Garden Column for the Salisbury Post

Darrell Blackwelder

February 2, 2006

Master Gardener Volunteers meet earlier this week to plant next year’s educational program. I was interesting to review 2005’s efforts in this process. The assessment is a month long chore Master Gardener Coordinator, Carole Massey completes as part Cooperative Extension’s accountably.
            Below are some interesting statistics from 2005 that may be of interest to those that have contributed to the program and to those interested in Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

*Of 167 Master Gardener volunteers trained since 1993, 49 were active in 2005.

*Total number of volunteer hours by Master Gardeners-2835 hours

*Total number of volunteer hours in training & travel-11760

*Number of hours by a single volunteer--225

*Total number of miles traveled/donated for projects-23625

*Newspaper/garden columns-20

*Number of personal contacts to public-560

*Number of school programs, public and private -20

*Youth reached with Master Gardener Programs-1873

*Demonstration gardens for the public-22

*People viewing static/manned displays-11,200

*Sick plants diagnosed-15

*Advisory committee/speakers-6

*Grants, donations and funds received $10898.86

*Value of mileage at $.35/mile-$8268.75

*Total value of volunteer hours/$15.00 hour-$77,000+

            Master Gardener Volunteer Projects for 2005 include: West End Demonstration Gardens, Enabling Garden, Xeriscaping Garden at Rowan Public Library, Arbor Day for all 3rd grade students (public and private schools), Salisbury Post Writer's Forum, Plant Swap and Sale, Plant Propagation class, Tomato variety trial, 4-H Junior Master Gardener Club, Earth Day with the City of Salisbury and participation in the Rowan County Fair.

     As you may conclude from these statistics, the Rowan County Master Gardener Volunteer Program is active providing viable educational programs for the
citizens of Rowan County.

Special thanks to the following that have financially supported Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Program. They are The Blanche and Julian
Robertson Family Foundation, City of Salisbury, Rowan County, Rowan Public Library, and the Hurley Family.
     Volunteerism across the country is in a state of decline and participating in the Master Gardener Program is declining. These few Master Gardener Volunteers contribute much to the citizens of Rowan County; their positive, educational impact to the community cannot be measured.

Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. For archived garden columns or other information, visit the Rowan County Master Gardener web site at www.rowanmastergardener.com , e-mail Darrell_Blackwelder@ncsu.edu