Better Gardening through Science

Awards

Texas Master Gardener Association in cooperation with The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and The Texas A&M University System recognizes and presents awards for exemplary achievement in the following award categories:

  • Youth/County Master Gardener JMG Program
  • Project
  • Education Program
  • Written Education
  • Research
  • JMG Marva Beck Leader Award
  • Individual Master Gardener
  • Outstanding Master Gardener Association

Entries are judged by a committee of Master Gardeners from throughout the state. Kaufman County competes in the Medium Association category for organizations with 25 to 49 dues-paying members

2021

The 2022 Texas Master Gardener Association virtual conference, Community Connections, was held May 10-12, 2022. Kaufman County Master Gardeners compete in the Medium category for associations with 25 to 49 members. We won second place awards in two categories: Youth-Other for the Children’s Legacy Garden and Written Education for a series of horticultural articles for the Kaufman Herald. 

Volunteers at the Children's Legacy Garden in Forney. Photo: Sharing the Love.org.
Volunteers at the Children's Legacy Garden in Forney. Photo: Sharing the Love.org.

Children's Legacy Garden in Forney

Beginning in March of 2021, Kaufman County Master Gardeners cooperated with the Sharing the Love Foundation and a number of other businesses and organizations in Forney to renovate an old 3/4 acre home site that had been donated for a garden space. Marian Stewart, founder of Share the Love Foundation, envisioned a garden everyone could enjoy and a place where senior and youth could learn from each other. The result was the Children’s Legacy Garden in Forney.

Volunteers to help with the project were recruited by forming a youth garden club, which grew to 19 members during the project, and overall volunteers from the community increased by 50%. Master Gardeners helped with planning the project and with plant selection. Plans were made for a walkway and a butterfly garden. Emphasis was placed on recycling and pallets were used throughout the garden as art projects and storage areas.

In 9 months, 23 raised beds were built, a butterfly garden was established with a granite walkway from the front gate. Seven picnic benches, a gazebo and library box were added. Over 200 pounds of fresh produce was distributed to senior residents in Forney in 2021.

Children's Legacy Garden in Forney. Photo: KCMGA.
Seating area near garden center. Photo: KCMGA.
Wide vies of shaded part of garden. Photo: KCMGA.
Adult volunteers working in the garden. Photo: KCMGA..
Wide shot of raised beds across field. Photo: KCMGA.
Bee hive area under a shade tree. Photo: KCMGA.
View across field to barrel beds and decorative tool wall. Photo: KCMGA.
Wide view of field with volunteer workers. Photo: KCMGA.
Adult volunteer using string cutter. Photo: KCMGA.

Horticultural Series in Kaufman Herald

In 2021, Kaufman County Master Gardeners realized a long-held dream: a monthly gardening column in the local newspaper, The Kaufman Herald. While we had made previous attempts, they had stalled because we lacked a writer who could write copy for a newspaper. When Karel Holloway joined us, she brought years of newspaper experience from her previous career.

Holloway submitted two seasonally-appropriate article to the newspaper, and two were printed in February. Articles for the remainder of the year were planned and have been printed.

An article called “Plants that Really Grow in Kaufman County” was included in the Spring Home Improvement Supplement. Plants suggested by Master Gardeners were described, with accompanying pictures. This information was recreated for our website, kcmga.org, where the link to “What Grows Here” can be found.

Front page of the Kaufman Herald showing the cover of the Spring Home insert: Photo: KCMGA.
Webpage featuring the "What Goes Here" plant list. Photo: KCMGA.

2020

Ready, Set, Go Garden went online after the Covid pandemic forced the Poetry Community Christian School to temporarily close. Photo: KCMGA.

The annual Texas Master Gardener Association virtual conference, A Walk Through Texas Gardens, was held from May 18-19, 2021.

Kaufman County Master Gardeners won a 2020 first place award in the Medium County (25-49 members) Youth-Other category for “The Science of Gardening.” The program was produced in cooperation with Poetry Community Christian School and was directed at students in Kindergarten through the eighth grade. 

