Master Gardeners are coming to Barrow County! But, what are they and why should you become one?
Learning. Master Gardener Extension Volunteers receive extensive horticulture training: botany, plant physiology, soils, ornamentals, turf, vegetables, pruning, insect and disease management, and more. Some start with years of garden experience, others are garden novices when they begin the training. All complete over forty hours of horticulture instruction, which is about the same amount of time as one college course. Advanced training is available after the introduction, and some Master Gardeners go on to develop their expertise in certain areas of horticulture.
Serving. After learning about the art and science of gardening, Master Gardeners share their knowledge with the community by volunteering with UGA Extension, a community-based outreach arm of the University of Georgia. MGEVs operate plant clinic booths at farmers markets or other events where they answer questions and troubleshoot lawn and garden problems. They work to support garden-based learning for youth through teaching teachers, students, and providing resources. They use gardens and good gardening practices to take care of our environment. They fight hunger in their communities by growing and donating vegetables. They grow plants, and they grow communities.
Community. MGEV program coordinators have completed studies to gauge motivations and benefits of volunteering over the years, to understand what attracted folks to their programs. Unsurprisingly, gaining knowledge and the desire to help others arose as key factors, but the community created by Master Gardeners also topped the list. In volunteering, Master Gardeners often find groups of like-minded individuals. They meet people with different backgrounds and life experiences, but that all love plants and value helping other in their communities.
How do I get involved? The first step to becoming a Master Gardener Extension Volunteer is training. The 2021 class will be held from March-April. This is a hybrid training, and class participants will learn at their own pace in an online classroom, then meet in-person for four half-day hands-on workshops to develop skills. After the training course is complete, participants will spend fifty hours in volunteer work over the next year before officially receiving the title of Master Gardener. The course fee for the program is $150, which covers the MGEV handbook and supplies for the course. If you are interested in joining the 2021 training, go to tinyurl.com/2021MGEV to open the information and application packet. Applications are due February 26, but participation will be capped at 20 participants to ensure social distancing is possible during hands-on workshops, so please go ahead and turn in your application. If you have questions about the training, volunteer opportunities, or the application, you can call me, Alicia Holloway, the UGA Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Barrow County and the MGEV program coordinator at 770-307-3029, or e-mail me at aholloway@uga.edu. I’m looking forward to receiving your application!
