Lynn Vogel
Extension Program Assistant
Horticulture/Community Development

 Click here to send Lynn an email message.

Lynn coordinates the Portage County Master Gardener Program.  The Portage County Master Gardener Program consists of eighty plus volunteers that work in the community providing horticultural education programs in schools, senior centers, local libraries, community centers, garden clubs, etc.  Additionally the Master Gardeners provide the following services:

Hotline:  The MG volunteers assist Portage County residents with their home and garden questions.  Typically, 350 plus homeowner calls are answered by the Portage County Master Gardeners annually.

Natural Resource Conservation:  The Master Gardeners collaborate with Portage County Soil and Water district to provide community education workshops focusing on storm water reduction.  We provide rain garden and rain barrel workshops throughout the county.  Additionally we collaborate with the City of Kent to annually provide a four-part summer series focusing on gardening practices that will impact storm water quantity and quality.

Community Projects:  The Portage County Master Gardeners work with area senior centers, adult day-care centers and youth programs to assist in raised-bed and container gardening programs.

Summer Youth Education Program:  The Master Gardeners work with Ravenna Parks and Recreation staff to offer educational programming to their 200 plus “Day Campers” that range in age from kindergarten to seventh grade.

Fund Raising:  The Portage County Master Gardeners coordinate an annual fund raising event titled, “Celebrate Spring”.  This annual May event includes a plant sale, a silent auction and engaging speakers on a variety of gardening topics.

Volunteer Development:  Lynn organizes advanced training programs to assist Portage County Master Gardeners in obtaining their annual continuing education credits required to maintain state certification.

Local Foods:  Lynn oversees the annual OSU Extension office collaboration with local sponsors to design and publish a Portage County Farm Market Brochure that lists location of area farms that participate in direct consumer marketing of their products.

Why Trees Matter:  Lynn participates in this statewide signature program by organizing the annual “Why Trees Matter Forum” which is offered in Wooster in October.  Additional information about this program may be found at:  http://treesmatter.osu.edu