The Kentucky Master Gardener program is an intensive fifteen week horticultural training for individuals who then volunteer as Master Gardeners in their communities. Master Gardeners teach classes, create gardens, share gardening best practices, and much more. Master Gardeners play a vital role in Extension’s ability to provide clients with up-to-date, research-based knowledge so they can protect and enjoy their landscapes and gardens.

The Master Gardener volunteer opportunity has given participants a leadership role within the group and the community that they did not have before.  An example of this is the annual spring and fall gardening workshops they have organized and hosted over the last two years. These workshops have covered topics from starting plants from seed, raised bed gardening, building better soil, designing using natives, season extension, to plants for small backyards, preserving produce, tree care and more.  Over 80 participants have attended each workshop for a total of over 240.  Evaluations have shown very positive feedback with over 95% of participants stating how well organized the event was and that they would attend again and also come to other Extension related programs in the future.

The Master Gardeners have also taken on the role of teaching some of the classes at the workshops and have made contacts with local leaders and community members for advertising and recruiting speakers as well as spreading the word about their organization.  They also started a facebook page, which now has 200 followers/likes with some posts being shared to the local facebook community group that brings over 1500 views to the page.  One of the Master Gardeners stated that she used to never feel comfortable speaking to groups and now has the confidence to do so.  Others have stated they are now involved on committees of local community groups through connections they made as master gardeners.  

The Woodford County Master Gardeners continue to expand their volunteer efforts and leadership roles in the community.  A new group will be trained in the spring of 2018.