MSU Extension Kalamazoo County

Welcome Extension Master Gardeners, Trainees, and anyone interested in becoming an Extension Master Gardener!

Here, you will find helpful resources to assist you in navigating all things Extension Master Gardener. Let’s begin with defining a few common acronyms and frequently asked questions.

Extension Master Gardener Acronyms:

VC – Volunteer Central is the database that holds all Extension Master Gardener and Trainee personal information as well as tracking volunteer and educational hours completion. It is also where annual background checks are processed for both Extension Master Gardeners and Trainees.

VMS – Volunteer Management System is no longer in use, but the term may come up in conversations with peers. It was the database for tracking volunteer and educational hours completion which is now handled through VC. This was a large project managed at the state level for migrating the VMS data into VC in the spring/summer of 2021.

VSP – Volunteer Selection Process where all Extension Master Gardeners and Trainees must pass state and national background checks, reference checks, and interview, in addition to completing all required steps in the VC application.

FAQs:

Question: What is an Extension Master Gardener?

Answer: Extension Master Gardeners volunteer their time educating people in a variety of exciting horticulture-related projects based on their interests and are constantly learning!

An Extension Master Gardener can be anyone 18 and older who has successfully passed the volunteer selection process and maintains good standing, has successfully completed the required 10-week "Foundations of Gardening" training course, attended the one-day in-person onboarding class, completed the required 40-hours of horticulture-based service volunteering, and maintains additional certification requirements in accordance with the MSU Extension Master Gardener program rules.

Question: What is an Extension Master Gardener Trainee?

Answer:  Anyone 18 and older who has successfully passed the "Foundations of Gardening" course, attended the Southwest MI onboarding in-person, one-day class, has completed the Volunteer Selection Process; but who has not yet completed the required 40-hours of horticulture-based service volunteering.

Question: What are the steps to becoming an Extension Master Gardener?

Answer: 1. Register for and complete the "Foundations of Gardening" training. 2. Register for and attend the one-day, in-person onboarding class in Southwest MI. 3. Complete the Volunteer Selection Process. 4. Complete  40 hours of volunteering by selecting various pre-approved projects.

Question: Can I hire or have an MSU Extension Master Gardener come to my residence/business/organization/place of worship to help with gardening?

Answer: No.  MSU Extension Master Gardeners do not earn volunteer hours by performing work-for-hire or volunteer work outside of MSU Extension-approved projects that educate the public. Their work is project-related and those projects go through a strict vetting process to be sure the volunteer work meets the requirements of the MSU Extension Master Gardener program.

 Helpful hints before you begin the VC/VSP process:

1. Have the phone numbers and emails of five references ready to input. Please verify the emails and do not guess.
2. Read and click yes to the background check waiver and the code of conduct.
3. Take your time and answer all the questions. Allow about 90 minutes. The VC/VSP system will not save your progress – this needs to be done in one sitting without interruptions.
4. There are several training videos that must be completed within the VC/VSP process.
5. If any of these steps are incomplete, your application cannot be processed.

Question: Who can I contact for more information about becoming an Extension Master Gardener?

Answer:  Julie Ford, District 13 Secretary III, Michigan Master Naturalist, and Extension Master Gardener Trainee fordjul2@msu.edu, 269-425-1085; Wrifton Graham, Kalamazoo County Extension Master Gardener Coordinator and Extension Master Gardener grahamw9@msu.edu, 269-383-8830.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Visit Southwest MI Extension Master Gardeners on Facebook
• Have a gardening question? Contact the MSU Extension Lawn and Garden Hotline at 888-678-3464 or submit your question to MSU Extension Ask Extension.

• LIVE via Zoom, we offer EMG Virtual Office Hours. Meet and chat with Wrifton or Chris every first and third Thursday of the month from 3-4 p.m. Open to all EMGs and EMG trainees. Use this link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/91035375036. The meeting ID is 910 3537 5036 and password 750625.

• If your non-profit organization would like the assistance of Extension Master Gardener volunteers, please download this form, Project_request-community.pdf. 

• The Extension Master Gardener Program welcomes monetary donations to help with programming. For online gifts, go to: https://givingto.msu.edu/gift/?sid=12684.Gardening in Michigan website

• Gardening in Michigan website
• The Garden Professors Blog
• Order an MSU Extension Soil Test Kit
• Michigan Fresh