LA County Master Gardener Training Program 2011

Common Ground Garden Program
University of California Cooperative Extension Los Angeles

MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM

13 Saturdays, March 5 – May 28, 2011, 9am-4pm

January 10: Last Day to Get Onto Elist to Receive Application Link
January 15: Last Day to Submit Completed Online Application

WHO CAN APPLY
Any resident of Los Angeles County with an email address and computer access.  Most communication will be by email and websites.

Anyone who wants to help teach low-income and limited-resource people how to grow more nutritious vegetables and fruits.

We especially invite residents of inner-city neighborhoods and bilingual gardeners.

HOW TO APPLY
You must be on either or both of our resource elists –
1) Community Gardening and Food Security, 2) School Gardening.

If you’re not on either elist, email Yvonne Savio, ydsavio@ucdavis.edu by January 10, 2011 and indicate which elist you want to be on (you can be on both).

If you’re already on either or both elists, email ydsavio@ucdavis.edu by January 10, 2011 to receive the online application link.

Complete and submit the online application by January 15, 2011. No application will be considered before January 16, 2011.

WHAT WE’LL DO
Accept 50 applicants.

Main criteria for acceptance: 1) prior community service, 2) passion for helping low-income gardeners, 3) experience giving presentations, 4) working with people of diverse backgrounds, and 5) initiative in starting and carrying through projects.

On February 1, 2011, we will email you whether or not you have been accepted into the program. Don’t contact us earlier.

If you have been accepted, we will email you a Live Scan form and list of Live Scan locations in L.A. County for required fingerprinting and criminal background check by the U.S. Department of Justice. This must be done for us specifically, only at these locations, regardless if you’ve done it for another agency.  Note differences in prices, hours, and whether an appointment is required.

If you have been accepted, we will email you instructions on joining our MGs-only Yahoogroup.  You can use either your existing email address or your new Yahoo email address to receive all of our MG emails and materials.

On February 16, 2011, we will post onto the MG-only Yahoogroup your first assignments due on March 5, the first day of class.

Teach you how to garden successfully. Topics and garden activities will cover basic plant science, propagation, fertilization, irrigation, soil, compost, vegetable and herb and fruit gardening, flowering plants and trees, Integrated Pest Management (diseases, weeds, insects, small animals), tools, how to start community and school gardens, and outreach techniques.

Provide you with Volunteer and Continuing Education opportunities all over Los Angeles County.

WHAT YOU’LL DO IF ACCEPTED INTO THE MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM

By February 15, 2011, mail the Live Scan form completed by the Live Scan operator to: Valerie Borel, U.C. Cooperative Extension, 4800 E. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90022.

By February 15, 2011, pay course fee online with credit card, or mail check for $200 made payable to “UC REGENTS” to: Valerie Borel at above address.  Low-income residents pay only what they can afford—see application for details.

By February 15, 2011, join our MGs-only Yahoogroup and make sure you’re receiving postings.

By March 4, 2011, become familiar with our Common Ground public website and our MGs-only Yahoogroup website.

Attend 13 classes on Saturdays, March 5 through May 28, 2011, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, at our office.  Some meetings will be at other garden sites; we encourage carpooling with classmates. After the first class on March 5, only one class may be missed – and that only with prior notice.

Give gardening workshops at community gardens, school gardens, senior gardens, housing development & other low-income gardens.

Answer gardening questions at gardens and fairs, on the phone at our office, or by email from your computer.

Help with program activities and workshops at the UCCE office in East Los Angeles.

Post all your volunteer and continuing education hours on our online Statewide MG Volunteer Management System (we provide instructions).

Starting in June, attend monthly MG Continuing Education meetings on the second Saturday of every month at different garden locations.

WHAT YOU’LL GET
California Master Gardener Handbook, University of California publication; discounts on other UC publications.

Certificate of Completion of Class Instruction – after completing the 13-week training program and passing the take-home, open-book examination.

Monthly Continuing Education meetings with speakers and activities on in-depth gardening topics.
Frequent emails of Volunteer and Continuing Education opportunities and other program information.

Annual recertification as an active MG after you post online at least 50 Volunteer hours and 15 Continuing Education hours by May 31, 2012.  (Future years’ annual requirements are 25 Volunteer and 15 Continuing Education hours.)

Joy and satisfaction that you’re helping other gardeners grow more nutritious vegetables and fruits, you’re making new friends, and we’re all working together to beautify our neighborhoods and “Green LA”!

For More Information – Email Valerie Borel, vtborel@ucdavis.edu