Carroll County

Carroll County MG Program
Annual Report 2005

1. Basic Information
# of active MGs   87
# of interns   15
# of volunteer hours   3394

2. Plant Clinics
# of active plant clinic sites   1
# of plant clinics   7
# of residents served at plant clinics   702

3. Bay-Wise
# of new yards certified as Bay-Wise (MGs and other residents)    0
# of total Bay-Wise certified yards (all years combined)    0

4. Composting
# of composting demonstration sites   1
# of residents who received a compost bin   148

5. Classes taught
6. Awards/recognition
7. Grants

7. Partners:
Carroll County Farm Museum
Carroll County Public Schools

8. Highlights from 2005:
The “Up From the Soil Program” continued its educational role with in the Carroll County School system. 10 Carroll County Master Gardener Volunteers were able to educate over 543 5th grade students about soils and soil stewardship. The focus of the program is to promote good soil stewardship and improved water quality through a better understanding of soil science and the importance of soils in our lives.

Therapeutic Horticulture with Carroll Lutheran Village, Good Shepard’s Way, had 8 hands on programs throughout the year. MGs used live plants and horticultural activities to help improve and contribute to the lives of the residents. On average, they met with between 23 – 28 residents per program.

Eight plant clinics/information booths were held in various parts of the county. The Master Gardeners assisted over 702 people, answering questions in regards to a variety of lawn and garden issues.

Volunteers continued to develop and maintain the Heirloom Garden at the Carroll County Farm Museum. This garden is part of an educational display that shows visitors what and how things were grown in the early and mid 1800’s. They had “several hundred” visitors during the Maryland Wine Festival and over 120 participants in the “Great Tomato Taste Off” . The latter event was covered by the Carroll Co. Times, Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, and Edible Chesapeake. More than 4000 people exposed to the Heirloom Garden and the open pollinated plants concept.

Carroll County Master Gardeners also assisted the Carroll County Extension in their education outreach to county 3rd graders. The program called AgVenture instructed over 700 students on the role of agriculture in their community.

Three Composting/Grass Cycling seminars were held in conjunction with the Carroll County recycling office. Master Gardeners helped to educate 148 residents about composting and grass cycling in these seminars.

A Baywise group has been established and has participated in two public outreach events. The first event had over 230 residents visit their table at the Mt. Airy Festival. While the Prettyboy Festival drew 160 participants to the Master Gardener display and clinics held at the festival.

The Master Gardeners have started a new program called “Insects”. This is an “in-school field trip” that meets the curriculum needs for Carroll Counties’ 2nd grade science curriculum. The objective of this program is to teach the students that not all bugs are bad while helping to develop an understanding of the basic principles of IPM. In 05’ we met with 186 2nd grade students.

For more information, contact Robin Hessey

Last updated: 02/21/2007