Is the Master Gardener class worth it

[lily51]

YES

Not only will you learn more than you have forgotten you will also find new friends that are gardening adicts. Your volunteer hours will greatly benefit you local extension office and provide local home gardeners asistance they would not have otherwise. I like propagation as my volunteer work. When I first went through the program I had a landscaping business and not a lot of time for volunteer work so my job was to record the volunteer hours of the memmbers and post monthly. It was great because I could do that from home. Now I really enjoy working with propagation. We have 2 big plant sales a year. Spring and fall. Working the sales is a lot of fun..

Yes, yes, yes. Sign up as soon as you can.

A wonderful learning opportunity and a way to give back to your community through volunteer work./

I agree with Elizabeth and more. The range of topics was so much more than I expected, the speakers were excellent. There is just so much out there to learn.

As for some of the negative comments, some from people who have never taken the class, these are opinions based on a perception of theirs, not what the class or people in it are actually like.

I would encourage you to look into it if it's something you' wanted to do.

[applestar]

I would never tell someone not to do something they wanted to do.
I want to be clear that what I said was that it didn't seem "worth it" to me given my situation and accessibility of the program -- and yes classes are available at two different locations even in this little state and I live 1-1/2 hrs away from one and 55 min (in good traffic but its a major commuter traffic route so hardly ever good ) from the other.

Those of you that have been members here for a while know I take on learning gardening experiments which interest me, that I dubb "new project!" and typically span several months. Each of these have meant hours of on-line research and "conversations" with experienced gardeners -- not necessarily with degrees but who have tried it before and have some advice to share. Depending on the subject, I may also seek additional hands on sources of information. And then I actually try out these techniques. I often share my experience and results with members of this forum in case anyone else is interested. I get obsessed with them at times and go way overboard but I always enjoy the process and come away with new knowledge that I have practical use for, securely stored away in my head.

These may in fact, take up more of my time than a MG course program, but I'm enthused and invigorated by the experience -- I.e. I have a lot of fun while doing them -- because I'm pursuing specific topic that interest me at the time.... But people learn in different ways, and ALL of them are right and NONE of them are wrong. You just have to identify what works for you best.

[KeyWee]

Another "yes" vote here. Of course, you don't get to choose the topics but you CAN take from them what you will and disregard what is of no use to you. Also, in asking many questions, you will learn what you need to learn.
Our MG program (western KY, 13 weeks, merely $80) was packed full of interesting topics and wonderfully qualified speakers (UK Princeton). I was completely impressed, and although I did not come away a gardening genius, I learned a LOT.
I did not feel that they advocated the use of chemicals but we DID learn about them in order to offer choices and make informed decisions. While some kinder methods may work for some (people will tell me to pick Japanese beetles off of affected plants and drown them) when you are dealing with 12 acres, it's not always the do-able choice.
As far as the volunteer hours, they go fast. We are able to include our meeting time so it adds up. First year 30 hours, after that just 10.
Good luck with YOUR decision!

[rainbowgardener]

Just because this conversation is still going on, I looked in to my local program a little more. I couldn't find on line any info about where the training is held or what the cost is, I would have to call someone. The next training is offered in Sept this year (interestingly at the same time as the International Master Gardener Conference, so I guess our local trainers aren't going to that). The program is 50 hours of instruction and then requires 50 volunteer hours in the following year. To maintain your certification requires " completing 20 additional hours of public service and 6 hours of advanced educational training each year."

It gives a list of topics covered:

Basic Botany
Plant Physiology
Soils and Soil Fertility
Basic Entomology
Basic Plant Pathology
Plant Disease Diagnosis
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Pesticide Use and Safety
Plant Identification
Home Lawn Care
Annuals
Perennials
Bulbs
Trees and Shrubs
Home Vegetable Production
Home Fruit Production
Backyard Wildlife Management
Organic Gardening
Herbs
Wildlife
Special topics, based on local needs, may be part of the curriculum.

It says you have to pass a criminal background check in order to be accepted in to the program. It is possible I wouldn't be accepted, since I have a pretty extensive history of misdemeanor arrests for peace demonstrations. No felonies though, so I don't know what they count.

Anyway, not saying anything about what anyone else should do. My time is full enough and I spent so many years in graduate school studying what I was told to study. I'm not going to take on learning more of what other people want me to learn, some of which I could probably teach already and some of which I'm not interested in learning. Certainly some of it would be new and interesting, but as long as I control my own learning, I can focus on that. I am learning every day, here and by reading and by doing...

[Ozark Lady]

A criminal background check to take a gardening course? One that you pay for in $$$ and in volunteer time? So odd to me.

I have seen that at jobs and at church for working with the kiddos, that I understand. But, plants don't want to be around a "criminal", that I don't understand.

Oh, I just got it, a thief might rob a seed bank?

A burglar might burglarize a greenhouse?

I don't get it...

[gixxerific]

Good one OL.

I have a BAD police record felonies and all. They don't care around here. Just wait till I rob their bank.

Well I want to thank everyone for their opinons either yay or nay. That is what a discussion is, the sharing of deas, wheter they be the same or not.

I understand all the points that have been made. Which is why I was up in the air about it. I decided to give it a go. What the hey right. It won't kill me and I might even make a big impact on them. Thinking about being able to learn what you want when you want is great and I do that all the time. But I can earn some knowledge in a garden with other actual people rather than from sitting in front of a computer that is a bounus. Plus I will be out in nature doing what I love.

Not sure if you know but Missouri University has an exceptional horitculture dept. The extinsion is great as well. I have been there several times. Nice place with a great demonstration garden.

We shall see how this goes but I have wanted to do this for along time and now is the time.

Dono

[applestar]

Sounds good, Gixx. Let us know how it goes.

[lily51]

A criminal background check to take a gardening course? One that you pay for in $$$ and in volunteer time? So odd to me.

I]Oh, I just got it, a thief might rob a seed bank?[/I] LOL



I don't get it...

THis is due to the volunteer aspect of Master Gardeners. You could be working anywhere with the public, including children, so that's how it is in Ohio. Fjor example, I helped with a kids summer class on plants, there are several community gardens includeing one at an elementary scshool, we have information booths at the fair and other events, we do tours for people of all ages....

And it is an extension program, state funded.

It could be overprotection, but I'm a retiree that grew up when these things weren't necessary. We have to change with the times.

[LA47]

I was just stating what had happened. I did state that the people that did take the class learned a lot and that I would check into it. It is not an option for me now as I live over 60 miles from the nearest class.

[ElizabethB]

Gix - glad you decided to follow through. There were some years when I was an inactive member - just too busy with other things. Once things slowed down all it took was paying my dues and doing my volunteer hours to estabilish myself as an active member. There are a couple of feed and seed stores and several retail nurseries that offer a discout to MGs. There are also 3 wholesale nurseries that will sell wholesale to MG members. Added incentive.

Regarding the volunteer hours. I don't remember the specifics of the first year other than 40 hours. Some of that was required to be spent answering the phones at the extension office for home gardener questions. Following years the phone duty is 8 hours per year. Other than that MGs get to choose their volunteer work.

This spring our association is pushing to get inactive members involved again. Over the next 3 months class reunions will be held. Our program started in 98. J and P (my sisters) attended in 2000. I went through the program in 2001. The three of us are hosting a reunion for the 98, 99, 00, and 01 classes.

I think you will enjoy the experience. If not - oh well. Becomeinactive after the first year. You can always come back. Once a Master Gardener - always a Master gardener.

Enjoy