Author: Kelly Jackson
Planning Unit: Christian County CES
Major Program: Master Gardener
Plan of Work: To foster the development of personal and interpersonal skills, stimulate volunteer leadership, and
Outcome: Initial Outcome
The Christian County Master Gardener Program is an outstanding opportunity to develop community horticulture volunteers. In order to become a certified Master Gardener volunteer, participants must complete a minimum 12-week training, which consists of 24 hours of core subject courses including: Cooperative Extension/Volunteerism, Botany, Soils, Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Pesticides/Pesticides Safety/Environmental Issues. They must also pass a final exam with a seventy-five percent score and volunteer forty hours of service. From September to December of 2017, a Master Gardener class was conducted at the Christian County Extension Office; thirteen participants completed their coursework and passed their final exam. At the end of the training, the new class of Master Gardeners were given a survey regarding the program. 92% of those who took the survey stated they felt better prepared to lead and assist in Extension Horticulture programs and volunteer opportunities. 42% stated they had already made a horticultural practice change resulting from the training, some examples included soil improvements, crop rotation and pruning practices. Finally, 100% of the survey participants stated that they would recommend the Kentucky Extension Master Gardener program to others in the community.
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