In 2017, our volunteers completed a total of 10,552 hours of volunteer work for an in-kind contribution back to the county equal to $278,573!

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1 ANNUAL REPORT Success in Ramsey County BY THE NUMBERS 160 certified Master Gardener volunteers and interns reported volunteer hours. 12,895 + people attended our educational programs. Master Gardener volunteers taught educational programs on: Composting Organic Recycling Pollinators Local Foods Horticultural Skills Plant Bio-Diversity Nearby Nature Climate Change COMPOSTING AND ORGANIC RECYCLING WITH RCMG DES AT THE RAMSEY COUNTY FAIR Wise Watering Practices Master Gardener volunteers in Ramsey County made research-based information more accessible to our county residents by answering questions on the Yard and Garden helpline, our on-site Diagnostic Clinic, at local Farmers Markets and many community workshops and events. We were also present at fairs and festivals this year including Phalen Waterfest, The Peace Celebration, Rondo Days, and Selby Jazz Fest in the Rondo neighborhoods. We answered questions at The Backyard Farm Fair and Harvest Festival at Frogtown Park and Farm. We hosted an Environmental Health Booth at the Ramsey County Fair reaching many residents, young and old. We staffed Ramsey County Yard Waste Sites in spring, early summer and fall and connected to 3,444 residents about organic recycling and composting as well as answering their gardening questions. We educated many more on these environmentally friendly practices at our other information booths and tables throughout the season. In 2017, our volunteers completed a total of 10,552 hours of volunteer work for an in-kind contribution back to the county equal to $278,573! 2010, Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests for consultation on formats to Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with at least 10 percent postconsumer waste material. 12/10

2 GARDEN MENTOR PROGRAM PILOT For the past six years, Ramsey County Master Gardeners have consulted with public housing residents as they learned to Make it Bloom, a program which encourages residents to grow vegetables and flowers in raised beds, containers and in the ground at their high-rise homes. In 2017, a new pilot program, Garden Mentors, was launched. A collaboration with Ramsey County Public Housing and Ramsey County Public Health, housing residents applied for the program similarly to how Ramsey County residents apply for the Master Gardener Program. Residents who participated in the Garden Mentor Program received approximately 15 combined hours of orientation, horticultural education and conflict resolution skill building information. RCMG ROGER WITH PHA RESIDENTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF In addition, the Garden Mentors celebrated their success with field trips to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory after completion of the program. The graduates now serve as Garden Mentors at their high-rises to help their neighbors with their gardens. One participant was inspired to enroll in horticultural training at Century College, while another participant signed up for a community leadership training program with the Wilder Foundation. The third graduate is active in her community helping others with garden resources. We re pleased that the Garden Mentor Program will continue in 2018, and honored to have been nominated for a 2017 Ramsey County Public Health Award. RAMSEY COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS CELEBRATE 25 YEARS WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY 2017 marks the 25 th year that Ramsey County Master Gardeners have collaborated with Habitat for Humanity to design and install sustainable landscapes for home recipients. This year 19 Master Gardeners served 14 families, seven in spring and summer, and seven in the fall. We honored one of the co-coordinators, Ramsey County Master Gardener, Molly Clemen, with the Ralph Thrane Extraordinary Partnership Award, nominated by Ramsey County Master Gardener, Stacey Supina, her co- coordinator of the project. Nice teamwork!

