University of Saskatchewan Master Gardener Certificate

Volunteer Projects

Part of the U of S Master Gardener certificate involves 40 hours of volunteer work in your community. Examples of some activities may include:

• helping seniors or less-able individuals garden
• answering a garden phone-in line for your city, town or local extension agrologist
• designing, planting or maintaining community gardens in public places such as hospitals, schools, parks, etc.
• developing horticultural therapy programs
• writing a garden column for our newsletter or for your local paper
• volunteer teaching gardening classes for your local community colleges, associations or recreation departments
• sitting on the board of local horticulture groups
• or, any ideas you might have. If there think is a need, you can fill it.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Agriculture in the Classroom is looking for Master Gardener volunteers to participate in a variety of activities with their School Gardening Programs - Little Green Thumbs and Greenscapades. 
• Gardenscape (held every spring at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon) is always looking for volunteers.
• For ideas on other volunteer opportunities in your community, such as pruning, designing, planting, renovating, please contact the U of S Master Gardener office.

Master Gardener of the Year Recognition

Every year, one of our Master Gardeners is publicly recognized for their contributions in their community.

• University of Saskatchewan Master Gardener Project of the Year 2008: City Park Collegiate Hort Program under Don Shephard, U of S Master Gardener. It was our distinct pleasure to award the Master Gardener Project of the Year to the students at City Park Collegiate. With their involvement in the local community, elementary schools across the city and Habitat for Humanity the students at City Park Collegiate have learned a great deal about horticulture and community. U of S Master Gardener Don Shepherd is the Horticulture and Landscaping Coordinator for the school and a large part of this ambitious project, please see his story below. We encourage anyone with extra seeds or supplies to donate them to this worthwhile project.
• University of Saskatchewan Master Gardener Project of the Year 2009:  Michelle Dahlin. Growing Community Spirit: Michelle Dahlin, Birch Hills, SK. Michelle Dahlin, a University of Saskatchewan Master Gardener trainee from Birch Hills, has found a unique way to use her skills to contribute to her community. She has organized the Birch Hills Baptist Youth Group and the local town mayor to assist seniors with their gardening needs. Michelle, who owns a massage and esthetics business in town, learned of the seniors’ need by listening to her older clients describe their difficulties maintaining their own yards. She knew she could help and began to recruit volunteers. Since September, Michelle, the mayor, 10 youth from ages 12-17, and their youth group leader have been cleaning gutters, planting bulbs, raking leaves, and trimming trees. Said Michelle, “I think this is a really wonderful way to give back to the community”. Though she has obviously enjoyed working with the seniors, she sounded especially proud of the youth group, “They were really quite excited about [helping out]–any task I gave them, they were excited to do and really quite interested in learning about what I do!” On the last yard booked before winter, both her and the youth were disappointed their work was finished for the season. “I loved it, and [the seniors] appreciated it so much”, said Michelle. Their project has been so well received that Michelle plans to continue with it in the spring. Keep up the great work Michelle and congratulations!