KAUFMAN COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS
A TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION PROGRAM

2009 Officers: Debra Middleton President, Brad Ackerman President-elect, Michele Reeves Treasurer and Jeanie Allen Davis, Secretary.

What is a Master Gardener? 

A Master Gardener is a gardening enthusiast of any age, who has been formally trained in horticulture by Texas AgriLife Extension and has completed a period of volunteer service.  Master Gardeners do not know all the answers, but do know the sources to consult to find the answers.

2009 Master Gardener Class

Kaufman County will once again be offering a Master Gardener course for residents who are interested in learning more about horticulture and who are willing to share their time and knowledge with others in the county.

An information meeting has been set for Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. and again on May 19, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at Texas AgriLife Extension Service, 2471 N. State Hwy. 34, Kaufman, Texas 75142.

The Master Gardener program is an educational activity offered by Texas AgriLife Extension Service and is designed to increase the availability of horticultural information and improve the quality of life with horticultural projects.  Goals are implemented through the training and employment of local volunteers, known as Master Gardeners.  They aid the Extension Service by conducting activities such as community and school gardening programs; answering telephone requests for horticultural information; establishing and maintaining gardens, working with special groups in the community; designing and implementing a horticulture newsletter and calendar; as well as coordinating Master Gardener programs and speaking engagements.

Kaufman County is partnering with several other surrounding counties again this year to present the training course.  Classes will be held every Wednesday, August 12 through October 14, 2009.  Classes will be held at the Extension office in Greenville.

Cost of the training is $140.00.  Participants will receive a Master Gardener notebook, name tag, and other materials helpful in assisting them while doing volunteer work.  All participants are required to return at least 50 hours of volunteer service to the Extension program here in Kaufman County.

This year’s training topics will include care and maintenance of trees, soils, botany, water resources, plant diseases, environmental landscaping, bees and pollination, entomology, plant propagation, seed propagation, herbs, fruits, nuts and berries, vegetable gardening and turfgrass management.  There will also be tours of the A&M Research Center in Dallas on Earthkind gardening and the rose gardens in Addison and Farmers Branch.

For more information, please call the Texas AgriLife Extension office at (972) 932-9069.

Community Service Programs:

SPEAKERS BUREAU – Special lectures and presentations are given to local groups on garden related topics.

GARDENING INFORMATION – Master Gardener volunteers provide information and assistance to County residents calling or dropping by the Extension Office.

TESTING/DEMONSTRATION GARDENS - New plant varieties and gardening practices are evaluated for suitability to our local growing conditions and soils.

GARDEN LEARNI NG CENTER- located on the south west corner of the intersection of 1388 and Hwy 34 in Kaufman. When completed in 2009 this will be a self study educational center open to the public. A pavilion area will be used for structured educational programs and a kiosk with handouts on rainwater harvesting, earth kind gardening, plantings in the Center as well as other horticultural information will be maintained