Dyer County Master Gardeners enjoy community service; course deadline Feb. 4

The Dyer County Association of Tennessee Master Gardeners had an enjoyable and fulfilling year of service to the Dyer County area and we are looking forward to the same in 2013. Eight of the citizens who enrolled in the 2012 Tennessee Master Gardener Training Course became certified Master Gardeners, 29 members earned re-certification status by completing volunteer service and gaining extra education. There are several members who have earned lifetime status of 10 years or more of faithful service. The total membership recorded over 3,000 volunteer hours with 13 members providing 100 or more hours of volunteer service each to the Dyer County area.

Some of our accomplishments during 2012 are these: Master Gardeners worked with Habitat for Humanity to landscape a home, had a successful plant sale fundraiser, gave a planting demonstration to children at McIver's Grant Public Library, operated a horticultural information table at the Farmers Market, Trenton square, and county fairs, constructed a horticultural display and helped with horticultural exhibits at the Dyer County Fair, worked with the Reelfoot Lake Tourism Council to establish a garden, created a leaf-composting site, participated in the Sorghum Valley Christmas Tree benefit, contributed many horticultural articles to the State Gazette, the Trenton Gazette, and the Gibson Guide; assisted the Dyer County High School FFA horticulture students with their annual plant sale, the DCHS display garden, and the FFA Garden Festival Symposium; planted seven new trees at Okeena Park Arboretum in Dyersburg, planted over 100 trees at Shady Acres Arboretum in Trenton to bring that to a Level III arboretum, and maintained over 40 gardens at parks, churches, and community buildings in the Dyer County area. Dyer County Master Gardeners participated in the annual events 'Clean Up American' and 'Keep Tennessee Beautiful' by picking up trash and planting and maintaining flowerbeds in Dyersburg, Newbern, Trenton, Trimble, and Yorkville.

We enjoy the activity, but we surely could use more hands. The Tennessee Master Gardener training course is not at all difficult, so if you are thinking about becoming a Tennessee Master Gardener, or just want to beautify your community, please give it serious thought. The deadline to register for the course is Monday, Feb. 4. Classes start the next day on Feb. 5. Call the Dyer County Agriculture Extension Service office at 731-286-7821 for information. Tennessee Master Gardeners operate under the leadership and supervision of the University of Tennessee extension program.