Good luck, g'nut. The MG program is wonderful and I know you will enjoy it.

Sandy

There is a conflict of visions that should be accommodated by master gardeners. The reason the university sponsors the program is to help educate the gardening public. The reason many want to take the course is to help THEMSELVES become better gardeners. To fulfill the universities vision, minimum standards of participation are established. This is understandable but often becomes unwieldy as new MGs become too involved with how to fulfill the required hours and lose track of the goal "to educate the gardening public". This for me is the first year after 15 years as a master gardener to not think about hours spent. I am still spending many hours volunteering for gardening groups, which I enjoy, and these groups are happy to have my help, with neither of us keeping track, of HOURS SPENT. Al

Good. your excited, keep that thought! You can't and won't know it all, but the best answer is "I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you", and do! We, as Master Gardener's can't possibly know about everything so don't try. Find an area in which you are interested and go with that. It may change over the years but that's fine.
I've been a MG for about 12 yrs now and my thing is house plants, and Pear Trellis Rust, but I still have a lot to learn and will keep learning, as we all do. Welcome to the program and just do what you can - that will be enough. barb