ASTORIA – The 2003 Master Gardener Class is currently being planned. Classes will be held at Clatsop Community College (CCC) in Astoria. The class will be held in Patriot Hall 333. More information will be available in the CCC winter catalog or by calling the extension office. The class will begin on Jan. 8 and ends March 10. The classes will be on Wednesday afternoons from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and two Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The classes will be geared towards students of all ages with an interest in gardening, who want to increase their own knowledge, while serving the program through community service. The class will consist of 42 total hours, and will be taught by veteran master gardeners, extension agents, and experienced gardeners. The cost of the class will only be $50, which pays for the text and copy costs, but each student will be required to give 42 hours of community service within eight months of the last class date. The $50 should be paid in full to the extension office when the application is submitted. Deadline for registration will be Friday, Dec. 20.

Classes will teach you how to identify insects, plant diseases, techniques to research gardening questions, and more. Through your class work and 42 hours of community service, you will become a well-rounded gardener, who is able to tackle even the toughest gardening problems. If you have an interest in gardening, and would like to join the Class of 2003, contact the Clatsop County extension office at 2001 Marine Drive, Room 210, which is inside the Seafood Research and Education Center in Astoria. You can also call the office at (503) 325-8573. Please do not register through the college, but rather through the Extension office.