Mozark Assisted Publication: 30 Years of Cultivating Soils, Souls & Minds

30 Years of Cultivating Soils, Souls & Minds, is the result of contributions from many people. The contributors are Master Gardeners of Greene County (MGGC) volunteers, leaders, and individuals who were at one time Master Gardeners or who continue to be a Master Gardener in other locations. Much of the material in this book was documented in the original Chapter newsletters, The Grapevine, and in minutes from Board meetings and general membership meetings as well as numerous personal interviews. The Grapevines were skillfully “untangled” to give readers a true picture of the rich history of this volunteer organization.

Master Gardener programs are offered by the University of Missouri Extension is a partnership between the University of Missouri and the United States Department of Agriculture in cooperation with local governments and local people. The Board of Curators of the University established the Extension Division in 1910. Ever since then, University of Missouri Extension has been helping people make their lives better.

This Anthology includes history dating back to the Civil War time and gives great detail about how the Dial-A-Gardener volunteer service was born and later became the skeleton for developing into a Master Gardener program.

Three University of Missouri Extension specialists have coordinated the Master Gardeners of Greene County Chapter since inception in 1984. Open the pages of this book and read about the development of the Chapter under the capable coordination of John Lower, Gaylord Moore, and current coordinator Patrick Byers. The reach of the programming of these three specialists has been greatly expanded by the service of the Master Gardeners of Greene County.

Read further and learn about this service. Demonstration gardens have provided a “living laboratory” of horticultural expertise shared with the public. Drought tolerant plants, herbs, ornamentals, fruits, vegetables, turf - all are displayed and described. The Hotline, the “go to” source for all things horticultural, annually assists over 1500 gardeners. Volunteer-organized and executed displays, presentations, workshops, tours, and writings reach thousands more of our citizens with science-based, locally relevant information.

The reader will also note significant events and developments in the Chapter history. The Master Gardeners of Greene County have hosted the Missouri Master Gardeners State Conference three times, in 1998, 2006, 2013. And with style – the most recent conference attracted over 400 attendees who went home afterward with a greater appreciation of horticulture, Ozarks-style! The Chapter was a founding partner in support of the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center and enjoys a close relationship with the many gardens and groups associated with the center.

In between the lines of this book are years of dedicated service – intellectual, physical, sometimes sweaty, always with style! This book is dedicated to the many volunteers of the Master Gardeners of Greene County who have served our citizens so well.

If you enjoy gardening, volunteering or history, you will certainly find this book an outstanding read.