Make Your Log Hours Count!
Here are some ways to make sure your valuable volunteer hours get recorded correctly:
The new logging system is called the Maryland Master Gardener Tracking System found at
www.agnr.umd.edu/MG
All volunteer hours should be recorded on the Tracking System. Please make entries in 15
minute segments of time (.25 hours, .50 hours, .75 hours). Log hours include planning meetings
and events, committee and administrative work, and time spent preparing for activities. Log
hours may include travel time for volunteer activities and MG Monthly meetings. Note:
Continuing Education does not allow use of travel time.
The Tracking System database is designed for entry of single dates of your volunteer work, so
please record your hours by single days rather than a block of time. For example, if you
volunteered on Mondays and Wednesdays in June for 1 hour each, indicate which individual
dates and how much time each date, rather than saying you did 8 hours for June.
If your hours for a particular day include activities under more than one activity code, choose
the code that represents the most time spent that day.
Log hours must be for activities approved by the MG Board and the coordinator.
Tracking System Due Dates: first request November 1st; second and last date- January 31st.
After the January deadline hours may be viewed but no changes are accepted.
For those without computers you may submit your hours:
1. Mail : University of MD Extension, Harford County Office, PO Box 663 Forest Hill MD 21050
Locate forms at: extension.umd.edu/harford-county/home-gardening/mg-administration-information
2. Email: Joyce jbrowni3@umd.edu or Grace dgracew@comcast.net
Codes used for our Harford County Events:
#1 IPM- HCMG's are not involved in any regular IPM projects
#2 Plant Clinics- all clinics; including Farmer’s Markets- Bel Air; Havre de Grace; and prep work
#3 Soils/Composting- Any compost classes, articles or presentation preparations
#4 Environmental Horticulture: Horticulture education classes like the Garden Series at Bel Air
Library; Harford Glen youth classes; STEM; All youth camps, youth workshops, 4-H camps, 4-H
Horticulture Team activities. The #4 code is a general gardening code used for presentations and
all their prep work involved prior to the class or activity.
#5 Bay-Wise BW Certifications, making displays, administrative tasks pertaining to BW
January 2015
#6 Backyard and Community Food Production: all Grow It Eat It hours logged here; Eden Mill Veg
Garden; sometimes Harford Glen; St Johns GE program and any food related displays or teaching
prep. This applies to projects on growing food at home or in the community.
#7 Community Greening (Beautification) special landscaping projects; Rockfield Manor or HCEO
Dahlia Garden; all Scholarship activities ; any landscaping projects to beautify a community.
If your activity includes both #6 and #7, pick the one that represents the most time.
#8 Therapeutic Horticulture: Brightview Assisted Living; work with special need populations
#9 Demonstration and Historic Gardens: Liriodendron Larry Franz Garden and Eden Mill Butterfly
garden
#10 Special Events: HC County Farm Fair; Arbor Day; Earth Day events and all preparation for
these events; Includes events like state or county fairs, festivals, etc. If you are helping to set up, tear
down, or talking with the public at the MG information booth, you would code that time as #10.
If you are making a presentation at a special event, code that time to the topic of the presentation.
For example, a presentation at the fair about how to make compost would be coded as #3
Soils/Composting. If you are judging fruit/vegetables at a special event, it should be coded as #6,
as the competition can encourage more people to try home food growing.
#11 Internal Administration: MG Meetings (but you may separate out thirty minutes for #13
Education if you need them); Harford County Office Admin help;
Newsletter articles are best placed under the code best reflecting the topic. For example an article
on daffodils would be #7 Community Greening. Preparations done for upcoming classes should not
go here but under the code best reflecting the topic. #4 is sufficient always for classes and their
prep.
#12 Subjects not covered -There is no reason to use #12
#13 Continuing Education: One example would be the educational presentation at Master Gardener
meetings. This would be .50 or .75 hour of continuing education. Drive time does not get included in
education. Another example, Master Gardener Training Day, counts as a maximum of 5.5 hours
including the keynote address.
#14 Phone Banks –Harford County does not use this code.
#15 Speakers–Harford County does not use this code.
Please note - any time spent doing research to prepare for a presentation should be coded with
the same code as the presentation. This self-study does not count as continuing education.
Note: Travel time may be added to log volunteer hours but not for code #13 Education.
The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation,
physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation,
and gender identity or expression.
January 2015