Have you considered becoming a Penn State Extension Master Gardener but don’t know where to begin?

Attend an information session at 6:30 PM Thursday, June 8, at Butler’s Alameda Park shelter 13 to learn more about this exciting opportunity to serve the Butler County community.

To access the registration form for the session and submit the online application to join our 2023-24 training class, visit https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/butler/become-a-master-gardener.

The Penn State Extension Master Gardener volunteer program supports the outreach mission of Penn State Extension by utilizing unbiased research-based information to educate the public and our communities on best practices in sustainable horticulture and environmental stewardship. The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners in Butler County contribute to the program’s mission throughout the year.

Butler County Master Gardeners are shining examples of the power of volunteerism. The Butler County program was founded in 1991.

There are 117 Master Gardener volunteers, including 18 Master Gardeners who completed their training program in the spring of 2023. The Master Gardeners completed 3,792 volunteer hours and 1,143 hours of advanced education in 2022-23 through dedicated community outreach. Trained volunteers answered 284 Garden Hotline calls from the community.

The Master Gardeners also taught gardening and poison prevention to students at nine community schools.

They also offered the Seed to Supper program, a vegetable gardening curriculum for those struggling with food insecurity.

The writing team published 40 educational articles in the Butler Eagle. The seven Butler County educational gardens comprise over 40,000 square feet of volunteer demonstration gardens.

Coordinated by Penn State Extension, the Penn State Master Gardener Program provides horticultural training to interested individuals in exchange for a volunteer time commitment.

To be considered for the Master Gardener training program, an application and virtual interview are required. A Master Gardener completes 40 classroom hours in various subjects, including entomology, botany, soil science, pesticide safety, plant propagation and communication skills. Extension educators from across Pennsylvania provide this training.

Once accepted into the training program, the Master Gardener apprentice pays a nominal fee of $200 for instruction, program material and manual. A computer or electronic device and reliable internet access are required for participation in the training.

This year’s training program begins on our Welcome Night in September and ends in March. This year’s training is a hybrid class with the Thursday evening lessons offered remotely with students joining from their homes. Supplemental opportunities to gather as a group for additional hands-on instructions and activities will be offered.

All Master Gardeners must complete the required class work, score a passing grade on an examination administered by Penn State Extension, and fulfill fifty volunteer hours to obtain certification. Many Master Gardeners continue with the program for years by completing continuing education and volunteering in their communities.

Master Gardeners of Butler County can be contacted through the Butler County Extension Office at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or by email to Butlermg@psu.edu.

Diane Dallos is the Master Gardener Coordinator with Penn State Extension, Butler County.

Diane Dallos