MU Extension Bug n' Garden

06/02/2026

Looking for a one-day crash course in gardening?
Join MU Extension for Extension Garden Steward: Green Thumb Bootcamp, a free in-person seminar covering practical gardening skills for home and community gardeners.
Date: Friday, June 26, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Location: Colonial Farms, Community Room
27610 E Wyatt Rd, Blue Springs, MO 64014
Cost: Free
Format: In-person with short hands-on activities
Participants will learn about:
• Site and soil basics
• Vegetable gardening and food safety
• Flowers and functional landscapes
• Insects, IPM, and pollinators
• Pollinator gardening and environmental stewardship
Please bring your own lunch and a refillable water bottle.
Optional volunteer opportunity: Volunteers attend the full course alongside participants and may help with materials, activities, and cleanup. Volunteers should arrive 10 minutes early. AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteers who are 55 or older and live in Clay, Jackson, or Platte counties may receive a free soil sample certificate as a thank-you.
Registration is required. We reserve the right to cancel the course if minimum participation and volunteer numbers are not met.
Register here: https://extension.missouri.edu/events/extension-garden-steward-colonial-farms-0

Event information for Extension Garden Steward: Colonial Farms

04/21/2026

Our plant sale and garden yard sale are fast approaching! Don’t pay store prices for seedlings or perennial plants like hosta or daylily. Find great deals on lightly used tools, supplies and garden decoration. Master Gardenes of Greater Kansas City look forward to seeing you on May 2 at Hiram Young School in Independence.

04/21/2026

FREE Gardening Course THIS SATURDAY!
Looking for a crash course in gardening that covers all the essentials?

Join us for the Extension Garden Steward: Green Thumb Bootcamp, a one-day seminar packed with gardening know-how and practical skills. With both presentations and activities, you’ll gain the tools you need to grow healthy plants, create beautiful landscapes, and support pollinators and beneficial insects.

REGISTER: https://extension.missouri.edu/events/extension-garden-steward-grace-church-0

Seminar Sessions Include:

Ground Rules: Know Your Site, Sow Your Success
Plant, Grow, Eat, Repeat: 3-Season Vegetable Gardening & Food Safety
Petal to the Metal: Showstopping Flowers & Functional Landscapes
Bug Balance: Insects, IPPM, & Pollinator Power
Bee the Change: Pollinator Gardening & Eco-Stewardship

Seminar Details:

When: Saturday, April 25, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Anyone who would be willing to volunteer, please come 10 minutes early)

Where: Grace Church, 3601 S. Sterling Ave., Independence MO 64052

Format: In-person, with short hands-on components

Cost: FREE

Volunteering (Optional): Volunteers attend the full course alongside participants and may assist with distributing materials, activities, and cleanup.

This course is facilitated by MU Extension in partnership with the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program. If you are 55 or older, from Clay, Jackson, or Platte counties, and would like to volunteer with this program, contact Damian Fluharty for more information. As a thank-you, AmeriCorps Senior volunteers receive a free soil sample certificate. ($20 value)

Please remember to bring your own lunch and a refillable water bottle.

Grow your knowledge, connect with fellow gardeners, and leave ready to cultivate a thriving, environmentally friendly garden.

We reserve the right to cancel the course if we do not meet the minimum number of participants and volunteers.

04/17/2026

Cultivate KC and KC Black Urban Growers are excited to announce applications are OPEN for the Urban Agriculture Micro-Grant program! Apply for up to $5,000 for projects that expand capacity to grow food within the greater Kansas City metro area.

Who is this grant for? Growers in the Kansas City metro area.
What does this grant fund? Expansion costs, land access, improved efficiency, infrastructure, and education and training.

Interested in applying?
*Learn more about eligibility: https://www.cultivatekc.org/microgrants/
*Read about previously funded projects https://www.cultivatekc.org/cultivate-kc-awards-first-round-of-micro-grant-funding/
*Sign up for a virtual information session on April 23rd at 11:30am https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/v7P-FTqCQ_eXvqKvS6ZIbQ #/registration

Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, May 20th.


Email [email protected] with any questions or to receive technical assistance with your application.

The Urban Agriculture Micro-Grant Program is administered by Cultivate KC and KC Black Urban Growers and made possible with funding from Farm Service Agency and a cooperative agreement with T.I.M.E. Inc.

03/22/2026

Missed our Green Thumb Bootcamp last week? You have another chance!

Join us Saturday, March 28, 9:30 AM–3:30 PM at the Southeast Community Center for Extension Garden Steward: Green Thumb Bootcamp, a free, one-day seminar designed to give you essential gardening skills.

You will learn how to:
*Evaluate your site so plants thrive, not just survive
*Plan for 3-season vegetable harvests and safer food handling
*Choose flowers and landscape designs that support beauty and function
*Support pollinators and beneficial insects while managing pests responsibly

🧺 Please bring: Your own lunch and a refillable water bottle.
📌 Register for the Southeast Community Center session here:
https://extension.missouri.edu/events/extension-garden-steward-southeast-community-center-0

This course is facilitated by MU Extension in partnership with the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program. Volunteers 55+ from Clay, Jackson, or Platte County may be eligible for a free soil sample certificate when volunteering through RSVP.

