Love gardening? Become a master gardener volunteer

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Orange County will hold a panel discussion, “Becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer” on Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 - 11 A.M. or Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6 – 7 p.m. at 18 Seward Avenue, third floor, Middletown, N.Y. These sessions will explain the application process, the training model, volunteer commitment, and the experiences of current volunteers. Attendance at one of the two sessions is a mandatory component of the application process.

The next master gardener volunteer training begins in January 2027 and will use a learning model combining self-paced online work, in-person classes and small group work with a master gardener volunteer mentor. Online work can be done on your own time and will include watching lectures, contributing to online forums, performing knowledge checks, writing reflections, etc. In-person sessions will be held once a month, January through December 2027, on the second Saturday from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. In-person classes will include lectures and numerous hands-on activities to reinforce the topics covered in the online sessions. Most in-person sessions will take place at our office in Middletown and potential field trips include a local orchard, one or more community gardens, and our Education Center and 4-H Park in Otisville. In addition, trainees will have opportunities to volunteer in the community during training.

For more information or to register, visit at https://shorturl.at/5tiOq.