MARCH NEWS: The Friends of the Horticulture Farm welcome new Board Member and new Rhododendron Curator

Kate Schubart joined the Friends of the Horticulture Farm as a board member. She is a retired journalist and editor who created and produced Camel’s Hump Radio for Vermont Public Radio.  Later she helped found the Vermont Journalism Trust, the parent organization of VTDigger, and was a Statehouse reporter for VTDigger from 2010 to 2015. Kate has Master Gardener training and has been a volunteer for the Friends of the Hort Farm over the years, and has run the Annual Plant Sale twice.

Kate is excited to focus on strengthening the Friends of the Horticulture Farm’s outreach and to explore the farm more and learn about the grounds: “I’m particularly interested in the invasives, because that should be of interest to anybody who has a garden or cares about the ecosystem in Vermont.” Kate recognizes the importance of being a part of an active board that does useful work through volunteering, promoting the organization, and fundraising.

Paul Wieczoreck, horticulturist and owner of Champlain Valley Landscaping, joined the Friends of the Horticulture Farm as the curator of the Rhododendron Collection.  He has been a rhododendron collector and grower for 35 years. The rhododendron collection at the Horticulture Farm was started in the 1960s, and Paul looks forward to the role of caring for and developing the collection further. 

Paul graduated from the University of Vermont and worked at the Horticulture Farm after graduation, so he is very familiar with the environment there. He says, “The thing I’m most excited about is trying to manage what I think is one of the more impressive collections of mature rhododendrons in the state.” His work will allow the rhododendron collection to thrive and continue to be available to the public. Paul is committed to instilling a greater awareness in the community of the resources that are available at the Hort Farm.