{"id":45954,"date":"2025-03-26T10:56:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T14:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/?page_id=45954"},"modified":"2025-03-26T11:26:32","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T15:26:32","slug":"april-2025-master-gardener-volunteer-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/april-2025-master-gardener-volunteer-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"April 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><b>In this issue\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"#President\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">From the President<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"#MGV\">MGV Plant Sale Update<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"#Roots\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Roots: Meet MGV Adele Wise<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"#Volunteer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gorham Middle School<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"#Tips\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask an MGV &#8211; Tips &amp; Tricks for Your Best Garden Yet<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"#Upcoming\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Upcoming Events<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>From the President<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Seasons flow in a cycle.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Life, too, passes through difficult winters.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But after any winter, spring will follow.<br \/>\n<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">~ Toshikazu Kawaguchi<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">My yard is snow-free!\u00a0 With eagerness and hope, just yesterday I tested my new soil thermometer in several of my raised beds. While the temperatures weren\u2019t great, it\u2019s the beginning of hopefully an upward trend. My new thermometer is a wonderful improvement with its large display, as I no longer have to dig out my reading glasses to decipher the results. I\u2019ve spent a few days organizing my seed collection and planning our seed starting routine. I\u2019ve been up to my usual antics of adding a few new varieties (large slicing tomato, new zinnia color, and pumpkin variety for the grandchildren) while phasing out a few of my previous selections. With the addition of grow lights, our seed starting rack\u2019s winter role of storing produce from last season will now transition to growing new seedlings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The CCMGV Advisory Committee Board met this past month. Highlights of our meeting were:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Approval of the 2025 Budget\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Update from the Plant Sale Committee of the Plant Sale 2025<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Planning for the \u201cSpring Fling\u201d (formerly the Annual Meeting)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Search\/selection of new Advisory Committee Members<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Advisory Committee will meet in person on March 24<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at the Cooperative Extension Office in Falmouth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As I mentioned last month, we have three Advisory Committee members who are terming out this year. On behalf of our Association, we wish to thank them again, Elizabeth \u201cBonnie\u201d Barthmaier, Leigh Mundhenk, and Jim Casey for their dedicated service to the CCMGV as Board members.\u00a0 I encourage you to PLEASE personally thank them if you have the opportunity for their spirit and enthusiasm for our association.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Advisory Committee 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. While we had Advisory Committee (Board) opportunities available this year (we may still have one) we will also have openings next year!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The following are the qualifications for being an Advisory Committee Member per our Guiding Document:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Term commitment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 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.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Minimum qualifications:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 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.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Attendance: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Attend and engage in all committee meetings. There are typically 9 meetings in a year with no meetings held in July, August, and December.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Subcommittees:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Volunteer for and engage in the work of at least one standing committee.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you are interested in being considered for the Advisory Committee, please send me an email of interest: <\/span><a href=\"mailto:garyhoyt50@gmail.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">garyhoyt50@gmail.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Looking forward to seeing you at the<\/span><b><i>\u00a0<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/grow.withlome.com\/a\/098f7962-bc17-4727-871e-9fd251ad4d02\"><b><i>Spring Fling<\/i><\/b><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">!<a id=\"MGV\"><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gary Hoyt<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">CCMGA President<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>MGV Plant Sale Update<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Planning for the plant sale is underway. More information on the Saturday, May 24 (9am &#8211; 12pm) event coming in the May newsletter. Please feel free to reach out to <\/span><a href=\"mailto:patriciajwheeler@gmail.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Patricia Wheeler<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> if you have questions in the meantime. <a id=\"Roots\"><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>Roots &#8211; Meet Project Leader Adele Wise<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adele Wise is a true Mainer, born in Brunswick, summered in Woodstock, educated in Bar Harbor, and a Portland resident ever since. One might also say that she\u2019s a gardener through-and through. \u201cEvery summer growing up I helped my mom weed and tend her beautiful flower garden. She still grows giant peonies and large beds of iris and daffodils. It wasn\u2019t until I went to college and worked on a farm, however, that I experienced growing vegetables for the first time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"45958\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-45958\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Roots-Adele-Resized-April-Final-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Person holding leafy vegetables in a garden setting\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Roots-Adele-Resized-April-Final-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Roots-Adele-Resized-April-Final-93x140.jpg 93w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Roots-Adele-Resized-April-Final-317x476.jpg 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Roots-Adele-Resized-April-Final.jpg 365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Adele Wise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a first year at College of the Atlantic, she was assigned to work at the college\u2019s vegetable farm &#8211; Beech Hill &#8211; for her work-study program. As a result of that experience, she \u201cfell in love with the idea of growing one\u2019s own food, the hard physical labor involved, and the deep connection to the earth that goes along with it.