Going and Growing

Items of Note

Mentor of the Year

Patsy Louk

Excellence in Education

West Fork Gardens

Liz Hale, Aileen Wilson, Haley Deatherage, Paula Dutton, Jane Bryant

“Yes, I Can” Award

Alice Walker

“Yes, I Can” Award Rookie

Gari James

Organization Friend of Master Gardeners

City of West Fork

Mayor Heath Caudle

2024 Washington County Master Gardeners Training Class 

Seated from left: Bruce Redinger, Patty Stith, Peter Gavin, Sharon L. Ferguson. Connor Peterson.

Standing from left: Kara Wishon, Laura Anne Watson, John Ball, Rick Oliver, Linda Womack, Pam Salamo, Gerry Harris, Ronda Marks, Stephanie McGuire, Laura Winburn, Haley Hausam, Courtney Kirkpatrick.
Photo by Aileen Wilson.

Not pictured: Jodi Arrington-Franklin, Sheri Bucciferro, David Edwards, Catalina Restrepo, Thalita Santos, Carlie Willett.

Class of 2024 Washington County Master Gardeners

Seated from left: Rick Oliver, Ronda Marks, David Edwards, Sheri Bucciferro​

Standing second row from left: Thalita Santos, Laura Anne Watson, Carlie Willett, Peter Gavin, Laura Winburn.

Standing back row from left: Bruce Redinger, Stephanie McGuire, Gerry Harris, Haley Hausam, Patty Stith.

Not pictured: Robert Callier, Sharon Ferguson, Pam Salamo, Kara Wishon.

Shiloh Museum Free Seed Library

Under the leadership of Marty Powers, a seed giveaway program was developed to encourage the planting of more seeds which benefit butterflies and other pollinators. The project was begun in 2022 when a total of 7,700 seed packets were picked up from the seed box. During the 2023 season, that number increased to 8,072. An additional 2,000 milkweed packets were donated to schools and were handed out during the milkweed giveaway and the monarch festival.

Project Highlight – Washington County Fair

Washington County Master Gardeners serve the Washington County Fair by supervising all activities in the fair’s Agronomy Department. Exhibit categories (adult and youth) include vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, flower arrangements, potted plants, field crops, and outdoor art. There is also a youth category for entomology. The fair runs for five days in late August. WCMGs are involved before (building prep), during (receive entries, assist judges, visit with the public) and after (building cleanup) the fair. During the fair the WCMGs also run a “Gardeners Store,” with all proceeds going to fund fair premiums for youth.

The Washington County Fair is WCMG’s largest sanctioned project, both in public outreach and in Master Gardener volunteer participation. As project co-chair Doris Cassidy says, “It takes a village to staff the Horticulture Building!”