Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program PDF

Introduction The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program Edited by Richard Durham, consumer horticulture Extension specialist and state Master Gardener coordinator, and Sharon Bale, Extension floriculture specialist (ret.), University of Kentucky....

Introduction The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program Edited by Richard Durham, consumer horticulture Extension specialist and state Master Gardener coordinator, and Sharon Bale, Extension floriculture specialist (ret.), University of Kentucky. the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in In this chapter: the several pursuits and profession in life.” After the Civil War, this land-grant opportunity was The Start of Extension i extended to the former Confederate states and to states created How Does the System Work? ii after 1862. If a state did not have enough federal land to meet the requirement for funding, the state was issued “script,” which Idea Sources for Programs iii meant that the state could select federal lands in other states to Current Conditions iii create funding for these schools. The Morrill Act of 1862 authorized “separate but equal” What Can You Do for the Cooperative Extension Service? iv facilities for African-Americans. Mississippi and Kentucky were The Extension Master Gardener Program iv the only two states to provide this type of education. The pro- Expectations for Extension Master Gardener Volunteers vi posed second Morrill Act was aimed at the former Confederate states. It required each state to show proof that race was not a requirement for admission or to create a separate land-grant I n the mid-19th century, there was a political movement call- institution that would admit African-Americans. This bill was ing for the creation of agriculture colleges. The movement passed in 1890. Although cash was granted for these institu- was led by Jonathan Turner, a professor at Illinois College. tions instead of land, they have the same legal standing as the In 1853, the Illinois Legislature adopted a resolution calling 1862 land-grant schools. Sixteen African-American land-grant for the Illinois congressional delegation to work toward enact- colleges were established throughout the South and are known ing a bill that would create the land-grant system. They thought as 1890 land-grant institutions. In Kentucky, the University of a congressman from the eastern part of the country would have Kentucky is the 1862 land-grant school and Kentucky State better luck getting this type of legislation through Congress, so University is the 1890 land-grant school. Rep. Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont was recruited to intro- Congress soon realized that to be effective, the educational duce the bill. function of land-grant universities must be supplemented with Unlike the original proposal, the Morrill bill allocated land research capability. Consequently, it passed the Hatch Act in based on the number of senators and representatives each 1887. This act provided for the establishment of facilities where state had in Congress. Under the act each eligible state would colleges could conduct research into agricultural, mechanical, receive 30,000 acres of federal land—either within or contigu- and related problems faced by rural citizenry. Congress also saw ous to its boundaries—for each member of Congress the state a need to disseminate the knowledge gained at the land-grant had according to the census of 1860. The land was to provide colleges to the general public, farmers and homemakers being a financial base for the funding of these schools. the initial focus. The original bill passed in 1859, but was vetoed by President James Buchanan. In 1861, the bill was resubmitted with an The Start of Extension amendment that included military tactics as well as engineering and agriculture. Many of the Southern states did not support Extension had its beginnings in the movement to improve this type of legislation, but because they began to secede from agricultural production. Seaman Knapp’s successful use of the the United States, the bill was passed and signed into law by demonstration method on Louisiana farms in the fight against President Abraham Lincoln in July of 1862. The Southern states the cotton boll weevil served as the model for legislation. The that seceded were not given access to the federal land. Cooperative Extension Service was created by the federal The purpose of the land-grant colleges was, “without exclud- government in 1914 by the passage of the Smith-Lever Act. ing other scientific and classical studies and including military Section 2 of that Act, which was in effect as of June 23, 1972 tactic, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agri- (U.S.C. 341 et seq.), says: culture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures “Cooperative Agricultural Extension work shall consist of the of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote giving of instruction and practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics and subjects relating thereto to persons not i INTRODUCTION The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program attending or resident in said colleges in the several communities, Federal and imparting information on said subjects through demonstra- tions, publications, and otherwise and for the necessary printing United States Department of Agriculture and distribution of information in connection with the foregoing, Secretary of Agriculture and this work shall be carried on in such manner as may be At the federal level, agencies support Cooperative Extension mutually agreed upon by the Secretary of Agriculture and the through research grants and cooperate in setting policy and State agricultural college or colleges or Territory or possession focusing issues to guide its mission. receiving the benefits of this Act.” The 1940s and 1950s began a period of rapid technological State advancement in American agriculture. Farmers improved Land-Grant Institutions their competitive position primarily through the adoption of improved management practices, the expansion of their University of Kentucky—University supervises the Extension resource base, and increased efficiency. This led to production program throughout the state. surpluses and a heavy reliance upon agricultural production in 1890 Institutions