UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail: dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu

July 16, 2003

Feature Article - for release the week of July 20, 2003

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

People who love plants often enjoy sharing their knowledge and love of horticulture with others. This need to share plays a big part in why I love working as an Extension horticulture agent.

One way that the University of Florida Extension Service responds to requests for good plant knowledge is to rely on trained volunteers to assist the agent. These volunteers are known as Master Gardeners. Okeechobee County is now looking for a few friendly folks who would like to receive Master Gardener training and then help this community.

While there are lots of gardening answers out there, many are driven by commercial interests or they may rely on limited experience. The Extension office provides horticulture answers, but with a difference: our answers are backed by research. And when the number of requests exceed the amount of agent time, volunteers are asked to pitch in to help keep the community green.

Would you or someone you know like to join the ranks of thousands of Master Gardeners from all over the world? Being a Master Gardener will involve completing a comprehensive training program and then providing 75 hours of service back to the local community by next fall. Trained volunteers will receive a notebook and a shirt. A program fee will cover the cost of these materials.

The training class will begin on Tuesday September 2^nd, continue for ten weeks every Tuesday until November 4^th. Graduation will be held on Tuesday November 18^th. Classes will start at 9 A.M. and finish around 4 P.M. We are currently planning four of our classes in cooperation with the St. Lucie and Martin County Extension offices in Fort Pierce or Stuart, with the remainder being taught here in Okeechobee.

Trained volunteers may be asked to answer routine horticultural questions here in our office, or they may be placed with other volunteer groups that need a gardening expert. We will make use of each the volunteer’s interests and talents: if you are good at talking to groups, you can anchor our speaker’s list; if you are an organizer, maybe you have a desire to help get a local garden club started.

Near the top of my list is my desire to get kids and plants together. Our 4-H clubs are very active with animal livestock projects. We need 4-H leaders in Okeechobee that can help grow great kids and great gardens. The Junior Master Gardener program can be a lot of fun, but we need some interested committed adults to start this seed to grow here in Okeechobee. A trained Master Gardener can get this growing going.

There is no prerequisite of gardening knowledge for prospective Master Gardeners. However, persons who wish to be volunteers do need good people skills and an enthusiastic attitude. If you are interested, call me. We can send you a "sprouting kit", which has a lot more information about Master Gardening, and includes an application . Return the application along with the $110 program fee, and we will review and schedule an interview. Application must be received by August 26, 2003 in order to be a part of the class that begins on Tuesday September 2, 2003.

If you need additional information on the Master Gardener program, or to request a Sprouting Kit and application, call or stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North. Our phone number is (863) 763-6469, and you can email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu.

The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS /University of Florida. Christine T. Waddill, Dean.