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Polk County Master GardenersWhat is a Master Gardener? Just what is a "Master Gardener?" Well, to start with, it is not someone who can solve all gardening problems, but most Master Gardeners have at least learned where to go to find the answers. The program is supported by the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service. It starts with 40 hours of classroom education covering everything from the basics of botany to soils and fertilizers, pest control, plant propagation, and pruning, to mention just a few of the subjects covered. It includes sections on growing fruit, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Experts in their field teach most of the classes, and most of those experts will take the time to give additional information to the novice who has enough interest to ask the questions.
The fee for all this is much less than the cost of the classes, so students agree to contribute 40 hours of work the first year after class completion and 20 hours each year after that to maintain their status as a Master Gardener. With about 25 active Master Gardeners, that's well over 500 hours per year if everyone only contributed the minimum required. Most do a good deal more than that. No small asset for Polk County. You can see the Master Gardeners' handwork at the Courthouse, the Housing Authority on Morrow Street, and at the County Extension Office. In addition to the work hours each Master Gardener contributes, each is required to have 20 additional hours of education each year. These can be tours of gardens, seminars, or even repeating some of the classes when the next year's group is being trained. Some of us don't seem to have total recall! But the work hours are educational opportunities as well. It seems there is always someone at the project who knows something about whatever is perplexing you, and gardeners of all varieties love to share information as well as plants. If you're interested in joining the next class, give the County Extension office a call. They can tell you when and where and all the other details. Or you can inquire by email to our chapter contact, Barbara Tobias, at: sbtobias@earthlink.net |
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