training

Are you a Santa Clara County resident who would enjoy sharing gardening knowledge? Do you want to learn more eco-friendly, sustainable gardening practices and share it with the public?

The Master Gardeners accept new volunteers every two years, with the next class to be formed in 2013. The process will start in the summer of 2012 with required informational meetings (likely in August), followed by a formal application process.

When joining the program:

• You'll be enrolled in a series of weekly classes beginning in early January and ending in May (historically held on Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.) Topics from botany to pruning to integrated pest management are taught by professional-level instructors to prepare trainees to volunteer with the UCCE Master Gardener Program.
• The fee for the classes is $150.00 including textbooks, due upon acceptance into the program.  Finger printing is required upon acceptance into the program.
• After the initial training, MG trainees will need to complete 100 hours of Volunteer service and 12 hours of Continuing Education in the first year after completing the classes.

If you're interested in joining the Master Gardener Program, add your name to our list by submitting your information online.

Offers a working farm and garden site for school children to visit and learn about garden ecology and growing food, and offers hands-on training for college students, teachers, parents and volunteers who work with school gardens.

Located at UC Santa Cruz, Life Lab helps teachers with school gardens and hands-on science programs using school gardening curriculum, providing fieldtrips, and educator workshops, and more.

California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom publishes a monthly email newsletter with numerous agriculture related topics for educators and students. They also sponsor an annual educators conference.