international trade and development assistance. With an abun- Kentucky State University—Extension efforts are focused on the dance of reasonably priced food supply pretty much assured, urban environment and small farms. national attention, and to some extent the concern of Extension, in the 1960s shifted to the problems of urban, low-income, and State Extension Specialists minority residents. Extension specialists exist from most academic disciplines, At the same time, there was a substantial reduction in the including agricultural economics, communications, biosystems size of the farm and rural population. In 1910, approximately and agricultural engineering, plant and soil sciences, animal and 35 percent of the U.S. population were classified as farmers, and food sciences, entomology, forestry, 4-H youth development, until 1940, almost one-quarter of the population were farmers. human environmental sciences, horticulture, plant pathology, Since that time, the farm population has declined to less than community and leadership development, and rural and eco- three percent of the population. A similar decline occurred in nomic development. Within the Department of Horticulture, the rural portion of the population. At the turn of the century, there are state specialists or Extension associates for youth more than 50 percent of the nation’s population lived in a loca- programming, consumer horticulture, woody plants, fruits, tion defined as rural. In 1980, less than 30 percent did. As these greenhouse crops, vegetables, annuals, and perennial flowers. rural and farm residents relocated in metropolitan centers, they Specialists take research information and provide it to county carried with them an awareness of what Extension did for them agents, growers, consumers, youth, policy makers, and other in rural areas, setting the stage for an urban clientele. clients. The Cooperative Extension Service takes information gen- erated by research scientists and presents it to the public in layman’s terms. This concept is called technology transfer and Local it is what Cooperative Extension is all about—providing up-to- County Agents date, unbiased, scientifically based information to the public in The county staff (usually agriculture and natural resources, a manner they can understand. family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development agents, and in some cases, horticulture agents with support staff ) How does the system work? develop their own programs and, when necessary, rely on state specialists to provide them with specific content information The Cooperative Extension Service is a partnership between for their educational programming needs. A local Extension the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), State council is formed for each county. These councils are made up Cooperative Extension Services, land-grant universities, 1890 of local citizens who determine program priorities. They then institutions and county government. Funding for Cooperative support the county staff in their efforts to deliver relevant, Extension Service is provided by federal, state, and local gov- high-quality programs to people of the county. ernments. Policy considerations, program development and program emphasis are developed through cooperative efforts. Volunteers In fact, the Extension Service is very much a grass-roots orga- For strategic planning to be successful and for there to be nization, often focused on local issues. a unified approach to societal concerns or issues, volunteers The components of Cooperative Extension include organiza- serving on planning and advisory councils help to focus pro- tions and personnel at the federal, state and local levels. gramming on the needs of traditional and new clients and concentrate resources in a few areas of major concern. When there is adequate volunteer commitment and support, large numbers of impactful programs can be supported by a small ii  The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program INTRODUCTION team of Extension agents. This is where volunteers such as In many states, during the 1950s and 1960s emphasis was Extension Master Gardeners can serve a critical role in extend- placed on each county Extension Service developing an indi- ing Extension programming to a wider audience. vidual county plan—in consultation with local people—based on identifying the greatest needs. Program Planning State plans of work often were a composite of individual The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated responsibility for county plans. Campus departments assisted counties by pro- program planning to the Extension staff within the Department viding information to Extension agents and leaders about areas of Agriculture. General boundaries of programs that were where they saw developing needs. USDA held annual Outlook expected over the past 20 years have been periodically defined Conferences that briefed state staff on emerging problems by “scope” reports developed by a committee established by and economic changes. But the county plan was sacrosanct the USDA Extension administrator and directors of Extension. in many states. Each county, in consultation with local people, Such reports usually are published every 10 years or so. They established what Extension agents in that county would focus provide historical evidence of how policy changes relate to what upon for the next year. is appropriate for federal funding under the Smith-Lever Act. Community development became an important fourth The law also requires that “before the funds herein provided program area with Extension Services in Kentucky and several shall become available to any college for any fiscal year, plans other states, adding county positions or encouraging other for the work to be carried on under this Act shall be submit- agents to increase programming in such areas. ted by the proper officials of each college and approved by the Because needs among clientele differ, Extension programs Secretary of Agriculture.” at the local level have become more diverse. In Kentucky, proj- Each state must provide one statewide plan with various ects available to 4-H members went from about 20 projects specific research and program directives, and those plans must focused on farming and homemaking to more than 250 that be agreed to by the USDA Extension Service before a state can included any area that would help a young person learn and