Master Gardener Web Links

University of Connecticut Plant Search - Excellent Plant search database- easy to use-- check it out!

Beasts Be Gone! For nuisance wildlife questions.

CCE Suffolk Co. fact sheet list - Extensive list of fact sheets.

Cornell Fruits - home page

Cornell Fruits/Berries - (Berries) page

The Master Gardener Volunteers of Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties are very active in our communities.
Their volunteer activities include presentations on gardening, landscaping and related activities throughout the two county region. 

2010 Activities

Library Series & Garden Clubs -  Master Gardeners in both Allegany and Cattaraugus have been busy presenting gardening talks to library patrons and community garden clubs. More people are accessing the expertise of our Master Gardeners and the gardening "word" is getting out!

A Feast For Birds: Pinecones Plus Workshop: Master Gardener Mary Lu Wells hosted a full day of sessions on how to feed your birds with items on hand in your home. This included food items and examples of feeding stations. Master Gardener Robin Stewart-Woodford assisted at the workshop with MG Dave and Elaine providing products for this free day.

Ag Literacy Week 2010:  Every year the Master Gardeners of Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties volunteer to read to 2nd Grade students throughout both counties on various agricultural topics. This year will be no different with many volunteer readers from our MG ranks, we also have volunteer readers from the Farm Bureau, FFA, National Honor Society, CCE staff, BOCES, and residents. This great program is touching all schools in both counties, great work everyone!

2009 Activities

Library Series & Garden Clubs -  Master Gardeners in both Allegany and Cattaraugus have been busy presenting gardening talks to library patrons and community garden clubs. They have received great feedback and will continue these presentations in the future. 

Master Gardener Meetings - Even though the Master Gardener Training Sessions are complete, Master Gardeners meet once a month and during Allegany meetings a different Master Gardener presents a topic of interest to the other MG's! This month Master Gardener Marry Harris did a presentation on Photograms. Take a look at the pictures below to see all of the fun!

pH Clinics in the Month of May & June!

May 16th - Riverside Sales and Service (Wellsville) - 10-1: Master Gardener Susan Duke and new Master Gardener Trainees!

May 16th - Cuba Feed Mill (Cuba)- 10-2: Master Gardener Charlie Jurenko and new Master Gardener Trainees!

May 23rd - Pleasant Valley Greenhouse and Nursery (Olean) - 11-2: Master Gardener Charlie Jurenko and new Master Gardener Trainees!

June 13th - Randolph Library (Randolph)- 10-1: Master Gardener Charlie Jurenko and new Master Gardener Trainees!

June 27th - Pioneer Oil Days- 9-1: Master Gardeners Terry, Mary, and Joyce!

June 27th - Angelica Farmers Market - Master Gardeners Elaine and Rex!

April 25th the Master Gardeners coordinated our Gardening Day at Ellicottville Central School. The program was led by Master Gardeners Pat Kerl and Judy Ragona, other Master Gardeners involved in the day included Lynn Chimera, Nan Miller, Annette Church, Charlie Jurenko, and Larry Crump. Master Gardeners and local experts led presentations on many gardening topics. There were 40 participants. What a great sunny day it was, getting everyone in the planting spirit.

Wreath Making Workshops:  Master Gardener Mary Lu Wells hosted two full Wreath Making Workshops. CCE also worked with Kent Farms in Andover and had a large workshop in their wonderful facilites. What a great year for spreading holiday cheer.

2008 Recent Activities

Allegany/Cattaraugus County Master Gardeners have participated in Agricultural Literacy Awareness Day since the start of this great program. This year, Master Gardener Volunteers and other helpful citizens combined forces to blanket the many schools in our region. Master Gardener's Pat Kerl, Susan Duke, Charlie Jurenko, Nan Miller, Diane Chandler, Desiree Ottley, Lyn Chimera, Judy Ragona, and Brenda Smith all read to 2nd graders (and sometimes Kindergarten through 3rd grades as well!) about maple syrup production. The Ag Lit Program reached approximately 1600 students and provided a sampling of real maple syrup made in New York State!

pH Clinics for 2008: Master Gardener Susan Duke and Charlie Jurenko hosted pH clinics during the spring 2008 season. These were held in Wellsville, Cuba and Allegany. During the clinics soil testing is free to the public! If you missed the clinic you can bring your soil into the Belmont or Ellicottville Offices and for a $3.00 fee we will test your soil. 

BOCES of Cattaraugus County invited our Master Gardener Judy Ragona to teach two classes about soil sampling, improving soils and types of plants for specific site conditions. The students will begin by improving the soils of their target areas and next school year they will begin a new landscape design for the entrance to their building! 

The Cattaraugus Compost Giveaway was held in May. During the event, Master Gardeners Charlie Jurenko and Annette Church provided information to the public on mulch and compost topics.

The Little Valley Library invited Master Gardener Volunteers Nan Miller and Pat Kerl to present the workshop "Introduction to Vegetable Gardening," to 25 residents. They also provided pH soil testing and instructions on how to make seed tapes.