After completing initial training, members perform 40 hours of volunteer service.  Five members completed their 40 hours and earned their permanent name badge in 2024.  They are Maree Johnson, Mike Maxwell, Joyce Moses, Troy Sheely, and Mike Striegel.  Eight individuals completed 40 hours of Master Gardener training in many horticulture areas in 2024 and are currently completing their 40 hours of volunteer service.

To remain an active member, they perform 20 hours of volunteer service and attend 10 hours of continuing education annually.  Ten members performed more than 25 hours of volunteer service in 2024, and seven performed more than 40 hours of volunteer service.  The top four Master Gardeners in Mahaska County for volunteer hours in 2024 were Eileen Blom, Ann Evans, Lois Harris, and John Langstraat.   Six members completed more than 20 hours of continuing education in 2024.  The top four Master Gardeners completing continuing education hours in 2024 were Eileen Blom, Lois Harris, Marlene Maxwell, and Aideen Vega-Van Auken.

Two members reached the 15-year mark.  They were Lois Harris and Marlene Maxwell.

In 2024, as a group, they performed and recorded over 907 hours of volunteer service and attended 345 hours of continuing education.  As part of their volunteer service, the Mahaska County Master Gardeners offered 13 hours of horticulture education to Mahaska County.  This is in addition to the 10 hours of hosted webinars from Iowa Master Gardeners and other non-biased research-based sources.

Mahaska County Master Gardeners are celebrating their twenty-second year.  The local program was organized after the county held their first training in 2003.  The educational volunteer program, sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, provides current, research-based, home horticulture information and education to the citizens of Iowa through programs and projects. Master Gardeners receive horticulture training, and volunteer to promote a mission of education and service. The program is open to anyone 18 or older with an interest in gardening and a willingness to use their knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm to make a positive impact on their local community. They celebrated an open house January 9 at the Mahaska County Extension office highlighting Master Gardener training.