Master Gardeners graduate 29 new members

NEPTUNE, NJ, Twenty-nine men and women became certified Master Gardeners at a graduation ceremony on November 16 at Jumping Brook Country Club.
 

The Master Gardeners are now certified gardening experts because they have completed a course of classroom and hands-on training in plant biology, propagation, soil science and disease and pest control. After the classroom sessions, the trainees begin sharing their knowledge with others by conducting garden lectures, demonstrations, school and community gardening projects, and answering calls on the County’s “horticulture helpline.”

“This year’s Master Gardeners group has proven to be an exceptional class,” Freeholder Lillian G. Burry said. “Along with their veteran mentors, Master Gardeners were involved with either starting up or assisting with more than 25 food donation gardens in Monmouth County. Donation plots from these gardens totaled 13,410 pounds. With the national value for donated produce estimated at $2.05 per pound, our Master Gardeners grew and donated about $27,490 worth of produce to feed the hungry!”

“This Master Gardener class worked with the best in the horticultural field, faculty from Rutgers University and Brookdale Community College and professional staff at the Monmouth County Park System and the Cooperative Extension while completing their training,” said Bill Sciarappa, Agricultural and Resource Management Agent for Monmouth County’s Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office.

The Master Gardener program, conducted throughout the United States and Canada, is a two-part educational effort in which avid gardeners are provided many hours of intense home horticulture training. In return, they “pay back” local university extension agents through volunteerism.

In New Jersey, the program is a cooperative effort of Rutgers University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the county Boards of Chosen Freeholders. Monmouth County’s program involves the County office of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Brookdale Community College and the County Park System.

Information about the Master Gardener program is available on the Monmouth County website at www.VisitMonmouth.com and from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service at 4000 Kozloski Rd. in Freehold Township, or by calling 732-431-7260.

Graduates - 100 hours of service:

100 Hours – Kevin Akey, Little Silver; Joan Crowe, Manalapan; Sue Gobat, Colts Neck; Roy Helfrick, Asbury Park; Ed Kvarantan, Holmdel; Juanita Lamaute, Marlboro; Mikkele Lawless, Marlboro; Bill Musanti, Avon; Barbara Shapiro, Marlboro; Ann Sherwood, Colts Neck; Pat Spawn, Manasquan

Veterans

100 Hours – Russ Bohlin, Farmingdale; Martha Finan, Wall; Molly Kocsik, Freehold; Heather McGrath, Holmdel; Maureen McGuire, Red Bank; Gary Michel, Ocean; Pam Mueller, Sea Girt; Harald Petersen, Little Silver; Nancy Smith, Marlboro; Colette Tabor, Oceanport; Mary Ann Uppstrom, Asbury Park

250 Hours – Faye Bruno, Sea Girt; Marguerite Dalton, Interlaken; Laura Dreifus, Millstone Twp; Roseanne Duffy, Freehold; John Eaves, Middletown; Pat Eisemann, Manalapan; Veronica Gallagher, Manasquan; Jan Glass, Rumson; Cheryl Greenfield, Freehold; Debbie Gross Tulli, Manalapan; Debbie LaGattuta, Tinton Falls; Judy Lipman, Holmdel; Carol Maccanico, Spring Lake Heights; Maureen McGuire, Red Bank; Eileen Rodriguez, Fair Haven; Linda Rule, Little Silver; Jim Seidel, Neptune; Pat Schmiedel, Interlaken; Cyndi Skove, Eatontown; Ellen Terry, Millstone Twp; Suzanne Valpreda, Allentown

500 Hours – Fran Ambio, Millstone Twp; Della Benevides, Shrewsbury; Maggie Boyce, W. Allenhurst; Larry Cier, Perrineville; Mike Diehl, Clarksburg; Marie Early, Howell; John Eaves, Middletown; Pat Eisemann, Manalapan; Denise Fredericks, Tinton Falls; Beth Hutter, Marlboro; Jani Iyer, Freehold; Peter James, Wall; Joe Luongo, Freehold; Jay Schaeffer, Keansburg; Andy Valdes, Freehold; Betsy Wattley, Shrewsbury; Christine Yovnello, Red Bank

1000 Hours (2016) – Elmo Cohen, Little Silver; Diane Grim, Colts Neck; George Hemsey, Howell; David Levinsky, Morganville; Pat Mahon, Shrewsbury; Angela Nikitopolous, Marlboro; Penny Raffetto, Neptune; Barbara Richardson, Eatontown; Trish Sullivan, Morganville; Gayle Williams, Oceanport; Helen Yorke, Manalapan

1500 Hours – Linda Bauer, Ocean Grove; Warren Carretta, Ocean; Sheryl Powers, Oakhurst; Candy Tice, Wall

2000 Hours – Linda Balzer, Colts Neck; Peggy Beck, Millstone

3000 Hours – Joan Cox, Oceanport; John Bauer, Ocean Grove

9000 Hours – Evelin Gaffney, Rumson