The Fluvanna Master Gardeners provide leadership for a number of projects around the county. Below are the projects that have been approved by our County Extension Agent and the membership. FMGs participate in other events that come up each year but these are not formal projects.
Ag Day
Fluvanna County Schools offers “AG Day” each year as a collaborative effort of the VCE Fluvanna Extension Staff and community groups as an agricultural education day for 4th graders each spring.
Children’s Garden (during school year)
Fluvanna Master Gardeners started the children’s garden about 15 years ago at Central Elementary. It was the brainchild of one of our founding FMGs, Bertie Bergstrom. She wanted to find a way to help children experience gardening. Gardens help children discover and explore the natural world. If not for the garden at school, many children would not have the opportunity.
Continue reading about the Children's Garden »
Community Garden
Come join Fluvanna’s newest planned community, for Gardeners Only! (No experience necessary!) Water, perimeter fencing, initial tilling and plenty of sunshine are provided. The Fluvanna County Community Garden was developed jointly by the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Fluvanna Master Gardeners and FCPR.
Continue reading about the Community Garden »
Earth Day
A countywide event offered each year in late April. FMG’s offer educational offerings and a Help Desk.
Fluvanna MG Plant Sale
The plant sale is the major fundraising for the Fluvanna Master Gardeners. It is the first Saturday in May and is from 9 am until noon. It is an approved project for master gardeners to acquire hours. The plants we sell are suited to our area and helps put your book knowledge to practical application.
Help Desk VCE Office – year round
This is a major community service and FMGs support the phone line in the VCE office and answering questions from county residents via email and phone. Residents bring in soil and plant samples for review and follow up in the VT labs. In addition, FMGs offer in person Help Desks at the Farmers’ Market at Pleasant Grove (selected Tuesday afternoons from April through October) and at various Community Events (Fluvanna Public Library, FMG Plant Sale, Community Education Programs and other community sites). Dates for these events are posted on the FMG website.
Lake Monticello Beautification (LMBC)
This is an approved project for Fluvanna Master Gardeners. Members of LMBC Corps maintain about 56 gardens at Lake Monticello. Members can put their knowledge of plants, shrubs and pruning to work in the gardens and teach others these skills. LMBC members also provide the lake with a phone book, holiday house tour and other avenues to put your gardening knowledge to work.
Members meet on the first Monday of the month for the general meetings from February to December. The work parties are from February to October. FMGs earn volunteer hours for participating.
Old Farm Day – October each year.
This community day has a County Fair atmosphere with a focus on historic agriculture and farming. FMGs offer an exhibit and Help Desk.
Plant A Row For The Hungry (PAR) – primarily March through November
One of our popular community projects is PAR. A number of garden plots have been set aside at the Fluvanna Community Garden for the sole purpose of growing produce that will be donated to the MACAA Food Pantry in Fluvanna. In addition, members of the Community Garden and the Master Gardeners contribute by donating some of their surplus harvest to the PAR program. PAR typically runs to November. Gardeners plant in March and April and are plenty busy in the garden in August, September & October harvesting vegetables. Fall activities include getting the plots put to bed for the winter.
Continue reading about the Plant-A-Row project »
Pleasant Grove Pollinator Garden and Tree Planting
The new 2015 Pollinator Garden at Pleasant Grove is an education tool and demonstration garden for the citizens of Fluvanna County to promote increased pollinator habitat across the County. FMG’s will work with Fluvanna County Parks and Recreation to maintain the demonstration garden that includes native plants and to publicize and conduct educational programs around the Garden.
