By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Jay Harris, K-State Cottonwood Extension District director, recently added new responsibilities to his position after accepting the duties of Horticulture Agent filling the long-time role for the first time in two years.
He said the district board of directors were “pretty excited” to have someone in the position after they were unable to fill the job with an outside hire.
In the new job, Harris will serve the community with their questions on trees, lawns and gardens.
He will also serve as the coordinator for the Extension Master Gardener Program. The program has been serving area residents since 1996.
“Master gardeners do a lot of good things for the public,” Harris said. “These are volunteers that take the time to do some pretty extensive training.”
The next round of training is set to begin in September.
“The biggest thing is being there for people,” Harris said.
Since assuming the position, he said he has been educating residents on their trees in the midst of the ongoing excessive drought.
“We've been in such a drought for a couple of years,” Harris said. “And even though we've been getting rain, our trees are so far behind in the growth they're showing dead spots and some fertility issues.”
The Master Gardener program also maintains demonstration gardens throughout the area.
There are two located at the Ag Experiment Station and one at the Old Fort Hays, he said.
Year-round the program helps residents with questions and provides assistance to all types of horticulture issues with participants required to complete 40 hours of volunteer service the first year and 20 each year after.
“The volunteer service needs to be educational,” Harris said. “It's not truly labor hours going out and working in the gardens. It is actually helping do some of the educational part of extensions’ goal and our mission.”
Two upcoming events will highlight that educational mission.
Today Iris Day will be during Bazaar on the Bricks. They will be providing Iris bulbs for a suggested donation of $1.
On Aug. 23, the Master Gardeners will conduct a garden tour from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Hays Art Council’s Fall Art Walk at the demonstration gardens and at their perennial garden at the district office at 601 Main.
It is a “good way for the public to come out and see what Master Gardeners are doing,” Harris said.
An ice cream truck also will be on site.
Following the events in September, training for the newest Master Gardeners will begin and include people from all walks of life, Harris said.
“They do this extensive training,” he said, in order to help out people with all sorts of questions and assist with projects throughout the community.
To become a Master Gardner, Harris said requirements include a high school diploma a desire to “get their hands dirty” and “a love of gardening.”
For more information about the Master Gardner program, visit the Cottonwood Extension District's website, cottonwood.k-state.edu.