03/20/2026

Looking for a one-day, research-based gardening bootcamp? Join us this Saturday, March 21, 9:30 AM–3:30 PM at 3700 Woodland Ave, Kansas City, MO 64109 for Extension Garden Steward: Green Thumb Bootcamp.

In one day, you will:
*Learn how to match plants to your site for long-term success
*Explore 3-season vegetable gardening and food safety
*Discover how to design landscapes that are both beautiful and functional
*Strengthen “bug balance” by supporting pollinators and managing pests wisely

✅ Cost: FREE
✅ Format: In-person with hands-on components
✅ Please bring: Your own lunch and a refillable water bottle
📌 Register here for the Ivanhoe location:
https://incthrives.org/events/garden-steward-training-with-mu-extension/

Volunteers are welcome and attend the course alongside participants. If you are 55+ in Clay, Jackson, or Platte County and want to volunteer through the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program, contact Damian Fluharty and receive a free soil sample certificate as a thank-you.

03/19/2026

🐝Looking for a crash course in gardening that covers the essentials?🌱
Join us for Extension Garden Steward: Green Thumb Bootcamp, a free one-day seminar packed with research-based gardening know-how and practical skills. Through presentations and hands-on activities, you’ll learn how to grow healthy plants, create beautiful landscapes, and support pollinators and beneficial insects.

Two Saturday options:
*March 21, 9:30 AM–3:30 PM – Ivanhoe Neighborhood, 3700 Woodland Ave, Kansas City, MO 64109
Register: https://incthrives.org/events/garden-steward-training-with-mu-extension/
*March 28, 9:30 AM–3:30 PM – Southeast Community Center
Register: https://extension.missouri.edu/events/extension-garden-steward-southeast-community-center-0

Seminar sessions include:
*Ground Rules: Know Your Site, Sow Your Success
*Plant, Grow, Eat, Repeat: 3-Season Vegetable Gardening & Food Safety
*Petal to the Metal: Showstopping Flowers & Functional Landscapes
*Bug Balance: Insects, IPM, and Pollinator Power
*Bee the Change: Pollinator Gardening & Eco-Stewardship

Details:
*Cost: FREE
*Format: In-person with short hands-on components
*Please bring: Your own lunch and a refillable water bottle

Volunteer opportunity (optional):
*Volunteers attend the full course alongside participants and may help with distributing materials, activities, and cleanup.
*This course is facilitated by MU Extension in partnership with the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program. If you are 55 or older from Clay, Jackson, or Platte County and would like to volunteer, contact Damian Fluharty for more information. As a thank-you, AmeriCorps Senior volunteers receive a free soil sample certificate (a $20 value).

Grow your knowledge, connect with fellow gardeners, and leave ready to cultivate a thriving, environmentally friendly garden.

01/29/2026

❄️Snow Today, Gardens Tomorrow!🌱

There may be snow on the ground, but NOW is the perfect time to plan your 2026 garden! Join the FREE Extension Garden Steward course and learn hands-on, research-based gardening skills that help your plants - and your community - thrive.

Upcoming workshops:
Jan 31: KC Public Library - Central
Feb 21: Colonial Gardens (Blue Springs)
Feb 28: Truman Habitat for Humanity (Independence)
March 7: UMKC SPARK (Kansas City)
March 14: Grace Church (Independence)
March 21: Ivanhoe (Kansas City)
March 28: Southeast Community Center (Kansas City)
More info and registration links: Register:https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/extension-garden-steward

If you’re 55+ in Jackson, Clay, or Platte, you can participate as an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer and receive a free soil test.

01/16/2026

🌼 Give Back. Grow More. Be Recognized. 🌼
Are you 55 or older and living in Jackson, Clay, or Platte County?
Love gardening, learning, or helping your community?

TOMORROW: Join us for the AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteer Recognition & Information Open House with MU Extension!

Learn how just 6+ hours of service lets you:
* Fully participate in the Extension Garden Steward course
* Receive a FREE soil test
* Make a real difference in your local community

Already volunteered?
This event also celebrates YOU - our dedicated AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers who help our communities grow stronger (and greener!).
* Come enjoy light refreshments, meet Extension staff, learn about upcoming opportunities, and connect with fellow volunteers.
* Whether you’re curious, committed, or already contributing—there’s a place for you.
* Learn more & RSVP here: https://extension.missouri.edu/events/americorps-seniors-volunteer-recognition-open-house

📣 Tag a friend who loves gardening or community service!

Event information for AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteer Recognition & Open House

10/08/2025

🌿 Grow your garden. Grow your community.
Registration is open for the Extension Garden Steward: Green Thumb Boot Camp!

Learn 3-season gardening, flower design, insects & pollinators, and get hands-on practice with local experts.

Choose a training near you! There are multiple dates across the KC region!

See all sessions: https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/extension-garden-steward