Examples of Master Gardener Volunteers projects

Master Gardener Volunteers contribute to the beauty of Rhoades Butterfly Park in Southwest Harbor
Photography provided by Carolyn Hollenbeck, Master Gardener, Mount Desert, ME

Re-facing the water's edge	Trudy helps put new mulch on the bank	Butterfly release at Rhoades Park
Butterfly happy with new home	Always work to do...	Friendships made....

As a Master Gardener Volunteer, you may choose to devote the majority of your volunteer time (40 hours) to a community project. Any Master Gardener Volunteer may initiate a new community project by putting in a request to their county Master Gardener Association Board. Projects vary from county to county. The following list represents a sampling of past and current community projects:

Kids Can Grow – Master Gardener Volunteers help develop and coordinate the program, teach, and mentor children in home gardens.

Plant-A-Row for the Hungry – Master Gardener Volunteers serve on the organizational team to coordinate this county-wide program, which recruits farmers and home gardeners to donate produce from their farm/garden to area food pantries, shelters, and senior housing projects. Volunteers network with the media and shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, etc., and give their time to gleaning/delivering produce.

Laudholm Farm Master Gardener Volunteers – Master Gardener Volunteers help manage the native plant demonstration garden and the pumpkin patch on the grounds of Laudholm Farm at Wells Reserve. In addition volunteers help coordinate educational gardening displays for the general public at public events such as Earth Day and Punkinfiddle.

Plant Sale and Raffle – Master Gardener Volunteers help coordinate the sale/raffle to raise money to support other county Master Gardener Volunteers projects.

Garden Angel – Master Gardener Volunteers (Garden Angels) are linked with Recipients who are usually elderly persons with physical or mental and financial limitations who love to garden but need a friend/helping hand/Garden Angel to help them.

Caring Unlimited – Master Gardener Volunteers garden with residents of a Caring Unlimited Shelter, teaching them garden basics and helping them to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables, and care for trees and shrubs.

Community Gardens – Projects vary. See the Rhoades Butterfly Park above.

Farmers’ Market Volunteers – Master Gardener Volunteers provide gardening information to the general public through displays at Farmer’s Markets.

Workshops – Master Gardener Volunteers workshops cover many subjects and are open to the public.

Other Community Projects – Master Gardener Volunteers help with programs like Jr. Master Gardeners and Growing Winter Greens.