Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.
Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture/Farmers Markets (Grant County)
Plan Goals
Increase, enhance, and sustain New Mexico urban and rural lifestyles by teaching proper landscape plant selection, management, and efficient water use. Identify growing methods, water conserving irrigation systems, cultivars, etc that are adaptable to p
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Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture
Impact Reports
The agriculture agent recorded 614 agricultural inquiries for the past year and feels strongly that one of the CES's greatest impacts is the one-on-one service we provide to Farmers Market producers, orchard managers, urban horticulturists, who call in, e-mail, office visits, CES meetings and workshops, with questions on recommended varieties, insect identification and control, plant identification, diseases, control utilizing about 90% organic methods, soil test questions, urban wildlife problems.
CES specialists serve as an integral partner with these contacts, in identification and recommendations. The agriculture agent utilizes a scanner for sending pictures of insects and plants to specific specialists and specialists do an excellent job in with identification in a timely fashion and information to be forwarded to clientele. Another benefit of this method is increasing the knowledge of the agriculture agent. The agriculture agent conducted four workshops, presented four presentations, made 71 home visits to assist home owners with yard and garden questions, and numerous phone, office, and e-mail inquiries.
The County Extension Office is unique in offering the general public a place they can walk in or call without an appointment and receive research based information in a timely fashion.
In the past year there has been an significant increase in the number of farmers market producers, community gardens, and home gardeners due to the fact that our local economy is in such bad shape, Grant County has the second highest unemployment rate in New Mexico. There is now 4 farmers markets in the Grant County, up from two last year and 6 community gardens also up from two last year.
CES specialists serve as an integral partner with these contacts, in identification and recommendations. The agriculture agent utilizes a scanner for sending pictures of insects and plants to specific specialists and specialists do an excellent job in with identification in a timely fashion and information to be forwarded to clientele. Another benefit of this method is increasing the knowledge of the agriculture agent. The agriculture agent conducted four workshops, presented four presentations, made 71 home visits to assist home owners with yard and garden questions, and numerous phone, office, and e-mail inquiries.
The County Extension Office is unique in offering the general public a place they can walk in or call without an appointment and receive research based information in a timely fashion.
In the past year there has been an significant increase in the number of farmers market producers, community gardens, and home gardeners due to the fact that our local economy is in such bad shape, Grant County has the second highest unemployment rate in New Mexico. There is now 4 farmers markets in the Grant County, up from two last year and 6 community gardens also up from two last year.
1. Media
TV and newspaper: Numerous readers and viewers have approached me personally at various events and a.)stated that they have learned much about gardening in the Southwest from Southwest Yard and Garden (both print and tv), b.) people attending Extension Programs state that one reason they attend is that they learned from Southwest Yard and Garden (print and tv) that the Extension Service has information that benefits them and they want more Extension information, c.)many questions for the print Yard and Garden are prefaced with a thank you regarding what they have already learned, d.)viewers of tv SW Y&G have requested more shows and some potential underwriters have expressed willingness to help fund production o f new shows.
I have received messages on my office answering machine that just said “Thank you for all you do to help us garden in New Mexico.”
2. Master Gardeners
With specialist assistance Master Gardener programs in the counties are growing and providing increased assistance to the Extension Service agents as stated in the Agents’ impact statements.
Some Master Gardener programs have resulted in significant teaching opportunities for county residents:
Lea Co. – Waite House – the oldest residence in Lovington was donated to the Historical Society and Museum. The museum then gave access to this house to Lea County Master Gardeners to develop a demonstration garden and access to the house as a classroom.
NM Jr. College in Hobbs has been impressed by the Lea County Master Gardener program and has offered to provide classroom space for teaching Master Gardeners, advertising for the Master Gardener classes, and willingness to offer Junior College continuing education credits to people who take the Master Gardener classes.
Santa Fe - Habitat for Humanity has been using Santa Fe County Master Gardeners to design and install water efficient landscapes at the homes they build. The Master Gardeners then teach the new homeowners how to garden appropriately and conserve water.
El Rancho de los Golondrinos has worked with Master Gardeners maintaining a heritage apple orchard to demonstrate historical gardening practices to visitors.
