WHO ARE THE NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN MASTER GARDENERS...

In the Master Gardener Program, you receive 36 hours of horticultural training with Cooperative Extension university specialists, faculty, and local experts. The course fee includes instructional materials, which you keep.

Certification

To become a certified Master Gardener, you must attend designated training sessions, volunteer time to your community equal to the amount of instruction, and pass a final exam. To remain certified, each year you will need to complete 24 hours of volunteer service and 10 hours of continuing education.

What Programs Are Offered?

There are two types of Master Gardener Programs in Wisconsin:

• General Program

Consists of a minimum 36 hours of training covering all aspects of horticulture. This program is offered in a different region of the state each spring and fall. To find out when the general program will next be available in your area, check insert for dates. Some counties may offer training in addition to those scheduled. Contact the Marathon County Extension office for details.

• Specialized Program

Offered in selected counties including Marathon County. Each spring the training program focuses on one of three major subject areas: fruits and vegetables, flowers and houseplants, and landscaping.

Beyond the initial training, the Master Gardener Program offers update sessions for members who have completed either the general or the specialized program. Also, statewide, regional, and international conferences provide additional learning opportunities.

Who Can Participate?

Any adult (18 years or older) can participate in the Master Gardener Program - no previous experience or training is necessary, although many people have some experience.

What You Can Do as a Master Gardener?

In exchange for the training, you are asked to volunteer hours equivalent to the number of training hours received for that year. The following programs offer a sample of the opportunities open to Master Gardener volunteers:

• Extension demonstration and community gardens
• County and community fairs
• Botanical gardens
• Horticultural workshops and talks
• Horticultural therapy projects
• Farmers' markets
• Answering telephone inquiries for horticultural information
• Write newspaper gardening columns
• Adopt-A-Classroom
• Volunteer at your county Extension office
• Local parks or beautification committees
• Youth groups such as 4-H, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts

Many Master Gardeners volunteer their time beyond the required minimum numbers of hours. Master Gardeners volunteer thousands of hours of horticulture-related community service annually.

2005 North Central Wisconsin Master Gardener Report (6 page, 233 KB)
2004 North Central Wisconsin Master Gardener Report (1 page, 127 KB)

History
Cooperative Extension has been helping people solve their agricultural problems since 1913. Extension agents/farm advisors supervised "Victory gardens" during World War I and II and have helped home and community gardeners ever since. Eventually, a voluntary educational program was initiated to teach gardening to people who would then extend the information to others in the community. The first Master Gardener program was started in 1972 in Washington State. Since then, Master Gardener programs have spread to over 45 states and four Canadian provinces, and boasts of more than 45,000 volunteers.

NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

When you graduate from the UW-Extension or other accredited Master Gardener Program, you become eligible to join the Wisconsin Master Gardener Association. This organization connects you to a statewide network of Master Gardeners. You'll receive a newsletter that lists gardening events around the state, includes informative articles from area specialists, and details activities of the association and local Master Gardener groups. The association sponsors an annual meeting and conference in spring where you can meet fellow Master Gardeners and attend workshops. The association also provides educational grants to local Master Gardener groups for continuing educational program.

Our Association includes the counties of Lincoln, Langlade and Marathon Counties with an active membership of 75+.

We were organized in 1998 beginning with a membership of 6 people meeting at the Marathon County Court House with Elaine Heil-Stark as our first president. In the short time we've been together we strive to be the premier source for gardening information in the community. We do this by continually learning and then volunteering our time and sharing our gardening knowledge and enjoyment with other master gardeners and residents in North Central Wisconsin.

Our involvement in the community includes The GardenWalk, a tour of 5 local gardens; Gardenville, our annual plant sale; Cedar Creek Flower and Garden Show, providing information to the public; The Festival of Trees, proceeds are donated to Hospice; Garden Clinic and Garden Line, providing the public with answers to their gardening problems; Public Programming informs the public about gardening interests and The Monk Botanical Garden (is in the planning stage), providing financial donations and future educational programs.

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