Master Gardening Programs

[Fawteen]

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension has a Master Gardening program. You get 40 hours of training in exchange for 40 hours of volunteering.

Anybody familiar with this sort of program or have experience with it?

I'm considering enrolling. I've raised veggie gardens and the hardier flowers for years, but I'm just smart enough to know how ignorant I am when it comes to gardening.

[Argee]

My wife and I attended the Master Gardener program here in Northern Michigan. The program was through the local extension service. All of the instructors were form Michigan State University. The program, the people and the text material were all top notch. Learned an incredible amount and now am able to pass it along to others via volunteering. Great program, I recommend it highly.

[Fawteen]

Thanks, Argee. I've been looking for something new to learn, and this thought popped into my head. I called the Extension office, and turns out tomorrow is the deadline to sign up for this year's program, so I'm gonna run ta town and sign up.

I'm taking this timing as a good omen [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Where are you in Michigan? I was born and raised outside of St. Johns, smack in the middle of the lower peninsula.

[Argee]

I'm at the northern end of the lower in Wolverine, 40 miles south of the bridge, 20 miles north of Gaylord right off 75.

[Fawteen]

Ah. Pretty country! Been to Gaylord, my Mom had an uncle that ran a B&B and antique shop there back in the 60's.

[Argee]

That was when Gaylord was a small town. It has grown immensely since then. They're starting to have some major traffic problems, why they had to install another traffic light last year. [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[daveg]

me and my wife own Murry rd. Greenhouses here in carmel and she has taken the same course at umo.. it's a good one and you can learn alot from them for your own garden project's...you'll have to do some community project to complete the course over the summer.planting flowers at a church is a good one!

[Tammy_E_TX]

I must ask where or who do you call to find out if your area has this service?

[Hank]

I have found it on my state's (AZ) web site. So far, I have downloaded the "master gardner's manual" in PDF format, and may take their course.

[Fawteen]

Hi Dave, nice to see another Mainer on the site!

Apparently I didn't make the cut, as notifications were to have gone out yesterday, and I didn't get one. I'll check Monday to be sure. Apparently they have quite a waiting list, and aren't able to accomodate all applicants in any given year.

I was kind of looking forward to the volunteering part. Good way to get out and meet some new people.

Oh, well, there's always next year...