Current Horticulture Agent is a lifetime master gardener from another state came to McCracken County Extension in 2009 with the idea of smaller programs to provide educational information in horticulture to the county. The plan was to add friendlier, easier outreach. One new idea was to build the volunteer numbers. For each year, over the next 10 years, the master gardener training was offered.  This brought new volunteers to PAMGA, at an average of 5 people per year. Some stayed only a short time but a total of 10 new members have been added for the duration. Keeping the structure of master gardener officers, bylaws, monthly meetings and programs helped build the relationships between the volunteers. The PAMGA members became the MCEMG to emphasize McCracken County, under the guidelines by the Extension District Board (EDB) . The EDB also supported the MCEMG program with the building of a storage barn for the horticulture program. 

Expansion included the ongoing series, from 2010 through 2019, of monthly class called, “Toolbox.” The MCEMG secured speakers for this free program the first Tuesday of each month. The topics were about gardening. Average attendance was 25 over a period of 10 years, at 11 times per year.  This amounted to 1100 programs. Currently Toolbox is suspended due to Covid-19 pandemic.  Virtual classes are currently offered weekly and advertised to MCEMG and McCracken Countians through the horticulture newsletter. 

As a new event of annual educational program in McCracken County, the MCEMG developed and carried out “Herb Appeal.” It began as an educational luncheon attended by about 30 people to the last year where they served 78 people. Herb Appeal grew as a committee began meeting weekly in January each year and presenting the event each July. Herb Appeal had 8 consecutive years of success, before being currently suspended by Covid-19.

Ongoing was booth at the Paducah Farmers market where MCEMG and Horticulture Agent partnered with Paducah Parks to have a monthly program in the growing season. The largest of these was during the “Barbeque on the River” event where about 1500 people came by the booth each September from 2010-2019. In 2020, it was suspended due to Covid-19. 

Due to Covid-19, the year of 2020 has made for all programs to be presented virtually. Prior to Covid-19 pandemic, each year the MCEMG carried out the McCracken Country Fair standard flower show, in a partnership with Kiwanis of South Paducah.  In March of 2020, the MCEMG began the planning and overseeing of a virtual flower show to replace the standard flower show.  MCEMG created a virtual flower show, flowing national guidelines of a standard flower show,  where 10 counties of adults and youth were invited to enter for free while safer from home. This was done as a remote event by participants sending digital photos of the entries. People of the Purchase Area who participated was 55. Total volunteer hours for this VFS was 337. 

To keep the Extension master gardener volunteers engaged, now, twice-weekly educational programs are offering virtual training. Information on other virtual programs are being sent by the 408 horticulture newsletters. Horticulture Agent sends weekly emails to the 45 MCEMG informing of updates from UK.

Due to need for service hours, the Horticulture Agent has created a 2021 Virtual Calendar where the MCEMG volunteers are currently working from home by making a calendar of their photos.  This will be distributed digitally. 

Current group of MCEMG has 45. The average number of hours turned in over the past 11 years is 11,000 volunteer hours. The 2021 new slate of officers has been selected and voting is underway. 

Incentives to turn in volunteer hours is a program created by MCEMG.  People who have completed a milestone of hours, or served as an officer, or served as a committee chair are awarded a small charm that is attached to the name badge. 

The MCEMG are anxious to hold in-person meetings again, once the Covid-19 guidelines allow this. They are a very enthusiastic and generous group.