Garden

Penn State Extension welcomes newly certified Master Gardeners to Clinton County

LOCK HAVEN -- Penn State Extension of Clinton County is excited to announce two dedicated individuals who recently completed basic training and apprenticeship in the Master Gardener program.

Elaine Dorney and Dr. Shonah Hunter completed this year-long process and were awarded their certificates at a dinner celebration on Oct. 1.

Heather Bechtold, a biology professor at Commonwealth University-Lock Haven, was the guest speaker for the evening. She gave a presentation on the fruit tree orchard that she initiated and helped facilitate its installation on campus.

Elaine Dorney is a semi-retired physical therapist who settled in Clinton County 22 years ago. Originally from Massachusetts, she works with outpatient and nursing home clients.

Elaine keeps herself active by learning new skills and keeping busy with hiking, biking, art and gardening. When asked what her favorite part of the Master Gardener program is, she replied, "I didn't know enough about gardening and wanted to learn more."

Garden Sense Symposium, a community-wide educational opportunity held every January to help gardeners get through the winter months, is Elaine's favorite activity.

Dr. Shonah Hunter is a retired professor from Lock Haven University in the Department of Biological Sciences. After teaching for 33 years, she dedicates her time to various community organizations, including Meals on Wheels, AmeriCorps Seniors and Master Gardeners.

Shonah looks forward to putting the knowledge she learned in basic training into practice in the many outreach programs the Master Gardeners provide throughout the year.

Basic training spans from October to March and is a comprehensive program that equips trainees with a broad understanding of various horticultural topics.

This includes 40 hours of weekly online webinars taught by Penn State Extension educators and Master Gardeners from across the state, chapter readings and hands-on workshops. The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects such as botany, soil health, plant disease, pruning, vegetable gardening, weeds, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), native perennials and fruit trees, among others.

Apprentices are also required to complete 50 additional hours of training by working alongside certified Master Gardeners who mentor them in the hands-on components of the program.

While in previous years, apprentices were only allowed to start their 50 hours of hands-on training after the foundational webinars concluded, this policy has changed, allowing trainees to begin their 50 hours at the start of basic training.

By starting their 50 hours in October, trainees have more time to complete their apprenticeship. Examples of the hands-on training include programs that Master Gardeners provide to the community, including Holiday Greens, Garden Sense Symposium, Spring plant sale, speaker's bureau, Poison Prevention Program, Seed to Supper, writing articles for the The Express and Record Online, youth programs and the Clinton County Fair.

Once basic training is complete, each Master Gardener must spend 30 hours each year maintaining certification status. This is divided into 20 hours of volunteer time in one or more of the programs and 10 hours of continuing education.

Ginny Counsil, coordinator, is delighted to include Elaine and Shonah in the program.

Many people are interested in the Master Gardener program and have much information to share with others, so the program is in need of more volunteers.

Master Gardeners are volunteers dedicated to Penn State Extension's mission to educate the public on environmental stewardship and sustainable horticulture utilizing research-based information. If you want to become a Master Gardener, the next class will begin in October 2025. You can contact Ginny Counsil, Master Gardener Coordinator, at 570-858-0192 or by email at vlc125@psu.edu for more information.