Author: Central Gorge Master Gardeners
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The Fish Food Bank Garden:
The FISH Food Bank Garden: Feeding the Community In So Many Ways By Jen Munroe, OSU Hood River County Extension Central Gorge Master Gardener volunteer FISH Garden Sign As you have driven along Tucker Rd, you may have seen the FISH (Friendly, Instant, Sympathetic Help) Food Bank, which provides food and sundries to the community.…
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Pollinator Gardens:
Pollinator Gardens: Creating Safe Forage for Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators by Sarah Smeby, OSU Hood River County Extension Central Gorge Master Gardener Volunteer In the Columbia River Gorge, native pollinators include a variety of bees (like bumblebees, honeybees, and various wild bee species), butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, small mammals, and hummingbirds. Recently, concern…
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CGMGA Spotlight: Beth Flake
Beth grew up in Austin, Texas, an environment that she describes as ever changing and challenging for gardening. Her mother had many indoor plants, but the climate was inhospitable for outdoor gardens. Beth’s mom “always had a garden and it always struggled.” Beth remained in Texas into her mid-40’s. She and her husband David attempted…
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Award recipients
Master Gardener of the Year* 1996: Fred and Patricia Paige* 1997: Anna Nolen * 1998: Shirley Chrisman / Elizabeth Daniel * 1999: Roxanne Spoonable* 2000: Scott Fitch* 2001: Jean Hadley* 2002: Angela Bridges* 2003: Colleen Garrabrandt* 2004: Patricia Paige 2005: Sandi Rousseau 2006: John Ihle 2007: Dede Garcia 2008: Anne Saxby / Rita Saling 2009:…
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Eliminate Barriers for better living
by Jim Black OSU Hood River County Extension Central Gorge Master Gardener volunteer One of our new friends has used a wheelchair for years and manages well with it, thanks largely to his incredible wife and his own positive, can-do attitude. When we’re at their barrier-free home, it’s easy to forget he uses a wheelchair,…
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Seed Starting: What to know before you sow!
By Anne Gehrig, OSU Hood River County Extension Central Gorge Master Gardener Volunteer When I was in second grade, our teacher challenged us to a seed-growing contest. I brought a marigold seed; my mother assured me it would be the fastest seed to sprout. For 2 weeks, the class watched anxiously as one seed after…
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CGMGA Spotlight: Anne Debbaut
Spotlight on Anne Debbaut: A Journey from Engineering to Master Gardening Anne Debbaut’s journey is a testament to the power of following one’s passions, even when they lead down unexpected paths. Despite not coming from a family of gardeners, Anne has always had an eye for landscape designs, colors, and plant types. Her early fascination…
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CGMGA Spotlight: Sandy Montag
Nothing is permanent except change. This statement by the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus is probably as true today as it was in 500 BC when the world was still flat and orbited by the sun. And today, just as there were then, there are those who resist change and others who view it as an…
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CGMGA Spotlight: Tracy Willet
This month’s Spotlight features the many facets of Columbia Gorge Master Gardener Tracy Willett. Tracy grew up in a New England community. When asked about her earliest gardening memories, she remembers that her parents grew “a few rose bushes and rhododendrons.” During World War II, her father was sent to work manufacturing DDT. She specifically…
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CGMGA Spotlight: Christine Purvis
From August 2024 This past year has been busy and exciting for Christine Purvis, her husband, Sam, and their sons, Asher and Eliot. They recently moved from Portland to Hood River to find outdoor adventure here in the gorge. When Christine is not homeschooling her boys, she is learning about her new hometown, enjoying outdoor…