Master Gardeners have maintained demonstration gardens and collaboration with NMSU Extension faculty (George Dickerson’s herb garden and Curtis Smith’s olla garden). This provides hands-on experience for the Master Gardeners who then teach this to their fellow citizens and to visitors to the demonstration garden site adjacent to the County Extension Service office.
Otero - An Otero County Master Gardener has become a regular landscape and garden columnist for the local newspaper providing appropriate information to the citizens of her county.
Sandoval - A demonstration garden in developed in cooperation with city of Rio Rancho, Sandoval Extension Service, and Master Gardener has been highly regarded locally and nationally.
3. Partnerships with other institutions:
CNM (formerly TV-I) – as chairman of the advisory committee for the Landscape Horticulture training program at CNM the Horticulture Specialist was in a position to encourage cooperation between NMSU and CNM. Dr. St. Hilaire on the NMSU end and Paul Zalesak at CNM have developed articulation agreements between NMSU and CNM. Distance learning venues were developed so that NMSU professors could teach some of the classes at CNM and some CNM teaching could be made available to NMSU students as desired by the faculty.
Northern NM Jr. College requested advice regarding landscape problems on the campus in Espanola, NM. A visit by the Horticulture Specialist and County Agent resulted in several solutions to the problems that the Physical Plant director and Grounds supervisor stated that they would implement. They were very thankful for the help and want to increase cooperation with NMSU.
4. As reported in County Agents’ impact statements, specialist support of county agents and county Master Gardeners has enabled them to meet the changing needs of the nursery industry and home gardeners in their counties, to develop educational programs in schools and among the public.
Specialist support of county Extension programs have enhanced agent respect within the counties to the point that they are often the source of information that cities, counties, and other organizations use for referrals.
TV and newspaper: Numerous readers and viewers have approached me personally at various events and a.)stated that they have learned much about gardening in the Southwest from Southwest Yard and Garden (both print and tv), b.) people attending Extension Programs state that one reason they attend is that they learned from Southwest Yard and Garden (print and tv) that the Extension Service has information that benefits them and they want more Extension information, c.)many questions for the print Yard and Garden are prefaced with a thank you regarding what they have already learned, d.)viewers of tv SW Y&G have requested more shows and some potential underwriters have expressed willingness to help fund production o f new shows.
I have received messages on my office answering machine that just said “Thank you for all you do to help us garden in New Mexico.”
2. Master Gardeners
With specialist assistance Master Gardener programs in the counties are growing and providing increased assistance to the Extension Service agents as stated in the Agents’ impact statements.
Some Master Gardener programs have resulted in significant teaching opportunities for county residents:
Lea Co. – Waite House – the oldest residence in Lovington was donated to the Historical Society and Museum. The museum then gave access to this house to Lea County Master Gardeners to develop a demonstration garden and access to the house as a classroom.
NM Jr. College in Hobbs has been impressed by the Lea County Master Gardener program and has offered to provide classroom space for teaching Master Gardeners, advertising for the Master Gardener classes, and willingness to offer Junior College continuing education credits to people who take the Master Gardener classes.
Santa Fe - Habitat for Humanity has been using Santa Fe County Master Gardeners to design and install water efficient landscapes at the homes they build. The Master Gardeners then teach the new homeowners how to garden appropriately and conserve water.
El Rancho de los Golondrinos has worked with Master Gardeners maintaining a heritage apple orchard to demonstrate historical gardening practices to visitors.
Master Gardeners have maintained demonstration gardens and collaboration with NMSU Extension faculty (George Dickerson’s herb garden and Curtis Smith’s olla garden). This provides hands-on experience for the Master Gardeners who then teach this to their fellow citizens and to visitors to the demonstration garden site adjacent to the County Extension Service office.
Otero - An Otero County Master Gardener has become a regular landscape and garden columnist for the local newspaper providing appropriate information to the citizens of her county.
Sandoval - A demonstration garden in developed in cooperation with city of Rio Rancho, Sandoval Extension Service, and Master Gardener has been highly regarded locally and nationally.
3. Partnerships with other institutions:
CNM (formerly TV-I) – as chairman of the advisory committee for the Landscape Horticulture training program at CNM the Horticulture Specialist was in a position to encourage cooperation between NMSU and CNM. Dr. St. Hilaire on the NMSU end and Paul Zalesak at CNM have developed articulation agreements between NMSU and CNM. Distance learning venues were developed so that NMSU professors could teach some of the classes at CNM and some CNM teaching could be made available to NMSU students as desired by the faculty.
