Silvana Rausa
Volunteers who have earned the title of Master Gardener share a love for gardening and a desire to serve others, but the projects they take on are as varied and unique as the individuals themselves.
Silvana Rausa is a long-time Leflore County resident and Master Gardener. The native of Italy came to the Delta for the first time in 1966 as the wife of a doctor serving with the U.S. Public Health Service.
“I took the first Master Gardener course they ever offered in Leflore County,” Rausa said. “They did it right, and it was a pleasure to do it.”
Rausa's interest in horticulture has been life-long. She began living in the Italian countryside with her family when she was 6. The family grew their own vegetables and raised chickens and rabbits. Later she became the first female graduate of an agriculture school in Italy. When Rausa came to the United States, she and her husband first lived in New York City and then in a 20-story apartment building in Newark, N.J.
When the couple moved to the Delta, Rausa finally had a chance to have a garden of her own. But she does more than work in her garden. Rausa became a Master Gardener in 1995. Her projects are numerous and include installing and maintaining landscaping at the Leflore County Extension Office, landscaping the Leflore County Courthouse and organizing plant swaps.
“At the end of the day, it's nice to know you did something and were happy,” Rausa said of her work with the Master Gardeners.
The MSU Extension Service usually trains between 150 and 200 new volunteers each year, and usually at least half complete their commitment to become certified Master Gardeners. For more information on the program, contact your local county Extension office.
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