Master Gardeners worked 48.75 hours helping students work with a partner on a 12” X 12” area in a raised bed and in the science lab on their journals for researching, planning, and collecting data. Then COVID forced school closures. 

Master Gardeners developed “Ready. Set. Go Garden,” so students and parents could continue working from home on their journals. Available on our website, it could be utilized by any student at any time. Fifty-nine hours were spent on developing hands-on and on-line curriculum.

Opening screen for Ready, Set Go Garden. Photo: KCMGA.
Opening screen for Ready, Set Go Garden. Photo: KCMGA.
Opening screen for Ready, Set Go Garden. Photo: KCMGA.
Opening screen for Ready, Set Go Garden. Photo: KCMGA.
Instructions for creating the gardening journal. Photo: KCMGA.
Instructions for creating the gardening journal. Photo: KCMGA.

2019

2019

The annual Texas Master Gardener Association awards were announced today in an online meeting due to COVID-19 restrictions. Our Spring Seminar, Peggy Martin Presents Old Garden and Antique Roses, won second place in the Educational Program category. This category recognizes a program presented by Master Gardeners that provides an opportunity to learn about a horticultural topic.

The first place Outstanding Individual Master Gardener award for medium counties went to KC Master Gardener Rebecca Morrow. This category recognizes a Master Gardener whose involvement and contributions during the award year are of primary importance, although prior year contributions or involvement may also be considered.

Rosarian Peggy Martin with her namesake rose. Photo from Peggy Martin publicity materials.

2018

2018

KCMGs Cindy Rich, Duddly Hargrove, Johnnie Hargrove, Tamara Stahlman and Sandra Stahlman with the 2019 Awards. Photo: KCMGA.
KCMGs Cindy Rich, Duddly Hargrove, Johnnie Hargrove, Tamara Stahlman and Sandra Stahlman with the 2019 Awards. Photo: KCMGA.

At the 2019 Texas Master Gardener Association Convention, Kaufman County Master Gardener Association, which is in the Medium Association category for organizations with 25 to 49 members, received three second place awards.

Beverly Curtis was recognized for contributions as Individual Master Gardener. This category recognizes a Master Gardener whose involvement and contributions during the award year are of primary importance, although prior year contributions or involvement may also be considered.

The Poor Farm Vegetable Demonstration Garden was recognized in the Project category, and the 2018 Horticultural Calendar was recognized in the Written Education category.

KCMG Beverly Curtis, the recipient, and 2019 KCMGA Vice President Linda Wells show the Individual Master Gardener Award. Photo: KCMGA.
KCMG Beverly Curtis, the recipient, and 2019 KCMGA Vice President Linda Wells show the Individual Master Gardener Award. Photo: KCMGA.
Master Gardener Allan Hiller, Project Lead for the Poor Farm Vegetable Garden, receives their award from Master Gardener President Linda Wells. Photo: KCMGA.
Master Gardener Allan Hiller, Project Lead for the Poor Farm Vegetable Garden, receives their award from Master Gardener President Linda Wells. Photo: KCMGA.
Calendar Committee members Master Gardeners Renee Roysdon, Michele Reeves, and Kris Kumar with their award. Master Gardener and President Linda Well is standing. Photo: KCMGA.
Calendar Committee members Master Gardeners Renee Roysdon, Michele Reeves, and Kris Kumar with their award. Master Gardener and President Linda Well is standing. Photo: KCMGA.

2017

2017

KC Master Gardeners at the 2018 TMGA Conference in College Station with awards won for 2017. Sitting: Sandy Stahlman, Tamara Stahlman, Rita Ware. Standing: Duddly Hargrove, Renee Word. Photo: KCMGA.
KC Master Gardeners at the 2018 TMGA Conference in College Station with awards won for 2017. Sitting: Sandy Stahlman, Tamara Stahlman, Rita Ware. Standing: Duddly Hargrove, Renee Word. Photo: KCMGA.

