Two age is but a radar target in the spirit of a 156 - class - former organisation , but I wish to think we ’ve move the phonograph needle more than a little since I was honored to join y’ all as Executive Director in July of 2020 .

I stepped into a squad still actively reinvent ourselves in response to COVID . How could we continue as a horticulture community , or even stay afloat financially , without in - mortal classes , gala , and state reasonable ? And how could we meet the sudden step-up in need for nutrient security , health , community and horticulture support ?

Classeswent online and participation went through the roof ( tripled ! ) Even now as we segue back to some of our belovedin - person family , we are attached to ongoingwebinarsto serve greater MN and beyond , and folx who for various reason favor the tractableness and accessibility of online erudition . didactics has also grow through increase traffic to our web site andNorthern Gardener ™ Resource Hub(doubling to over 65,000 / calendar month ) , and increased distribution ofNorthern Gardener ® magazine(to almost 18,000 in multiple state of matter ) and our free , bimonthlyNorthern Gardener ™ E - news(from 13,603 to over 22,000 readers ) .

Community programswere more important than ever during these tough times . In just two years :

Financeswere helped with blockade - gap “ PPP ” government funding , generousdonors , and nest egg we had wisely clothe fromHeirloom Circlebequests . Like most nonprofits and many kin , we did lose money through the pandemic and only now are turning the street corner back toward sustainability . We are thankful to have not only to have live but actually increase services to communities in a time of need .

Membershiphas turned the corner after two years of diminution ( for MSHS and for membership governing body around the country ) . Our increased outreach to the athirst new generation of growers , plus a direction on service excellency for our wanted returning member , has yielded a 2 - year increase from 8,669 to 9,302 members ( with more to come atState Fair!)The four categories above are the pillar of our2021 - 2025 Strategic Plan . With the ongoing funding of our donors and members , we are outgo all of our challenging benchmarks so far . But beyond the numbers , what it means is that we are satisfy our mission to plump for and serve the northern horticulture community , even more so in these years of immense challenge and want .

There ’s a lot of numbers in this C. W. Post because I trust in answerability to you , our members and supporters and co - coconspirator in this bluff venture of horticulture in the due north . But as we relieve back into being together in somebody as well as these online design , I treasure the human connections we make through our deal love of gardening .

Thank you all for your support in so many ways during these preceding two long time . I look forrad to the next two eld of build upon this solid groundwork , and salute to continue sharing back with you the good intelligence and the challenge as we go forward ( to quote our vision financial statement ) produce , together .

Rick Juliusson has been driving education , international development and nonprofit consulting projects around the globe .   He loves growing food and flowers , and even worked as a husbandman for many years , selling peonies , garlic and meat grown on his 5 - Accho Vancouver Island property .