receive federal funding. develop life skills. With the help of media and volunteers, county Extension agents and state Extension specialists stretched their resources Idea Sources for Programs to cover a multitude of subjects each year. Although several Three main sources of Extension programs have emerged. states encouraged agents to focus on at least one intensive Research/academic disciplines—The campus department and project that concentrated resources on a specific area for the USDA research branch were historically a main source of several months, most agents preferred to take the cumulative what would be emphasized in the Extension programs. Early route. They found themselves acting as generalists, responding specialists were guided by what departments viewed as impor- to a host of local questions and needs. They preferred to cover tant information for farm families. In the 1930s and 1940s, all areas a little bit each year with the expectation that over for example, there was considerable concentration across the a five- or six-year period substantial practice changes would United States in introducing farmers to hybrid seed corn and occur in all areas. in improved seed/cuttings for other crops that were developed Societal Needs—Societal needs have always been present as one through Experiment Station Research. source of programming but have not always been recognized The first state plans of work were primarily developed within as a dominant influence. Research often has been stimulated departments based upon the best judgment of the research, by major social problems, such as scarcity of food or the need resident, and instruction faculty as to what areas should be to conserve soil. Grass-roots planning often yielded programs emphasized. that not only met individual needs of clients but were directed Researchers and administrators at land-grant universi- toward common needs that were held by a larger group. Many ties and the USDA have continued to view disseminating counties were fortunate enough to have wise leaders who could research findings and encouraging their use as a main role of influence others on planning committees to see beyond their the Extension system. own immediate needs and to encourage programs like land-use Grass-roots planning—However, as the Extension service planning and zoning. moved to county locations, leaders became much more aware Thus, over the years, Extension programs carried on in any of the vast differences among counties across the country and county or state have been influenced to different degrees by even within a given state. The people in some counties were research, individual client needs, and the needs of society. much farther ahead in relation to knowing and following rec- ommended practices. Some were much farther behind. Before the advent of television, communities and counties were fairly Current Conditions isolated. As the academic field of adult education developed Two major factors affect the nature of Extension programs in the 1940s and 1950s, one of the cardinal principles was that and the way those programs are decided. education was much more likely to be successful if programs Rural families not only make up a smaller percentage of the were based upon needs. U.S. population, but because a greater share of the nation’s iii INTRODUCTION The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program food supply comes from other countries, the broader Consequently, the Extension Master Gardener Program was population is no longer dependent upon the American created in 1973 in the state of Washington. Since then it has farmer. Rather than dominating American society, as was spread nationwide. Master Gardeners have become a vital part the case when Extension was started in 1914, farmers and of Extension’s ability to provide consumers with up-to-date, rural communities have become a small minority struggling reliable knowledge so they can enjoy and protect the plantings to maintain programs established by Congress and state around their homes. Master Gardening also has become a fun legislatures. and useful volunteer activity that has given its participants a The pool of tax dollars has diminished at national, state, sense of community spirit, accomplishment, and intellectual and local levels; and competition for those dollars is vastly stimulation. increased. Today, nearly 100,000 Extension Master Gardener volun- There is continuing pressure on Extension to: teers are active in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Show that its programs are important to American society These programs seek to engage diverse audiences both as as a whole and benefit people beyond its direct clientele volunteers and through outreach efforts. Local agents, advi- Show substantial impact from money invested sory councils and volunteer leaders are committed to offering Show substantial efforts on major problem areas nationwide programs that serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, For example, water purity is of keen importance to all religion, disability, or national origin. Americans. Our health and safety from major illness and disease depend upon the quality of water. The agricultural Your Responsibility as an industry (farming, processing, and packaging) is one source of Extension Master Gardener pollutants. Because of Extension’s direct focus on farming, the Cooperative Extension Service puts considerable emphasis When you enter the Extension Master Gardener Program, on those practices that increase the purity of water. Extension you are entering into a contract. In essence, you agree that in administrators are encouraging counties and states to concen- return for the training you receive, you will volunteer a prede- trate some of their programming resources on water quality termined number of hours back to Extension. Failure to com- and other areas that are of major concern to society in general. plete this obligation means you are not entitled to wear a Master Cooperative Extension is constantly challenged to be a Gardener badge, nor participate in Master Gardener activities. dynamic educational organization. This challenge forces Upon completion of your training, you have one year to Extension to be contemporary, progressive, and visionary. complete the agreed-upon volunteer service commitment, also called payback time. This time requirement varies from one Extension unit to another. What Can