Guadalupe County Master Gardeners
Projects for Volunteer Hours
Below is the list of Guadalupe County Master Gardener Volunteer Outreach Service Opportunities. Some have no chair or coordinator (you are welcome to lead the project); others have a chair or coordinator listed so that you can ask questions or volunteer. Remember, all of these projects need your help by volunteering to Support our community.
Master Gardener Phone Line & Library. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Building , 210 East Live Oak, Seguin, TX 78155
Contact: Ernestine Sykes – 830 379-1972 Date and Time: Wednesdays in the afternoon. Effective 11/29/2023 the new hours will be from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.Task: Volunteers needed to run copies for our various events, package seeds/and answer phones. We need seeds for our events. Just drop them by the Texas AgriLife A&M Extension Office, labeled with the name (common name & Latin if you know it) and the year they were harvested. If there is a specific color, mention that too. No Mountain Laurel please. If the seed is rare or an heirloom, add that to the description.
Guadalupe County Demonstration Garden (GCDG)
Guadalupe County Annex Building in Schertz, 1101 Elbel Road, Schertz, TX 78154 Chairman: Ann and Dale Odvody, odvodyd@swbell.net Dale Cell: 210-665-3816 Date: Workdays scheduled Every Tuesday and Friday 8:00 am to 11:00 am. Task: Volunteers will monitor, maintain, repair, plant. This teaching garden provides produce for Food Banks and other needy programs. Contact Garden chair if you would like to work in the garden another day or time. All volunteer workers welcome. Contact AnnTexas Agricultural & Heritage Center, Big Red Barn – 390 Cordova Road, Seguin, Texas 78155
Master Gardener Educational Garden, Herb Garden & Certified Butterfly Garden Contact person for Master Gardener volunteers: Janice Knobles – jmknobles@yahoo.com Date: Every Friday Mornings Task: Duties of the vegetable garden are weeding and trimming, mulching, re-planting, Re-creating new beds. The garden is maintained for the sole purpose to use as Educational Presentations for Master Gardener programs, School Tours, Pecan Festival and Ag Festival. This education garden is also open to the public for the Big Red Barn tours; contact the Big Red Barn for tour dates and time, (210) 275-4402Also: Red Barn Kiosk – Contact person: Ernestine Sykes at ejackson.sykes@gmail.com La Vernia Primary School Contacts: Kay Cover, Peggy Jones, Colleen Collier Date: Tuesdays 8:30am-9:30am – Workdays are for maintaining the gardens. If teaching a class that will be on yours and the teacher’s schedule. Location: La Vernia Primary School, 249 FM 1346 S
Task: La Vernia Primary is for kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades. There are numerous volunteer opportunities. We maintain the gardens year-round. You can choose to work in the garden only, or choose to work with a class or help another MG or parent/grandparent. We share our gardening knowledge with these children in a fun way using the Junior Master Gardener Program. We coordinate with the principal and teachers. The school librarian is involved in providing resources. We also meet with the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Each school year we determine how many teachers wish to have/or continue with a garden plot. The teachers ask for parent volunteers, and we work with those volunteers to get them started. Master Gardener Volunteers have a fun and rewarding experience. Background checks will be required through the school system at no expense in addition to the MG background check. ID’s will be issued to be worn at all times on school grounds. You can help make the gardener of the future! Earth Day in Seguin at the Square/MG Plant Sale
Date: April , 2024, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm Location: Seguin middle of the Square Downtown Committee Chair: Vacant
Task: In February, a committee of volunteers come up with a theme for recycle and selects a chairman. Set up three to five booths and volunteers carry materials, set up displays, talk to the community about plants and gardening, answer questions, and possible demonstrations, one table i required be to involve the kids and/or parents with using a recycle item for planting or projects. This is a great Location to recruit adults for next Master Gardener class. Three tables to SALE Plants. One table for Kids crafts, one table for Information and class booth We will have 2 or 3 shifts. Creech Prairie Restoration, Inc. 1467 County Road 401, Floresville, TX 78114 contact: melinda@creechprairierestoration.org Monthly Meeting Refreshments 210 E. Live Oak, Seguin, TX 78155 contact: kathleensmith1214@gmail.com 4th July 2024 Parade Float(s) 210 E Live Oak St, Seguin, TX 78155 – contact: Beth Smith email: basmith5518@gmail.com Phone: 210-727-9890 Library Seed Exchange Contact: Ernestine Sykes – ejackson.sykes@gmail.com Wednesday afternoons in the GCMG Office upstairs. Effective 11/29/2023 the new hours will be from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Pumpkin Decorating Contest Contact: Pam Younger – pamyounger54@gmail.com Date: October 11 – 15 2023
Location: City of Seguin Coliseum 950 South Austin Street, Seguin, TX 78155 Yulefest – 1st Sunday in December POC: April Rippel – adrippel@gmail.com (830) 433-2218 This one-day, indoor event allows the GCMGs to spread informational handouts and also raises funds for our non-profit organization. Volunteers needed to set up the booth, man the booth from 10am – 4pm, and to break down the booth. Guadalupe County Fair, City of Seguin Coliseum 950 South Austin Street, Seguin, TX 78155 Date: October 11 – 15 2023
