A few weeks ago I went on-line to complete the necessary paperwork and pay the fee to continue as an MSUE-MGV.

Last week I mailed in the dues to the UPMGA/MMGA. I didn’t think about it. Just did it. However, why do I continue to pursue this accreditation and pay the associated fees?

1. The obvious benefit of on-sight insurance coverage when involved in my project is important. If there is any sort of incident that some people can take you to court over, they will.

2. The members-only events offered by the MMGA on-line makes it easy for me to participate.

3. The calendar on the organization’s website is a quick way for me to find what’s happening. However, for me, belonging to the MMGA is more than those very practical things.

As a retired teacher I finally had an opportunity to take the MGV course. An avid gardener most of my adult life with more success than failure (even knowing very little science), I have to confess that earning the badge that declares that I am a Master Gardener was appealing to my ego. In fact, I would bet that letting gardeners carry that title was part of the strategy to entice people into the program when it began. Following that thought, it doesn’t seem like a mistake that the first lessons serve to demonstrate to the class members just how much they don’t know about plant science! I have had the right to call myself a Master Gardener Volunteer for years at this point but it is with great humility that I wear the badge.  

The strategy of the program has the highest goal: The sharing of research-based best practices with others. My initial project was to make a butterfly caterpillar puppet and use Larvinia (catchy name, eh?) to share the importance of insects with children through short Larvinia/Me conversations and flannel- board visuals. As basic as my puppetry skills are Larvinia was the star. The children ignored me and talked right to her!

Amazing! My motivation had been totally about getting the necessary hours completed; however, as I saw the impact on the children and the benefits other Master Gardeners’ projects were providing to their communities, I concluded that the impressive effectiveness of the Master Gardener Volunteer program was worth my commitment.

I am energized and happy when learning, meeting and interacting with others. The talent and enthusiasm of the men and women I have met is impressive and varied which inspires me to look in directions wider than my normal focus. I get exposed to others’ thoughts, learn about cultivars new to me, and see options for creating something different in my landscape. Knowing that the leadership of the MMGA is prepared to spend time and resources to support members’ efforts to learn and improve is a good and positive thing. As Ruth Steele-Walker said, “Because of MMGA you are not alone.”  

Belonging to the MMGA, associating with those who grow things for personal and/or professional goals, gives me a voice that I wouldn’t have otherwise. It wasn’t long after being certified that a friend called me desperate for help with his suffering raspberries as if I had instantly become an expert. Thankfully, I knew where to direct him which ended his panic. With the MGV training and the reputation of the program, I am not looked at as a hobby gardener but as someone whose information can be trusted and followed. Knowing or being able to find science- based information that helps other gardeners is an avenue to teach them methods that are effective and environmentally sound. This is a way for me to make a difference that benefits my community and could ripple out from there. One voice sharing the best practices has the ability to become many, many voices. 

This is the time of year when I can visualize the emergence of the bulbs I planted in November. While they are presently covered in 2 feet of snow and spring is a lo-o-ong way off here in the Keweenaw, the days are lengthening slowly. My fingernails are also in “winter-mode,” free from the soil I love to dig in. Busy gardening days will come again. Now it’s time to plan.

When visiting Thomas Jefferson’s home Monticello several years ago I bought a souvenir tile that caught my eye: “No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth and no culture comparable to that of the garden.” Plant on, fellow gardeners!