Gardeners in our Community
In addition to maintaining the arboretum at Bluebird Gap Farm, the Hampton Master Gardeners organize a variety of activities designed to engage members of our community, to answer their questions, and to get them excited about their own yards and gardens.
Some of the activities we facilitate include:
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Monthly Crafts with residents of Northhampton Convalescent Center
Monthly Children's Crafts at Bluebird Gap Farm
Master Gardeners Help Desk
Healthy Lawns
The Langley Village Community Garden
Bee City USA
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Plant A Row Program
There are over 84 million households with a yard or garden in the U.S. If every gardener plants one extra row of vegetables and donates their surplus to local food agencies and soup kitchens, a significant impact can be made on reducing hunger.
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You can make a difference. Simply add a row (or a few) to your garden bed this season, and commit those crops to feeding others in our community. Its that easy.
Click the link below to sign up now
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For more information about the Plant a Row for the Hungry Campaign, please contact Gaylynn Callahan at (757) 727-1401 or gaylynnj@vt.edu
Imagine a day without water
Phillips Fifth Graders and “Imagine A Day Without Water”
The fifth graders at Phillips Elementary School have spent time learning about the value of water. “Imagine A Day Without Water” is a project of Hampton Master Gardener Water Steward Pam Henifin. She and Betsy McAllister, HCS Stem Teacher Specialist and fellow Master Gardener, spent time with the phenomenal Phillips fifth grade teaching team of Angela Dandridge, Whitney Davis and Jennifer Gomez and their learners demonstrating the scarcity of Earth’s drinking water by having students participate in the Project Wet activity “A Drop in the Bucket.” Students learned about the indirect ways they use water through the hands-on activity
“Water Works.” The students have spent the last week recording and calculating their daily water use in their water use journals that were generously provided by Jacobs Solutions. Yesterday they toured Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s SWIFT Research Center (Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow) to learn about the innovative and advanced processes SWIFT uses to treat wastewater to drinking water quality standards. Led by HRSD Community Educator Lacie
Wever, students engaged in an engineering design challenge to build an effective water filtration system.
Today, October 19th, is the day the U.S Water Alliance celebrates “Imagine A Day Without Water,” a national education campaign highlighting how essential and invaluable water is to all of us. With the Phillips’ fifth graders heightened awareness about the importance and preciousness of this valuable resource, they can share with their family and friends what they have learned. Why not take the challenge with Phillips fifth Graders and monitor your own
water usage in a water usage journal!
To learn more and get involved, check out the following links:
Master Gardener Training
Interested in becomng a Hampton Master Gardener?
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Training will begin soon...applications for the upcoming class are due by July 7, 2023.
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Check out the Master Gardeners tab to learn more about what we do and
follow link below for more information.
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Openings are limited so email Gaylynn soon.
Northhampton Convalescent Center
Crafts with residents on 4th Thursdays
On the 4th Thursday of the month you can find a dedicated group of volunteers assisting with craft and garden related projects. For about 5 years, Barbara K and Suzzane J have spearheaded an outreach project with residents at the Northhampton Convalescent Center. Interacting with participants, encouraging them as they work, offering assistance as needed, are a few of Barbara's favorite things about this project. In the past the MG volunteers centered crafts around live plants and flower arragements, but upon realizing the limitations of some of the residents, they now focus on recreating nature using low cost and upcycled materials. In 2022, MG volunteers planned, purchased plants for, and assisted in replanting a patio garden behind the dining room where crafts are done.
If you are interested in assisting or have craft ideas to share, contact Barbara or Suzzane and look out for their monthly email reminder.