Author: Keith Hackworth
Planning Unit: Floyd County CES
Major Program: Master Gardener
Plan of Work: Strengthening Extension and Community Leaders
Outcome: Initial Outcome
The Floyd 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 January to April of 2019, a Master Gardener class was conducted at the Floyd County Extension Office; twelve 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. 60% 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. Most of these new Master Gardeners are already serving their communities by conducting educational programs for youth and adults and community service projects. They have developed interactive maps for walking trails to education individuals about native species. Others are working with senior citizen centers and low income housing with gardening projects. They are actively recruiting others for a future class.
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