Northern NM Jr. College requested advice regarding landscape problems on the campus in Espanola, NM. A visit by the Horticulture Specialist and County Agent resulted in several solutions to the problems that the Physical Plant director and Grounds supervisor stated that they would implement. They were very thankful for the help and want to increase cooperation with NMSU.
4. As reported in County Agents’ impact statements, specialist support of county agents and county Master Gardeners has enabled them to meet the changing needs of the nursery industry and home gardeners in their counties, to develop educational programs in schools and among the public.
Specialist support of county Extension programs have enhanced agent respect within the counties to the point that they are often the source of information that cities, counties, and other organizations use for referrals.
New residents, beginning gardeners, and Grant County natives confront challenges due to unique soils, climate, and limited water supplies. Successful development and maintenance of landscapes and gardens require understanding of these unique challenges and appropriate techniques for adapting to them. While over three-fourths of New Mexicans live in urban areas, both urban, and rural gardeners face the same challenges. Approximately 60 percent of residential water consumption is used to maintain landscapes. As Grant County’s population increases the limited availability of water becomes a limiting factor, even in years with normal precipitation. Proper plant selection and management reduce water deficit problems. Failure to adapt to the challenges of gardening in Grant County will result in declining quality of life and will increase competition for limited water. New Mexico State University’s Extension Service has taught gardeners to adapt to challenges offered by soil, climate, and drought. These efforts must continue applying new technology and science to New Mexico’s gardening challenges. Evidence of successful Extension Horticulture teaching will result in gardeners changing their landscapes without loss of beauty or livability. Individual landscape water use will be decreased. Residential, commercial, and institutional landscapes will employ a variety of water conserving practices, and soil preparation. Appropriate planting, pruning, and plant maintenance practices will be employed in Grant County landscapes. Silver City Farmers Market producers face many challenges in the production of fruits and vegetables and these challenges include soil and water alkalinity, pest and disease problems, orchard and garden management. Farmers Markets (2) – Silver City, NM (250+) contacts, gardening (IPM’s), and general horticulture questions
Small Farm Workshop- Silver City, NM 11 Farmers Market Producers, Viticulture, Fruits and Berries, Vegetable Gardening , Mimbres Fall Festival- Mimbres, NM –(Co-Presenter) Planting Fruit Trees 200+, three Farmers Market over 300 contacts, topics winter apple orchard management, and insect and weed identification.
The target audiences will include Grant County home owners with limited skills and experience in landscaping and wise water use will learn yard management using best management practices (BMP’s). Small business owners will be invited because there is an ordinance in the city limits that every business is responsible for providing greenery on their sidewalk as part of the Grant Co. Beautification Project. Master Gardeners will be both a target audience (as part of their training) and a source for teaching BMP’s. Agent has assisted between 250 and 600 individual calls, office visits, home visits, (site visits) and Earth Days/Farmers Markets booths per year, with insect, disease, and cultural issues they face in their yards and trees.
Those questions are logged by topic areas of concern and presented to the Advisory Committee the following season to evaluate potential program efforts to be offered for the next year. Those logs are also shared with the appropriate Extension specialists at the end of the year, as a tool to help guide their decision making about upcoming program efforts.
The major program goals for the program efforts include: 1) Home owners will learn how to identify pest and cultural problems how to deal with them; 2) Home owners will use the BMP's to better manage their yards and will educate neighbors and friends of the availability of the Grant County Extension service's ability to assist; 3) Yards will become better managed and use of urban water will decline along with less mortality to plants and 4) Farmers Market producers will adapt BMP’s to increase production and profitability for their small businesses.
Major program efforts included a number of workshops and public programs including ornamental and fruit tree pruning, zerioscaping, and soil management and testing, organic fertilizer options, and yard and garden management, tree care and the economics of windbreaks. The workshops were all announced in the local newspapers and on the two local radio stations. Our newsletters (Ag, He and 4-H) all announced the sessions and before each workshop, a reported interviewed this agent for the newspaper story. Through program evaluations, it has been found that publicity for programs offered by the Extension Service are best advertised in a variety of media and at least two weeks prior to the program date. Six programs and workshops to help producers manage their crops were designed and delivered using five specialist and County Agent. These workshops addressed soil testing, soil amendments, orchard management and pruning, vegetable, fruit, berries, and grape varieties and management. Extension faculty and
staff presented five educational booth programs during the 2007 season with agent delivering programs on plant identification and control, insect and disease identification and control, recommendations on vegetable management, and proper fruit tree planting procedures.
