This document describes a "Home Gardening School" program offered in 2010 and 2011 by an Ohio State University Extension educator. The program was intended to provide training to home gardeners, master gardener volunteers, and garden center employees on growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs. It covered topics like container gardening, growing tomatoes, peppers, berries, and using microgreens. The program was well-attended, drawing 74 people over the two years. Evaluations found the topics very helpful and estimated the knowledge gained was worth an average of $869 per person. Attendees provided positive feedback about the speakers, location, and lunch. The program generated $700 in cost recovery and could serve as a model for other county

1. HOME GARDENING SCHOOL - A LOCAL FOODS PROGRAM FOR THE
"HEART OF OHIO" EXTENSION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AREA
Gao, G.Y
Associate Professor and Small Fruit Extension Specialist, OSU South Centers, 1864 Shyville Road, Piketon, OH 45661, and
Formerly Associate Professor and Extension Educator, OSU Extension, Delaware County, 149 N. Sandusky Street, Delaware, OH 43015
Reasons For Offering “Home ABSTRACT
Gardening School”: Home gardening is defined as the production of fruits, vegetables, herbs and other edible plants in a non-commercial
setting. There has been a strong demand for information on growing food crops by home gardeners due to slow economy and
• Home gardeners would like to learn how to grow their fruits concerns for food safety. “Home Gardening School” has been offered in 2010 and 2011 to address this need. The educator
and vegetables in their home gardens; offered this program as a Local Foods Program for the “Heart of Ohio” Extension Education and Research Area (E.E.R.A.).
• Master Gardener volunteers need advanced training in local EERA is a new concept that fosters multi-county collaboration and addresses challenge with reduced field personnel in county
foods; offices. A program flyer was created by the Extension Educator with MS Word and was emailed to home gardeners and
• Garden center employees need comprehensive training in master gardener volunteers. Press releases have been sent to local new papers. The program fee was $25 per person. This
home fruit and vegetable production so that they properly
program drew a combined attendance of 74 in 2010 and 2011. Some of the topics were “Container Gardening, Growing
advise their customers;
• Non-profit groups need help in community gardening;
Tomatoes, Peppers and Green Beans, Growing Herbs, Growing Berries, and Growing and Using Microgreens.” More than
• A good fit for OSU Extension’s “Heart of Ohio” Extension, 94% of have found our program topics helpful. Based on a 2010 survey, the meeting attendees estimated that “their new
Education, and Research Area (EERA); gained knowledge was worth $869 per person.” A similar trend followed in 2011. One attended wrote “priceless!” Another
• Saving money! person wrote “Great program, Great Speakers, Great Location, and Great Lunch!” This program also generated
approximately $700 in cost recovery back to our office and can serve as a good model for other county educator or agents.
Popular Topics:
• All About Tomatoes;
Audiences: • Growing raspberries and
strawberries; Container gardening
Home Gardeners • Gardening in limited spaces;
Master Gardener Volunteers
• Container Gardening;
is very popular!
Garden Center Employees
Employees of non-Profit Groups • Growing Peppers;
• Growing and Using Herbs;
• Microgreens;
• Growing Green Beans.
Evaluations in 2011:
Program Coverage - • All of the attendees found “Growing Tomatoes” helpful;
• More than 95% of the attendees found “Gardening in
“Heart of Ohio” E.E.R.A. Testimonials: Small Spaces” helpful;
• All of the attendees found “Growing and Using Herbs”
useful ;
The guest speakers were wonderful and gave
• Nearly all of the attendees found “Growing and Using
Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, a lot of valuable information!
Microgreens” help;
Great program - great speakers - great
Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, • The attendees estimated that newly gained knowledge
location - great lunch - great day!
was worth $727 per person;
All speakers were very interesting and
Morrow, and Pickaway Counties. knowledgeable. Lots of good sharing. Will
attend future presentations.
These counties are located in Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Mr. Troy Cooper,
Extension Educator with OSU Extension in Knox County for
central Ohio. his help with this program.