The Penn State Master Gardener Program was established to assist Cooperative Extension in providing horticultural knowledge and skills to local communities and the gardening public.
Master Gardener Area Coordinators
Training and volunteer service are coordinated at the county level by extension educators or trained volunteers. Statewide initiatives, including advanced training are directed by the State Master Gardener Coordinator and five area coordinators.
The Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program educates those with an interest and enthusiasm for horticulture and provides them basic training in a broad range of horticultural topics. In return, participants dedicate volunteer time teaching community residents horticultural best practices based on university research and recommendations. Candidates must be 18 years old or older.
Within one year of completing basic training, volunteers are expected to give at least 50 hours of volunteer time to help Penn State Extension better serve the home gardening audience. Volunteer hours are earned in any number of ways: answering home gardening questions; speaking to garden clubs, civic organizations, or schools; community beautification projects; youth gardening programs and the Seed to Supper program.
The Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program provides excellent training, fellowship with others who have an enthusiasm for gardening, and an opportunity to share research-based horticulture knowledge with other community members.
