FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:September 3, 2008

Bugs, Birds & Beyond
Kids, crafts and composting event set for Sept. 13

FREEHOLD – The Master Gardeners of Monmouth County will hold “Bugs, Birds & Beyond,” a fall garden awareness event for children from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Monmouth County Agriculture Building at 4000 Kozloski Rd.

The event will feature children’s activities that look at bugs and birds along with other garden creatures through a puppet show, make and take crafts, games, story-telling, composting and vermicomposting (with worms).

The event will be held rain or shine. For additional information, please call the Monmouth County office of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service at 732-303-7614.

Master Gardeners are experts in all things related to home gardening in Monmouth County. After completing classroom and hands-on training, Master Gardeners share their knowledge with others by conducting garden lectures, demonstrations, school and community gardening projects, telephone diagnostic service for callers and research.

The Master Gardener program, conducted throughout the United States and Canada is a two-part educational effort in which avid gardeners are provided many hours of intense home horticulture training. In return, they “pay back” local university extension agents through volunteerism. In New Jersey, the program is a cooperative effort of Rutgers University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the county Boards of Chosen Freeholders. Monmouth County’s program involves the county office of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Brookdale Community College and the county Park System.  

The next local Master Gardener class will begin in February 2009, but applications are available now by contacting Monmouth County’s Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service office at 732-431-7260.

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