Master Gardeners

[HippocratesGarden]

I'm not going to go into my normal speel, but just wanted to toss this out.

In Arkansas, in 2025, they went from a photocopied binder of information for the initial training course, to a really nice, thick, slick, colored and well printed and bound book. And they charged a mint for it.

Here's the thing, It's actually North Carolina's MG book. they changed some wording on the front cover, but not the images, and nothing inside.
And.. It's actually avaiable, for free, online.

No you can't download it, but it is online, and free, and if you skip over the poisons, it does have a lot of good information.

Here's the link. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook

 

[Off Grid Andrew]

That’s really great! Thanks for sharing

 

[Baldwin Family Farms]

Is there such a thing as a Master Gardener?

I believe there is only one True Master in that department, and that's GOD as a Gardener. I see from your pics you like woodchips - I do too. Big fan of Back to Eden.

 

[HippocratesGarden]

Is there such a thing as a Master Gardener?

I believe there is only one True Master in that department, and that's GOD as a Gardener. I see from your pics you like woodchips - I do too. Big fan of Back to Eden.

Yes there is a thing as a Master Gardener. It is sometimes said that it is a legal label for someone who meets the requirements for training, volunteer hours annually, meeting attendance, etc., through each state's Extension Services, tied to the Land-Grant University in each state. (though, as of this moment, I can find no "law" to that effect, only that it is "against the rules of the program", but if one is not -in- the program?? See search verbage at the end of this post.) Personally, to claim oneself to be a "Master".. whatever, especially without a significant portfolio of failures and successes, and an obvious broad as well as deep knowledge of the topic, without having to resort immediately to textbooks and Google searches, is a bit, as the Brits say.. "sus".

There are people in the program who get to call themselves a "Master Gardener" who probably haven't grown anything more than a geranium purchased at a big box store. I tried it, lasted 11 months, and walked out. I'd consider a 90-year-old lady, with a 3rd-grade education, who raised 12 kids from her garden more of a "master gardener" than the vast majority of those in the program. But that was just my experience.

So, just like using the label "Organic", you can't do it legally unless you currently meet the requirements, and in "the program". It's what happens when a label, which means something, becomes popular or profitable, and is then co-opted.

----------------------------


Legality of Using “Master Gardener” Without Extension Program Membership
In the United States, it is generally not illegal to use the title “Master Gardener” without being in an official Extension Master Gardener program, but it is against the rules of those programs and can be considered misleading or unethical.
Why It’s Against Program Rules
Most Extension Master Gardener programs — such as those run by land‑grant universities and their Cooperative Extension Services — require formal training, certification, and ongoing participation to use the title. For example, the University of Illinois Extension policy states that the title “should not be used in any form of commercial advertisement” and must only be used when conducting unpaid volunteer work in the program GardenRant. Violating these rules can lead to removal from the program and potential complaints from coordinators.

Why It’s Considered Misleading​

Even if not a criminal offense, using the title without proper training can:

• Mislead the public into thinking you have undergone the same rigorous education and certification.
• Undermine the credibility of the program, which is designed to provide unbiased horticultural information.
• Violate state or local policies that prohibit using the title to imply endorsement or affiliation with the Extension program GardenRant.

Legal vs. Ethical​

• Legally: There is no federal law that makes it illegal to call yourself a “Master Gardener” without being certified.
• Ethically/Program Policy: It is against the rules of the Extension Master Gardener program and can be seen as deceptive if it implies official endorsement.

Bottom Line​

You can legally say “Master Gardener” in casual conversation, but you cannot use it in a way that implies you are part of an official Extension Master Gardener program unless you are enrolled and certified. If you want to market your gardening expertise, it’s best to use your own credentials or titles (e.g., “Certified Horticulturist,” “Garden Coach”) rather than the Extension‑specific “Master Gardener” designation. www.fcmgava.org

 

[HippocratesGarden]

Is there such a thing as a Master Gardener?

I believe there is only one True Master in that department, and that's GOD as a Gardener. I see from your pics you like woodchips - I do too. Big fan of Back to Eden.

"Back to Eden", is basically Paul Gouchies version of deep mulch, and If i recall, it involves a lot more than just wood chips. If it's a technique that gets people gardening, having success, and not using poisons.. Great.

