Since 2000, the Extension Master Gardener (EMG) Program has been offered to Pulaski County and surrounding counties.  

     Master Gardeners are required to volunteer hours of service back to the community or in efforts that help Cooperative Extension. Over the course of this fiscal year, the Lake Cumberland Master Gardeners have volunteered almost 1270 hours of community service. Using hourly wage data from the Independent Sector, this amounts to roughly $27,200.

     Not only do Master Gardeners help maintain three public gardens, but they also teach classes, set up booths at important community events, and are looked to as experts and leaders in the community. One EMG volunteer has adopted the landscape at Burnside Branch Library and regularly teaches classes to the kids.

     During 2019, EMG volunteers set up a table at Lowe’s monthly on weekends. During those outreach events, they have fielded scores of questions and seen hundreds of people. 

     Master Gardeners are also required to obtain CEUs to keep them up-to-date on horticulture topics. This group has earned over 476 hours of CEUs this year.  In addition, two attended the State Master Gardener conference.

     Advanced Master Gardeners have taken the lead on a couple of large projects: public plantings of native plants and coordinating the new 4H Horticulture Club. The native plant volunteer has met with the new Somerset Mayor to get his promise to include native plants in all public places. She has also raised grant money for some of the work.  Two Master Gardeners are, for the first time in Pulaski County, taking a 4H Horticulture Club team to the 4H Horticulture Contest at the Kentucky State Fair. This has been a 12-month commitment, meeting monthly with the kids, coordinating activities, and keeping it fun.

     Overall, Lake Cumberland Master Gardeners have lost some members due to life changes but the group seems to be doing well even with slightly fewer active members. They are sought out to teach or consult so are viewed as important in this community.