Applications being accepted for 2027 Master Gardener training course

Provided photos: Katie Oakes, facilitator of the Master Gardener training program, shows students how to conduct a soil pH test.

Press Release, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension will be offering the Master Gardener training course starting in February. Applications are being accepted now until December 1st.

The Master Gardener program is a nation-wide volunteer service program, one of the largest volunteer programs in the country. Master Gardener volunteers support the mission of Cornell Cooperative Extension by “extending” the research-based information and guidelines put forth by Cornell University to their county residents.

The Master Gardener Training Course is the required first step for those who are interested in becoming a Master Gardener volunteer with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The course in 2027 will be a hybrid of online lessons along with weekly in-person classes to reinforce key topics. The online portion is self-paced, meaning students are given a time frame within which to complete each module and they can choose when to complete the coursework based on their personal schedule.

In-person classes will be held every Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Orleans County CCE “Buzz Hill” Education Center, led by CCE Horticulture Educator Katie Oakes, the coordinator of the Master Gardener volunteers and the facilitator of the Master Gardener Training Course.

There were plans to run the training in early 2026, but Orleans CCE did not receive enough applications to continue with the course. This coming year, the course will start February 4th and will run through May 6th.  The in-person classes are held every Thursday evening at the ‘Buzz Hill’ Education Center from 6 to 8 p.m.

“The Master Gardener Training Course was an excellent experience; it changed the way I garden and look at my environment. The research-based educational materials were thorough, interesting, and challenged me to think differently,” explained Sue Starkweather Miller, who completed the course in 2022.

Students in the 2024 Master Gardener Training class learn about diagnosing plant problems.

Once students complete the training program, they serve 40 hours within the next year through the MG Program to become official Master Gardener volunteers.  Those service hours can include attending monthly Master Gardener meetings, helping at various Master Gardener educational programs, tabling at public events like the Home and Garden Show and the Orleans County 4-H Fair, or finding answers to gardening questions that come in from county residents.

“I love the Master Gardener program,” said Elaine Clute, a graduate of the 2024 MG Training Course. “It’s a great group of gardeners who support each other and are committed to community and outreach.”

Orleans County CCE will close the application process on December 1st, after which participants for the course will be selected and notified of acceptance into the program. Preference will be given to Orleans County residents and those who are interested in becoming long-term volunteers with the Master Gardener Program.

The cost of the course is $200. If you are interested in the course, but require financial assistance, please contact Katie Oakes directly at 585-798-4265 ext. 125 or by email at klo54@cornell.edu.

Applications can be found online at https://cce.cornell.edu/orleans/programs-and-education/master-gardener.

Join CCE, become a Master Gardener volunteer, and help your community grow!