Recently there was a spanking garden - writer discussion on Facebook that begin with this interrogation : “ I ’m a phallus of several professional garden groups and a recurring theme that derive up is anti - master gardener . Why ? ”
Boy - oh - boy , did people have answers . One guess that Master Gardeners represent a “ cold and stagnant condition quo , ” another had learn them deal known invasives in their area , but the main ailment against Master Gardeners was about their very name .
Bad Name
I totally gibe with the commenters that “ Master Gardener ” is a misnomer and I weigh in to say that assist course ( where attendance was n’t even required ) , completing a take - house test and then performing 40 volunteer hour does not make anyone a “ master ” at anything . There were the great unwashed in my social class ( in DC ) who ’d never put a industrial plant in the priming coat in their lives , and after MG “ training ” and certification , still had n’t .
That “ master ” in the name leads to job like :
– People cogitate it ’s on the same level as “ Master Carpenter , ” a tittle that represents factual command .
– evidently , it can go to people ’s heads . “ Some MG ’s take that title too seriously and are extremely overblown . ” “ highly pompous about the mostly abstractionist info they have . ”
– It makes multitude boring : “ They employ the title of ‘ Master Gardener ’ as a badge of all - inclusive expertness . Plus they tend to be really really tiresome . ”
– The name is often mistakenly strike to show a mellow grade of cognition and training than actual plantsman !
– From yours unfeignedly , a complaint that America ’s Master Gardener Jerry Baker is a known quack who ’s made beaucoup bucks off that ego - proclaim deed . ( Which Iranted aboutback in ’ 06 . )
skillful Name ?
Garden writers seem to agree it ’s meter for rename . “ If they ’d rename the program to something more honest , that made it clear that the horizontal surface of education is meant for homeowners and not as a professional enfranchisement , I ’d have fewer sore feeling about the computer programme . ”
“ Horticultural Research Volunteer ” was intimate as “ something that allows the populace to know that they are not good THAN US . ”
accept Work from Garden Writers
Some complain of MG writing columns compete with pay ( hopefully ) garden writers .
And a related pocketbook complaint is that you ca n’t use your Master Gardener credential for commercial purposes . “ A pure interpretation of this means that you ca n’t put MG on your resume , on the cover of your book , on a byline or generator bio for a mag or newspaper article ( for which you get paid ) , on your business card , and so on . ”
Coming to their defence
“ We are not volunteer gardeners nor do we vie in any style with professional horticulturists or designer ; we supply RESEARCH - BASED horticulture information to the public . We are taught during our training that it is n’t necessary to have all the answers ; it ’s only necessary to sleep with how to retrieve them . ”
And several author sang the praises for MG programs in their area . ( And I ’m always happy to pick up about MG programs that are nothing like the one in DC I’veranted about . )
No Surprise : It Starts in Washington
reply to a suggestion that the garden writer group rename the MG programme , one author answer that the name can only be changed at the interior stratum ( by the Department of Agriculture , presumptively ) and continued : “ I think the deficiency of consistence form place to place is one of the problems w / the programme as a national psychiatric hospital . ” Others echoed this complaint about the deficiency of consistency across the country .
And we heard from Canadians about what the programcanbe : “ In Ontario , we ’re required to take a horticulture certificate from one of two universities ( three form , usually taking two year of distance ed ) and write a limiting exam before being accepted into the program . Each twelvemonth , we have a mandatory technical update , and monthly meeting , of which we must attend at least four , include one time of day of pedagogy . Thirty hours of volunteer time annually ( most do more ; I did nearly double that last year ) is all-important to remain in the program . It ’s a shame there ’s so much anti - MG feeling . ”
What do YOU imagine of Master Gardeners ? And can you suggest a full name ?
Weigh in , and I ’ll judge to get a response from the USDA folks who have jurisdiction over the program , from theExtension Master Gardener bloggersand from theGarden Professors .
