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Hands holding a pile of soil with graphic overlays showing soil health concepts, including “SOIL BALANCE,” pH control, temperature, and nutrient elements like calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn). The background is blurred earth, emphasizing soil composition and testing.

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Soil Testing for Community and Home Gardeners
Community and home gardeners who grow food and share their harvests are eligible for free soil testing through the Community Gardens Soil Testing Program. The program is a partnership of Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY, the New York...
Close-up of a muddy, rutted path with deep tire tracks filled with standing water. The ground is wet and uneven, surrounded by green grass and foliage along the edges, suggesting a wooded or outdoor trail after rain.

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Making the Most of Muddy Days
The wet and muddy days of early spring are the final hurdle to getting back into the garden. Walking on and working in soggy soil will pack the soil particles tightly, making it hard for water, air and roots to get through. And once this...
Close-up of several young seedlings growing in dark soil. Each plant shows early development, with smooth oval seed leaves and emerging jagged true leaves, spaced evenly across the frame.

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

From Seed to Seedling: What Every Indoor Grower Should Know
There is something miraculous about starting seeds indoors. You press a tiny seed into damp soil, and wait—trusting that in the dark, something is stirring. When that first pale loop of green pushes through, it feels like a small victory. But...
  • Gardening & Horticulture

Dear Aggie Column

Dear Aggie

Corn mazes are one way that farmers celebrate the harvest season in a fun and creative way. To create these corn mazes farmers combine traditional agriculture, community fun, and a touch of creativity and artistic design. Let’s talk about how...

  • Agriculture
  • Gardening & Horticulture

Dear Aggie Column

Careers in Agriculture

Across the country, over 22.1 million individuals are a part of the agricultural workforce, which amounts to nearly 11% of total U.S employment. This may seem small in scope, but the types of careers in agriculture are vast and include much more...

  • Agriculture

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Grow and Tell with Us!

Every year, the Orleans County Master Gardeners participate in Cornell’s Vegetable Variety Trial Garden program, which evaluates how different herbs and vegetables grow across New York state. We look at their growth, the amount produced, their...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Why Seed Saving Matters

Twelve thousand years ago, our hunter-gatherer ancestors made a discovery that would change the course of human history: Saving and growing from seeds could improve their food security. These early farmers exchanged seeds with neighbors, and as...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Three Seeds, One Community: Join Us This Growing Season

Tired of watching your grocery bills go up, up, up? Have you ever wanted to grow your own food but don't know where to start? This spring, the Orleans Community Seed Share is launching a program designed just for you. Three Seeds, One Community...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Winter as a Time for Rest and Getting Ahead

For any avid gardener, winter is a time of conservation and rehabilitation. I'm glad, in a way, that the toil has ended and I get a bit of rest from all the tasks that feel never-ending. But I'm still drawn to next season's plan. I'm scouring...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

New Series Focuses on Homestead Skills

This month, we’re launching the Homestead Educational Series, a set of monthly classes dedicated to self-sufficiency and sustainability. The series is open to adults interested in learning a variety of practical skills and approaches for the...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Start Planning with Our 2026 Garden & Events Calendar

Garden Planning Think about your garden goals for this year. If you keep a garden journal, look back and see what you’d like to do differently. Break out some graph paper and start drawing. Consider joining us Jan. 3 at 10 a.m. for Smart Garden...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Join Us for the 2026 Master Your Garden Series

Save the first Saturday of each month in 2026 for our monthly education series. This year, the Master Your Garden series features a variety of topics for home gardeners of all abilities, as well as others interested in horticulture. Each class...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

In Your Garden - January

Garden Planning Think about your garden goals for this year. If you keep a garden journal, look back and see what you’d like to do differently. Break out some graph paper and start drawing. Consider joining us Jan. 3 at 10 a.m. for Smart Garden...

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Swap Seeds, Grow 2026

There's something almost magical about a seed. Small enough to fit in your palm, yet holding within it the promise of summer tomatoes, colorful zinnias, or beans that feed a family. And on Saturday, January 31st, we invite you to be part of...

Map of NYS plant hardiness zones.

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Know Your Hardiness Zone
What are hardiness zones? Hardiness zones are geographic areas that are defined by their average annual minimum temperature, and they can help gardeners figure out which plants are likely to thrive in their gardens. They are a standard defined...
  • Gardening & Horticulture
Peat moss in a swamp

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Peat Moss and Sustainability
An Ombrotrophic Peatland A peat bog, an ombrotrophic peatland, has a high water table without mineral nutrients and with low oxygen. It is hard for plants to survive in this type of environment, but sphagnum moss thrives there while also...
  • Gardening & Horticulture
Celosia Look-Fresh plant in bloom.

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Becoming All America Selections
In the 1930s, W. Ray Hastings, president of the Southern Seedsman’s Association based in Atlanta, proposed a cooperative endeavor to test and evaluate varieties. The mission statement set the goal: "To promote new garden varieties with superior...
  • Gardening & Horticulture
Pruning a garden.

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Gloves for the Garden
Choosing the Right Gloves Gloves come in a variety of materials to suit different tasks, and it’s important to choose the right gloves for the best protection. Here are some examples: Fabric or coated fabric gloves: These are great for weeding...
  • Gardening & Horticulture
Planting vegetables in a garden.

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Adapting Your Gardening
Set Up for Success Plan the day ahead, just what you want/need to accomplish. Take a walk through the garden to review what the needs are. Sometimes, the night before, I will make a list of what needs the most attention. That's when I can sit...
  • Gardening & Horticulture

Master Gardener Volunteer Column

Flowers after Spring Holidays

Seasonal bloomers that more closely match their use as a potted plant are easier to add in a home garden. A plant that is forced to bloom by creating optimal conditions is more challenging. Think of the Christmas poinsettia, which has very...

  • Gardening & Horticulture