The Cooperative Extension Service requires members of the local community to take on volunteer and leadership roles for it reach the full community. The University of Kentucky Master Gardener program is a way for the Boone County CES horticulture program to identify future leaders and give them the training they need to be community educators and direct the program where it needs to go. To become certified as Master Gardeners, participants must complete forty volunteer hours, attend fifteen four hour training sessions, and pass two tests. Once certified, Master Gardeners must continue to seek continuing education of at least ten hours a year and volunteer with the community at least twenty hours a year.  

The three northernmost Kentucky counties (Boone, Kenton, and Campbell) jointly run the Northern Kentucky Master Gardener Program. Through this program, a Master Gardener Training is offered every year and is rotated around so that everyone has a chance to participate. Boone County is hosting the Master Gardener program this year and so is coordinating participant and speaker recruitment. There are fifteen participants in the Master Gardener training and the training is also open for certified Master Gardeners to brush up on information. 

To put this program on, Boone County horticulture partners with Kenton and Campbell County horticulture programs, as well as draws crucial knowledge from state level specialists. For speakers, we have two UK specialists, five county agents, and four horticulture assistants teaching topics that vary from tree ID and care, to plant pathology, entomology, soil science, composting, plant propagation, and many others. 

This program is essential for the recruitment of new leaders and education of current leaders. Current Master Gardeners are involved in advisory councils, youth development, garden clubs, senior citizen service projects, and many other service projects. Current Master Gardener trainees have expressed interest in using skills to develop new city parks (city parks director), lead youth horticulture programming (current Carol County 4-H volunteer), assist with planned community garden, and get involved with horticulture advisory council.