Greenhouse Project aims to grow lifelong skills

By Leah Roberson

Copiah County Master Gardeners, in collaboration with Mississippi Job Corps, have a new service project that hopes to introduce the joy of gardening to the next generation through the art and science of horticulture.

The Greenhouse Project will enable local Master Gardeners to work with other Master Gardener groups, local garden clubs, and various national organizations to teach basic horticultural skills to Job Corps students on the Crystal Springs campus. Master Gardener members will host weekly programs to include seminars, demonstrations, and hands-on activities provided by area gardeners, volunteers, and Mississippi State Extension staff.

Mississippi Job Corps is a federally-funded educational facility that provides free career training to youth and adults ages 16 to 24 and from limited-income households. Career training options include programs in Building Construction Technology, Carpentry, Electrical, Welding, Certified Nurse Assistant, Office Administration, and Security and Protective Services. In addition to becoming workforce-ready, students may earn their high school diploma or equivalency.

Students will use the greenhouse, located on campus, to put their new knowledge and skills into action. In addition to providing a space to germinate seeds, there will be areas to grow and harvest plants. Four modular, raised beds, donated through the Vego Garden Beds Giving Back Program, will be used for that purpose.

Visits by students to established gardens at the Truck Crops Experiment Station, also in Crystal Springs, will allow for supplementary “dig in the dirt” experiences in which to learn. These educational opportunities may have a lasting impact as they help expand students’ knowledge beyond the traditional vocational-technical training currently taught on campus.

Crystal Springs Mayor Sally Garland, on hand at the inaugural program, voiced her support of the project saying, “I was encouraged to see the Copiah County Master Gardeners pouring their knowledge and skills into the young people of Crystal Springs Job Corps. This is quite possibly something that could stay with them for the rest of their lives. What a wonderful partnership.”

The Mississippi Master Gardener program educates the public in consumer horticulture with the aid of trained volunteers and under the guidance and supervision of Mississippi State University Extension agents. By providing horticultural knowledge and training to individuals in exchange for their service and support of the program, the goal is to enhance communities through horticultural projects.

Opportunities for community outreach from the Greenhouse Project may come through beautification projects on and off campus, plant sales and swaps, and plant donations to area nursing homes. Copiah County Master Gardeners President Julia Bryan highlighted their collaboration with the Mississippi Job Corps at the first meeting and presented the generous donations from Vego Garden Beds. She is thrilled to be a part of such an important project, declaring, “We are so excited to have an opportunity to connect with the youth and share the joy of ‘digging in the dirt’. This program will not only teach horticulture skills but help build positive life skills.” Bryan hopes to generate a lot of community support in making the Greenhouse Project a huge success.

To become a Master Gardener, interns must complete a 40-hour online course offered through Mississippi State Extension. The course teaches the tenets of propagation, growth, and care of ornamental plants, vegetables, trees, and lawns, as well as information on pest identification and management. To become certified, interns must also complete 40 service hours through volunteering in approved programs. After certification and to remain active in the program, Master Gardeners are expected to complete 12 education hours and 20 hours of service work annually. Scheduled activities, including work at the Mississippi Job Corps greenhouse and the Truck Crops Experiment Station, provide ample opportunity to fulfill the annual service requirements.

Bryan shared that the local chapter of Master Gardeners holds planning meetings at different local restaurants at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

If becoming a Master Gardener isn’t for you, there are various ways in which you can support them in their mission. Donations in the form of money, pots, seeds, plants, dirt, fertilizer, or gardening supplies are always welcomed; but contributions of one’s time and talents are very much appreciated as well. Volunteers may host a program, demonstration, or even a field trip to area gardens or greenhouses. The gift of volunteerism is invaluable and reminiscent of a quote attributed to William Shakespeare, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

If you feel led to donate, would like to volunteer, or need more information about becoming a Master Gardener, contact Copiah County Extension Agent Shelby Bearden at [email protected] or Bryan at [email protected].