Farmers Market producers were the focus of the six series of workshops, concentrating on increasing production and quality. The Farmers Market sells out very early each week, because demand is greater than supply.
Speakers for program events have been numerous from university specialists and local county agent. Because of the size of the county, providing a variety of speakers helps to keep the programs fresh. As a consequence of urban horticulture programming, a strong partnership has been formed with the one Silver City nursery. They have donated plants for events and request agent’s advise on difficult identification questions.
In addition to the major effort to offer clientele horticultural programs, there has been several requests to hold a County Master Gardener (MS) certification program. The only holdback to this request is enough office space for master gardeners to volunteer.
Through program evaluations following new workshops, this agent has been able to provide clientele and businesses with the most desired types of programs. The county website now has a web page devoted to the most frequently given presentations by specialist and agent where Power Point presentations are posted. One individual has approached this agent asking for information to create a new landscaping business in Silver City. Agents responsibility is to provide quality, timely, research-based information through extension specialists, researchers and own knowledge and experience.
Small Farm Workshop- Silver City, NM 11 Farmers Market Producers, Viticulture, Fruits and Berries, Vegetable Gardening , Mimbres Fall Festival- Mimbres, NM –(Co-Presenter) Planting Fruit Trees 200+, three Farmers Market over 300 contacts, topics winter apple orchard management, and insect and weed identification.
The target audiences will include Grant County home owners with limited skills and experience in landscaping and wise water use will learn yard management using best management practices (BMP’s). Small business owners will be invited because there is an ordinance in the city limits that every business is responsible for providing greenery on their sidewalk as part of the Grant Co. Beautification Project. Master Gardeners will be both a target audience (as part of their training) and a source for teaching BMP’s. Agent has assisted between 250 and 600 individual calls, office visits, home visits, (site visits) and Earth Days/Farmers Markets booths per year, with insect, disease, and cultural issues they face in their yards and trees.
Those questions are logged by topic areas of concern and presented to the Advisory Committee the following season to evaluate potential program efforts to be offered for the next year. Those logs are also shared with the appropriate Extension specialists at the end of the year, as a tool to help guide their decision making about upcoming program efforts.
The major program goals for the program efforts include: 1) Home owners will learn how to identify pest and cultural problems how to deal with them; 2) Home owners will use the BMP's to better manage their yards and will educate neighbors and friends of the availability of the Grant County Extension service's ability to assist; 3) Yards will become better managed and use of urban water will decline along with less mortality to plants and 4) Farmers Market producers will adapt BMP’s to increase production and profitability for their small businesses.
Major program efforts included a number of workshops and public programs including ornamental and fruit tree pruning, zerioscaping, and soil management and testing, organic fertilizer options, and yard and garden management, tree care and the economics of windbreaks. The workshops were all announced in the local newspapers and on the two local radio stations. Our newsletters (Ag, He and 4-H) all announced the sessions and before each workshop, a reported interviewed this agent for the newspaper story. Through program evaluations, it has been found that publicity for programs offered by the Extension Service are best advertised in a variety of media and at least two weeks prior to the program date. Six programs and workshops to help producers manage their crops were designed and delivered using five specialist and County Agent. These workshops addressed soil testing, soil amendments, orchard management and pruning, vegetable, fruit, berries, and grape varieties and management. Extension faculty and
staff presented five educational booth programs during the 2007 season with agent delivering programs on plant identification and control, insect and disease identification and control, recommendations on vegetable management, and proper fruit tree planting procedures.
Farmers Market producers were the focus of the six series of workshops, concentrating on increasing production and quality. The Farmers Market sells out very early each week, because demand is greater than supply.
Speakers for program events have been numerous from university specialists and local county agent. Because of the size of the county, providing a variety of speakers helps to keep the programs fresh. As a consequence of urban horticulture programming, a strong partnership has been formed with the one Silver City nursery. They have donated plants for events and request agent’s advise on difficult identification questions.