\u201d She went on to study food systems and agriculture, and then worked at a few other farms in the midcoast and volunteered at the Cultivating Communities Youth Growers program for a summer.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adele served as the Local Food Access Program Manager at the Cumberland County Food Security Council from 2021 until March 2025. During her tenure, the gleaning Initiative was one of the projects that she managed, which is where excess produce is harvested from farms and delivered to food pantries and distribution sites. \u201cThe Gleaning Initiative has been a longtime partner with the MGV program, and the volunteers have been invaluable to our program. Since we started in 2017, we\u2019ve rescued over <\/span><b>145,000 lbs <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of fresh produce and continue to expand our farmer reach and capacity each season. I\u2019ve met so many lovely and dedicated individuals through this program, and we couldn\u2019t do our work without the Master Gardener Volunteers!\u201d If you\u2019re interested in joining the gleaning email list, sign up <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/1LxZtTDjj3KoubRfsutmxWbze70bspB7r4NyxanvLYAM\/edit\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Adele joins MOFGA in April as an organic inspector.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While having ample experience working on larger farms and gleaning through her job at the Cumberland County Food Security Council, this past summer was the first time she was able to plan and grow her own plot at the local community garden. She learned a lot and is looking forward to seeing how season 2 goes &#8211; specifically how the seaweed compost overwintered. Adele\u2019s favorite thing to grow? Brussels sprouts and snap peas! Her best gardening advice &#8211; unsurprising given her professional experience &#8211; is to \u201cRemember to share with your neighbors!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When not playing in the garden, Adele enjoys spending time outside running, hiking, camping, and cooking meals with her friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Is there a Master Gardener Volunteer or Project Leader you\u2019d like to see featured here? Nominate them by emailing <\/span><\/i><a href=\"mailto:heatherwberger@gmail.com\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heather Wiggins Berger<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <a id=\"Volunteer\"><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>The Gorham Middle School Giving Garden: Growing Food, Learning, and Community<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 2003, the Gorham Middle School garden was started as a hands-on, interdisciplinary, service-based learning project<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-45960 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-2-Resized-Final-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Raised bed garden in season\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-2-Resized-Final-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-2-Resized-Final-105x79.jpg 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-2-Resized-Final-317x238.jpg 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-2-Resized-Final-423x318.jpg 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-2-Resized-Final-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-2-Resized-Final.jpg 554w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,300px\" \/><br \/>\ndesigned to<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">connect students with their environment and community. Founded by Alternative Education teacher<br \/>\nHeather Whitaker, the garden has since become an integral part of her curriculum, engaging students in real-world applications of their learning while fostering a sense of responsibility and citizenship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Through both indoor and outdoor activities aligned with academic standards, students gain firsthand experience in environmental sustainability, social issues, and food security. Whether it\u2019s testing soil samples and enriching them with manure, composting food scraps, troubleshooting pest issues, or designing garden layouts, students play a central role in every aspect of the gardening process. They plan, implement, care for, and harvest a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and berries &#8211; most of which are donated to the Gorham Food Pantry. Each year, the garden contributes<br \/>\nover 1,000 pounds of fresh produce to local families in need, with some seasons exceeding 1,500 pounds of donations!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-45959 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-1-Resized-Final-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"student on picnic table with fresh picked harvest\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-1-Resized-Final-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-1-Resized-Final-105x79.jpg 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-1-Resized-Final-317x238.jpg 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-1-Resized-Final-423x318.jpg 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-1-Resized-Final-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/03\/Vol-Spotlight-1-Resized-Final.jpg 554w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,300px\" \/>The Gorham Middle School garden spans a large area and consists of 16 raised beds, 8 in-ground beds, fruit trees, blueberry bushes, decorative shrubs and flowers, 8 asparagus beds, rows of strawberries, and additional blueberry bushes on the opposite side of the road.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The scope of the garden requires year-round dedication and Heather supplements her students&#8217; efforts with volunteers from MGV\u2019s, high school students fulfilling community service hours, local community members, and even the Gorham Police Department, which refers individuals needing community service opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Although the school garden produces an impressive yield, it does not consistently generate the quantities needed to supply the school cafeteria on a regular basis. Instead, the program prioritizes donations to the Gorham Food Pantry, where the fresh produce is distributed to families experiencing food insecurity. This approach ensures that every bit of the garden\u2019s harvest finds a home where it\u2019s most needed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Garden Volunteers Needed!