Re: Master Gardeners

**j* e* m* s* <h*@sbcglobal.net>**

Margaret -- as you have stated previously, training, rules, 
regulations and practices for Master Gardeners and extension agents 
vary state to state and sometimes, even within a state. Fortunately, 
my experience in Indiana and elsewhere in the Midwest, has been 
completely different than yours.

In Indiana, Master Gardeners are not allowed to make recommendations 
regarding the application of chemicals. We refer people to or provide 
them with Purdue University publications that deal with their 
particular problem. Most of these publications have been rewritten in 
the last several years to take a totally different approach to 
problem solving with emphasis on:
* identifying the problem before applying anything.
* considering the total environment when deciding how to handle 
garden problems.
* start with the least toxic solution, such as a spray of the hose.
* make sure garden practices are such that they don't contribute to a problem.
* recommendations to let Mother Nature heal herself, when possible.
* application of chemicals, natural or synthetic, as the last step.

I've been writing a weekly column in the Indianapolis Star from a 
natural gardening perspective since 1989 and do not recommend 
synthetic products. I've been involved with Purdue University's 
horticulture research, publications and faculty since 1989 as 
resources for my column. I am an active Advanced Master Gardener and 
took my original Master Gardener training in 1997. I teach in several 
MG programs throughout Indiana. And, I'm a director (secretary) of 
the Marion County (Indianapolis) Extension Board, so I'm speaking 
from a policy, as well as practical, position regarding how we do it 
in Indiana. Are we perfect? No, but we and other states have made 
great strides in the natural gardening arena.

Others are correct when they say that MG is a volunteer organization. 
In 2008, Marion County Master Gardeners volunteered more than 13,275 
hours, a value of $258,995, based on $19.51/hour from Independent 
Sector and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

jems

>Jeff, the Master Gardener program in the U.S. is a part of the
>state's agricultural university Extension services beyond their
>campuses.  The Extension agents technically are faculty members of
>those universities.  Agricultural universities rake in a lot of money
>from chemical companies for research projects, so they are beholden
>to the chemical companies.  Extension agents have mellowed to the
>point that one must always give out the synthetic chemical
>information first, then if pressed by a taxpayer who wants an organic
>solution, a MG may say "well, such-and-such is used by some people,
>but hasn't definitely been proven successful."  Margaret Lauterbach

-- 
Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
The Hoosier Gardener
Director Garden Writers Association
Writer * Editor * Speaker * Garden Consultant
Co-author of The Indiana Gardener's Guide
P.O. Box 20310
Indianapolis, IN 46220
E-mail: hoosiergardener@sbcglobal.net
http://www.hoosiergardener.com
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