OSU (Oregon) Master Gardener Program

In case you missed our recent Slug Chat with OSU's slug expert Rory McDonnell, the recording is available for all of your slug and snail content viewing pleasure.

Slug Chat 2026

Today at noon! (Tuesday June 9th) Come learn with us about beneficial insects and how to create habitat for them in your garden. Free webinar, register ahead, or we will be live-streaming it here on our Facebook feed.

Totally buggin’: Creating beautiful landscapes that support beneficials While bugs can often be seen as annoyances and consumers of our food, they play a vital role in how ecosystems function, form, and feed us, as well as affect plant evolution, agricultural systems, and backyard habitat. We'll dive into the flowers, host plants, and habitat structures that can...

For Bill Dixon, being an Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener volunteer is about helping people grow more than gardens — it’s about helping communities build resilience.=

“The best parts of being a Master Gardener are the many, varied opportunities to teach other people how to grow food,” Bill said.

Through his volunteer work, Bill has seen how gardening knowledge can strengthen families and communities across generations.

“I learned that if you can help a person grow food, they can eat garden harvests for a lifetime,” he said. “Further, if you can teach a whole family, they may eat garden harvests for generations.”

Bill believes Master Gardener volunteers are needed now more than ever as communities face growing challenges around food insecurity, hunger and an uncertain food system.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program. We’re collecting and sharing stories from volunteers across Oregon. If you are a Master Gardener volunteer — or ever have been — we would love to hear from you. Share your story with us!

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