FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 4, 2008

Applications for 2nd Jr. Master Gardener program available
Grow Team for kids application deadline is March 12

FREEHOLD – Children between the ages of 9 and 11 are invited to take part in the second year of Monmouth County’s Grow Team Program, join in a season of gardening in a special children’s garden and become certified Junior Master Gardeners. The deadline for application to the 2008 program is March 12, 2008.

Those interested in the program should contact the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service at 4000 Kozloski Rd. in Freehold Township by calling (732) 431-7260.  There is a $40 fee to cover material and program costs.

Children will be involved in a unique opportunity to unlock the mysteries of seed germination and plant propagation, to experiment with soil composition and to harvest and protect seeds. 

All classroom and hands-on sessions will be held on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Monmouth County Agriculture Building at 4000 Kozloski Road in Freehold.  The eight sessions will be held April 12, April 26, May 3, May 10, May 17, May 31, June 7 and June 14.

Graduates of the program will be encouraged to return to the garden weekly to maintain it and to  harvest produce for their families or for donation to the local food banks. 

“The Grow Team offers children an exciting way to see how special fresh fruits and vegetables can be,” Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry said. “Children who sign up for the program will cover topics such as plant biology, soil science and disease and pest control in a fun and exciting way.”

The children will work with certified Master Gardeners who are experts in all things related to home gardening in Monmouth County.

The Grow Team program is a part of the county’s Master Gardener program. Similar programs are conducted throughout the United States and Canada. 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 also includes Brookdale Community College and the Monmouth County Park System.

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