CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 03/16/06

Georgia Master Gardeners recognized by governor

By Sharon Omahen
University of Georgia

Last year, hundreds of Georgians worked more than 170,000 hours for the University of Georgia and never drew a paycheck. But as Master Gardener volunteers, they never expected one.

Graduates of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences' Master Gardener Program donate their time to help UGA Cooperative Extension county agents across the state.

Training, volunteer hours

To become Master Gardeners, the volunteers are first trained for 40 hours by UGA Extension specialists. Then after volunteering for at least 50 hours at their local Extension office, they become certified Master Gardeners.

The training is essential as they use their new expertise to help with community education projects. It also helps them answer questions from gardeners who either call or come into their county agent's office.

"Our Master Gardeners do everything from speaking to garden clubs to visiting home gardens to help consumers solve problems," said Marco Fonseca, a UGA Extension horticulturist. He coordinates the Georgia Master Gardener program. "Master Gardener volunteerism creates a far-reaching ripple effect across our state."

Helping individuals, communities

Fonseca says several Master Gardener groups take part in the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry program. They plant and tend vegetable gardens and donate their harvests to area food pantries.

"When you figure in the value of their volunteer hours, including their travel miles, Master Gardeners contributed $3.2 million last year," Fonseca said.

To honor these volunteers and their service to the state, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue declared March 18 Master Gardener Day in Georgia. The day honors more than 5,000 Georgians who have earned the title.

Georgia's Master Gardener program began in the spring of 1979. Butch Ferree, then head of the UGA Department of Horticulture, traveled to Washington state to learn about a popular new urban outreach program, Fonseca said.

That fall, Ferree began promoting the program in metro Atlanta. Under DeKalb County horticultural agent Newton Hogg, three agents in DeKalb and Fulton counties conducted the first Georgia Master Gardener program. The first class graduated 140 volunteers.

"We graduated over 100 people per year for the first 15 years," Fonseca said. "Since then, the program has exploded. Now we average 600 graduates each year."

There are 14 Master Gardener training classes across the state each year. To see if your county offers the program, call your local UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASKUGA1.

Sharon Omahen is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Marco T. Fonseca
After a hearty climb, Connect Abroad Italy students pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Photo by Angel Bhardwaj) CAES News
UGA ranks as leading doctoral institution for study abroad 12/20/24 Angel Bhardwaj
The University of Georgia remains among the top 10 U.S. universities for study abroad participation, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. UGA boasts the highest study abroad participation to enrollment ratio of the top 7 ranked doctoral institutions, earning the No. 7 spot in overall participation and No. 3 in short-term study abroad programs.
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
In developing markets where making staple foods is a daily task and warmer climates where food spoilage is common, foods that have more longevity and are easily preserved can enhance economic opportunities by reducing food preparation tasks and lower environmental impact. CAES News
CAES researchers look to reduce food waste by extending shelf life 12/16/24 Lillian Sosbee
“Use by,” “Sell by” and “Best by” dates on food packaging can be helpful indicators of how long a consumer can store a food item before eating, but often these dates lead to high quantities of wasted food. About one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is discarded before it can be eaten, equating to 1 billion meals a day and contributing to global food insecurity.
Recognizing the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates CAES News
UGA celebrates 15 years of Bulldog 100 12/13/24 Rachael Andrews
The University of Georgia Alumni Association released the 2025 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates. The program, organized by the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, celebrates 15 years of honoring alumni and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Among this year’s class, businesses are headquartered in a total of eight states, with 87 of the businesses located in Georgia. In total, 142 alumni representing over two dozen industries are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.