Submitted by J.L. Gerhart
Pickaway County Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) held their monthly meeting on Feb. 11 at the OSU Extension Office.
Kathleen Hall, president, brought the business meeting to order.
Planning is being done for a variety of events, including the Founders’ Day event on June 14 with speaker Cheryl Harner; the yearly MGV Plant Sale on May 23; the MGV Helpline that assists local gardeners with answering questions about gardening and horticulture; and the MGV table at the Pickaway County Farmers Market. Details to follow regarding each of these events.
The education segment of the meeting, coordinated by Jeanette Gerhart, delved into the subject of “Horticultural Therapy,” which has been defined as “the use of plants and gardens for human healing and rehabilitation.”
MGV Sarah Baehr spoke about Master Gardeners going into the Orient Correctional Facility several years ago to teach classes to inmates regarding gardening education. Some of the MGVs involved in this program were Carol Shiplevey, Judy Niggemeyer, Lyn and Dick Fisher, Vickie Lamb, Deborah Perkins-Edwards and others.
The following year, educational classes on vegetable gardening were taught at the Pickaway County Juvenile Center to the 13- to 17-year-old population, many of whom were brought here from all over Ohio.
MGV Lisa Feldman, a licensed therapist, spoke about her 4 1/2 years of teaching at the Buckeye Ranch. She mentioned a variety of techniques, meditation and physical activities that she has personally developed, as well as one-on-one interaction with children that can help them overcome or deal with the events in their lives that have led to unacceptable attitudes and behavioral issues. Quotes include, “Learn to grow things, learn to respect things, learn to respect boundaries,” “Who is the poison ivy in your life?” and “It is essential for your body to be connected to the earth.”
A new Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) training class will be held in April and May, coordinating this class with the MGV group in Fairfield County. An informational meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Library.
Contact Paul Hang at 740-497-4397 to sign up for the next Master Gardener Volunteer training program. To become a MGV, the trainee must complete the training program, pass the required exams and volunteer a specified number of hours to OSU Extension.
The Ohio State University Extension (OSUE) Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) Program is an educational program designed to meet the consumer horticulture developed to meet the needs of Ohio citizens. Its purpose is to train volunteers and utilize their expertise to teach people more about plants and pests, their culture and their importance to the environment and to our quality of life. MGV trainees receive formal training from their county Extension Office covering a wide range of pertinent horticultural topics.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
