Master Gardener Association of Spartanburg
Volunteer Programs:
description, sponsors and contact information

Volunteer Program Sponsor e-mail Address
Farmers Market Jerry Hightower, Jr. aahightower@msn.com
The Hub City Farmers Market Is a community-based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides a venue for local growers to increase the demand and availability of healthy foods grown in the area.

The Spartanburg Master Gardeners assist the effort by manning a table for Q & A on gardening. Through the Extension Service the volunteers can provide handouts and written material, answer questions, and provide information for obtaining soil samples.

This is a great opportunity for MG students to acquire "hours" for their Master Gardener certification since an MG veterans also works at the table to assist in helping the students.

The table is manned on alternate Saturday mornings from 8:00 AM to noon. The remaining Saturdays that have been scheduled is Oct. 3.
Visit the Hub City Farmers Market home page


Plant A Row (PAR) Harold Page brp1170@charter.net
Launched in 1995, The Plant A Row project is a public service program of the Garden Writers Association and the GWA Foundation. The project was launched in 1995 with the mission of encouraging produce gardens that donate their surplus to local food banks, soup kitchens and service organizations.

The Master Gardeners PAR garden is located in Cowpens. This volunteer opportunity provides gardeners with hands on experience in every phase of vegetable gardening. Tasks include preparation of the garden, planitng, maintenance and harvest activities.

Crops include most of the traditional vegatable crops produeced in this area. In the spring, the garden is worked on Saturday mornings. Through the summer early evening sessions are scheduled to avoid the daytime heat.

click here to visit the PAR web page and see the activities for the season.

Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve Garden Office: 574-7724.  

Mission Statement: The mission of Hatcher Garden & Woodland Preserve is to be a place for the public to come for inspiration, enjoyment and education through the study of nature.

Master Gardeners who provide volunteer hours for support of the Garden will work side by side with horticulturist Jeff Hall. Learn by doing and ask all the questions you want! Areas of focus include:

  • propagation
  • greenhouse and nursery production
  • plant health care and general gardening skills


In addition to working in the Garden, you can volunteer to be a tour guide. There are training sessions for new and returning Docents (tour guides). Sign up for Docent Training and share Hatcher Garden with our guests.

Lots of hands and lots of volunteer hours are needed for special events like Plant Sales (spring and fall), Earth Day and Twilight in the Garden.

Be a Librarian The Hatcher Garden Library is now open and we need your help. Work with other volunteers maintaining this lending library and help spread gardening knowledge throughout the community. Attend a scheduled Garden Volunteer Day and be a Horticulture Helper.
Every Monday- Friday from 9am to noon and on the first Saturday of every month. Contact us about any of these opportunities. Call the Garden Office at 574-7724.
Visit the Hatcher Garden web page: click here

Kudzu Coalition NewtHardie@aol.com
(864) 582-0990
click Kudzu Coalition web site
The Kudzu Coalition is a nationally recognized, unique, grass roots, group of volunteers -- mostly Master Gardeners -- who focus on removing kudzu from sites recommended to us. We have:
  1. Proven -- at over 77 sites around the county -- that kudzu can be controlled without using herbicides,
  2. Developed methods for controlling kudzu which do not use chemical applications,
  3. Involved over 140 other groups -- schools, garden clubs, etc. -- in this initiative,
  4. Gotten hundreds of students outdoors doing good things each year,
  5. Saved hundreds and hundreds of trees from kudzu death,
  6. Beautified the community and improved the environment,
  7. Educated many gardeners at Kudzu Kollege in how to control kudzu. CLICK HERE
  8. Had fun doing it -- always!

There is no other organization like ours anywhere in the world. If you can pick up trash or weed a garden, you can do this.
For upcoming volunteeer opportunities, visit the Kudzu Coalition Calendar of Events
CLICK HERE

Clemson Extension Office 864-494-8484
Master Gardeners volunteers are now providing support for in the Clemson Extension Office. by answering call-in and walk-in horticulture questions.

This support is one of the most valuable services you can provide to Extension, but more importantly to the citizens of our community. The knowledge you possess is backed by additional resources in the Office.

The Master Gardener office at Clemson Cooperative Extension is being staffed by two Master Gardeners every Monday and Friday (except holidays) from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Responsibilities for volunteers include:
  • Answer call-in questions on horticultural topics
  • Email or mail out Extension brochures and other literature upon request
  • Consult with Extension Agent on difficult questions before giving a reply
  • Use Extension literature and handbooks as information source
  • Help walk-in clientele who have horticultural questions
  • Keep Extension Agent and secretary informed of current problems and requests
A Volunteer schedule has been set up with the names and contact information for all those MGs who have already volunteered to assist in the Extension office. If you have not already volunteered, call or e-mail the office coordinator, or visit the Master Gardener office at Clemson Extension and sign up on the schedule that is posted there.

Volunteer projects have been the mainstay of Master Gardeners since 1972.