Master Gardeners tout benefits of local program

GONZALES — David Dement, President of the Gonzales Master Gardeners, gave a presentation to county commissioners on Monday thanking them for their support of the program, including first through fourth graders at Gonzales ISD learning how to grow their own vegetables.

Ag Extension Agent Dwight Sexton introduced the presentation by saying that in 2014, Master Gardeners gave more than 2,600 volunteer hours to continue the development of their program. Dement then took the floor, thanking commissioners for helping the project come to fruition.

“Your financial support of Master Gardeners through Dwight’s office and some of the things in the community deserve thanks, and we want you to know what your money is doing,” Dement said.

Dement explained how commissioners help was instrumental in providing landscaping for Norma’s House, as well as the design work for the garden at Gonzales Memorial Hospital.

“We did the irrigation and plants out there,” Dement said. “We’ve planted at the city cemetery. Then there’s the Fair Street building, a building you all support. With your help and the school’s help we were able to go out and get $70,000 in grant money to fix it up — a two-room school building that was going to be torn down. It is now used for Master Gardeners, 4H and elections.”

Dement added that the building is handy for master gardening classes, and even includes a full-sized commercial kitchen.

“Even for the babysitting classes, now they don’t have to hold them in the probation building anymore,” he said.

Dement told commissioners what Master Gardeners were most proud of in their program was the aspect of education.

“There are not many counties in the state that can say every first-grader can plant, harvest and eat in a garden with Master Gardeners,” he said. “Every first-grader in GISD can say that. Second graders have [a class] in the Fair Street building where they come in and learn all the parts of the plants. Those kids are here, and we want them to be members of our community and [become] working, helpful citizens.

Dement gave commissioners a token of the Master Gardeners’ appreciation in the form of a baby walnut tree each, which was a nod to a walnut tree project spearheaded by GISD third-graders.