In addition to our involvement in community projects, we also have a number of on-going programs in which we are involved, as we attempt to give back to the Burke County community. One of those programs is the Burke Extension MGVA Scholarship. Each year, we provide scholarship funding for a student in Western Piedmont Community College's School of Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture.
Over the last few years, we also have also provided funding for several children to attend 4-H Summer Camp. We hope to make this an on-going program, depending on our financial resources. If you see us out and about trying to sell our cookbooks, or note cards, or gardening boots, or promoting our annual plant sale, you can be assured that the funds we are raising are going for good causes.
With regards to our regular meetings, we want all prospective Extension Master Gardeners to know that our monthly programs are informative and fun. Our current Program Chair (and VP) Denise Cannon has put together a great schedule of programs for 2016. As those programs are developed, they will be posted on our Calendar.
Additionally, we always find time for some great get-aways to gardens, nurseries, and greenhouses. In the last few years, we have made trips (some for shopping, some just to visit and learn) to the following places: Park Seed Company in Greenwood, SC; the Biltmore Gardens in Asheville; the Charleston gardens (Middleton & Magnolia); Longwood Gardens in the Philadephia area; the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.; Mike's Greenhouse in Marion, NC; the Lavendar Farm; and Big Bloomers Flower Farm in Sanford, NC. Each of those trips proved to be fun and worthy of return visits.
Burke Extension Master Gardener Programs
Each year, the Burke County Extension Service provides training for those who wish to become certified as Master Gardeners. Classes started in mid-January, and run for 13 weeks. Training is conducted by local horticultural agent, Donna Teasley. Check out our FAQ page for more information about the Extension Master Gardener program. We have a new class each year..
Some of our fun get-aways
Master Gardeners at Play
