Master Gardeners
What is a Master Gardener Program?
In New York State the master gardener program is a volunteer service program not a course or certificate. The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) programs are managed individually by county CCE associations. Volunteer training occurs at different intervals for each county. Counties select volunteers as needed through an application process from their pool of residents of that county. It is rare that a county will select an applicant from another county. Core horticulture training is the first requirement of the CCE Master Gardener Volunteer commitment, followed by an agreement to volunteer at the host county for one or more years for a specific number of hours. Once you stop volunteering you are no longer a master gardener as it is not a certificate program. Not every CCE county office in New York has the resources to support a CCE MGV program.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County welcomes back the Master Gardener Volunteer program. The Master Gardener program provides training to individuals, who, in turn, use their knowledge to educate others and help to beautify the community’s public areas.
There is a course fee of $175.00 which covers our training cost. Download the form on line today and mail it in or stop by our office at the Atrium building 2 Clinton Square first floor to pick up an application. Deadline to apply is January 28th, 2013. Most classes will be held on Tuesday nights starting on February 12st , 2013 from 6:30 – 9:00 here at the Atrium building.