CULLMAN – Many of you may have noticed the garden on First Avenue Southeast, between Sixth and Seventh Streets, in Cullman. That garden was created for the entire community by the Cullman County Master Gardeners Association.
The Master Gardeners (MGs) do many things in and for the community that you might not be aware of. In addition to the beautiful Demonstration Garden mentioned above, they work with the Jr. Master Gardener Program, which involves around 300 children in several schools throughout the county. MG, Cynthia Tubbs oversees that program, which teaches children to know where their food comes from, how seeds grow and the nutritional importance of growing their own food, plus, they have fun doing it!
The MGs attain their certification by attending classes each Wednesday for four hours, for 13 weeks. According to Home Grounds Regional Agent, and Master Gardener Coordinator, Tim Crow, the next series of classes will begin on Jan. 25, 2017. Classes are held at the Alabama Extension Service Office on Arnold Street in Cullman.
The group consists of approximately 80 certified Master Gardeners at the present time. Anyone is welcome to join, provided they complete the class requirements. Master Gardeners must accumulate at least 50 hours to receive their initial certification, and 40 hours per year thereafter to maintain the certification.
The MGs man tents at Bloomin’ Festival, selling plants that they have grown for that purpose. The proceeds are used for other projects throughout the year, and for equipment. They also have booths at the Festhalle during the growing season, and at the Cullman County Fairgrounds, where they maintain raised beds for food and as an attractive addition to the fairgrounds.
The MGs partner with the Agriplex, in promoting gardening and doing demonstrations and things like helping in gleaning projects throughout the year, the community garden and offering the collected food to local food banks and those in need
They are an integral part of the Farm to Fork Dinner, bringing an abundance of floral and edible offerings from their own gardens to be used for centerpieces and floral displays. Many of them help to design and set up the displays and centerpieces for as many as 25 tables.
Each year the group takes a trip to a garden somewhere, learning new techniques and ways of growing and displaying plants and vegetable garden layouts. In the past few years they have visited Bellengrath Gardens, near Mobile, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville, Bennett’s Nursery in Huntsville and many other formal gardens in the southeast. They have also visited Jemison’s Petals of the Past on several occasions.
One or more of the MGs also maintain the landscaping around the entrance sign at the Veteran’s Memorial at Sportsman Lake Park. Other one –time projects have been the landscaping at the Commission on Aging building, and the park in front of Sacred Heart Convent, as well as some additional landscaping on the property.
The MG volunteers are trained by experienced extension personnel, so that they, in turn, can help to educate the community about gardening, landscaping and growing vegetables and fruits.
Alabama Master Gardeners Association (AMGA), the state organization, holds a conference each year in different parts of the state. Many of the members make it a point to attend these conferences. In 2015, Cullman and Blount counties hosted the conference in Cullman; next year's conference will be in Huntsville.
According to MG Ellen Hall, there are also seminars held in the fall, “Cullman hosted this a couple of years at Wallace State and once at Northbrook Church,” she explained. “This year's Fall Seminar will be in Birmingham at the Botanical Garden. Blount County holds its own seminar in the fall at Palisades Park – this is one of my favorites. Palisades Park is so extraordinary and they do a good job with the seminar.”
Ellen’s favorite thing about being a MG is the educational aspect. “We receive training and current research-based information from Auburn via the Extension Service. Once our classes are over, we continue to learn through seminars, conferences and "field trips." In the 14 years since I took my classes, I have toured Petals from the Past, Aldridge Garden, Bennett Nursery, Bellingrath Garden, Cheekwood Botanical Garden in Nashville, the gardens at the Atlanta History Center, the Park Seed trial gardens in Greenwood, South Carolina, and taken several private garden tours in association with the conferences, such as the very memorable 2006 Shoals garden tour. I try to learn something new from each garden I visit.”
The statewide program began in Madison, Alabama in 1981, and has since spread to many other counties. The program benefits citizens in several ways, such as beautification programs and providing volunteers that help the elderly who still enjoy gardening but cannot perform some of the more rigorous tasks involved.
If you have a project that might fit this criteria, check with your local Extension Office to find out if you or your agency might qualify for any of the upcoming Master Gardener projects.
402 Arnold St. NE
Suite G-1, Cullman County Office Building
Cullman, AL 35055
Phone: 256-737-9386
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
www.aces.edu/Cullman/
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