2017 ASHS Annual Conference

As Extension budgets shrink, fewer people and resources are available to manage and assist Extension Master Gardener Programs. The North Dakota State University Extension Master Gardener Program has only a part-time state coordinator and an administrative assistant with no Master Gardener county coordinators to supervise local volunteer projects. A centralized system has been devised to directly recruit, train, and manage volunteers across the state from the land grant university. The Master Gardener core course is taught from the university using webinar technology; students with a computer and internet connection can take the 40-hour class at their convenience. Once trained, Master Gardeners from all parts of the state can complete their volunteer hours by writing for the Master Gardener newsletter, giving local talks as part of the speakers’ bureau, posting educational content on social media, or participating in statewide volunteer committees. All committees meet online or by telephone conference. Master Gardeners with advanced diagnostician training are encouraged to answer questions in their local Extension office, at gardening workshops, and on Ask an Expert. Ask an Expert has proved to be a good opportunity for Master Gardeners that live in remote counties to fulfill their volunteer hours. Annual statewide Master Gardener initiatives such as the pollinator garden project fund the building of teaching gardens across the state that can be used for local educational programming. Extension publications and pre-written PowerPoints enable consistent programming across the state. We’ve discovered Master Gardeners are willing to travel long distances for volunteer opportunities so statewide volunteer days are scheduled at prominent public gardens such as the International Peace Garden, the Myra Arboretum, the NDSU Historic American Hemerocallis Display Garden, and the NDSU Horticultural Research and Demonstration Garden. In addition to official Master Gardener volunteer opportunities, many Master Gardeners design, fund, and implement their own garden projects that benefit schools, churches, cemeteries, historic sites, and zoos.