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UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County

The Latest Dirt - November 2024

Editor’s Note: A Warm Welcome to Our 2025 UC Master Gardener Trainees!

Dear New Volunteer Trainees,

Welcome to the Contra Costa County UC Master Gardener family! The Latest Dirt Team, including the editors, writers and technical support, is thrilled to have you join us on this rewarding education, outreach, and stewardship journey. This year promises exciting opportunities for learning, hands-on experience, and community impact. As you embark on this path, you will find yourselves in a community of passionate, dedicated volunteers who share a love of gardening and a commitment to sustainable practices.

Before we dive into the year ahead, I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed to The Latest Dirt this year. Your efforts have made it an invaluable resource, helping us stay connected, informed, and inspired. Every article, project update, and bit of shared knowledge has enriched our community, and it has been an absolute joy for me to work with all of you. I am incredibly grateful for your time, creativity, and dedication.

In this issue, our Project Leads share a few words highlighting their team’s accomplishments over the past year and describe ways for you to get involved. They’ve worked tirelessly to bring meaningful projects to life and are excited to welcome fresh perspectives and new energy as they share their plans for the year ahead, but they can't do it alone. We hope you take a moment to read through these amazing articles to see if there might be a job or two that sounds appealing.

We hope you feel inspired by these dedicated individuals and their visions for the coming year. Each Project offers a chance to expand your skills, make new friends, and contribute to impactful gardening initiatives across our community. Let’s continue to grow together, learning from one another and making a difference, one project at a time!

With deep gratitude and warmest regards,

Simone Adair

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2025 New Volunteer Training Welcome

November 14th, 2024
by Dawn Kooyumjian I want to extend a warm welcome to our new trainees the soon-to-be Class of 2025! It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know everyone. I see the wide range of experience, excitement and energy -- and, of course, snack talent --that you bring to the program.
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Welcome Class of 2025! A New Journey Begins

November 14th, 2024
by Lisa Bramblet, ELT Member at Large, Rivertown Garden Co-Lead Greetings and welcome aboard to the UC Master Gardener Class of 2025! You have chosen to embark on a wonderful journey of discovery and as a resource for the community in Contra Costa County.
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Join Growing Gardeners and Be an Agent of Change

November 14th, 2024
by Ann Ramirez Change! It is that time of the year when our spring efforts in the vegetable garden end and a new fall garden emerges. Many trees show beautiful colors before they lose their leaves, and our homes start to have seasonal changes. Growing Gardeners has had many changes.
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Primary Image
Jardineros Lead May Coleman at the Verde Elementary School spring potting up class_Photo Courtesy Rosalie Rose–Lerman
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Jardineros is Expanding into the Community

November 14th, 2024
by May Coleman Our newly approved Jardineros project emphasizes the growing importance of community-based connections, particularly between the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa and the large Spanish-speaking community in the county.
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Join Our Digital Garden: Communicate Create Connect

November 14th, 2024
by Lori Palmquist The Communications project serves the public AND UC Master Gardeners proudly and directly. Our work is electronically focused. So, if you join us, you can put away those gloves, pruners, and trowels. Our reach is far, and our message clear.
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Help Spread the News!

November 14th, 2024
by Hedwig Van Den Broeck News to Grow By is more than just our seasonal newsletter with nearly 8,500 subscribersits a vibrant, welcoming platform that connects us with our community.
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Sweet or Astringent? Solving the Puzzle of Your Persimmon Tree

November 13th, 2024
by Sara Hoyer Clients question: I have a persimmon tree, but Im unsure what type it is, and this has puzzled me for a few years. It turned orange a few weeks ago, while my Fuyu is still turning color. Its not Fuyu. Its shaped like Fuyu, perhaps slightly bigger. I tasted a few last year.
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