3 Youth Programs RAIN GARDENS AND SHORELINE RESTORATION WITH STUDENTS The Ramsey County Master Gardener value our partnership with the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District. Each year we help with the stratification of seeds, plant seeds, and transplant seedlings into rain gardens and water restoration projects in Ramsey County. In addition, we helped with three large public and two residential rain garden installations and shoreline restoration along Keller Creek. Our Master Gardener volunteers worked with approximately 2,128 students and their teachers from these schools in 2017: Mounds Park Academy, Maplewood Level Up Academy, White Bear Lake E'toile du Nord, St Paul Farnsworth Aerospace, St Paul Battle Creek Elementary, St Paul Roseville Area Middle School Woodbury Elementary St. Peter s Catholic School, North St Paul Farnsworth Aerospace, St Paul Children's Discovery, Little Canada St Peter's Catholic School, North St Paul Weaver Elementary School, St Paul Central Park Elementary Woodbury Area Middle School Grow your Own and Eat Healthy with Extension Health and Nutrition Programs "Oh wow, I didn't know you could eat what comes out of this seed!" RCMG SUSAN DEMONSTRATES NUTRITIOUS FOOD YOU CAN GROW AT HOME BRUCE VENTO CULTURAL NIGHT, BRUCE VENTO UNITY NIGHT How to grow your own microgreens at home and why you should! Two outreach events during the season served 185 students and family members. BRUCE VENTO ELEMENTARY GARDEN CAMP Ramsey County Master Gardeners served as Garden Camp Counselors to small groups of 3 rd graders teaching them about P.L.A.N.T. needs, (Place, Light, Air, Nutrients, Thirsty, Soil ) The raised beds were planted, gardens cared for, and the produce harvested for sampling and to bring home to family members. 86 third graders were taught. MAXFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YARD GARDEN Second and third graders receive hands on science curriculum while growing food for their family and their community. Master Gardeners lead the students in a weekly program from early spring to June. 125 students participated.

4 CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-YARD GARDEN A new school-yard vegetable garden with raised beds was designed and built with a Ramsey County Master Gardener volunteer to conduct summer programming with 30 fourth, fifth and sixth grade students. EASTSIDE YMCA PRESCHOOL PROGRAM A pilot summer program was initiated by Renewing the Countryside in partnership with the Eastside YMCA and The Ramsey County Master Gardeners to teach 42 preschool children and their teaching staff about vegetable gardening basics and nutrition. It was considered a success, and more metro YMCA s will have similar programming in the future. In the beginning, the kids weren t able to name or identify common vegetables and by the end of the program they did! AURORA/ ST. ANTHONY PEACE SANCTUARY GARDEN The Peace Garden is host to neighborhood kids throughout the growing season as a gathering place to learn about gardening and make a healthy snack harvested from the garden. This year 80 youth and adults enjoyed the expertise and the energy of dedicated Master Gardeners, also known as Land Connectors, leading the group on a weekly basis. The garden also hosts a National Afternoon Out event each year and is supported through a private University of Minnesota Foundation endowment that is specific to urban gardening efforts and food justice issues. GROUP HARVEST RCMG MEGAN LEADS THE CIRCLE RCMG KRIS ASSISTS WITH MAKING SNACKS

5 NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE Partnering with the University of Minnesota Extension Health and Nutrition programs, we staffed an information table and demonstrated how to grow microgreen salads in a single container serving. People loved seeing the little lettuce sprouts coming up in our example bowl that had been planted a week prior! ST. PAUL CITY SCHOOL, CHILDREN S GARDEN IN RESIDENCE 2017 marked the third year of this seven week summer program which brings three programs together, the Ramsey County Master Gardener Program, the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the University of Minnesota Extension Health and Nutrition Programs to deliver a hands- on gardening curriculum which incorporates science, gardening and nutrition lessons to elementary aged students. This 3-pronged model of educating youth will be provided to other organizations and schools in 2018 as The Children s Garden in Residence program. Look for more information about this program next year! In 2017, 36 children participated. SNAP EDUCATOR ANN WITH RCMG JULIE

