OSU Master Gardener volunteers train to serve the community as garden educators. You can find Master Gardeners inspiring and guiding gardeners by making gardening presentations and teaching at libraries, schools, and to community groups.

The past two years OSU Master Gardener, Corinne Thomas-Kersting has been sharing her passion and gardening know-how with an enthusiastic group of gardeners at the “Aspire Together” garden in Milwaukie. Aspire Together is a non-profit 501(c)3, whose goal is “to build a community center and safe place for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities”.

Over a span of 6-months Aspire Together gardeners learned valuable garden lessons ranging from how to plant seeds and seedlings to preparing a garden for winter. Each gardener had their own raised garden bed to tend throughout the season. Gardeners experienced and learned from both their garden challenges and successes. A visit to the garden revealed the joy each gardener experienced through the countless discoveries that go along with gardening and being in the natural world. For many of the gardeners it was their first experience gardening, and their pride was evident as flowers bloomed and harvests were reaped.

Sincere thanks to Corinne and all our OSU Master Gardener volunteers for their commitment to educating and inspiring fellow gardeners.