<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The success of the Gorham Middle School Giving Garden relies on the support of volunteers! There are many ways to get involved:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Planting seeds and seedlings<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Harvesting produce<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weeding and watering<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Participating in garden art installation projects<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mowing and weed-whacking around the garden beds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Delivering donations to the Gorham Food Pantry<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Filling bird feeders<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We hold <\/span><b>work sessions throughout the summer on Wednesday mornings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to ensure that food is harvested and delivered fresh to the pantry for its Thursday open hours. Volunteers can sign up for just one session or multiple days\u2014every bit of help makes a difference!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We also collaborate with local businesses that support the garden as part of their workplace outreach programs. Businesses like <\/span><b>IDEXX, UNUM, Sevee &amp; Mahar Engineers, and Chalmers Insurance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> have held workdays at the garden, reinforcing the importance of school-business partnerships. We love working with local companies to strengthen our community connections!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A <\/span><b>Sign-Up Genius<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> will be finalized in the upcoming weeks, and Heather can share it with interested members once available. For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, please contact <\/span><a href=\"mailto:heather.whitaker@gorhamschool.org\"><b>Heather Whitaker<\/b><\/a><b>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We\u2019re looking for volunteer projects to feature in our Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter. If you are interested in having your project featured &#8211; or if there is a project you would like to learn more about &#8211; please reach out to <\/span><\/i><a href=\"mailto:pdxsail@gmail.com\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kerri Frazier<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<a id=\"Tips\"><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>Ask an MGV: Tips &amp; Tricks for your Best Garden Yet<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Q: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The sun\u2019s out, the snow\u2019s gone, and I\u2019m itching to get outside! Is it too early to get going on my gardening?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>A: <\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Excerpted from <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2024\/04\/01\/maine-home-garden-news-april-2024\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maine Home and Garden News<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">]<\/span><\/i> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As tempted as we all are by the spring weather and so much sunlight, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/xerces.org\/blog\/dont-spring-into-garden-cleanup-too-soon\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">it might not yet be time to clean up our garden beds<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The debris is still serving as insulation for a wide range of insects including a variety of pollinator species so consider holding off on mowing and leaving winter pollinator habitat, like those old stalks from fall\u2019s woody plants and any leaves where they are for just a little longer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But &#8211; there are some activities that are perfect to tackle in April, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.illinois.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/garden_tool_maintenance.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">prepping your gardening tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. (If you put them away without sharpening and performing maintenance on them in the fall, you\u2019re not alone!)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/publications\/2751e\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UMaine Extension\u2019s \u201cStarting Seeds at Home\u201d bulletin #2751<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the following plants can be started indoors in April: pepper, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, coleus, statice, impatiens, larkspur, cosmos, tomato, basil, marigold, and calendula. And <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofga.org\/resources\/gardening\/seed-planting-calendar\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> recommends starting the following outdoors in the middle of the month: beets, carrots, cilantro, dill, leaf and head lettuce, parsnips, peas, arugula, radishes, salad turnips, shallots, spinach, bunching onions for summer harvest, and onions from seeds or sets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Browntail moth caterpillars will start to emerge by mid-April, so this is your last chance to remove their nests. Identification resources and information about management techniques is available from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/dacf\/mfs\/forest_health\/invasive_threats\/browntail_moth_info.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We want to help you with your gardening issues. To get help from your fellow MGVs, submit your questions to <\/span><\/i><a href=\"mailto:heatherwberger@gmail.com\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heather Wiggins Berger<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<a id=\"Upcoming\"><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>Upcoming Events<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Spring Fling Potluck &#8211; The Most Bloomin\u2019 Event of the Year!