FLORIDA MASTER
GARDENER
Volunteer ProgramWhat is it?
Call your county extension office. How many times have you heard or read that advice? For years it's been the standard bromide in the gardening press when space is too short for a fuller explanation, or when answers depend on local conditions. What's county extension office? And how can it help?The cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, land grant universities, and local county governments. The cooperative extension service's role is teaching residents about university research in the fields of agriculture, youth, natural resources, food safety and nutrition, and what we used to call home economics.
But when you do make that call to ask about what's bugging your beans, or what tomato does best in your area, or when to expect the first fall frost, who answers your questions? Chances are it's not a county or university employee, but a dedicated gardener - a trained volunteer called a Master Gardener.
Florida Master Gardeners are University of Florida-trained volunteer teachers. Master Gardeners educate and provide research-based information to Floridians about gardening- America's most popular pastime. Their information about planning and maintaining urban, suburban, and rural landscapes always emphasizes environmental stewardship.
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Master Gardener History
