Bluebonnet Master Gardener AssociationTexas AgriLife Extension Service

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2025 Master Gardener Graduates

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Congratulations to the 2025 BMGA Master Gardener intern graduates.

Class Coordinators were Cheryl Rose & Ruth Zabransky.
Pictured are:
L-R Front Row: Laramie Kettler (CEA), Andrew Harbich, Brian Jessogne, Ellen May, Cheryl Rose (Class Coordinator), Molly Harkness, Tammy Potter, Jennifer Posso.
L-R Back Row: Colin Marburger, Robin Jessogne, Joy Kamani, Tijuana Kamani, Kristie Kemp, Gerry Wells, Mark York, Ruth Zabransky (Class Co-Coordinator).

Not pictured:  Larry McCarty, Susan Brack, Susan Fernback, Frances Dorgant, Kent Jamison, Carolyn Givens, Donna Martinez, Joanne Stewart, Paul Dorgant

 

Intern Class of 2024 Graduates

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The Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association (BMGA) and the Washington County AgriLife Extension Service  is proud to announce the graduation of 20 Master Gardener Interns who completed the 2024 Master Gardener Training Class.  The intensive training classes began January 10, 2024, and continued every Wednesday through April 24th at the Washington County Event Center in Brenham, Texas.  Trainees from all four BMGA counties were eligible for the class. The training class will not be held again in Washington County until 2028.

After completing 60+ hours of intense instruction, classroom training, field trips and passing a final exam, the interns are required to complete 50 hours of gardening volunteer service within one-year to certify as a Master Gardener.  Such volunteer activities on BMGA projects are designed to assist Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in educating the public about gardening. One of the 2024 interns, Ms. Jennifer Burnett, completed her 50-volunteer hour requirement prior to the class graduation date of April 23, 2024, so is now a certified Master Gardener.

Class Coordinator Al Prescott said that the 2024 class schedule incorporated “new field trips, new speakers and other new material not used before in BMGA training classes.”  Christy Schweikhardt added that changing the presenters and curriculum helps keep the program fresh and current.

Congratulations to the 2024 BMGA Master Gardener intern graduates:

Joe Bluemel, Donice Karl, Shawn Brightwell, Helen Luchak, Aubrey Brinkmeyer, Shari McCoy, Jennifer Burnett, Rebecca McDowell, Brenda Coston, Gloria Mifflin, Susan Finster, Sally Pitts, Kirby Gor, Rita Saulsbery, Jennifer Groleau, Ashlee Schaper, Heather Horton, Kelsey Wilson, John Jacobs and Christina Wise.

The 2024 Class Coordinators were BMGA Master Gardener volunteers Al Prescott, Christy Schweikhardt and Gary Scardino.  Washington County AgriLife Extension Agent Kara Matheney was the AgriLife sponsor of the class.  Class Coordinators were assisted by Master Gardener volunteers Beverly Anderson, Cathy Conway, Linda Jordan, Teresa Wilson, Kay Przyborski, Renee Urish, Lisa Nicklow and Cindy McAllister.

Intern Class of 2022 Graduates

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By Faye Beery, 2022 Class Coordinator

On April 26, 2022, our new Bluebonnet Master Gardener intern class graduated with 33 interns.  One of them, Joe Jimenez, completed his 50 hours of volunteer work during the class period and is now a full fledged Master Gardener.  We also had the youngest intern that we have had, Webb Sherman, age 17.  The class had the largest ever enrollment with 40 students, but unfortunately, we lost 7 due to various reasons.

Joe Jimenez

Joe Jimenez with Class Coodinator Faye Beery.

Webb Sherman

Webb Sherman with Class Coordinator Faye Beery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We kept statistics for our class to determine the knowledge gained during the classes. Our pretest average grade was 55 with 23 missed. Our final test (posttest) averaged 89. The highest score was 98, made by several people. We also gave them 2 bonus questions from a list of words given them weekly that corresponded with their chapter. With the bonus questions, the average score was a 95. With the bonus questions, the highest score was a 108.

Several of the students were new to the area, having recently brought property in one of our 4 counties. There were also 3 sets of couples who were new to the area.

All of them were eager for information and asked lots of questions. They enjoyed the speakers and kept some of them a little over time to ask more questions. They are going to be good master gardeners, a good source of information for our community, and good friends.

Thanks also to the helpers for the class. Nikki Griffin was invaluable handling all the food and drink for the classes, as was Marcella Ausmus, helping with the hospitality and grading papers.  Esther Hartman, Susan Yancey, and Leah Pierce helped to grade papers also. Thanks to all who came.

