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 Member Pages |
On Becoming a Master Gardener
 by Sue Sweeney
Floridata is eager to promote and recognize the efforts of those dedicated to improving the quality of life in both online and real world communities. Community service is built into the Master Gardeners programs. We're lucky to have Sue Sweeny share her experience with the Master Gardener program to introduce our visitors to the worthwhile services provided by Master Gardeners everywhere. Floridata invites all Master Gardener chapters to register their local chapters in Floridata's new Organization Directory. Our goal is to create and foster an international interactive community of Master Gardeners and other experts that will enhance local and state efforts. We'll provide additional tools and information to help Master Gardeners share methods, techniques, plant lists, resources, and ideas. Feedback on this project is welcomed. - Jack
They say that it all started in Washington State. Their own words, the Washington State Master Gardener program began like this: "The first Master Gardener Program was initiated in the State of Washington in 1973 by Extension agents in response to a burgeoning interest in horticulture from citizens in the urban areas. The Program's objective was to train volunteers to help Extension meet the overwhelming demand for information on horticulture, gardening and plant problems. Volunteers participated in a series of science-based educational sessions that included many aspects of horticulture and related topics. Then, in return for this training, they assisted local Extension personnel in providing information and education.-" Today the Master Gardeners Program exists in most states and provinces, serving both urban and rural communities. There are thousands of Master Gardeners, and the states and provinces are all adding more to the ranks each year. In the USA, the program is sponsored of the USA Department of Agriculture, through the state land grant colleges. The state programs operate fairly independently, so the experience varies a bit by state. The Colorado Master Gardeners have posted links to many of the state programs. Through these links or by doing an Internet search for "master gardener" + your state's name, you should be able to find your state's web site and learn the specifics about your program. anFor background on the program, there's an interesting 2005 USDA report summarizing the findings of a national 1999-2000 survey. The program didn’t make me an instant genius (sigh!), but it was the next best thing given my resources and time available. It’s not the same as a four-year degree program, let alone a master’s degree. However, it is very useful to round out “hands-on” horticultural knowledge, in a reasonable time at low cost. It’s also a great for making community contacts, and kind of fun, if a bit of hard work. Overall, I think that the program adds significant value. At my location (Stamford CT) , the program consists of:
The community service is also a form of “give back” for the program, which is free in my state, except for a material fee in the $400 range. Class Work: During the 4 weeks of classes, we covered a topic a week. The classes included water quality, soil chemistry, botany, plant pathology, pesticides, insects, woody plants, garden perennials, invasives, fruits and vegetables, lawn care, and much more. Each week, there was a day-long lecture on the topic for the week by a full-fledged expert in the area, often a professor from our state land grant college (UConn). There was also a day or two of reading at home. Each class seemed to me to be a condensed version of the first year college course for the area. Some topics were things that I wouldn’t have studied on my own, so the class was good incentive to get familiar with the area. Every now and then, I got an answer to a question that I didn’t know to ask. I also got a better idea of my own interests for future study.
The Tree, Shrub and Vine Project: In addition to the class work, we had a “hands-on” research project, which required learning all we could about 20 to 25 common trees, shrubs and vines. The project required obtaining a live sample of each assigned plant so we would learn to recognize it. Then we did a write write-up on the plant’s history, culture, and uses. In addition to learning about the assigned plants, the project helped to build research skills. Community Service: The 60-hour community service commitment was divided into 30 hours as an intern in the public plant clinic, and 30 hours of project work. The project work, which had to have an educational component, varied from apprentice tree pruning at a public garden to teaching grade-school kids to plant seeds. The final project list from my group was several pages long. It was amazing how many different projects there were, and how much was accomplished by 28 people, who also had jobs, families, home gardens, and/or other volunteer commitments, on top of their program work. For many, the required 30 hours turned into 60 or 90 hours or a long-term commitment, because the projects were worthwhile and interesting, and involved nice people. I liked this part of the program because we got to “give back” by sharing personal strengths, while pursuing our own learning interests. I think that most of us got more out of the projects than we gave.
The People: I have to mention the people: If you take the program, I hope you get a coordinator like Fairfield County's Regina Campfield who was a constant, thoughtful, supportive presence. I also hope you get mentors like ours. We all benefited from the honest, generous guidance of our volunteer mentors, all Master Gardeners, or Advanced Master Gardeners, themselves. THEN WHAT? A few years later, looking back, I am very glad I invested my time in becoming a Master Gardener. I know much more about plants than I did, and my knowledge increases significantly every year, because the program gave me a foundation for continuous learning at a much higher level than I had previously enjoyed despite a life-long interest in plants and gardening and nature.
My status as a Master Gardener gives me an instant bond with other Master Gardeners from all over the country; and respect from horticultural professionals and the gardening public. I have remained active in my county's Master Gardener program because I like the people, I learn from the work and the projects are worthwhile. Sue Sweeney, a certified Master Gardener and urban naturalist-nature photographer, who lives in Stamford CT, is publisher of TheMondayGarden.com, a popular Internet resource for eco-gardening and urban nature studies.. Copyright 2006 Sue Sweeney
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