I give credit to my Aunt for my newly obtained Master Gardener certification. It is because of her that I even pursued this program. I made many posts about my garden activities on Instagram and Facebook, when out of the blue, my Aunt said, “You should get a Master Gardener certification.” I had no clue what the heck that was, but I was intrigued and began to research it.
Each state has its own Master Gardener program through a local Extension Service. To find your local program, go to Extension Master Gardener and look up locations by state. If you are in Berkeley County or Jefferson County, West Virginia, go directly to the WV Extension site and go to Berkeley-Jefferson Extension Master Gardeners.
Education
The education requirement for this program is 40 education hours. The course itself is 13 weeks, so you pretty much get all your education points throughout the course. You will learn topics from botany to turf grass, entomology to soils, ornamental plants, pest management, fruits and vegetables, plant propagation, and so much more.
There are other educational webinars that are sent out to the students to attend. I found these helpful to keep up with what is happening in other areas, such as forestry and other local groups.
My educational experience was gratifying. This is where I realize just how much I did not know. I took the online class, so the speakers who presented are so knowable in their field. I have a few favorites, but the one that sticks out the most is listening to Emily Morrow teaching us about soil. I love her enthusiasm talking about her experience in testing soil. Who knew there was so much to learn? Soil is extremely important to how plants grow. That course made me have a newfound appreciation for dirt. There is always something to learn, no matter how old we get. From this program, I get to pass on this information to you and share it with my community. In the words of Loyal “Jack” Lewman, “Never stop learning; when we stop learning, we stop growing.”
Volunteer Work
Along with education hours, the program requires 40 hours of volunteer work. I volunteered for everything I could. I even took off days from work to volunteer. Some of the volunteer events included the Master Gardener Plant Sale, Tomato Fest, Berkeley County Youth Fair, Gardens to Go, Rain Garden Clean Up at the Judicial Center, and helping at the Ranson Community Garden. Sometimes it is hard work, but it is all worth it. Not only is it volunteering, but you learn so much from these events and from the people you work with. Quite frankly, it is so nice to work with people who have the same passion as you.
Continuing Education and Volunteering
Just like any certification, there are continuing education and volunteering requirements. It is not 40 hours each, but I need to do a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer services and 10 hours of education. I have not really been keeping track lately, but I should.
Upcoming Events
Currently, we are preparing for the Annual Seed Swap in January. This event is where fellow Master Gardeners and local gardening groups share seeds that they have collected throughout the season. This will be my first time volunteering at these events, so I am excited to see how it goes.
