Meet Randy Forst

Hey, guys!

I've just recently been appointed as the new State Consumer Horticulture/Master Gardener Coordinator!  I've been with Extension for approximately 15 years, where I've focused primarily on horticulture.  I LOVE gardening!

The purpose of this blog is to let folks know what's going on across the state with horticulture. Some of my posts will include ideas on what to plant in the garden this month and what's blooming right now.

We also have a lot of wonderful AR Master Gardeners conducting educational horticultural seminars across the state which are open to the public. So, I plan on featuring these upcoming programs as well as posting educational info from past programs you might have missed.

Since Covid happened, we found out that a great number of people who've never garden before in their life are growing their own food, installing a pollinator garden, or incorporating native plants in their gardens. And they need help! Gardening was a way to social distance safely and provide a major stress reliever.  We've found that folks did not stop gardening once the ban was lifted, and consumer gardener numbers continue to rise!  So, to end this post on a positive note, I want to say, “go forth and grow”!  LOL!

If you haven't already, go and follow us on Instagram to stay updated!