The Grayson County Extension Office is currently accepting enrollment for an in-person Kentucky Master Gardener Training Program for 2021. The Master Gardener Program is a volunteer organization of the University of Kentucky, and consists of 14, 3-4 hour sessions. The training program will begin on September 24, 2021 and meet weekly on Friday mornings from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., CST, at the Grayson County Extension Office at 64 Quarry Road in Leitchfield. The majority of the instruction will be in-person, but some specialists will be teaching via the online program, Zoom. The cost of the program is $75 per person, or $100 per couple (must be a blood relative or spouse). The fee includes the Kentucky Master Gardener Training Manual and all resource materials and incentives. Spaces will be filled on a first come-first served basis, and are limited.
Participants can expect a rigorous training program, which includes a syllabus for each session, reading assignments, quizzes, homework, and a final exam. An excellent curriculum has been developed that includes a wide variety of horticulture subjects. The program will be taught through classroom lectures, labs, and demonstrations. Instructors include University of Kentucky professors and specialists, County Extension agents, and local horticulturists. Participants are expected to attend all training sessions and keep up with the materials being covered each week.
Upon completion of the classroom training, there is a final exam, and a score of 75% is required for graduation to become an Intern Gardener. The Intern Gardener phase is the time period in which each gardener will have one year to complete the mandatory 40 hours of volunteer service, which is required to become a Certified Kentucky Master Gardener. Volunteer activities may commence once training begins, and must be approved by the County Extension Agent administering the program. Once gardeners have obtained the status of a certified Kentucky Master Gardener, they must complete 20 volunteer hours per year plus 10 continuing education hours in order to maintain their status.
To register for the Master Gardener Training Program, you must complete and return the Master Gardener Program Application, which includes the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Volunteer Application with mandatory background check, and Guidelines for the Kentucky Master Gardener Program. All University of Kentucky staff, as well as all program volunteers, are required to pass a criminal background check. Application packages can be picked up at the Extension Office at 64 Quarry Road in Leitchfield. All completed packet documents should be returned to the Grayson County Extension Office by September 10, 2021 with a minimum $40.00 deposit. After receipt and acceptance of your payment and completed application, you will receive a letter with final instructions to get you ready for the first class on September 24th. You should note that the Master Gardener Association of Grayson County may be offering a partial scholarship to an individual that is in financial need. Please ask about the scholarship if you would like to apply. All inquiries are totally confidential. Any individual that receives the scholarship will be asked to complete additional volunteer hours.
If you have any questions about the Kentucky Master Gardener Training Program, please contact Whitney Carman or Susan Martin at the Grayson County Extension Office, at (270) 259-3492 or by email at whitney.carman@uky.edu or semartin@uky.edu.