You Do for the Cooperative After you complete your payback time, you may choose Extension Service? to continue with the Extension Master Gardener Program. Numerous people have worked as Master Gardeners for years Volunteer workers are one of the most important and unique and contributed substantial amounts of time to Extension. To aspects of the Cooperative Extension Service. This is in keeping be considered an active Master Gardener, however, you must with Extension’s philosophy that active citizen participation agree to volunteer a minimum number of hours annually. In in planning and implementation insures program success. Kentucky the current requirement for new trainees is 40 hours As an Extension Master Gardener, you will join this family of of volunteer service to obtain their initial certification as a volunteers. Master Gardener. To renew certification, Master Gardener volunteers must complete 20 hours of volunteer service and 10 hours of continuing education credit each year. The county The Extension Master Gardener Program agent in charge of the local program determines what activi- The Extension Master Gardener Program was created to ties count toward volunteer service and continuing education meet an increase in requests from home gardeners for hor- credits. ticultural information. This increase derives primarily from Report Volunteer Time—Time sheets were historically used the urban and transient nature of modern American life. Fifty to keep track of the hours of time you volunteer as a Master years ago, an Extension agent dealt with the questions of a few Gardener and some programs continue to use this method. hundred farm families. In many regions, however, land that Some programs may appoint a Master Gardener to keep track once constituted a single farm now encompasses several sub- of this information. Other programs use on-line methods of divisions, increasing the number of families an Extension office reporting volunteer hours. Whatever the method of reporting must serve. In addition, many of these families are unfamiliar your time, don’t be lax; the reported hours are used in county with the grasses, shrubs, trees, and diseases that comprise the progress reports, and you deserve recognition for your efforts. microenvironment of their new home. They often will call their Use of the Title “Extension Master Gardener”—The title “Extension local Extension office for advice on what to plant and how to Master Gardener” should be used only by individuals trained care for it. in a Cooperative Extension Service program. The title is valid iv  The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program INTRODUCTION only when used by an active Extension Master Gardener who additional training hours and subject matter will be determined is participating in a program approved by an Extension agent. by the agent’s program and need for volunteer assistance. When an individual ceases to be active in the Extension Master Upon completion of the training program, a candidate must Gardener program, their designation as an Extension Master pass a written final examination before they can be designated a Gardener ceases. Master Gardener. The final exam will consist of 100 total points Extension Master Gardeners should not display credentials possible. Seventy-five percent of the possible points will come or give the appearance of being an Extension Master Gardener from questions on material covered in the core curriculum. The at a place of business unless that place is designated by the remaining 25 percent of the points will come from questions county office as a place where an Extension educational pro- developed by the county agent and based on material covered gram is taking place. The title “Extension Master Gardener” in the additional training. should not be used in a manner which implies Cooperative After the candidate has passed the written exam, they will Extension Service endorsement of any product or place of receive a Kentucky Extension Master Gardener certificate business. and a Master Gardener name badge. They also will be asked to The title “Extension Master Gardener” should be used only choose which volunteer activities they would like to perform when doing unpaid volunteer work for Extension. When in order to fulfill their commitment to the Master Gardener experienced Extension Master Gardeners speak before groups program. Volunteer activities often include unsupervised work on horticultural subjects, they may accept unsolicited reim- with vulnerable audiences, and background checks are required bursements (such as reimbursements for expenses) or gifts. It prior to commencing training. is inappropriate, however, to seek speaking engagements for pay while participating in an authorized Extension activity and using the title “Extension Master Gardener.” Transfer of Certification from Other States A Word of Caution—When you work as an Extension Master Master Gardener certification from other states will be Gardener, you are acting as a representative of the Cooperative honored at the discretion of the county agent in charge of the Extension Service. While Master Gardeners are covered by program. The agent may accept the transfer of certification Extension’s liability insurance when performing their volunteer outright or may require the Master Gardener to participate duties in regard to sharing horticultural information, the Master in one or more of the Master Gardener training sessions that Gardener needs to be concerned that any information given to may contain information of a state-specific nature. Kentucky the general public should be factual and based on Cooperative certification will be granted once the Master Gardener has Extension recommendations. Do not be afraid to say, “I do not completed any needed training and performed 20 hours of know the answer to that question.” volunteer service. One particular area of concern is pesticide recommen- dations. Master Gardeners know that the use of chemicals What Does a Master Gardener Do? in the garden is usually a last resort. Under the amended Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (Federal The local Extension agent will supply the Master Gardeners Environmental Control Act of 1972), it is illegal to use a pesti- with a list of volunteer job descriptions (see the Sample Job cide on a crop unless the crop is listed on the label. The given Description). These jobs will be focused on the