The rest stop at the Lamar and Jeff Davis County line on the Longleaf Trace has a new look.

MSU Extension Master Gardener Bonnie Hester individually completed the month and a half volunteer service project which included restoring flower beds, planting butterfly plants and providing signage about Mississippi butterflies for educational purposes.

“I enjoyed working on the trace, meeting the cyclists and the quietness of the scenery during the project,” said Hester.

In the Mississippi Master Gardener’s program, individuals are trained and certified in consumer horticulture and related areas. In exchange for 40 hours of educational training, individuals are required to return 40 hours of volunteer service within one year of their training.

The Master Gardener Volunteer program is a great way to gain horticultural expertise at a low cost, meet other avid gardeners, share gardening experiences, get connected to the community, and belong to a well-respected and educational organization. Volunteers help extend the educational arm of the university to the public by providing horticultural information based on university research and recommendations.

This service help county Extension offices with horticulture projects that benefit their local communities. For example, Master Gardeners Joel Hoxie, Susan Hoxie and Darlene Williams have given countless educational and hands-on hours to 4-H after school gardening club projects, youth field days, and summer camps.

For 2024, the Master Gardener Online Training Course will be from Oct. 1 through Dec. 2.  For more information, contact your county Jefferson Davis County Extension agent at 601-792-5121.