Who Are Master Gardeners?
What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In
exchange for their training, individuals who become Master Gardeners volunteer their time, working through
their cooperative Extension office, to provide horticultural-related information to their communities.
Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs,
flowers and gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and able to communicate with
diverse groups of people.
Is the Master Gardener Program for Me?
To help you decide if you should apply to be a Master Gardener, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of many types of plants?
- Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training program?
- Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my community?
- Do I have enough time to attend and complete the training program, and to complete the volunteer
service?
If you are a Kaufman County resident and answered yes to these questions, this program could be for you
Training
If accepted into the Master Gardener program, you will attend an 13-week Master Gardener training course.
Classes are taught by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists, staff, and local experts. The Kaufman
County program offers a minimum of 50 hours of instruction following the Texas A&M AgriLife Earth-Kind
practices of landscape management covering soil and plant nutrition, insect, disease and weed management;
trees; vegetable and herb gardening, lawn care, plant selection, composting and water conservation. We
also offer field trips that support the training.
The training is offered once a year and the 2023 class will begin January 11th . Classes meet each Wednesday
from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Attendance at all class sessions is strongly recommended. The cost of the
program is $245.00.
Volunteer Committment
In exchange for training, Kaufman County participants are asked to volunteer time to their Extension program for fifty hours of volunteer service, within one year following the training, to become a Kaufman County Master Gardener.
The type of service done by Master Gardeners varies according to community needs, and the abilities and
interests of the Master Gardeners. Our current volunteer projects could include an annual Spring Plant Sale,
Poor Farm demonstration gardens and various community outreach programs. We also serve our community
through our Youth Education and Speakers Bureau presentations. Kaufman County Master Gardeners are
representatives of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. In all volunteer work related to the program,
Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
and utilize “Earth Kind” principles. The title “Texas Master Gardener” can be used by volunteers only when
engaged in Extension Service-sponsored activities.