CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program and nonprofit Oregon Master Gardener Association have recognized three Oregon gardeners as 2024 Statewide Master Gardeners of the Year for their dedication and commitment to the practice.
Larina Hoffbeck of Washington County, Richard Little of Linn County and Gene Nesbitt of Yamhill County were all named Master Gardener of the Year. Kendyl Berkowitz of Jackson County was honored with the statewide Growing and Belonging Award. The statewide Behind the Scenes award went to Rita Canales of Yamhill County.
The honorees received their awards at the Joy of Gardening conference, an annual event sponsored by the Oregon Master Gardener Association, at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the OSU campus in Corvallis.
About 2,400 Master Gardeners volunteers across the state work with OSU Extension to share their knowledge of sustainable gardening practices in 28 Oregon counties and 116 educational gardens. In 2023, volunteers put in over 154,000 hours.
Promoting accessibility and inclusivity
Hoffbeck has been a Master Gardener for six years. Her focus as a Master Gardener is to make the program more accessible and inclusive for both volunteers and the public. She strives to reach groups that don’t typically interact with Master Gardeners, as seen in her work with the bilingual program Grow1Give, HomePlate Youth Services, and as a founding member and chair of the Washington County Master Gardener Association’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee.
Hoffbeck has also participated in the statewide Growing and Belonging Committee and has helped craft accessibility and inclusivity assessments for her local chapter. Hoffbeck has created children’s education kits, such as “Invertebrates/Vertebrates” and “Calling All Pollinators!” which are used across the Portland metro area. Another of her of her notable creations is “Storytime in the Garden.”
‘Insect guy’
In Linn County, Little is often called the “insect guy.” Little has been involved in answering hundreds — potentially thousands — of insect questions. Since starting as a Master Gardener in 2011, his presence has been a catalyst for improved public entomology education in Linn County and surrounding areas. He is widely respected by his Master Gardener peers as a leader in entomology education.
His projects include, but are not limited to: teaching about pollinators, answering Ask Extension questions, writing Bee Notes — an electronic newsletter for pollinator enthusiasts — and answering plant clinic questions. His dedication to providing high-quality insect information to the public is notable: In 2023, Little was recognized for his efforts when he was awarded the Ask Extension Volunteer of the Year.
Garden to Table/Del Jardin a la Mesa
With over 5,000 hours of service as a Master Gardener, Nesbitt has significantly contributed to the Yamhill County Master Gardener Association. He helped establish the Education Outreach Committee, which includes the annual Spring into Gardening education classes and numerous community events. Nesbitt has served as president of his local chapter and helps lead the Extension office clinic desk, providing training for new Master Gardeners.
One of Nesbitt’s most impactful contributions has been his work establishing the Garden to Table/Del Jardin a la Mesa program, a bilingual gardening course for gardeners growing a portion of their own food on a limited budget. He has formed significant community and business partnerships and written grants to support the program and collaborated to recruit Spanish-speakers for the classes. He has also taken Spanish language classes to better communicate and teach participants.
In 2023, the program received the David Gibby Search for Excellence Award at the International Master Gardener Conference in Overland Park, Kansas.
Expanded access
Thanks to the vision and hard work of Berkowitz, Jackson County’s lavender garden now has Americans with Disabilities Act-certified concrete paths, accessible to wheelchairs and visitors with walking difficulties. Berkowitz advocated for and wrote the grant supporting this $10,000 project.
Berkowitz continues to identify and advocate for new projects serving underserved groups in Jackson County. Berkowitz visualized and wrote the grant to support Cultivating Companions — a gardening workshop held in libraries across the county to increase socialization in rural older adults. Berkowitz is helping with curriculum development and program instruction of this innovative program.
Ensuring smooth operations
Since joining the Yamhill County Master Gardener Association in 2015, Canales has chaired the Education and Outreach Committee and the Spring into Gardening Committee and served as board president.
Canales manages all the plant clinic scheduling, keeping details up to date and ensuring smooth operations. She has worked on the plant clinic/help desk, the farmers market clinic in McMinnville, and as a desk captain at the Extension office. Canales is a respected and well-liked educator, leading vermiculture classes and workshops for the public and Master Gardener volunteers.
