Are We Really a Break-away Group of Rule-Breakers?

Recently Ed Bruske sent an email to a DC-area environmental Yahoo group inviting folks to join DC Urban Gardeners and the invitation immediately prompted this response from a staffer at the University of Maryland:

Just for clarification you should know that DC Urban Gardeners is a group that broke away from DC Master Gardeners, run by Sandy Farber, and is not affiliated with them or their parent DC Cooperative Extension in any way. Amanda Laudwein

So Ed, stirred to defend us from the "broke away" charge, which clearly raises questions about our legitimacy, responded with his own clarification:

Amanda, that's not a clarification; it's a total distortion.

The D.C. Urban Gardeners is a group of 89, growing daily, most of whom have never been through D.C. Master Gardeners.  The original organizers of the group were, at one time or another, graduates of the Master Gardener program at the University of the District of Columbia. But if you are familiar with the program, you know that it is primarily a training program. Up to now, there has been no continuing Master Gardener program after graduation in the District of Columbia. Nor would this have any bearing on who we are or what we are about.

The UDC Master Gardener program is not our "parent." We did not break away, as there was nothing to break away from. We are simply an organization of individuals passionate about earth-friendly gardening and environmental activities who are determined to address the very specific urban needs of the District of Columbia. Any and all who wish to join us are welcome to do so, be they from Master Gardener programs or not.

There was no further discussion of the issue.  I'll just add to Ed's response that the advantages of being independent are numerous, starting with our ability to welcome non-Master Gardeners but including the freedom to engage in any projects we deem valuable and partner with any group we want to partner with in furtherance of our mission.

But there's more.  With sadness, we learn that new Master Gardeners are being warned to stay away from us because we break the rules.

Well gosh, we certainly don't intend to break rules but because we've never been informed which rules we're alledgedly breaking, we don't know how to respond - or even how to stop breaking them, if we indeed are. 

We hope this settles any potential worries about our renegade, rule-breaking natures.

Posted by Susan Harris