6 Youth Programs Native Plant Garden Restoration and Pollinator Projects FALCON HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL With the help of our program, a native plant garden was revived at this location. The garden looks 100% better! CHEROKEE HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL With support from the principal, teachers, staff and students of two 5 th grade classes, (54 participants) we helped clean out and replant a native plant garden in front of the school. We were given thank you cards signed by students and teachers at end of project. Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District loaned the school a grow light plant stand for use in horticultural education in the future. One of our volunteers has offered to teach basic horticulture as part of next year's science curriculum to include growing some native plants to be planted in the garden. ISLAND LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL At the schools request, we developed a landscape plan for the front of school, helped purchase plants and led a planting day including education on native plants and pollinators to 20 students, teachers and their families. The individual requesting our help commented, "We were able to accomplish everything we set out to do - most of which would not have been possible without the knowledge of the gardeners...the participants learned a lot not only about our own gardens but about plants and pollinators in general...we NEVER could have accomplished all of this with your help and are so very grateful." MINNESOTA CHILDREN S MUSEUM RAISED BED AND BACKYARD GARDEN DESIGN Two Ramsey Master Gardeners met with the Children's Museum staff early in 2017 and helped them to design pollinator friendly raised beds and a new backyard garden area. The results of their work were enjoyed all summer long by visitors to the Children s Museum. Ramsey Master Gardeners were invited back to the museum to participate in providing pollinator education for their annual Civic Day. We happily educated youngsters and parents by reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Lifecycle of a Butterfly. 77 children and 63 parents participated in the event.

7 RCMGS KIM AND CAROL READ TO YOUTH AND FAMILY MEMBERS DURING THE CHILDREN S MUSEUM CIVIC DAY EVENT COMO PARK ZOO AND CONSERVATORY, BLOOMNG BUTTERFLIES This was our second year to participate in the special Como exhibit of butterflies and native plants for pollinators. We included educational activities to enhance the experience for visitors to this popular St. Paul destination. Over the course of the summer, we reached 5,986 residents including many children, their families, and friends. Many of our visitors were glad to learn more about pollinators and what they can do to help and committed to planting and sharing the pollinator seeds we gave them We wore bee costumes and played games to engage and educate children and adults. We also educated visitors on organics recycling. Many people were unaware of the offerings in Ramsey County and plan to begin using organics recycling. TREES FOR BEES WITH GIRL SCOUTS AT THE MAPLEWOOD NATURE CENTER Ramsey County Master Gardeners helped 60 girl scouts earn a Cadette Tree badge by teaching them how to protect trees and the pollinators that depend on them. They also made fun tree art and learned about food products that come from trees including syrup and fruits. BOYS SCOUTS GET GARDEN DESIGN HELP Master Gardeners were also on hand to help the boy scouts! We worked with an Eagle Scout to help design a pollinator friendly garden at Merriam Park Library.

8 Youth Programs Horticultural Skills Education JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM This fall, the Ramsey County Master Gardeners teamed up with the University of Minnesota Extension 4-H program to start a 4-H club focusing on horticultural education. Master Gardeners are leading the club that currently has six children, ages 3rd through 5th grade using a nationally renowned 4-H gardening curriculum. A garden space was provided to the club at the Ramsey County Extension office in Maplewood. Each session held brings the kids closer to becoming Junior Master Gardeners! RCMG SUSAN WORKS WITH THE JR. MASTER GARDENERS MAKING CARDS FOR THE SENIOR CENTER MAKING BIRD FEEDERS CHILDREN S HORTICULUTURAL THERAPY PROGRAM, CHILDREN S HOSPITAL ST. PAUL Known as My Little Green Friends, this educational horticultural therapy program has been recognized by the International Master Gardener organization with its Search for Excellence Award. Ramsey County Master Gardeners visit children of all ages during their stay at the hospital and conduct simple planting activities with them to brighten up their stay at the hospital and provide an introduction to plants. Typically they all receive a plant to transplant into a pot and nurture and care for the duration of their hospitalization and then bring the plant home. Some patients have kept their plants for years! In 2017, Master Gardeners taught 1076 kids and 1020 adults! WESTSIDE HEAD START Planting herbs in containers with 70 children and their families at this site kept Master Gardeners on their toes during this educational workshop! RAMSEY ROCKETS 4-H CLUB One of our Master Gardener volunteers took this 4-H club on a walk through Battle Creek Regional Park to find native plants and catch and release a few toads along the way!

