Improving her gardening skills is what first drew Deberah Williams, Newnan cookbook author and graphic designer, to the Coweta County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program.
“I really loved gardening, but I did not know what I needed to do to become a really good gardener,” said Williams. “I was so frustrated because I didn’t even have a good understanding of things like using organic fertilizers. I thought if I could tap into just some of the knowledge from UGA’s extensive agricultural research, that I could become the gardener I longed to be.”
The Master Gardener program trains home gardeners to become more knowledgeable about gardening and environmental stewardship so that they can assist University of Georgia Cooperative Extension staff in educating the public about horticulture and vegetable gardening.
“In my second year as a Master Gardener, I find that the training and the things I’m learning as I volunteer are helping me acquire the skills I need to be successful,” Williams adds. “I’m developing the ability to help others with their gardening problems. If I don’t know what to do about gardening issue, I can learn from the experts at UGA. As a Master Gardener I can continue to learn, grow, and share what I have learned. I think that that is exactly what makes this program so successful.”
Now you can become a Coweta County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer. Training is held every two years, and the next session begins in January 2016. An informational session about the 10-week program will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, at the UGA Extension’s Coweta County office, 255 Pine Road in Newnan. You need not register in advance to attend.
“We are very proud of our Master Gardeners, who come out of our program with a wealth of knowledge that they are eager to share with Coweta residents,” says Extension Agent Stephanie Butcher. “Not only do they learn about horticulture, but the Coweta Master Gardeners are a great group of people who develop long-lasting friendships.”
The MGEVs help Extension serve more citizens with educational programming and demonstrations in five areas: environmental stewardship, landscapes, home food production, gardening with youth and the health benefits of gardening. In 2014, the Coweta County Master Gardeners volunteered 7,013 hours to help local residents with their gardening questions and to raise money for local youth programs, donating the equivalent of $156,051 of volunteer service.
The dates for the 2016 MGEV Training are Jan. 12-April 5, 2016.
For more information about the UGA MGEV program, visit http://www.caes.uga.edu/departments/hort/extension/mastergardener/index.cfm.
For an application to become a Coweta County MGEV, come to the June 30 informational meeting or visit www.ugaextension.com/coweta (Select Agriculture and Natural Resources in the left column and scroll down to Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program).
Contact UGA Extension-Coweta County at 770-254-2620 or uge2077@uga.edu.
