Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), along with the Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners Association, is taking applications for the 2017 VCE Master Gardener Volunteer Training Class through Nov. 4.

The class will take place most Fridays, 9 a.m.-noon from Jan. 6 –— May 5 with orientation on Dec. 2. Prior to the class, there will be a phone interview process for all applicants. The classes and orientations will take place at the Prince Edward Extension Office Conference Room, 100 Dominion Drive, Farmville.

This training is an opportunity to become an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer who works within the community to encourage and promote research-based, environmentally sound horticulture practices through sustainable landscape management education and training. As an educational outreach component of Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Master Gardener program brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities — Virginia Tech and Virginia State University — to the people of the commonwealth.

All volunteers are trained with at least 50 hours of horticultural classes and return at least 50 hours of volunteer community service through their local extension office. For more information and to apply by Nov. 4, contact Katy Overby (434) 392-4246 orhawthoks@vt.edu.