Penn State Extension Master Gardener Course available
Have you considered becoming a Penn State Extension Master Gardener but don’t know where to begin?
You can attend an information session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at Alameda Park, Shelter 13, in Butler Township, to learn more about this exciting opportunity to serve the Butler County community.
To access the registration form for a session to join our 2024-25 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 133 Master Gardener volunteers, including 20 Master Gardeners who completed their training program in the spring of 2024. The Master Gardeners completed 4,991 volunteer hours and 1,415 hours of advanced education in 2023-24 through dedicated community outreach. Trained volunteers answered over 250 Garden Hotline calls from the community.
The Master Gardeners also taught gardening and poison prevention to students at nine community schools. They also offered a youth Summer Camp in partnership with the Zelienople Historical Society. The writing team published 36 educational articles in the Butler Eagle. The eight Butler County educational gardens comprise over 40,000 square feet of volunteer demonstration gardens. Across the state, Master Gardener volunteers dedicated over 220,000 hours of volunteer service, a $7 million impact.
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 2025. This year’s training is a hybrid class with the Thursday evening lessons offered remotely with students joining from their homes. In addition, supplemental opportunities to learn as a group through 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 an extension educator with Penn State Extension, Butler County, serving as Master Gardener Coordinator.
