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What Does Being a Master Gardener Mean?

 

 

What does being a Master Gardener mean?

Proud for sure! Master Gardeners have learned a lot and passed a rigorous course in horticultural fundamentals that consumed a big part of our lives while we were doing it, then followed it with an extensive period volunteering on an array of projects.


Challenged! There’s always something new to learn or some new problem on the horizon. Keeping up or feeling pressed to “know” the answer can be daunting. Just remember, even the experts don’t know the answer to everything. The answer is often, “I don’t know but I’ll find out.”


Empowered! As Master Gardeners we’ve learned how to research and investigate, and each of us have developed a network of others we can draw on to find answers. Every new class taken or problem figured out builds on the foundation of the fundamentals we learned in the training course.


Connected! Master Gardeners are an incredibly talented and knowledgeable bunch with a wide range of interests & life experiences. We enjoy working with each other on ongoing WMMGA projects & events that help educate home gardeners as well as maintain local green spaces and support food security.

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Check our Calendar for Upcoming Events!

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What Master Gardeners Do

 

Like the plants we love, Master Gardeners continue to grow and learn. Being a Master Gardener isn’t a static, one-and done accomplishment. It’s an active commitment to being involved by helping people with their gardening problems in a sustainable way. This takes many forms such as holding the spring symposiums, being at a community garden, or talking at a local library, among many others

 

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How to test your soil
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Full Circle Garden

 

Full Circle Food Pantry Garden, located at the heart of the South Hadley Community Garden, is dedicated to providing fresh, organically grown produce to Neighbors Helping Neighbors, The all-volunteer staff is responsible for all aspects of the gardening process - from planning to twice-weekly delivery during the growing season.

We grow a variety of seasonal vegetables. Our produce varies by month, and includes garlic, greens, peas and rhubarb in early spring. Tomatoes, peppers and summer squashes are harvested all summer. Hardy winter squashes are ready in the fall. We also have an herb garden and flowers.


In 2023 over 2,450 lbs. of food has been sent to Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN), the South Hadley food pantry this year.

Our garden provided 23 different types of vegetables, each with multiple varieties. For example, we sent 227 bags of kale (112 lbs.) over the course of the season which included Common Curly Kale (what one might usually see in the supermarket), Lacinato Kale (also known as Dinosaur Kale or Tuscan Kale), and Red Russian (Ragged Jack).

For the first time ever, we sent dried herbs to Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) in lovely, donated glass spice jars; huge bags of basil for making pesto, and dried chili peppers to make the most of an incredible crop.

We further supported NHN’s mission of care and compassion by providing dozens of beautiful flower bouquets for their customers who might have needed a little TLC.

Read the full 2023 Annual Report

In 2024, we managed to exceed our expectations and surpass all of our previous years’ production, both in terms of quantity and variety of produce sent.

2024 By The Numbers

  • over 3,000 lbs. of food sent to Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN), the South Hadley food pantry
  • 23 different types of vegetables, each with multiple varieties.
  • 6 new vegetables: arugula, baby turnips, cabbage, collard greens, celery, tat soi (an Asian green)
  • over 1,500 bags of herbs (150 lbs.) including some huge bags of basil for making pesto
  • 220 beautiful flower bouquets, supporting our and NHN’s mission of care and compassion 
  • 31 individual volunteers
  • over 1,850 hours volunteered


Read the 2024 Annual Report

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The Pollinators Garden at Grow Food Northampton

 

The Pollinators Garden at Grow Food Northampton (GFN) was launched in 2017 when the Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association (WMMGA) was invited to take responsibility for one 20’ x 20’ plot, directly adjacent to a healthy stand of sumac and Japanese knotweed. An initial gift of mostly unlabeled pollinator seeds and plants from Nasami Farm (Native Plant Trust) and the Northampton Community Garden got the project off the ground (or in the ground). Since that time, the Garden has grown fourfold to 1600 square feet. More than 60 species of pollinator-friendly plants have emerged or been installed over the past five years. We continue to work to contain the more exuberant, fast-spreading species, to protect light and space for more delicate plants, and to ensure that the Garden will attract a range of native pollinators. We hope that this guide will be helpful to other gardeners in western Massachusetts who wish to install pollinator-friendly spaces in their yards and gardens.



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How to test your soil
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Smith Botanic GardenSmith College Botanic Garden
Berkshire Botanical Garden
 Arnold ArboretumArnold Arboretum
Wistariahurst
New England Botanic Garden
Springside





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