2022 Intern Class

Bluebonnet Master Gardener Intern Class 2022

Interns:

Prudence Allwein
Ramin Baranpourian
Jim Campbell
Mary Lu Campbell
Nancy Darst
Linda Duffy
Carla Eriksson
Tory Farley
Jeri Franco
Dolores Gonzalez
Cheryl Grassmann
Freida Hale
Amy Schramm
Webb Sherman
John Sims
Chris Terry
Jim Hudgins		 Linda Huron
Joe Jimenez
Chad Johnson
Kayleigh Johnson
Lorrie Maddox
Scott Maddox
Rebecca Marek
Margie O’Brien
Mary Ott
Karen Reip
Jacqueline Samples
Keri Sherman
Barbara Shersh
Carrie Staples
Renee Urish
Angelica Zurita

 

2021 Master Gardener Training Class Graduates New Interns

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2021 Intern Class

The Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association is proud to announce the graduation of 10 Master Gardener Interns who completed its 2021 Master Gardener Training Class.  The training classes began January 12th and continued every Tuesday through April 27th at the Weimar Civic Center.  This was the first Master Gardening Training class held in Colorado County, although trainees from all four BMGA counties were eligible for the class.  The 2021 Class Coordinator was BMGA member Robbie Showers, who was assisted by Lynn Showers.  Colorado County AgriLife Extension Agent Laramie Kettler was the sponsor of the class. Some training presentations were virtual while some where in-person.

After completing 64 hours of intense instruction and passing a final exam, to be certified as a Master Gardener,  the interns are required to complete 50 hours of gardening volunteer service within 1-year.  Such volunteer activities must be work on approved BMGA projects that assist Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in educating the public about gardening.

One of the ten interns, Ms. Nancy Galloway, completed her 50-volunteer hour requirement prior to the class graduation date in April.  Robbie Showers commented that the 2021 “interns are eager to learn and work hard to get their hours.”  She said they “were a great bunch of people to work with” during the class.

Congratulations to the 2021 BMGA Master Gardener intern graduates:

Cheryl Rose
Mariar Schonenberg
Frank Montieth
Norma White
Nancy Galloway
Regena Williamson
Mary Ellen Holub
Lisa Slinkard
Linda Miller
Sharon Wegenhoft.

BMGA Graduates 19 New Interns

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Texas Master Gardener Logo

The Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association is proud to announce the graduation of 19 Master Gardener Interns who completed its 2020 Master Gardener Training Class.  Master Gardener training is tough any time, but this group of interns are a particularly hardy, dedicated, flexible and passionate group.  The class endured unique challenges due to the pandemic sending the last five training classes, a total of 20 hours, to online video conference sessions. Even the required intern presentations and the final exam moved to an online format.  All but one field trip was cancelled.

Congratulations to the 2020 BMGA intern graduates:

Bobby Bentke Linda Hufford
Mary Jane Berger Lillian Kwiatkowski
Rex Boyd Kathleen Lannou
Terri Burnham Mike Lannou
Deanna Butler Cindy McAllister
Cameron Carper Scarbrough, Carol
Michael Fromm Gary Scardino
Esther Hartman Stephanie Vickers
Randy Hegemeyer Bonnie Wills
Linda Hill

The class started out as one of change, including a new statewide Texas Master Gardener Handbook with new material to include in the program.  In addition, the class was held for the first time in Washington County, first steps were taken to revive the mentor program and at the start of the class, efforts were made to move some administrative components of the class online. Although bumps in the road were expected due to the changes, a pandemic shutting down in-person training halfway through the 15-week program was not anticipated.

However, with the work and guidance of Washington County Texas AgriLife Extension Agent Kara Matheney, the many professionals associated with Texas A&M University and the class participants’ eagerness to continue their training, classes moved online with Zoom video presentations from AgriLife Specialists and others to complete the course.   Although challenges persisted, the material and speakers were of the high quality required for Texas Master Gardener training.

The BMGA 2020 Training Class Committee gives a special “thank you” to all who presented to the class in-person or via video:

Kara Matheney –  Introduction to AgriLife
Dr. Jake Mowrer – Soil Characteristics & Soil Improvement
Elizabeth Wizzie Brown – Insects
Joseph Johnson – Tour of the Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A&M
Charlene & B.R. Koehler – Plant Propagation
Randy Albers – Plant Propagation
Michael Potter – Landscape Design
Jayla Fry – Plant Development
Sheila McBride – Diseases
Joel Pigg – Water
Tim Hartman –  Earth-Kind Landscapes
Erfan Vafaie – Integrated Pest Management
Tim Hartman – Fruit Trees
Rebecca Bowling – Lawns & Weeds
Skip Richter  – Vegetable and Herbs and Organic Gardening

Intern Class Visits Festival Hill

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Mary Reeeves leading the tour of Festival Hill GardensThe 2018 Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association’s intern training class of 24 trainees held its April 4th class on the grounds of Festival Hill in Round Top, Texas.  BMGA takes its intern training class to this “Jewel in the Crown of Texas” each year and the outing is usually a class favorite, especially when the weather is a nice Spring Texas day.

Intern Class touring Festival Hill Gardens

Guided by Festival Hill docent Mary Reeves, this year’s class and a few of their spouses toured the music conservatory’s campus and Festival Hill Herb Gardens.  Ms. Reaves, along with her husband Charles, was instrumental in bringing the extensive gardens to their potential since the early 1980s. Ms. Reaves also makes all the floral arrangements for social events at the campus.  The tour provided a historical overview of Festival Hill and discussed native plants around the grounds and in the different herb gardens. The group learned about herbs from around the world as well as the usual culinary and medicinal herbs. After the tour, the group enjoyed lunch in the Menke House kitchen which uses herbs from the campus gardens in their cooking. The interns last formal training class is April 11, and after passing a written exam, they will graduate the from Texas Master Gardener training program April 24th at BMGA’s chapter meeting at Grace Community Church in Bellville.