<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wednesday, April 9<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> from 5:00 &#8211; 8:00 PM &#8211; Wolfe&#8217;s Neck Farm\u2019s Smith Center in Freeport &#8211; RSVP and Potluck Sign-Up <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/grow.withlome.com\/a\/098f7962-bc17-4727-871e-9fd251ad4d02\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Speaker Series\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Education Committee is pleased to present the following learning opportunities for the rest of the spring:<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/umaine-extension.formtitan.com\/ftproject\/events?eventid=a1cUy000002jP17\"><b>Maine\u2019s Changing Gardens<\/b><\/a><b> with Dr. Sean Birkel, Maine Climatologist <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">| April 10 | Zoo<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Saco Heath Preserve Nature Walk with Amy Witt<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> | April 24 (rain date April 25),\u00a0 9-11 AM | In person at the Saco Heath Preserve, 163 Buxton Road, Saco<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/umaine-extension.formtitan.com\/ftproject\/events?eventid=a1cUy000002xyzt\"><b>Insects: Maine&#8217;s Oddballs, Tricksters &amp; Lookalikes<\/b><\/a><b> with Charlie Armstrong, Extension Entomologist | <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">May 8 | Zoom<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thanks to everyone who sent in suggestions for workshops and presentations.\u00a0 Keep the suggestions coming to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">catzrul1@live.com<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Education Committee has been meeting to create the schedule for September 2025-June 2026.\u00a0 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 \u201cHow to\u201d build a raised bed, construct a monarch station, and other fun projects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>University of Maine Extension Events<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Wednesday, April 9:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/umaine-extension.formtitan.com\/ftproject\/events?eventid=a1cUy000002jijh\"><b>Perennials for the Resilient Maine Garden<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 |\u00a0 6:00 &#8211; 7:15 PM\u00a0 | Zoom |\u00a0 Free &#8211; $15<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Thursday, April 10:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/kittery.coursestorm.com\/course\/how-to-pressure-can\"><b>How to Pressure Can<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">|\u00a0 6:00 &#8211; 9:00 PM\u00a0 |\u00a0 Kittery\u00a0 |\u00a0 $35<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Community Events<\/b><b><\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Wednesday, April 2:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofga.org\/event-calendar\/climate-smart-soil-management\/\"><b>Climate Smart Soil Management Workshop: Conserving Natural Resources Through Accurate Fertility Management<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 |\u00a0 10:00 &#8211; 2:00 PM\u00a0 |\u00a0 Rockport\u00a0 |\u00a0 $25\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Wednesday, April 2:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofga.org\/event-calendar\/grow-your-own-organic-garden-2025\/\"><b>Grow Your Own Organic Garden<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 |\u00a0 6:00 &#8211; 7:30 PM\u00a0 |\u00a0 Multiple locations\u00a0 |\u00a0 Price varies per location<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Sunday, April 6: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofga.org\/trainings\/annual-events\/seed-swap-and-scion-exchange\/\">MOFGA 2025 Seed Swap &amp; Scion Exchange <\/a><\/strong>|12:00 &#8211; 4:00 PM | 294 Crosby Brook Road, Unity 04988<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Wednesday, April 9:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofga.org\/event-calendar\/perennials-for-the-resilient-maine-garden\/\"><b>Perennials for the Resilient Maine Garden<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 |\u00a0 6:00 &#8211; 7:15 PM\u00a0 |\u00a0 Zoom\u00a0 |\u00a0 Free &#8211; $15<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Wednesday, April 9:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cumberlandswcd.org\/calendar\/yardscaping-healthy-lawn-care-made-easy-2\"><b>Yardscaping: Healthy Lawn Care Made Easy<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 |\u00a0 5:00 &#8211; 7:00 PM\u00a0 |\u00a0 Windham\u00a0 |\u00a0 Free<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Thursday, April 24:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofga.org\/event-calendar\/gardening-in-climate-change-native-plants-trees-ornamentals\/\"><b>Gardening in Climate Change: Native Plants, Trees, &amp; Ornamentals<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 |\u00a0 4:00 &#8211; 5:30 PM\u00a0 |\u00a0 Zoom\u00a0 |\u00a0 Free-$20<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Saturday, April 29:\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cumberlandswcd.org\/calendar\/eke1luolqk0rqzv0gldvyf51eclv5l\"><b>Yardscaping Demonstration Site Workshop:\u00a0 Raised Beds Workshop<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 |\u00a0 6:00 &#8211; 8:00 PM\u00a0 |\u00a0 Windham\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Past Editions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Missed a previous newsletter? View them all <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/master-gardener-volunteers-online-resource\/newsletters\/?ppwp=1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">HERE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 (password: ladybug)<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>About this Newsletter: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">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 <\/span><a href=\"mailto:heatherwberger@gmail.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heather Wiggins Berger<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the newsletter coordinator.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this issue\u2026 From the President MGV Plant Sale Update\u00a0 Roots: Meet MGV Adele Wise Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight: Gorham Middle School Ask an MGV &#8211; Tips &amp; Tricks for Your Best Garden Yet Upcoming Events From the President Seasons flow in a cycle. Life, too, passes through difficult winters. But after any winter, spring will [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":227,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-45954","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>April 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter - Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County - University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/cumberland\/april-2025-master-gardener-volunteer-newsletter\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"April 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Newsletter - Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County - University of Maine Cooperative Extension\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In this issue\u2026 From the President MGV Plant Sale Update\u00a0 Roots: Meet MGV Adele Wise Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight: Gorham Middle School Ask an MGV &#8211; Tips &amp; Tricks for Your Best Garden Yet Upcoming Events From the President Seasons flow in a cycle. 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