I'm more permaculture-based as a foundation. The main thing is not being any specific technique or tool, as really any technique or tool is in the toolbox, from swales, to wood chips, to massive excavators, but we don't start with the crop, or the technique, that comes way down the design path. We start with the "Why", not the where, what, when, or how.

It's the Ethics and principles that are the primary guidance of all the rest. While it is not a "Permaculture" book per. se., Joel Salatin's "The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs" is kinda in the same ilk. Get the ethics and the "why" down first, and let that guide the rest.

We get enamoured of a personality, or technique fad, and stick to it at all costs, and think it works everywhere, for all situations, and that isn't true. Such as raised beds, whether they are contained with wood or metal or just raised a couple of inches without any container, have their uses and advantages. If the ground is often too moist, raised beds drain better and can be more successful. In a hot arid location, sunken beds are usually better.

I use wood chips mostly, because it's what's available, in bulk quantities, often cheap or free. Were I somewhere else, I'd use whatever other mulch/carbon source was there.

Huglekulture, often considered a "permaculture" technique, predates Permaculture by decades if not hundreds of years, and it wasn't really a gardening technique; it was a way to dispose of "waste", excess woody material from land clearing. Sepp Holzter is considered the person who made it a bit more popular.

Will Bonsall, and Helen Atthow both garden very successfully, without any animal component to the garden other than the wild animals that come through. Will does use deep mulch (and predates "Back to Eden" by a decade or 3. See his book, which is a fun read.

Helen's book is also quite the resource:​

​

I've got quite the library of physical and audio books and keep trying to learn as much as I can, from the nerdy to the folk, and the proof I look for is in the pudding (or pie, or soup), not just in the published papers. But when evaluating a technique, or system, my questions always start essentially with the "at what cost", and the Permaculture Prime Directive, ethics, and principles. And I never say "x" system is "the best", because, again, as we say in my world.. the answer to every question is always.. ​

"It depends". ​

 

[Baldwin Family Farms]

"Back to Eden", is basically Paul Gouchies version of deep mulch, and If i recall, it involves a lot more than just wood chips. If it's a technique that gets people gardening, having success, and not using poisons.. Great.

I'm more permaculture-based as a foundation. The main thing is not being any specific technique or tool, as really any technique or tool is in the toolbox, from swales, to wood chips, to massive excavators, but we don't start with the crop, or the technique, that comes way down the design path. We start with the "Why", not the where, what, when, or how.

It's the Ethics and principles that are the primary guidance of all the rest. While it is not a "Permaculture" book per. se., Joel Salatin's "The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs" is kinda in the same ilk. Get the ethics and the "why" down first, and let that guide the rest.

We get enamoured of a personality, or technique fad, and stick to it at all costs, and think it works everywhere, for all situations, and that isn't true. Such as raised beds, whether they are contained with wood or metal or just raised a couple of inches without any container, have their uses and advantages. If the ground is often too moist, raised beds drain better and can be more successful. In a hot arid location, sunken beds are usually better.

I use wood chips mostly, because it's what's available, in bulk quantities, often cheap or free. Were I somewhere else, I'd use whatever other mulch/carbon source was there.

Huglekulture, often considered a "permaculture" technique, predates Permaculture by decades if not hundreds of years, and it wasn't really a gardening technique; it was a way to dispose of "waste", excess woody material from land clearing. Sepp Holzter is considered the person who made it a bit more popular.

Will Bonsall, and Helen Atthow both garden very successfully, without any animal component to the garden other than the wild animals that come through. Will does use deep mulch (and predates "Back to Eden" by a decade or 3. See his book, which is a fun read.

Helen's book is also quite the resource:​

View attachment 251​

I've got quite the library of physical and audio books and keep trying to learn as much as I can, from the nerdy to the folk, and the proof I look for is in the pudding (or pie, or soup), not just in the published papers. But when evaluating a technique, or system, my questions always start essentially with the "at what cost", and the Permaculture Prime Directive, ethics, and principles. And I never say "x" system is "the best", because, again, as we say in my world.. the answer to every question is always.. ​

"It depends". ​

Have you read Edward Faulkner's "Plowmans Folly"

I like your elaboration into the topic. Not everything works the same for everyone - each region has its own challenges and benefits - so taking advice from the pacific northwest might not be the best advice for say Arkansas. What seems like a good idea in a youtube video might not be the best route to take where you're planting a seed. I'm in the Huglekulture is centuries old rather than decades. And ethics needs applied to everything these days - people have lost sight of what really matters. I know the legal description of a Master Garden, I was more so implying none of us ever will be, because always learning, and the environment is always changing. We have to change with it and with that change comes many failures, but the only true failure is when we quit.