needs of that rate of application on the label may not be exceeded. Fines and particular agent as well as the needs of the county. No volun- other penalties vary according to the laws broken. Please refer teer will be asked to participate in an activity they do not feel all pesticide questions to the county agent unless you have been comfortable doing or are not physically able to do. The variety specifically told by the county agent that a certain recommen- of jobs available should enable any volunteer to find an area in dation can be made. which to perform their payback time. Master Gardener Curriculum Table 1. Master Gardener Training The focus of local Extension programs can be diverse. As Core Subjects Number of Hours Training Required such, the Extension Master Gardener training program must Cooperative Extension/ maintain some flexibility and allow the county agent to deter- 2 hours Volunteerism mine where emphasis should be placed. Although flexibility Botany 6 hours with lab is desirable, it has been determined that all Master Gardener candidates must complete a minimum of training in certain Soils and Fertility 4 hours with lab core subjects (Table 1). Plant Pathology 4 hours with lab In addition to the core requirement material, the agent will Entomology 4 hours with lab require additional hours of training to address specific subjects Pesticides/Pesticide Safety/ such as propagation, woody plant material, or vegetables. The 4 hours Environmental Issues Total 24 core hours of training v INTRODUCTION The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program The primary purpose of these expectations for volunteers is Sample Job Description* to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. Kentucky Job Title: Senior Citizen Community Garden Cooperative Extension Service volunteers are expected to Volunteers Needed: Two function within the guidelines of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and its various organizations. Major Objectives: To be event coordinator for the opera- tion of the community garden The following statements relate to the role of a volunteer with the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: Responsibilities: Arrange weekly garden work sessions and assist mem- I will represent the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service bers in running the sessions by conducting myself with courteous manners and language, Help plan garden meetings, programs and events serving as a positive role model, and demonstrating reason- Help procure supplies and plant material for the garden Coordinate the planting and maintenance of the garden able conflict-resolution skills. Generate publicity for garden activities I will abide by all applicable laws and Cooperative Extension Training: Service rules, policies, and guidelines. This includes, but is One two-hour training not limited to, child abuse, fiscal management procedures, Update meetings as necessary and substance abuse. Time Involved: I will accept supervision and support from salaried Extension Day time meetings Approximately 8 hours per month including meetings, staff or designated management volunteers. garden visits and preparation I will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that programs are 64 hours per volunteer accessible to all individuals regardless of race, color, age, sex, Length of Commitment: 8 months religion, disability, or national origin. Program Contact: County Agent I will participate in orientation and training related to the * This job in no way implies employment with the University. Extension Master Gardener Program, sponsored by the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. I will not consume or allow others to use alcohol or illegal The Extension agent is responsible for providing a number of drugs while involved in any Kentucky Cooperative Extension job possibilities that can utilize the talents and expertise of the Service-sponsored program. Master Gardener. In recent years, creative Master Gardeners I will, when engaged in Kentucky Cooperative Extension and Extension agents have recognized that talents which citi- Service activities, operate motor vehicles and other equip- zens bring to the Master Gardener program can be utilized in ment in a safe and reliable manner and only with a valid a variety of horticultural activities. Sometimes it just takes a operator’s license. I will comply with all motor vehicle-related suggestion to create a new area of Master Gardener activity. state regulations and laws, including those regulating the Don’t be afraid to make suggestions. proper use of seat belts for adults and youth. I will accept the responsibility to promote and support the vision, mission, and values of the Kentucky Cooperative Can a Volunteer be Fired? Extension Service. Well, maybe reassigned would be a better term. For example, I will conduct myself in a manner that is in the best interest a particular Master Gardener may agree to fill the job as a tour of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and will not guide for a demonstration garden. The tours are supposed to use the volunteer position for purposes of private or personal be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The gain. particular Master Gardener turns out to be one of those people I will use technology in an appropriate manner that reflects who always is running 15 minutes behind schedule. It is then the the best practice in volunteer service to the Kentucky Extension agent’s responsibility to discuss the matter with the Cooperative Extension Service. Master Gardener and if necessary reassign the Master Gardener to a job that does not have such time constraints. These expectations represent a contractual agreement between volunteers and the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Expectations for Extension Service. By continuing with the Master Gardener training and becoming a certified Kentucky Extension Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteers you agree to adhere to these expectations. Kentucky residents place trust in the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service to provide quality leadership and reliable, unbiased information. The opportunity to represent the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service is a privileged posi- tion of trust that should be held only by those who are willing to demonstrate behaviors that fulfill this trust. vi