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Crow Wing County Master Gardener volunteers report growth, expand food-access projects
Summary
University of Minnesota Extension representatives and local Master Gardener volunteers told the Crow Wing County Committee of the Whole on Aug. 19 that the program has roughly doubled since 2019, delivered thousands of pounds of produce to local food shelves and expanded youth and patio-garden programs.
Tony Hansen, regional director with the University of Minnesota Extension, told the Crow Wing County Committee of the Whole on Aug. 19 that the county’s Master Gardener program has grown and is providing “educational programs and resources” across the county.
Program volunteers said the program grew from about 40 Master Gardeners in 2019 to roughly 78–80 active volunteers in 2025 and described multiple projects that supply fresh produce to area food shelves, teach gardening skills to youth and adults, and provide small “patio gardens” for residents who lack space or ability to garden.
The update matters because volunteers and Extension staff told the committee the work both supplements food-shelf supplies and connects residents to university-backed horticultural information. “The mission of the University of Minnesota Extension is to make a difference by connecting community needs and university resources to address critical issues here in Minnesota,” Hansen said.
Dan (last name not specified), a Master Gardener volunteer, presented program metrics and said volunteers started about 2,300 bedding plants this year for distribution, have established giving gardens at the Northland Arboretum and at a Central Lakes College (CLC) atrium, and run youth and adult gardening classes. He told the committee the program’s giving gardens have produced what he described as “over 16,000 or 8 tons of fresh produce” delivered to food shelves countywide since the project began, and that 2024 totals included about 4,500 pounds and roughly 9,000 servings of fresh vegetables.
Jennifer (last name not specified), a Master Gardener volunteer who leads the patio-garden effort, said the program distributed 246 patio gardens in the last year to residents served by partners including Heartwood, Home Instead, Garrison senior services and several food shelves. She estimated the average commercial value of a patio garden at about $15 and said the patio gardens’ total local value exceeded $3,000 last year.
Britney Gorgas (role not specified in the record) described program coordination and projects countywide, including plantings tied to a new Crosby roundabout, gardens for housing partners and a planned indigenous garden at Central Lakes College. She said volunteers handled 459 library-series attendees in 2024, answered 45 helpline inquiries, and recorded about 800 contacts at the county fair.
Commissioner Barrow complimented the volunteers’ work with children and encouraged other commissioners to visit the Northland Arboretum open house, which presenters invited the board to attend.
Program leaders asked the committee to consider additional ways the University of Minnesota Extension might partner with the county; no formal county action was taken at the meeting.
Ending: Presenters invited commissioners to an open house the following day (11 a.m.–1 p.m.) at the Northland Arboretum. The committee did not take formal action during the update; presenters said they value continued county support for volunteer coordination and garden sites.
