The Kentucky Master Gardener Program is an intensive thirteen week series of classes focusing on various aspects of horticulture. While it does benefit the participants, the primary goal is to train new volunteers to be better gardeners and stewards of the land, as well as grow in their leadership skills and in community involvement. Each person who completes the program must return 40 hours of community service through the Cooperative Extension Service during the first year after the completion of the program and 20 hours each year after that.

Franklin County CES and Woodford County CES cooperatively held a class of twenty-two students. While the participants varied in age and backgrounds, they all had the love gardening in common. Since the class ended, many participants have already begun plans to start or assist with gardens in the community and are beginning to use better and more sustainable methods in their landscapes and gardens.

There were twenty students that completed the program this year. Each are required to return at least 40 hours of service back into the community to become certified. That makes a total of 880 volunteer hours. The Independent Sector Coalition estimates that the dollar value of volunteer time is $19.68 per hour resulting in $17,318.4 of savings to Franklin and Woodford County residents. This will be in addition to the current Franklin County Master Gardeners that provided 990 hours last year for a value of $19,483.20.