Keep track of your volunteer and education hours. These hours are to be recorded in the Volunteer Management System(VMS). Each volunteer will have a secure login that they will create. Upon completing the training classes and passing the final test all new interns will receive an email which will allow them to enter VMS and create their login.
All active members will need a minimum of 20 volunteer hours and 10 educational hours per year to remain certified.
Union County Master Gardener Intern
Volunteer Hours Requirement
The Union County Master Gardener intern volunteer requirement consists of a minimum of 50 hours of horticulturally significant volunteer hours, within Union County and with 10 of those hours to be completed in McCloud Park. Normally, only unpaid public service in Ohio State University Extension-sponsored activities count toward the requirement. Other volunteer activities may be counted after receiving prior approval by the Union County Master Gardener Officers and Coordinator.
THE REQUIRED VOLUNTEER HOURS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 31 OF THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING CLASSES.
The following are guidelines for volunteer hours:
| *Monthly Master Gardener Meetings | 1 Volunteer Hour |
| *Mileage related to Master Gardener Activities: 100 miles traveled | 1 Volunteer Hour |
| *Committee Meetings | Hours Accumulated |
| *Speaking Engagement (Time to and from speaking engagement plus preparation time and presentation time) | House Accumulated |
| *Helpline (Hours spent working Helpline may be used as educational or volunteer hours) | Hours Accumulated |
| *Physically working on projects | Hours Accumulated |
| *Work associated with being an officer of the Union County Master Gardener Association | Hours Accumulated |
| *Computer work and design | Hours Accumulated |
| *Extension Office Work | Hours Accumulated |
| Surveys, questionnaires, etc. | As indicated by Coordinator |
When in doubt, check with the Union County Master Gardener Officers or Coordinator…usually any volunteer work associated with being in the Master Gardener Program will count.
The 50 hour Master Gardener Intern requirement as well as the 10 hour yearly recertification requirement must be Master Gardener volunteer service in Union County. Volunteer hours outside Union County will be used toward your accumulated hours and recognized at the Union County Master Gardener Recognition Banquet.
Union County Master Gardener Education Hours Requirement
Continuing Education/Advanced Training
- Advanced training is the same as Continuing Education. It is one of the requirements* to maintain the Master Gardener title. It is a horticulture learning experience.
- Master Gardener Interns do not need to meet the educational requirement their first year.
- To remain certified as a Master Gardener, ten (10) educational hours must be recorded. This is a yearly minimum.
- Educational hours are accumulated over the years of volunteering as a Master Gardener and recognition is given to Master Gardeners who have achieved educational milestones.
- A Master Gardener may fulfill the educational requirements by completing a minimum of ten (10) hours in-service training by any of the following options:
*participation in State, Regional, National or International Master Gardener Conferences
- Attending educational programs after each MG business meeting.
- Attending MG or OSU Extension sponsored events.
- Attending other educational programs pre-approved by the Union Co. MG Officers and Coordinator.
- Reading OSU Extension newsletters i.e. Timely Tips, Buckeye Yard & Garden Line, Veg-Net, Ohio Fruit News. 15 minutes of educational time will be met by reading each of these weekly newsletters.
Please Note: To receive educational hours credit you must be learning. As an example: an event for 6 hours with 4 one hour class sessions would fulfill 4 hours of the Master Gardener Educational requirement.