At the 2018 Texas Master Gardener Association Convention, Kaufman County won two awards. Our two-year-old program, Kaufman County Master Gardener Training, was awarded First Place in the Educational Program category.

Students in the Master Gardener Intern Class of 2016. Photo: KCMGA.
Members of the 2016 intern training class enjoy a break. Photo: KCMGA.
Master Gardener Diane Kaufman demonstrated propagating roses. Photo: KCMGA.

Master Gardener Dianne Kaufman was awarded Outstanding Individual Master Gardener. This category recognizes a Master Gardener whose involvement and contributions during the award year are of primary importance, although prior year contributions or involvement may also be considered.

2016

2016

Flier for No-Dig Gardening. Photo: KMCGA.

At the 2017 Texas Master Gardener Association Convention,  Kaufman County Master Gardeners, who are in the medium association category (25 to 49 members), won a second-place award for their 2016 Spring Seminar, “No Dig Gardening: The Easier, Lazier Way to Grow Food.” 

Master Gardener Rebecca Morrow spoke about no-dig gardening techniques that were also physically easier to manage, including raised-bed gardening, vertical gardening, and container gardening. Master Gardener Duddly Hargrove discusses the principles and methods of the popular square-foot gardening system promoted by Mel Bartholomew. The program ended with a demonstration of ways to recycle common items for use in the garden by Master Gardener Rebecca Morrow. 

2015

2015

Flier for Gardening in Fall & Winter. Photo: KCMGA.

At the 2016 Texas Master Gardener Association Convention, Kaufman County Master Gardener Association, which is in the Medium Association category for organizations with 25 to 49 members, won three first-place awards.

We won first place in the Medium Association category, first place for in the Educational Program category for our Fall Seminar. “Gardening in Fall and Winter” featured programs on soil preparation, when and what to plant in winter, and extending the growing season to have fresh produce in winter. Our 2015 Horticultural Calendar also placed first in the Written Education category.

Cover of 2o15 Horticultural calendar. Photo: KCMGA.
Cover of 2o15 Horticultural calendar. Photo: KCMGA.

2014

2014

Flier for Farming by the Yard. Photo: KCMGA.

At the 2015 Texas Master Gardener Association Convention, Kaufman County won awards in both of the categories to which submissions were made. The 2014 Spring Seminar “Farming by the Yard,” which featured programs on backyard chickens, stone fruits and nuts and edible landscapes, won first place in the Educational Program category.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Specialist Jeff Raska discusses selecting and caring for backyard chickens. Photo: KCMGA.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Specialist Jeff Raska discusses selecting and caring for backyard chickens. Photo: KCMGA.

 The group also received a second place award in the Project category for the new Monarch Butterfly Garden, which was installed in the spring of 2014. The project was partially funded by a grant from Monarch Watch and the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Master Gardeners Jal Scarborough and Brad Ackerman install drip irrigation for the new Monarch Garden. Photo: KCMGA.
The Monarch Garden one year later. Photo: KCMGA.

2013

2013

At the 2014 Texas Master Gardener Association convention, hosted by the Permian Basin Master Gardeners and held in Midland-Odessa, Kaufman County was selected as the Outstanding Medium Association, winning first place in that category. 

The 2013 Fall Vegetable Program, which featured information about the best varieties of vegetables and planting times for the local area, as well as programs on canning, vermicomposting and Mediterranean herbs, won third place in the Educational Program category

An Ellis County Master Gardener discusses culinary herbs. Photo: KCMGA.
An Ellis County Master Gardener discusses culinary herbs. Photo: KCMGA.

2012 and Before

In late 2012, the Texas Master Gardener Association revised their award categories and criteria to those listed above. Prior to that time, there were nine award categories:

  • Educational Program
  • Exhibit/Poster Showcase
  • Graphic Presentation
  • Mass Media
  • Newsletter
  • Project
  • Publication
  • Individual Master Gardener
  • Outstanding Association

Kaufman County competed in the Small Association category for organizations with less than 50 dues-paying members.

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