Master Gardeners, can you claim time?
Question:I am a (fairly) new MG and am working on my time requirements, can I claim the time I spend answering questions here? How do you figure your time?
Answers:
Great answer by RScott - answering almost any citizen's gardening questions (plant clinic querys, those asked while working in a demo garden, or even a question posed by someone while you are out shopping) count towards MG hours here in WA. I see no reason why your time researching and answering questions in this forum wouldn't count also.
The best way to make sure is to contact your area extension agent/program coordinator/time keeper and ask if it counts and what records are necessary.
We track the basic hours: public contacts (citizen questions, plant clinics, etc), support activities (meetings, preparation time, working on the website, etc), and continuing education (must be approved first to make sure it meets university standards). Drive time to and from functions does not count, however. Every organization has its own rules. Surprising how fast it adds up...
Good luck!
I don't see why not. Years before the web, I answered questions in the garden column of a local newspaper that would count toward my volunteer hours. It's been a while and I don't remember how I kept track of hours,but in my case I had proof via the paper. In your case you can show him print outs of these "answers". Where are you from? RScott
When I started the program years ago, they only allowed time for preapproved, programs. Don't know about now, but they disallowed time I spent helping at a nursing home, helping residents in a gardening project.
I got POed and quit. It wasn't pre approved. I still got the program, and am better educated as a gardener.
But if the title means something to you, ask the instructor in advance how to have time approved. and then spend it that way.
When I went through it, very few people had computors in their homes, and they were totally chemical everything, I was an organic gardner, and wanted to at least talk about IPM, That shows you how long ago it was. (early 80s) Now it's all IPM and chemical reduction. And they all use computors.
But be prepared to show them your work if you want credit.
Maybe I just had a tight butt extension agent. I still voluteer for the elderly, title or not. I wanted the knowledge, and to help.
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