CRESTVIEW, Fla — The University of Florida Extension Office in Okaloosa County is taking applications for the 2021 Master Gardener Volunteer training course.
We are looking for people who will provide volunteer time at the Extension Office in Crestview to assist with our planned educational activities.
After successfully completing the program, participants will be ready to begin 75 hours of volunteer service agreed to in return for training.
Volunteer activities include answering questions via phone calls, emails and walk-in visits at the Extension office from other gardeners wanting landscape or garden information.
Master Gardeners give and/or assist in giving educational presentations for various groups. They help staff plant clinics to assist in diagnosing lawn, landscape and garden problems. They create, install and staff educational exhibits.
They provide technical advice to teachers who wish to have garden projects at their schools and assist with the 4-H youth program. They act as judges for contests or fairs. They may write and/or compile information for newsletters and news articles.
Master Gardeners conduct soil tests. They install and/or maintain demonstration gardens. They also are responsible for keeping records of their volunteer activities and attending recertification courses to stay current in the field of residential horticulture and environmental issues.
Basically, their volunteer activities are designed to assist the UF/IFAS Extension Office while providing reliable horticulture information to the residents of Okaloosa County.
This program is designed to recruit and train volunteers to help meet the demands placed on extension personnel by home gardeners.
The mission of the Master Gardener Volunteer program is to assist Extension Agents in providing research-based horticultural education to Florida residents.
The primary requirements for participation in the Master Gardener Program are:
- A sincere interest in horticulture.
- Willingness to work with and help other people.
- Time and flexibility to complete all requirements of the program.
Master Gardener Volunteer training classes will be held each Monday (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) beginning May 3 and ending August 23, 2021. Most of the classes during this fifteen-week course will be held at the Extension Office located at 3098 Airport Road in Crestview. Instruction will include classroom training conducted by County Extension faculty and UF/IFAS Extension specialists.
Training includes sessions on botany, soils, insects, plant pathology, landscape plant care, vegetable and fruit gardening, lawn management, landscape design and irrigation.
The course fee is $150. Space is limited.
To request an application for the 2021 Master Gardener Volunteer training course, call the Extension Office at (850) 689-5850. Applications must be returned by Friday, April 14 to be considered.
Larry Williams is the Extension horticulture agent with the Okaloosa County Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida. Contact Larry at 689-5850 or email lwilliams@myokaloosa.com.
