The Cochise County Master Gardeners
The Cochise County Master Gardeners support The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program by providing to citizens researched-based horticultural information appropriate for Cochise County environments about gardening, food production, landscaping, native plants, and environmental stewardship.
What is the Master Gardener Program? The Master Gardener Program began in King and Pierce Counties of Washington State in 1972 by Dr. David Gibby, an exhausted county Horticultural Extension Agent, who realized that he could multiply his resources by training amateur gardeners, who in return, would help answer the overwhelming questions that came into his office.
The program became a huge success and today there are Master Gardener Programs in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian Provinces. In 1987, Cochise County Extension Agent Dr. Deborah Young started the county program and the current Horticultural Extension Agent is Robert E. Call.
Who are Cochise County Master Gardeners? Anyone who participates in and
successfully passes the 14 week course studying botany, soils, pest management,
vegetables, fruits and nuts, and other related topics becomes a Master Gardener Associate.
After completing 50 hours of volunteer service, a Master Gardener Associate becomes a
Master Gardener. After meeting annual recertification requirements and additional
training/service a Master Gardener becomes a Sustaining Master Gardener.
Please
click the trowel 
to sign up for the next Cochise County Master Gardener class.
Some of the services The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Cochise County Master Gardeners provide are:
 |
Answering various gardening questions received by the Cooperative
Extension Office. If you need gardening advice please call (520)
458-8278 ext 2176 or ask a question on-line. |
|
|
Publish a free monthly publication, High on the Desert Newsletter, which has been on going since December, 1989. |
In the summer of 1996, Cochise County Master Gardeners formed
a non-profit organization to support the educational mission of the Cooperative
Extension. The goal of the Cochise County Master Gardeners Association is
to promote food production, landscaping with native plants, and environmental
stewardship.
The Cochise County Master Gardeners Association sponsors the following events:
|
|
The
Annual High Desert Gardening
& Landscaping Conference. The 22 session
conference features national, state, and local expert speakers. The
conference draws over 200 attendees from all over Arizona as well as California,
|
Additionally, the Cochise County Master Gardeners Association donated Southwest gardening books to the Sierra Vista Public Library and to the six county libraries.
For more on the Master Gardener
Program please contact us at:
Cochise County Office
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
450 S. Haskell, Willcox, Arizona 85643-2790
Tel: (520) 384-3594
Satellite Office
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
Cochise County Master Gardeners
1140 N. Colombo, Sierra Vista, Arizona 85635-2390
Tel: (520) 458-8278 ext 2176