A Short History of the

Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners

Tracking down the history of the Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners is far easier said than done. This report is based on what very few records exist and on the recollections of people interviewed. To get to when the GEMGs started, one has to look at when the Master Gardener Program was introduced in the area.

In 1982, while he was the 4-H agent in York County, Jim Orband was told by the District Director of Virginia Cooperative Extension that there would be a Master Gardener Program in the Peninsula and that he would be in charge of it. This started the ball rolling as he held an organizational meeting for the Peninsula Master Gardener Program on September 20, 1982. Oddly, many of the Cooperative Extension agents in the area were against this program as they felt that the volunteers would, in effect, do many of their jobs. Neither Gloucester, Mathews, nor Middlesex had an Extension Agent at this time. Initially, James City County, York County, Hampton, and Newport News were the counties involved. Eventually James City County broke away and Gloucester-Mathews-Middlesex counties joined about 1988.
 

In 1983 two women from Gloucester took the Master Gardener Course in Newport News. They volunteered in the Gloucester Cooperative Extension Office; one worked with children in the 4-H Program and the other worked with adults in the community. There was no organized GMG. During 1984-1985 Gloucester, Mathews, and Middlesex residents attending the Peninsula Master Gardener Program were counted under the York County umbrella. Eugene Daniels was the Extension Agent for the Middle Peninsula beginning around 1986. Master Gardener volunteers worked with him. Janet Leigh was the unit Coordinator and Jean Duggan was the Administrative Assistant. According to Pauline Simmons, a MG representative to the Extension Leadership Council, there were just a handful of MG volunteers from Gloucester, Mathews, and Middlesex. They held pruning clinics and, although they did not sit in the Extension Office, they would be called to answer residents’ questions when Mr. Daniels was out of the office working in another county. Throughout the years 1987-1989 Gloucester folks attended classes in Newport News or York County. Leslie Bowie, Class of 1989, remembers that it was difficult to obtain their service payback hours as there were few projects. One way they obtained their hours was to mix fertilizers—weigh and mix the various ingredients- for the local daffodil flower growers to use in fertilizing their existing daffodil fields.

The Fall 1990 class contained 13 folks from Gloucester—most notably George and Mary Simpson, Harry Corr of Roadview Farm, and Susan Sutherland. During 1991 Mr. Daniels was busy with his job and traveling throughout the three counties. The Master Gardeners—from Gloucester, Mathews, and Middlesex-- had grown in number and under Susan Sutherland organized themselves into a coherent group with regular meetings. This was the beginning of the Gloucester-Mathews-Middlesex Master Gardeners. Susan was the first president and served in that position several years; John Keller followed her in this position. One of the first major projects the group did was to develop the courtyard garden at the Walter Reed Convalescent Center. They also worked at the State Fair, answered gardening questions from their home phones, taught in the Ready, Set, Grow Program, and helped out in the 4-H Program.
 

The Fall 1991 class included Carol Steele, the current Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. In the 1992 class were Marguerite Supler, Wendy Wells, and Kathleen Duncan. Each succeeding class has brought more active volunteers to the ranks of Gloucester Master Gardeners and expanded the services that are offered to county residents. The period of 1993-94 saw a decrease in the activities of the Gloucester-Mathews-Middlesex organization. In the Fall of 1994 the Mathews members organized themselves under Ted Broderson, their president for several years. No data is available about the Middlesex Master Gardeners. Gloucester-Mathews-Middlesex

 

Master Gardener Presidents

• 1991 Susan Sutherland

• 1992 Susan Sutherland

• 1993 No recollection

• 1994 No recollection

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Assumed Beginning of the

Gloucester Master Gardeners Association

• 1995 John Keller

• 1996 John Keller

• 1997 Pat Zima

• 1998 Bob Dugan

• 1999 Florace Arnold

• 2000 Florace Arnold

• 2001 Noel Priseler

• 2002 Noel Priseler

• 2003 Jane Smith

• 2004 Kate Cole

• 2005 Noel Priseler

• 2006 Lance Gardener

• 2007 Betty Durrette

• 2008 Mo Lynch

Today, the Gloucester Master Gardeners number about 77 volunteers, and the projects they participate in span a huge selection of activities. They have become a viable and active organization within Gloucester County.