Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners Support Our Local Food System
The Extension Master Gardeners of Johnson County is a large group of volunteers who are interested in everything horticulture. The mission of this program is to bring university-level education to the local community. One way they bring education to the public is through the demonstration gardens. These gardens showcase various design styles, plant materials, and functionalities that gardens can have. 
In 4 of the EMG demonstration gardens, there are vegetable gardens intended to grow fresh food that can be donated to local pantries. These vegetable gardens show how to grow vegetables through various methods and demonstrate just how many pounds of vegetables can be harvested in a small area. Through careful planning and thoughtful crop rotations, over 150 pounds of produce can be harvested in just two small, raised beds.
The Demonstration Gardens with vegetable gardens are Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead, West Flanders, Shawnee Indian Mission, and The Backyard Garden, which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. With the combined effort of the volunteers at all of these gardens, 7,930 pounds of fruit and vegetable produce were donated to six different local food pantries in the Kansas City Metro area. These fresh food donations not only provide a healthy source of nutrition to families that might be struggling to afford it but also help provide a sense of community to the citizens of Johnson County.
The Master Gardener Volunteers also teach the next generation how to grow their own food. The Johnson County volunteers teach a lesson once a month about a variety of aspects of horticulture as a part of an after-school program called Junior Master Gardeners. Currently, six schools are part of the junior master gardener program: St. Agnes Elementary, Corinth Elementary, Santa Fe Trail Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Elementary, Prairie Elementary, and Mize Elementary. These schools have designated areas where the students can plan a garden, sow seeds, grow vegetables, and observe pollinators in action.
One of the missions of the Extension Master Gardener program is to help foster further education. One way they contribute to this is by offering college scholarships. Students from Johnson County pursuing their bachelor's in the horticulture field at K-State are eligible to apply. There are also scholarship opportunities through Johnson County Community College for horticulture and sustainable agriculture studies. Scholarships like these help our local population gain the knowledge necessary for continuing support of our local horticulture industry, such as local vegetable and fruit producers, plant retailers, and educators.
All of these activities and programs are how the Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners are helping sustain local food systems here in Johnson County.
by Markis HIll, Horticulture Ornamentals and Turf Agent, 2025