In addition to the major effort to offer clientele horticultural programs, there has been several requests to hold a County Master Gardener (MS) certification program. The only holdback to this request is enough office space for master gardeners to volunteer.
Through program evaluations following new workshops, this agent has been able to provide clientele and businesses with the most desired types of programs. The county website now has a web page devoted to the most frequently given presentations by specialist and agent where Power Point presentations are posted. One individual has approached this agent asking for information to create a new landscaping business in Silver City. Agents responsibility is to provide quality, timely, research-based information through extension specialists, researchers and own knowledge and experience.
Ollas
For several years I have taught use of ollas (buried, unglazed clay jars) as means of efficient irrigation and adding interest to landscapes. This information was presented in newspaper articles, news releases, and various publications, presentations to county agents, Master Gardeners, and various gardening/civic groups. The result has been the development of a new small industry in a disadvantaged sector of Albuquerque society.
East Central Ministry in Southeast Albuquerque has developed a growing market for ollas, providing employment and work-skills training to low income and underemployed residents of the area of Albuquerque known as the “war zone”. John Bulten, director of East Central Ministries, told me that this project provides 4 part-time jobs in which workers are trained to hold jobs. The ollas are being sold in California, Colorado, and by several New Mexico Nurseries (many are then shipped out of state), and Whole Foods is negotiating to sell the ollas in 20 stores.
The concept was taken by a friend on a trip to South Africa. Her purpose on this trip was to plant gardens and teaches gardening in poor villages of South Africa. She took information I had written about ollas. Later additional information was requested by organizers of the project for expanded implementation in arid regions of Africa.
John Bulten said that another person has taken ollas to teach container gardening to low income people in Mexico.
In addition to newspaper articles and news releases, this information was published in the Proceeding of the Desert Green Conference and in a quarterly publication of the Colorado Xeriscape organization.
I continue to receive requests for olla information and for public presentations to teach use of ollas in landscape water conservation.
Gardening public and Professionals
When I overheard my name mentioned during a break at the Eddy County Master Gardener classes, I asked what was being discussed. A man, now seeking to be a Master Gardener, said that he had previously attended a xeriscape workshop that I presented. As a result, he xeriscaped his front yard and was now expending the xeriscape to his back yard. He attributed his change in gardening practices and resulting great savings in water (over $100 each month in the growing season) to the earlier xeriscape workshop. He also said that he was now growing plants more successfully as a result of selecting appropriate plants as recommended in the workshop.
A Valencia County apple grower, beekeeper, Master Gardener, community leader, president of the NM Beekeepers Association, president of a local Growers Market annually hosts a tree care workshop because “Extension programs have improved everything I do and I want my neighbors to share in this information.” (Quote from Ken Hays, Bosque Farms, NM)
Master Gardener Program.
In 1995 (when I assumed responsibilities as Horticulture Specialist) there were 4 Master Gardener training programs in New Mexico. One of these was only classes and did not involve the students as Master Gardener Volunteers. In 2007 there were 15 counties with Master Gardeners, 13 counties teaching the classes. I also assist the Navajo Tri-State Extension Master Gardener Program as well. In 2006 a survey of the 15 Master Gardener counties resulted in 9 responses. From the responding counties it was determined that there were 560 active Master Gardeners. These Master Gardeners provided at least 22,808 volunteer hours of service to their counties (10.92 FTE). This benefit which accrued to the 9 reporting counties is valued at $411,456 (based on value for trained volunteers from Bureau of Labor Statistics).
For several years I have taught use of ollas (buried, unglazed clay jars) as means of efficient irrigation and adding interest to landscapes. This information was presented in newspaper articles, news releases, and various publications, presentations to county agents, Master Gardeners, and various gardening/civic groups. The result has been the development of a new small industry in a disadvantaged sector of Albuquerque society.
East Central Ministry in Southeast Albuquerque has developed a growing market for ollas, providing employment and work-skills training to low income and underemployed residents of the area of Albuquerque known as the “war zone”. John Bulten, director of East Central Ministries, told me that this project provides 4 part-time jobs in which workers are trained to hold jobs. The ollas are being sold in California, Colorado, and by several New Mexico Nurseries (many are then shipped out of state), and Whole Foods is negotiating to sell the ollas in 20 stores.