9 AMERICAN INDIAN MONTESSORI This season brought a lively group of preschoolers some fun and interesting education on foods and flowers for pollinators. Every two weeks from May to September, Master Gardeners taught lessons with 14 children and 3 staff members about growing vegetables, pollinators, weeding, mulching, watering and harvesting the garden. There was one craft oriented lesson making "garden guardians" and also a pollinator release of Painted Lady butterflies. Throughout the season, children placed stickers on a Garden Harvest chart to record what they grew. Vegetables were incorporated into their healthy lunches or offered to families to take home to add to their meals. Wildflowers were grown among the vegetables to enhance the pollination of the crops. JANICE AIM STAFF AND RCMG ANN WITH THE KIDS One of our (discoveries) this season is that the carrots did not grow well. When we did the final harvest, the kids decided that the "Wauboose" or rabbit should have the carrots. They carefully laid them out where they often saw the rabbits near the garden and were thrilled to find they were being eaten.

10 Adult Programs YARD WASTE SITE EDUCATION 2017 Our Master Gardeners staffed 7 yard waste sites in spring, early summer and in the fall. This year we were happy to note that the Arden Hills Site began an organic recycling program. We look forward to helping residents learn more about organic recycling and composting in 2018 at ALL sites! Each site also features an education garden. Our Ramsey Master Gardeners usually plant and maintain them for the county, but this year we got some special help from one of the yard waste monitors at the Mounds View and Arden Hills sites. Thank you to Chris, (pictured left) your help kept those gardens looking spectacular! We connected with 3,444 residents in FARMERS MARKETS IN 2017 Ramsey County Farmers Markets are great venues for Master Gardeners to provide technical assistance to residents on all horticultural topics. In 2017, we featured pollinator education at our markets, emphasizing the importance of our interdependence on pollinators for our food supply. We reached over 2200 residents throughout the season at nine Farmers Markets.

11 MAKING A DIFFERENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING HORTICULTURAL SKILLS Two women at the New Brighton Farmers Market that asked (me) about their irrigation systems. Both were watering every other day. I explained about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall, and that less frequent (but deeper) watering was better for their lawns and saved water. They both had rain gauges, and were surprised that less frequent water was better. I also told them to use a tuna can to see how long it takes their irrigation system to deliver one inch of water, so they knew how long to run it. I really feel like I made a difference in their water use, and I asked them to tell their neighbors about less frequent but deeper watering, too. A new gardener was very appreciative of help from the MG s at the (Roseville Farmers Market) booth, they had started their first garden last year with suggestions from Master Gardeners and were having great results in their second year. Visitors to the Hmongtown Marketplace are almost all first or second generation Southeast Asian immigrants, most of them Hmong-speakers. The older folks are very successful and experienced farmers with a great deal of their own expertise and a lot of confidence. We have found the best approach is to simply talk about our mutual gardening experiences, rather than to present as "experts" who can answer your gardening questions. DIANE AND KIM AT HMONGTOWN MARKETPLACE

12 RCMGS SUE ELLEN AND LESLIE TALK PLANTS AT THE ST. PAUL DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET ORGANIC RECYCLING EDUCATION AT THE WEST SIDE FARMERS MARKET JANE AND NANCY IDENTIFY PLANT SAMPLES AT ST. THOMAS MORE FARMERS MARKET

