in 2018, Pamela has provided technical assistance to home, school, and community gardeners, through a number of educational avenues, to help build their horticulture skills while achieving their personal goals. As the MGV coordinator for Cumberland County, Pamela collaborates with volunteers and community partners to develop educational programs that focus on sustainable and ecologically compatible horticulture practices grounded in research-based information. She also manages the UMaine Gardens at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth with the help of Abi Griffith.

Her favorite thing to grow? Carrots! “They are so satisfying to harvest and can be used in so many dishes. I also love growing native plants. It’s so rewarding to sow native seeds outside in the fall and watch them grow into mature plants the next year.” Outside of gardening, Pamela enjoys being in the Maine woods, hiking and cross country skiing. “The smell of pine, the cool understory, it’s a magical place to be.”

Pamela’s best advice for you: “Even the most experienced gardeners learn something new every year, be patient with yourself! Gardening teaches you so many lessons beyond just growing plants, take your time and enjoy the journey.”

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

Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight: Cape Elizabeth Garden at Gull Crest Fields

A photo of a garden during the growing season with many successful plants.The Cape Elizabeth Garden at Gull Crest Fields is one of two community gardens in Cape Elizabeth. The garden was started in 2002 by three Master Gardener Volunteers: Nancy Miles, Carol Fritz and Judy Simonds –  as their Master Gardener volunteer project. Rachel Stamieszkin, the current MGV project coordinator, has been part of the community garden at Gull Crest Fields since about 2004. She initially joined as a regular member and over time became more involved by joining the garden committee and eventually took a leadership role in managing the garden. 

Currently the garden has approximately 40 plots with four plots dedicated to the Maine Harvest for Hunger. Produce from these plots is given to two local food pantries: Judy’s Pantry in Cape Elizabeth and the South Portland Food Cupboard. On average, about 450 pounds of fresh produce each season are donated. 

All garden members, in addition to maintaining their own plots, also help maintain and harvest the dedicated Maine Harvest for Hunger plots. Community gardener members also donate their extra produce on a weekly basis to Judy’s Pantry and South Portland Food Cupboard. Throughout the season, the Cape Elizabeth Garden at Gull Crest Fields is supported by 1 or 2 MGV’s, who assist with planting, maintaining, and harvesting for the Maine Harvest for Hunger plots. 

A basket of freshly harvested veggies next to a freshly harvested pumpkin.Each season, Judy’s Pantry provides the garden with a list of popular produce and those plots dedicated to Maine Harvest for Hunger focus on growing those crops. The Cape Elizabeth Garden at Gull Crest Fields is especially grateful for the seeds, seedlings, and tubers the garden receives from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and local farms. Thanks to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and local farms, pantry goers have been able to enjoy leeks, onions, peppers, tomatoes, peas, beans and other crops!

Over the years, we have also had Girl Scouts tend a plot as part of earning their gardening badge and two Boy Scouts completed their Eagle Scout projects by repairing the tool shed and building bins for our compost, topsoil and wood chips. 

A photo of a garden during the growing season with many successful plants.The garden is a beautiful and welcoming place to be. It is nestled among nature trails and located near the football fields and ice arena. The garden is fortunate to have good infrastructure – tools, a water line with hoses, a sturdy fence and a serene and scenic setting. Rachel loves the strong sense of community at the garden – she loves how everyone works together to support each other and give back to the broader community. 

The community garden has had some light-hearted moments along the way too! A couple of summers ago, during the weekly harvest for Maine Harvest for Hunger, a new volunteer was told to harvest half the kale from a specific plot that also had mini-watermelons growing. Unfortunately, the directions were not very clear, and they ended up filling the wheelbarrow with unripe watermelons instead of kale!  On seeing this Rachel’s stomach sank. Thankfully the gardener whose watermelons were accidentally harvested was incredibly gracious, but they never asked us to help with his plot again!  That was the only time we have ever harvested the wrong crop – but it certainly was memorable. 

The community garden would love to have another MGV. If you are a MGV looking for a meaningful way to contribute, the Cape Elizabeth Garden at Gull Crest would love to have your help with either weekly or periodic harvests. Please feel free to contact Rachel Stamieszkin for information or to request to help out.

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: This isn’t really a gardening question, but it is about harvesting a different kind of crop… I see fiddleheads popping on my local trails. Can I pick and eat them?  

[Excerpted from Facts on Fiddleheads – Bulletin #4198 and Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads – Bulletin #2540] 

Nearly all ferns have fiddleheads, but not all fiddleheads are edible. In fact, bracken ferns are carcinogenic and should not be consumed. If you’re unsure, this video might be helpful: Video: Identifying and Harvesting Fiddleheads (YouTube). Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) fiddleheads are edible, and can be identified by the brown, papery scale-like covering on the uncoiled fern. 

Fiddleheads are approximately 1 inch in diameter, have a smooth fern stem (not fuzzy), and also a deep “U”-shaped groove on the inside of the fern stem. Look for ostrich ferns emerging in clusters of about three to twelve fiddleheads per plant on the banks of rivers, streams, brooks, and in the woods in late April into early May. 

Make sure that you obtain landowner permission before harvesting fiddleheads. If you are not sure who owns the property, check with the town office where the property is located to get the owner’s name. Consider offering to pay the landowner an agreed-upon price per pound for the fiddleheads you pick, or some cleaned fiddleheads in exchange for the privilege of picking. Picking without owner permission has led to land being closed to the harvesting of fiddleheads. Compensating the owner, on the other hand, helps to reinforce the value of the fiddlehead resource, and acknowledges the property taxes paid by the landowner.

They are best harvested at about two to six inches tall when a portion of the tasty stem can be harvested, but while the fiddlehead is still tightly curled. Carefully brush off and remove the papery brown scales.Fiddleheads should only be harvested from healthy crowns that can sustain picking. Such crowns will have at least four fiddleheads, rather than one or two. The presence of only one or two fiddleheads in a crown indicates low fern vigor or a newly established fern. Harvest fiddleheads by snapping them off by hand or cutting them off with a knife. When cutting fiddleheads, take care not to damage the remaining fiddleheads. The fiddleheads that remain to grow into fern fronds will be making food for next year’s picking.

When picking fiddleheads, make sure to harvest them into clean containers. Use potable water when cleaning the fiddleheads, not water from streams or rivers. Refrigerate your harvest as soon as possible to maintain freshness. Fiddleheads should be boiled or steamed before eaten. You can also freeze and pick them – find recipes here!

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

Speaker Series 

The Education Committee is pleased to present the following learning opportunities for the rest of the spring: 

Thanks to everyone who sent in suggestions for workshops and presentations. Keep the suggestions coming to catzrul1@live.com. 

The Education Committee has been meeting to create the schedule for September 2025-June 2026. Please stay tuned for information on a tour of Pineland Farms and Gardens, creating a meadow, Holiday wreath-making, seasonal nature walks, and a special event featuring “How to” build a raised bed, construct a monarch station, and other fun projects. 

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.