At the 79th Annual Soil and Water Conservation District Meeting and Banquet on February 19, 2020, SWIMGA received the Community Conservation Award and member Cindy Farmer received the Conservation Educator Award.
Here is the wording on the Community Conservation Award:
“The Vanderburgh County SWCD would like to present this award, the Community Conservation Award to SWIMGA-Southwest Indiana Master Gardener Association. There are approximately 325 active members in SWIMGA that each year complete a minimum of 12 volunteer hours in the community and an additional six hours of continuing education. In 2019, SWIMGA had a total of 20,784 volunteer hours in the community, which in our eyes is priceless. These members are promoting and demonstrating the importance of soil health, native plants, pollinators and water conservation throughout their 22 gardens in Posey, Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties. At the display garden located off the Lloyd Expressway they produce an average of 7,000 pounds of food every year that is donated to the Tri-State Foodbank. The Vanderburgh County SWCD is proud to honor SWIMGA with the Community Conservation Award.”
Here is the wording for the Conservation Educator of the Year Award:
“Cindy Farmer is the project leader for the Junior Master Gardener program offered at Caze Elementary for 12 students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. The students study soil science, the water cycle, beneficial garden insects, the importance of soil sampling, how to grow and plant seeds using the square food gardening method, how flowers are pollinated and by whom are just to name a few. The students grow 36 different varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs organically in pots, grow bags, raised beds and in-ground gardens. This program provides teachers with Monarch eggs in a mini habitat where students observe the life cycle changes of the Monarch butterfly and release the butterflies in the garden every year. A worm composter is used in the class allowing them to add worm compost to new plantings, where students see how worms help recycle organic material and make it available to the plants as nutrients. Cindy also teaches the importance of nutrition, food preparation, safe food handling and cooking techniques where students are encouraged to eat through the colors of the rainbow every day. The Vanderburgh County SWCD is proud to honor Cindy Farmer with the Conservation Educator Award.”