Nunnery earns scholarship

ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County Master Gardeners wrapped up their plant sale this spring, and a portion of the fruits of their labors were seen in a scholarship that was awarded Wednesday morning.

Sean Nunnery, a rising senior at N.C. State studying agriculture education, was honored in a presentation that included program volunteers Gwen Thompson and Eddie Walters, and William Craig, the horticulture agent with the Bladen County Cooperative Extension office.

The scholarship was for $750 this year, and Nunnery also received their $500 scholarship in 2018. This is the second year that Nunnery has worked as an intern at the Cooperative Extension office.

“We are so proud to present him with this scholarship,” Thompson said.

Nunnery earned a spot on the Dean’s List with a 3.4 grade-point-average, and upon graduation hopes to come to back to Bladen County to teach in one of the high schools.

Nunnery and Rachel Bland worked diligently with the volunteers to make the sale happen this year amid the coronavirus.

“They got us set up and told us which plants were what,” he said. “They gave us a sheet of paper that had all the lists of plants and the plant species and types, and how to care for them.”

From there, Nunnery and Bland were setting up appointments for 15-minute intervals to allow the public to pick up their orders or browse the plants available.

“They prepared us with what to say and what to tell people when they were buying plants,” Nunnery said. “We just kind of went from there and learned as we went.”

Both said pamphlets were excellent resources, and Thompson added that the plants were brought in from different gardener’s gardens.

“Usually when we have our plant sale, which is at the end of April, everyone shows up with plants as well,” Thompson said. “That is good when someone has a question and the cultivator is on hand to answer it.”

Usually they set up the last weekend in April at the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market. This year with a slightly different event, the Master Gardeners made over $1,000 which goes to the scholarship, greenhouse maintenance, and other expenses like educational field trips.

With their scheduling appointments they were able to ensure that everyone was socially distanced, that there was enough help to load big orders, and also take things to their cars.

“They had made up a sheet that was colorful, and it told what they were doing, and it listed what they had available,” Thompson said.

“It had the information on calling us or emailing us here to set up the 15-minute time slot,” said Bland.

She said it was challenging when they sold out of something that people really wanted, like Japanese maples.

“There’s not an easy way to be like, sorry, we are out of those,” she said.

Bland said she grew up on a farm with grapes. She says she didn’t have much horticulture background.

The group is hopeful next year’s sale returns to the farmers market. Walters said it is an important opportunity for them to be able to interact with the public and recruit more members.

“We get to meet somebody and explain to them what a master gardener volunteer is,” he said. “Our people know their plants, and if someone has a question we can get them their answers to their questions.”