13 Information Tables Master Gardener assistance with businesses and organizations in 2017: Name of Event # Participants 2017 Home and Patio Show 71 Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Night Out 19 Blooming St. Paul Awards 10 Burlington Heights Plant Exchange 14 Como Dist. 10 May Share Seed and Plant Exchange 10 Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Distribution 190 Edgarton Community Open House 10 Falcon Heights Ice Cream Social 33 Friends of the Park Tree Sale 28 Friends of the Park Tree Sale 34 Friends Plant Sale 266 Hampton Park Coop Plant Sale 40 Mac-Groveland Plant Exchange 23 Midway Green Spirit Community Garden 100 Pletscher's Green House 24 Ready Set Grow, River's Edge Academy 6 Ten Thousand Villages 8 Volunteers in Corrections Annual Plant Sale 68 Warner Stellian Health Fair 44 West Side Plant Exchange 12 White Bear Lake Environmental Resource Expo 70 Total # of Participants 1080 AURORA/ ST. ANTHONY NATIONAL AFTERNOON OUT WITH RCMG MEGAN MIDWAY GREEN SPIRIT COMMUNITY GARDEN WITH RCMGS ROGER AND NILGUN

14 Community Events and Festivals 2017 PEACE CELEBRATION Ramsey County Master Gardeners received an in depth training on the dangers of lead in soil from Nic Jelinski, Associate Professor for the Soil, Water and Climate Department at the University of Minnesota. Professor Jelinski is deeply involved with a program which serves residents by providing a system for screening for lead in soil samples at community events called Soil Kitchen. Our Master Gardeners learned how to help screen soil samples and then applied this knowledge as residents brought their soil samples to the 2017 Peace Celebration in the historic Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul. More than 35 residents received help. RCMG NANCY HELPS A RESIDENT WITH A SOIL SAMPLE One woman brought in 13 soil samples which she had taken from various spots around her backyard. All of them turned out to show high levels of lead. She spent over 30 minutes discussing the results and recommendations and then sat down with Nic and his colleague to map out her back yard and plot where each sample had been taken. PROFESSOR NIC BRINGS THE SOIL KITCHEN TO MANY COMMUNITY EVENTS RCMG ANN AT THE PEACE CELEBRATION

15 Community Events and Festivals, cont. Sponsoring Organization What We Did # of Contacts White Bear Lake Demonstrated container gardens, composting, 35 Emergency Food Shelf and straw bale gardening techniques and tips. "Garden Day" Ramsey County Fair Lead tours of our "Barn Garden" demonstration gardens and gave gardening advice. Ramsey County Fair Educated residents on composting, organic Environmental Health recycling and pollinators. 202 Frogtown Park and Farm RCMG helped neighbors pick out free seedlings "Backyard Farm Fair" for their gardens and gave advice on transplants 200 The Wildflower Project We educated the public on the importance of Wildflower Festival pollinators: how to provide food and shelter and how to avoid harmful chemicals that can kill or injure them. 31 Rondo Days We gave away veggie plants and garden seeds and provided info on composting and organic recycling. 35 Selby Jazz Festival We answered gardening questions, gave out seasonal food garden seeds, (primarily greens), and a few plants that would still produce in the fall as well as composting and organic Recycling information. 90 Frogtown Park and Farm Taught festival participants about fall gardening tips, "Harvest Festival" leaf rings and composting. 150 City of White Bear Lake "Environment Resource Expo" Ramsey-Washington County Metro Watershed District "Phalen Waterfest" City of St. Paul Judging gardens for "Blooming St. Paul" We handed out kitchen compost buckets and taught how to compost in your backyard and city. We answered lawn and garden questions. 70 Distributed information on pollinators and gave away 30 native plant seeds to festival participants. We distributed compostable bags filled with information about composting, organic recycling and how to be a Master Gardener in Ramsey County to 145 homeowners nominated for a Blooming St. Paul Award 145 Total 988

16 Special Projects and Events DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC Our Diagnostic Clinic is a popular destination for Ramsey and Washington county residents as they seek advice on identification of plants as well as plant pests and pathogens. This year we had so many questions on Japanese beetles! We gave our sage advice to 163 residents. RAMSEY COUNTY MASTER GARDENER PLANT SALE RCMGS JEAN AND CAROL HELP A RESIDENT Our annual plant sale brings in folks from all over the metro area. Ramsey County Master Gardeners dig in their gardens in the fall and spring and put plants into pots, start seeds in March and supplement the sale with annuals and perennials from the Ramsey County Correctional Facility as well as local vendors. In 2017, we had 350 customers. Many Master Gardeners staff the sale to offer planting advice and best practices for growing and maintaining their purchases!

