Penn State Extension introduces new Master Gardener coordinator, expands programming in Mifflin County
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Penn State Extension staff introduced Allison Yoakam as the Master Gardener coordinator for Midland and Juniata counties and Sonia (transcript: 'Ace'/'Nace') as the Food, Families and Communities educator newly covering Mifflin County; they outlined demonstration‑garden maintenance, school programs and upcoming workshops.
Jeff Hackenberg, client relationship manager for Penn State Extension, introduced two extension staff to the board and described recent changes in local programming.
"I'm Jeff Hackenberg, client relationship manager for Penn State Extension," he said, and introduced Allison Yoakam as the new Master Gardener coordinator covering Midland and Juniata counties. Yoakam told the commissioners the volunteer Master Gardener program has 25 volunteers (16 residing in Midland County), maintains the demonstration garden at the Mifflin County Library and provides school visits. She described upcoming programs including winter sowing for native plants and poison‑prevention programming for early grades.
Sonia (recorded in the transcript as both 'Sonia Ace' and later as 'Sonia Nace') introduced herself as the food, families and communities educator and said she recently had Mifflin County added to her service area. She listed planned programming areas—mental‑health first aid, suicide prevention, financial literacy, healthy aging/Alzheimer's awareness and restaurant certification programs for local producers—and encouraged the county to refer local needs to extension staff.
Commissioners asked about workshop locations and expected attendance; Yoakam said the Mifflin County workshop will be at the Lewistown extension office on Market Street and estimated roughly 10 participants for the winter sowing events, with registration ongoing.