This year, we trained 10 new volunteers to become Master Gardeners. Mary Helan has completed her 50 volunteer hours as well. Because of this, she is a certified Master Gardener. Read on to learn about her experience in Becoming a Master Gardener Extension Volunteer (MGEV).
… I took the Master Gardener Extension Volunteer class this spring, courtesy of the UGA Extension Service in Glynn County. My classmates and I learned a whole bunch—the text book is 987 pages long because it covers zones 6a-9b in Georgia—including more than I really want to know about lawns and chemicals. However, as an Extension Volunteer in Southeast Coastal Georgia I am supposed to be knowledgeable about all kinds of horticultural stuff related to our zone, 9a, all based on science-based research from UGA and other land grant universities.
Some of my required volunteer hours are in a community of tiny homes for formerly unsheltered people encouraging them to grow vegetables in raised beds. I also volunteer with other Master Gardeners in the Madge Merritt Extension demonstration garden where the weekly harvests are delivered to The Sparrow’s Nest, one of the many food banks in Brunswick (see photo). Last year we provided 341 lbs of fresh produce to the Sparrow’s Nest. This year we hope to provide over 500 lbs!
