United Way of Utah County
Volunteer
Provo Woman Uses Love Of Gardening To Help The Community
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Active May 2, 2008 to Jun 2, 2008
| In north Provo there is a three acre farm that has a llama, a sheep and 400 chickens. One of the only certified organic farms in the state of Utah, it is also run by the only official organic poultry farmer in the state. Julie Clifford is its owner, and she helps orchestrate the Utah County Master Gardener Program. Clifford is the president of the Utah County Master Gardeners, a group of individuals who are dedicated to learning more about gardening and educating the community about how to become better home gardeners. To become an official master gardener, individuals must take an eight-week course that is held twice a week for two hours. At the culmination of the course, a final test must be passed and 40 hours of service must be rendered. There is also an advanced master gardener certification, a process that takes four years. While the title of master gardener may sound intimidating, Clifford said that the program is designed to help further educate anyone who is interested in learning about gardening. “We just like to garden a lot. It is one of those programs that you can spend as much time or as little time as you want with, it’s up to you,” Clifford said. “The neat thing about it is you don’t have to go into it being smart. We’re all just having fun.” One thing that Clifford likes about being a master gardener is the dual nature of the position. Because she is serving, she gets to help others, but because she is asked difficult questions she is continually learning. “I like the fact that it makes me think,” Clifford said. “It generally takes me outside of my comfort zone. I have to be a detective. When someone comes to me with a leaf and asks me what their problem is, I have to help them solve it. I like that. I like having to push a little bit.” Over her five years as a member of the master gardeners, Clifford has helped the community in various ways. She teaches several classes a year to the community on how to become a home gardener. She spends one-on-one time with people, giving them tips for their gardens. During the Japanese beetle infestation in 2006, she was in the Utah State Extension office, answering questions about the previously unknown pest. Clifford also gives schoolchildren tours of her farm. Clifford’s unique setting is one of the things that interest the children. She lives in a 120-year-old house and has turned the land into an organic farm. Many of the children who come to her farm have never seen farm animals before, so they are thrilled to interact with Clifford’s. One of the things that she is passionate about is organic farming, which she teaches the children about. “Nature does a really good job on her own,” Clifford said. “We try and incorporate the fact that you have to be aware of what you put into the farm because that is what comes back out of it. We’re trying to explain that everything on the farm has a purpose, and we can use it.” As president, Clifford is in charge of helping new members. In addition to the service and the learning aspects of the program, Clifford treasures these interactions. “It has helped me be a little more conscious of new people coming in,” Clifford said. “There are a few people who want to make it a lifestyle. That’s probably one of the neatest things.” The master gardener program has offered Clifford opportunities to grow, serve and learn, which are opportunities that she feels that everyone should be aware of. “I love being involved,” Clifford said. “I believe in the program. It’s a neat opportunity that people ought to take advantage of.” To find out more about the master gardener program, contact Adrian Hinton at the Utah State Extension office at 801-370-8465. |
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