I Planted 60 trees this spring to add to the collection. Most of those being fruit. I'm gonna be busy this summer taking care of them until they are established.

 

[HippocratesGarden]

Have you read Edward Faulkner's "Plowmans Folly"

I like your elaboration into the topic. Not everything works the same for everyone - each region has its own challenges and benefits - so taking advice from the pacific northwest might not be the best advice for say Arkansas. What seems like a good idea in a youtube video might not be the best route to take where you're planting a seed. I'm in the Huglekulture is centuries old rather than decades. And ethics needs applied to everything these days - people have lost sight of what really matters. I know the legal description of a Master Garden, I was more so implying none of us ever will be, because always learning, and the environment is always changing. We have to change with it and with that change comes many failures, but the only true failure is when we quit.

I Planted 60 trees this spring to add to the collection. Most of those being fruit. I'm gonna be busy this summer taking care of them until they are established.

I'm aware of the book, and I think there was even some kind of a "response", but at the moment, I can't recall the gist of the book. I've got like 120 audiobooks alone on my phone I've listened to, some multiple times. Not all related to food/ag/homesteading of course, and while I don't do as much actual reading as I used to (possibly due to aging eyes, get weary quickly) I'm still a huge book fan, and that's why one of the first buildings on my off-grid property is a library (among other things). I'll never learn half of what I'd like, and always feel like I know less and less, as I learn and experience more. Now.. if my pride and mouth can only remain in their proper place..... occasionally.

 

[Baldwin Family Farms]

I'm aware of the book, and I think there was even some kind of a "response", but at the moment, I can't recall the gist of the book. I've got like 120 audiobooks alone on my phone I've listened to, some multiple times. Not all related to food/ag/homesteading of course, and while I don't do as much actual reading as I used to (possibly due to aging eyes, get weary quickly) I'm still a huge book fan, and that's why one of the first buildings on my off-grid property is a library (among other things). I'll never learn half of what I'd like, and always feel like I know less and less, as I learn and experience more. Now.. if my pride and mouth can only remain in their proper place..... occasionally.

He scribed the book on regenerative ag back in the 40s, warning us about today. I'm legally blind too. I do my best to type and read. We only die once so you might as well let your mouth get you in as much trouble as you desire - unlike other countries we have our 1st amendment. I donate to the local library and even started them a survival seedbank library. I heart books too, because all of this digital access could vanish or be altered in one push of a button, but a book is in print on my shelf, and it says exactly what it says. Digital book burnings are far easier than kicking in my door to grab my books on the shelf. Audio and visual resources definitely serve their purpose, but they can never replace what a book does. Reading is how we update our own operating system/software. Even when listening to something eye sek out tgat information in print to research on depth audio doesn't really have the same retention ability as gaining that information with your own eyes and being able to reference that material and see it in new ways each time you read it.


After World War 2... THEY had to find a way to dispose of the material (chemicals) used to make bombs...so THEY decided to use the shit used to make Bombs ...as synthetic chemical fertilizer...on the fields
...to increase yields...

The crops became devoid of nutrients...

The carrot may have become bigger...but the bigger carrot...was devoid of nutrients...

IF YOU EAT A CARROT DEVOID OF NUTRIENTS AND MINERALS - YOU BECOME DEVOID OF NUTRIENTS AND MINERALS...

AND THE BIOACCUMULATION OF THESE CHEMICALS IN YOUR BODY DESTROYS YOUR GUT... AND A COMPROMISED GUT CAN NOT UPTAKE NUTRIENTS PROPERLY...

THE HOST ORGANISM (YOU) GETS SICK

EDWARD FAULKNER SCRIBED THE BOOK ON REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
...TITLED...
"Plowman's Folly"

He warned U.S. in the 40s
WE should've listened.
WE still can

Its open sourced and available online for free

https://archive.org/details/plowmansfolly0000edwa