May 19, 2020 - By Bob Labozetta (UC Master Gardener, Mariposa) - Remember the Mariposa Farmers’ Market?
Now that the county is opening up, the Farmers’ Market will begin its annual schedule (every Wednesday, May though October) starting -- hopefully – Wednesday, May 20, from 4:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M., at the bottom of 6th Street and Stroming Road adjacent to the Mariposa Creek Parkway in beautiful downtown Mariposa.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables -- many organic -- are offered from various vendors, but that’s not all. Crafts, music, information boots, and more can be found under different booth canopies.
One such recurring information booth is peopled by the UCCE Master Gardeners of Mariposa County. Trained volunteers of the UC Master Gardener Program extend the services of your local Cooperative Extension advisors by providing practical and accurate horticultural information to any home gardener that drops by to get their gardening questions answered. Regardless of whether your inquiries are about growing fruits and veggies, landscaping, wildfire mitigation, ornamental plants, water-saving strategies, soil improvement, etc., the Master Gardeners will be there to advise you.
Our volunteer staff promotes successful and sustainable gardening practices by providing home gardeners with research-based information from the University of California and other academic or government institutions. If the Master Gardeners at the information booth cannot answer your questions on the spot, the staff can later access an extensive library, University of California Agricultural Advisors, university internet sites, and a microscope for researching home gardening problems. They will research your issues and promise to contact you with answers.
Additionally, the volunteers there will have information about events and community projects that the Master Gardeners participate in. Consider learning about the Mariposa Creek Parkway Demonstration Garden, the Plant & Garden Art Sales, the Spring Garden Tour, the Mariposa County Fair Horticulture Building, and even how to become a UCCE Master Gardener.
So during your shopping spree at the Farmers’ Market, bring your questions or specimens to the Master Gardener booth and see how the Master Gardeners can assist you with valuable gardening information.
The U.C. Master Gardener Helpline is staffed; Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Serving Mariposa County, including Greeley Hill, Coulterville and Lake Don Pedro
Please contact the helpline, or leave a message by phone at: (209) 966-7078
By email (send photos and questions for researched answers) to: mgmariposa@ucdavis.edu
For further gardening information and event announcements, please visit: UCMG website: http://cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener
Follow us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/mariposamastergardeners
Master Gardener Office Location:
UC Cooperative Extension Office,
5009 Fairgrounds Road
Mariposa, CA 95338
Phone: (209) 966-2417
Email: mgmariposa@ucdavis.edu
Website: http://cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener
