Applications are being accepted for Master Gardener training scheduled this fall at the Moore County Center of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service.

Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Sept. 23 and ending Nov. 18.

The 40-hour training program will emphasize sustainable and organic methods of gardening, according to Taylor Williams, an Extension agent specializing in horticulture and field crops.

Those taking the course are expected to donate 20 hours of volunteer service in community gardening programs and an additional 20 hours in other Extension horticulture programs.

Williams said the course is designed for people who enjoy advising others on gardening and landscaping.

"Do you enjoy the camaraderie of others who share your love of gardening?" Williams said. "Do you believe that beautification and community gardening projects are valuable assets to a community? Do you like to explore the mysteries of successful gardening in the light of the sciences of botany, plant pathology, soil chemistry, entomology and horticulture?

"Do you want to learn more about sustainable and organic gardening? Do you have some time available for volunteer work? If so, you should become an Extension Master Gardener."

Across North Carolina, 3,000 Master Gardeners annually provide 200,000 hours of community service and education projects, assisting about 1.5 million client contacts. Their volunteer efforts are equivalent to more than 92 full-time employees.

Williams said that in the past year, Extension Master Garden-ers have contributed 5,000 hours of volunteer service in Moore County. This is equivalent to 2.5 full-time employees enhancing Extension outreach to schools, 4-H clubs, and homeowners seeking lawn, landscape and general gardening information.

The value of their work, in direct dollars contributed and in-kind service, was estimated at $85,000 for the 2007 calendar year, according to Williams.

Extension Master Gardeners, organized in Moore County in 1994, have established youth gardens in Southern Pines, Aberdeen and Taylortown.

This spring and summer, more than 400 children are learning science, nutrition and healthy living through First Garden in Aberdeen and Southern Pines, taught by Master Gardeners.

Master Gardeners donate time to Sandhills Horticultural Gardens and the Weymouth Center, maintain drought tolerant demonstration gardens, make presentations to clubs, teach 4-H classes and serve on civic boards.

Williams said Master Gardeners receive a high level of training in all aspects of horticulture, including soil fertility, woody plants, fruit and vegetable gardening, home landscaping, lawn care, perennial and annual flowers, pruning and related disciplines.

"While those who have completed the program include many holding advanced degrees in horticulture-related fields and/or professional horticulturalists, amateurs and professionals alike all profit greatly from this comprehensive overview of the vast field of horticulture," Williams said. "This is the only program where the full educational and research resources of the land-grant university are made available for training volunteers to better their homes and communities through horticulture."

The training fee for class materials is $65 per student. Space will be limited, and those wishing to enroll in the class should call 947-3188 or visit the Cooperative Extension office at 707 Pinehurst Ave. in Carthage.

Information is also on the Extension Service Web site at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/moore/mcmg.html.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962.