Location: City of Seguin Coliseum 950 South Austin Street, Seguin, TX 78155 Contact: Committee Chair : Kathleen Smith – kathleensmith1214@gmail.com Task: Master Gardeners are responsible for acceptance of Horticultural Division and other related entries to be judged. During the Fair, Master Gardeners operate information and demonstration booths where they talk to the public and answer questions and give seeds and handouts. several days and shifts. Pecan Fest Heritage Days
Date: October 28, 2023 Location: Austin & Court Streets downtown Seguin, Texas 78155 Contact: Sarah Puckett email: oaktreestudioandfarm@gmail.com Phone: 972-768-6558 Task: Volunteers will man the booth, answering questions — volunteer shifts (ideally, two volunteers per shift; volunteers are welcome to serve on more than one shift) Christmas Tree Decorating Contest Location: in Seguin at the Square Date: November – December 2023 Contact: Chairman: Ernestine Sykes – ejackson.sykes@gmail.com Task: create a theme, make decorations, buy a tree, decorate and take down tree at Seguin Central Park. Lots of fun needs about 5 or 6 volunteers (more are welcome!!). Next & Last Meeting will be Wednesday November 29th in the MG Library from 2:00 to 5:00 PM – see calendar event for 11/29/23 for more details. GCMG Plant Sales Location: in Seguin, Schertz and at other various locations Date: several days throughout the year, check the GCMG Plant Sale Web Site: www.gcmgtx.org Contact: Chairman/ or Plant Sale Member: Sarah Puckett – sparrowpuckett@gmail.com Task: Combination of Growing and purchasing plants at different times of the year. group plans dates and locations and what to grow and what to sell. Involve the membership in the growing process and also at locations to sell or set up or take down at location. Great way to answer question to educate the public and get our community involved in growing plants to help the world. Christian Cupboard 1516 N. Camp St. , Seguin, TX 78155 Chairman: Kay McElveen – hkaymcelveen@gmail.com Date: Workdays: Major projects such as construction or spreading mulch are scheduled on an as needed basis. Other than that volunteers adopt a bed/planter and are responsible for all planting, maintenance & harvesting after the team agrees on who is growing what. Volunteers work on their own schedule. Task: Volunteers will monitor – maintain, repair, plant. This teaching garden provides produce for Food Banks and other needy programs.
Contact Garden chair if you would like to work in the garden. All volunteer workers welcome. Gutierrez Garden Park 1231 Borgfeld Rd., Schertz, TX 78154 Chairman: Judy Stanley – jstanley20@satx.rr.com Date: Workdays: Tuesdays, 9:oo am – 11 am Task: Volunteers will monitor – maintain, repair, plants. This teaching garden provides knowledge about pollinators and Texas Native Plants.
Contact Garden chair if you would like to work in the garden. All volunteer workers welcome. Marion Veterans’ Community park 100 Huebinger St., Marion, TX Chairman: Carol Suchan Date: Workdays: Tuesdays at 8 am Task: Volunteers will monitor – maintain, repair, plant. This teaching garden provides knowledge about pollinators and Texas Native Plants. Contact Garden chair if you would like to work in the garden. All volunteer workers welcome. Park West Pollinator Garden 600 Block of North Vaughn Ave., Seguin, TX 78155 Chairman: Liz Romero – fleurromero@gmail.com Date: Contact chairs for upcoming workdays Task: Volunteers will monitor – maintain, repair, plant. This teaching garden provides knowledge about pollinators and Texas Native Plants. Contact Garden chair if you would like to work in the garden. All volunteer workers welcome. Polley Mansion Heritage Garden 11432 FM 539, La Vernia, TX 78121 Chairman: Robin and Keith Muschalek keith.muschalek@gmail.com also forcexxi@yahoo.com Date: Workdays by appointment Task: Volunteers will monitor – maintain, repair, plant. This teaching garden provides knowledge about historical heritage gardening during the late 1800s. Contact Garden chair if you would like to work in this garden. All volunteer workers welcome. Schlather Park Pollinator Garden 174 Wiedner Rd., Cibolo, TX 78108 Chairman: Kathy Carroll kathleen.carroll@icloud.com Date: Work Days are 4th Saturday of each month at 8:00 am, except August, Dec and Jan. Task: Volunteers will monitor – maintain, repair, plant. This teaching garden provides knowledge about pollinators and Texas Native Plants. Contact Garden chair if you would like to work in the garden. All volunteer workers welcome. St. Andrew’s Community Garden Corner of Nolte and Crockett Streets, Seguin, TX 78155 Facebook: St. Andrew’s Community Garden | Facebook POC: Ernestine Sykes – ejackson.sykes@gmail.com (210) 544-0756 Date: Park is open
Workdays: Wednesday mornings 9am until finished Task: St Andrew’s Community Garden, located at the corner of Nolte and Crockett Street. Every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. Maintenance includes watering and planting. For more info, please contact Ernestine Sykes at ejackson.sykes@gmail.com or call 210-544-0756. Wilson County Library Details forthcoming Growing Future Gardens Details forthcoming If a Master Gardener sees a need to help with a NEW horticultural/education project, please fill out a project approval form (forms are on VMS) and contact a board member to announce at the next board meeting for review and or approval.
Master Gardeners: remember that to retain your certification you need to report your volunteer and continuing education hours using the Volunteer Management System, to see updated list for volunteering on VMS.