Master Gardener 2012 Annual Report
Master Gardeners are here to help Extension agents estimate that a large percentage of information and assistance requests are related to home grounds. The Master Gardener project trains volunteers interested in committing their time to intensive horticulture-related training and to then return Extension approved volunteer service in their community. Training from Extension enables these volunteers to make lasting impact with their outreach activities. Kerry Smith State Program Coordinator Help From Our Agents Extension Agents have the expertise to work with volunteers and train them in the methods that protect our natural resources. All garden and landscape activities have the potential to affect soil and water quality, and local habitats. Sustaining Alabama s natural resources is our mission. aces.edu
Master Gardener Interns gain new knowledge from the high quality training classes we offer and the classes are the first step in gaining thier support of our mission. Master Gardeners were asked what they might do as a result of participating in the training program. 66% will inspire others to learn and use the gardening practices they learned in the classes. 70% will use a soil test to avoid over-fertilizing their yard. 82% will use their knowledge of pest life cycles to optimize pest management techniques. Master Gardeners Volunteering with the Helpline
Master Gardeners use demonstration gardens to teach the public better gardening techniques. Coordinating REA s partnered with CEC s, County Agents, and various MG associations to deliver and manage this project.. The dedication of 29 ACES staff afforded us continued partnerships with 1,229 veteran MG volunteers in 2012. aces.edu
This project is designed to recruit & train volunteer leaders to assist county offices of the ACES in disseminating knowledge and information. The service of Master Gardener volunteers directly benefits their communities by providing leadership and involving others in beautification projects, environmental stewardship projects, community gardens, and horticulture-related educational programs. Volunteers are given 11 to 14 weeks of intense training in garden related subjects: soil nutrition, pest ID and management, plant ID and management, water management, etc. These trained Master Gardener volunteers are essential to the mission of the ACES. (insert another picutre) Jefferson County Master Gardeners assisted the M-Power Project Garden
Where We Started In 1971 two Washington State Extension Agents, David Gibby and Bill Scheer, started separate assignments in the Seattle and Tacoma metropolitan areas. Focused on consumer and commercial horticulture, they realized public demand for information about plant problems was so intense that they needed a team of people to educate the public. The 2012 Alabama Master Gardener training classes were offered in 23 locations; training 487 participants from 41 counties. A total of 1,716 volunteers (veteran and intern) reported 200,719 volunteer hours helping their communities in 2012. Extension Specialists support the training classes: Arnold Caylor to growing small fruits; Ayanava Majumdar to IPM and growing organically; Austin Hagan, Jim Jacobi and Ed Sikora to diseases in garden; Charles Mitchell to soils/fertility management; Charles Ray to Entomology; Dave Han to home lawns. Home Grounds and Commercial Horticulture REA s, and various CEC s also support instruction. aces.edu
After trying other options to serve the overwhelming demand for information, the two agents met to explore the novel concept of recruiting and training volunteers to serve the consumer horticulture audience. The initial response was tremendous and so began a now national program that educates volunteer-minded people who want to share their knowledge. It s a win-win situation. Facebook is a popular communications venue for many MG s. Agents started or continued Facebook pages to promote their programs/projects to the public and recruit volunteers to assist: www.facebook.com/alabamamastergardnerhelpline www.facebook.com/northalabamasmartyards www.fackbook.com/eastalabamasmartyards www.facebook.com/wiregrasssmartyards www.facebook.com/southwestalabamasmartyards
New videos were produced to teach the public and Master Gardeners about smart pest management. http://vimeo.com/48026353 - Friend or Foe, taught distinctions between pest and beneficial insects. http://vimeo.com/48022396. Hit the Panic Button is just one of the teaching tools used to prepare Master Gardeners to work the statewide Helpline. There are 11 MG Helpline offices in Alabama supporting this free-to-the-public service. aces.edu
They Support their Communities in Many Ways Food gardens, or donations from personal gardens, benefit local food banks and other food charities: Mobile, Jefferson, Wirgrass, Elmore, Montgomery, Lee, Madison, Autauga, Calhoun, St Claire counties. Demonstration gardens teach the public about environmentally sound techniques: Lee, Madison, Calhoun, Cleburne, Dale, Cullman, Elmore, Wiregrass, Montgomery, Etowah, Chilton counties. Classroom in the Forest, Ground Water Festivals and many other activities teach tomorrow s leaders about our valuable natural resources: Elmore, Cherokee, Calhoun, Wiregrass, Coffee, Montgomery, St Claire, Shoals, Madison, Lee, Cleburne, Dale, Randolph counties. Information booths and County (and other) Fair displays that educate the public using research-based, outreach info: Autauga, Blount, Cullman, DeKalb, Chilton, Jackson, Elmore, Montgomery, Coffee, Madison, Morgan, Wiregrass counties. Master Gardeners initiate their own public outreach through seasonal seminars, speaker bureaus and other venues: Elmore, Mobile, Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Lee, Montgomery, Wiregrass, Tuscaloosa, Shoals, Dale counties. All of the 36 MG Associations contribute to municipal beautification projects in schools, parks, municipal properties, ball fields, public gardens, and much more Financially, they support students furthering their education at Jr Colleges, and state and private universities/colleges with scholarships large and small. And they make financial contributions to other organizations sharing our mission of education (libraries, public parks/gardens, other educational groups)
Recap Master Gardeners support ACES Agents by sharing their expertise and knowledge in program delivery, offering their own program outreach, implementing demonstration gardens and outdoor classrooms, and volunteering with many community partners. Outreach from these volunteers takes on many forms. All total in 2012, they gave the equivalent of 66 full-time-employee hours to Alabama communities in the form of ACES related outreach and more than $3.3 million in donated time. In reality, they gave much more. An MG from the Wirgrass said it best, Gardening may seem like such a small thing to some, but the peace people can find in the soil and plants is what we offer. Tyler Weldon Outreach Programs Coordinator Home Grounds Team The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal opportunity educator and employer.