The concept was taken by a friend on a trip to South Africa. Her purpose on this trip was to plant gardens and teaches gardening in poor villages of South Africa. She took information I had written about ollas. Later additional information was requested by organizers of the project for expanded implementation in arid regions of Africa.
John Bulten said that another person has taken ollas to teach container gardening to low income people in Mexico.
In addition to newspaper articles and news releases, this information was published in the Proceeding of the Desert Green Conference and in a quarterly publication of the Colorado Xeriscape organization.
I continue to receive requests for olla information and for public presentations to teach use of ollas in landscape water conservation.
Gardening public and Professionals
When I overheard my name mentioned during a break at the Eddy County Master Gardener classes, I asked what was being discussed. A man, now seeking to be a Master Gardener, said that he had previously attended a xeriscape workshop that I presented. As a result, he xeriscaped his front yard and was now expending the xeriscape to his back yard. He attributed his change in gardening practices and resulting great savings in water (over $100 each month in the growing season) to the earlier xeriscape workshop. He also said that he was now growing plants more successfully as a result of selecting appropriate plants as recommended in the workshop.
A Valencia County apple grower, beekeeper, Master Gardener, community leader, president of the NM Beekeepers Association, president of a local Growers Market annually hosts a tree care workshop because “Extension programs have improved everything I do and I want my neighbors to share in this information.” (Quote from Ken Hays, Bosque Farms, NM)
Master Gardener Program.
In 1995 (when I assumed responsibilities as Horticulture Specialist) there were 4 Master Gardener training programs in New Mexico. One of these was only classes and did not involve the students as Master Gardener Volunteers. In 2007 there were 15 counties with Master Gardeners, 13 counties teaching the classes. I also assist the Navajo Tri-State Extension Master Gardener Program as well. In 2006 a survey of the 15 Master Gardener counties resulted in 9 responses. From the responding counties it was determined that there were 560 active Master Gardeners. These Master Gardeners provided at least 22,808 volunteer hours of service to their counties (10.92 FTE). This benefit which accrued to the 9 reporting counties is valued at $411,456 (based on value for trained volunteers from Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Gardening public and Professionals
Fifty- two weekly newspaper garden columns were published in numerous New Mexico publications and web sites (including the NMSU College of Agriculture web site) and 26 bi-weekly articles were written for The Albuquerque Journal. The impact of these articles on readers is made evidence by numerous weekly requests for information in which the articles are mentioned, and new questions for the question and answer articles.
In 2006 presentations were made to 8 garden clubs and public venues 6 New Mexico counties. I am frequently asked to return to give additional presentations because the garden club members state “your information is so useful to us”. At these return engagements, I learn that the information from previous presentations has been employed successfully by the garden club members as we discuss their successes.
NMSU Extension Agents
Twelve New Mexico Counties included Urban Horticulture in their plans of work. Each of these counties has requested and received assistance from the specialist. In addition, 14 counties that did not include Urban Horticulture in their plans of work also requested and received assistance from the specialist. This indicates the desire for even rural counties to have attractive landscapes that use water efficiently. Eleven appointments with county agents in the specialist office or the specialist on-site in the county were recorded. A greater number of unrecorded contacts resulted from telephone contacts and request for assistance.
Master Gardeners
The specialist drafted guidelines for starting a Master Gardener Program and core curriculum for Master Gardener classes. This draft was given to County Agents with new Master Gardener Programs (or considering programs), new County Agents with existing Master Gardener Programs, and selected other people for their comments.
The specialist advised new agents and agents considering establishment of Master Gardener Programs in their counties. In each case, the time commitment involved and the need for volunteer commitment was discussed and used in making the final decision. The result was redirection of some existing programs in some counties and development of a series of gardening programs in others to evaluate community interest and need. Master Gardener programs may develop in the future in some counties as a result of these “pilot garden series” programs.
The specialist taught Master Gardener 23 classes in 10 New Mexico counties and 3 classes for Navajo Nation (Master Gardeners and Master Growers). Following the classes the specialist supported agents and Master Gardener volunteers through e-mail, telephone, and on-site visits as they served their public. PowerPoint presentations were provided to county agents as requested.
The impacts of Master Gardeners in the counties were reported in Agent Impact Reports. Four counties reported number of volunteer hours (19,661) and two counties reported the dollar value of Master Gardeners volunteers in their county ($60,376). A great diversity of volunteer service to the public and communities was reported by the agents.