Master Gardener training for residents of Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties will begin Tuesday, March 5.
The program lasts 14 weeks takes place every other Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at 28 Parkside Dr., Ellicottville. There is a remote Zoom option available.
Tuition is $125.
Apply here or contact Shannon Rinow, Master Gardener program coordinator, at smr336@cornell.edu.
The program includes a core course in gardening, as well as refresher classes, field trips and workshops to enhance expertise and ability to communicate information related to ecological gardening and related topics to the public.
Each Master Gardener Volunteer is expected to maintain 35 hours of volunteer time per year, which can be completed through community gardening efforts, educational presentations, fundraising for the Master Gardener Program, professional development meetings and other gardening projects.
Benefits for Master Gardeners include:
- Satisfaction of serving your community
- Interaction with others in your community with similar interests in gardening and community service
- A deeper understanding of the science behind gardening
In Chautauqua & Cattaraugus counties, the Master Gardener program is part of the community horticulture outreach activity, with volunteers educating home gardeners, youth in schools and afterschool programs, community gardeners, and consumers of horticulture products. Neighbors teach neighbors about landscape, fruit, vegetables, herbs, beneficial and harmful insects, plant diseases, integrated pest management, wildlife, soils, composting and much more.
The Master Gardener Program is a national program of trained volunteers who work in partnership with their county Cooperative Extension office to expand educational outreach throughout the community by providing home gardeners with research-based information.