17 DEMONSTRATION GARDENS AT THE BARN Known as the Barn Gardens within our organization, Ramsey County Master Gardeners have been busy implementing and maintaining several educational demonstration gardens. Around the on-site Diagnostic Clinic, we featured raised bed gardening with a demonstration on square foot gardening- a simple technique to grow a lot of plants in a small area. We also have a pollinator friendly garden filled with native perennial plants and lots of pollinators! There are also demonstrations of different types of container gardening and the straw bale garden technique. In 201, we planted a University of Minnesota seed trial vegetable garden. Different varieties of similar vegetables were grown, data was collected on size and yield of the produce, and then sent on to the University of Minnesota to be analyzed for the best results. The produce harvested was used by the University of Minnesota Extension Health and Nutrition educators for their participants and Master Gardeners donated over 112 pounds of produce to the Merrick Community Food Shelf. Look for more demonstration/education gardens in 2018! RCMGS JEANNE AND NANCY DO FALL CLEAN UP

18 WE PARTNERED WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN 2017 American Indian Montessori Maxfield Magnet Elementary School Aurora St. Anthony Community Peace Garden Midway Green Spirit Community Garden Battle Creek Elementary Minnesota Children's Museum Bethel Frogtown Summit University Minnesota Dahlia Society Boy Scouts of America Minnesota State Horticulture Society Bruce Vento Elementary School Mounds Park Academy Burlington Heights Plant Exchange Mounds Park Academy Central Park Elementary School Neighborhood House Cherokee Heights Elementary School New Brighton Farmers Market Children's Discovery Academy Ober Community Center Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota Pletscher's Green House City of Falcon Heights Ramsey County Environmental Health City of Maplewood Ramsey County Correctional Facility City of New Brighton Ramsey County Fair Board City of Roseville Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District City of Shoreview Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District" City of St. Paul Recycling Association of Minnesota City of White Bear Lake Renewing the Countryside Como District 10 Community Council River's Edge Academy Como Park and Conservatory Sarah's Oasis District 6 Planning Council St. Paul City School Eastside YMCA St. Paul Farmers Market Edgerton Community Garden St. Paul Garden Club Falcon Heights Elementary School St. Paul Parks and Recreation Farnsworth Aerospace St. Paul Public Libraries Friends of the Parks St. Peter's Catholic School Friends of the Parks and Trails St. Thomas More Farmers Market Friends School Stryker Community Garden Frogtown Farm Ten Thousand Villages Frogtown Green The Wildflower Project Girl Scouts of the USA University of Minnesota Extension Health and Nutrition Growing West Side University of Minnesota Habitat for Humanity University of Minnesota Department of Soil Water and Climate Hampden Park Coop University of Minnesota Extension 4-H Island Lake Elementary School University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Keller Creek Urban Farm and Garden Alliance Keystone Community Services Warner Stellian L'Etoile du Nord Washington County Master Gardeners Level Up Academy Weaver Elementary School Macalester-Groveland Community Council West Side Summit School Maplewood Nature Center White Bear Lake Emergency Food Shelf

19 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Extension / Visit us at these two webpage sources: BECOME A MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER Learn more about the Master Gardener program at mgweb@umn.edu. Contact us at auss0004@umn.edu or call to find out about the horticulture course, the volunteer commitment and the application process in Ramsey County. Questions or comments? auss0004@umn.edu 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with at least 10 percent postconsumer waste material.