Sherry Brent spoke to the Great Bend Garden Club on Nov. 19 to explain K-State’s Master Gardener program. That program was begun in the 1970s to improve gardening practices nationwide.
There were 600 initial inquiries about becoming Master Gardeners; all 600 people were interviewed and 300 were accepted to begin the program. It has grown every year since. Master Gardeners receive 40 hours of training in plant science and home horticulture by the K-State Research and Extension Service and then volunteer in their local communities to extend home gardening skills and horticultural information.
Brent’s interest this year is the work that is being done all over the country to help save Monarch Butterflies. People everywhere are being encouraged to grow milkweeds because the butterflies use the milkweed plant to lay their eggs and the monarch caterpillars feeds on the plants and leaves. Anyone wanting to help with this program is urged to read information from monarchwatch.org.

The business meeting was conducted by Nancy Swafford, president, who was also the hostess. The next meeting will be on Dec. 17 at the Barton County Extension Office at 10 a.m. Anyone is welcome to attend. For more information call 792-3297.