SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A new season of Master Gardener Environmental & Community Stewardship classes will be starting soon at the Middlesex County EARTH Center at Davidson’s Mill Pond Park, 42 Riva Avenue in South Brunswick.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County will offer both daytime and evening programs. Orientation will be on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. for the evening class and Friday, Sept. 17 at 9:30 a.m. for the Friday morning class. Middlesex County is currently the only county that offers the Master Gardeners course in the evenings. Pre-registration for the course is required.
Master Gardeners are community volunteers, trained in earth-friendly gardening and environmental principles. Lecture classes meet once per week for three hours from mid September through mid April. The 60-70 hours of classroom instruction includes practical field experience. Outdoor, hands-on garden classes meet weekly for three hours from mid April through mid September (every other week in summer). New students create and care for a large demonstration vegetable and herb garden.
Topics covered include: sound gardening techniques; composting; creative methods of conserving resources; and horticulture therapy. The program also requires participants to volunteer a minimum of 60 hours of service towards Extension projects, activities and events throughout the year.
The program fee — to cover the cost of supplies, instructional materials and speakers — is $350. To learn more, call the EARTH Center at 1-732-398-5262.
