OSET April 2010 Newsletter

2010 April Meeting Date is the 2nd Sunday April 11 at 2 pm
-from Ann Groce, President:

This month the club owes thanks to Linda Lee and Madeline for setting up our Asheville exhibit, and to John and Julie Hyatt for bringing it all home again. Those of us who got to the WNCOS show at the NC Arboretum had reason to be proud of the well-thought-out exhibit. Our next community-outreach event is the Jonesborough Garden Gala on the last Saturday in May. Events like these (and your participation in them) are important for building membership. All organizations lose members for any number of reasons, but clubs like ours gain members for only one reason: somehow or another, people learn that they are there and have something to offer. Please consider participating in some of these events and even to seek out opportunities for the club to make itself known. An encyclopedic knowledge of orchids is not necessary.....enthusiasm and a smile will make you a successful ambassador for the group.

This meeting you will also have the opportunity to offer suggestions for club programs.



For the April meeting, please make an effort to bring a Show and Tell plant. Also in April we will door prizes but also a silent auction for blooming paph’s. Some of the plants purchased for the Jonesborough Garden Gala are in bloom so we will auction them off so that members can enjoy them while they are in bloom. Last month’s raffle only netted $15.00. The paphs cost the club $11.75 each and that will be the opening bid for the plants. Bring your mad money!

If you did not get the opportunity last month to have the TDS meter test your please bring it to this month’s meeting (about a pint in a opaque container) and we will check it for you.

Meeting Notes: March 2010

The meeting was called to order by President Ann Groce at 2:06 PM.

The door prize was won by Julie Hyatt.

Old Business:
Call Tammy Fletcher if you have not received the newsletter.

New Business:
The Asheville show is to be set up on Thursday 3/35 by Linda Lee and the take down will be late Sunday 3/28 by John and Julie Hyatt. (We attended the Asheville show and our club display was very nice with some great looking plants in bloom)
It was requested that if you attend the show let the vendors know that you are member of OSET.

Jonesborough Garden Faire. We need volunteers for the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. This is an opportunity to display plants, sell plants and gain new members. We had no volunteers.

Program:

John Hyatt passed out instructions from California Growers on lighting requirements. He demonstrated the use of a light meter. The meter belongs to OSET and can be borrowed by members.
Ann Groce then discussed water quality as it relates to orchid culture. The #1 issue for orchids is PH. Most orchids like a little acid a level maximum of 7 and blooms best a 6.2. If you have a Reverse Osmosis filtration system you need to use a fertilizer with Magnesium. Also beware of salt build up as plants do not like it. We had some member's water samples tested.

The raffle was held and plants found new homes.

Show & Tell John and Bob Kurtz had some nice plants to share.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:25 PM

Respectfully Submitted by Dee Wildenstein

Treasurer’s Report

Trish reported in March that she had paid 6 months’ rent for use of the Gray Community Center room. The club’s balance prior to paying for the rent was $4,458.67.


Hosting Arrangements for the 2010 OSET Meetings
From Julie Hyatt, Hospitality Chairman


Many thanks to Margaret Large and Harold Meade for the March refreshments
Julie Hyatt will call the people who volunteered for the April refreshments.


Visit the OSET BLOGSPOT http://oset2010.blogspot.com/ my goals for the site are to post pictures of our meetings and post the newsletter with the intent of drawing new members.

Notes from the Board

The board was polled about whether the club should purchase the TDS meter and the light meter. All were in agreement, so the club will make this purchase. The TDS meter can be used at the meetings. The light meter can be ‘checked out’ for a month with a deposit. It must be returned to the club the following month or the borrower will have to purchase it.

Other News

April 10th, consider attending Andre Michaux Day at Tipton Haynes Historic Site on S. Roan in Johnson City. Andre Michaux was a French botanist who travelled extensively through North America in 1785 and into the 1790’s. He named many of our native plants and introduced a few of our favorite cultivated plants. He travelled through our area several times, vesting the Carter family in Elizabethton and the Tiptons. Thomas Jefferson wanted him to do the westward exploration that ultimately went to Lewis and Clark.
Events include
"Breakfast with the Birds" will be at 8:00 a.m. and will be followed by a bird walk led by Bryon Stevens and members of the Herndon Chapter of the TN Ornithological Society to identify the variety of birds on the site.
Charlie Williams will appear at 10:00 a.m. as Andre Michaux to tell of his travels and what plants he has found in Northeast TN.
Then at 11:00 a.m. Michaux will visit with Col. & Mrs. Tipton in the cabin for a light lunch. Visitors are invited to taste a typical lunch of the 1700s and listen to their conversation. Art Lang & Cathy Ciolac will be their special country music on the front porch of the cabin
. At 12:30 p.m. follow in the steps of Michaux and take a walk along the trail to discover the many native plants. Ongoing activities include a plant sale/swap and exploration in the site's gardens.
Your $2.00 donation will support the historic gardens and Andre Michaux Trail. Come and enjoy the spring!
For information about Tipton Haynes go to http://www.tiptonhaynes.org and for information on Andre Michaux try http://www.michaux.org.

Knoxville is considering doing a Mid-America show in a few years. They cannot do it alone and will need volunteers to help clerk etc, including a OSET volunteer to go to the Knoxville meeting (last Thursday night in May) when the show will be discussed with Chattanooga Orchid Club members.

April 16th The Abingdon Garden Faire. Visit the website for information on demos and speakers, etc. http://www.gardenfaire.net/

July 31 st Linda Lee Earle and Tammy Fletcher will set up a table at the Bristol Farmers Market to discuss orchids, advertise the club and the club’s auction.

And Chattanooga is planning a fall show and would like OSET to put in an exhibit. If you cannot help the club at one of these outreach opportunities, please allow your orchids to stand in for you. OSET will always be in need of plants for show and demonstration.
WNCOS 2010 Show

The 2010 show at the arboretum was a great success and our table looked great! Thank you Linda Lee and Madeline!

The theme for the show was Swamped with Orchids and these wonderful birds were everywhere! They were made by WNCOS member Clarke Merrill.










Visit the WNCOS website www.wncos.org for more great pictures of the show.


Comments and suggestions can be directed to tpfletcher@charter.net, please put OSET in the subject line.
Submissions for the newsletter will be welcomed! Please email your news, reports or articles by the 26th of the month to ensure they are included in the new edition. Mail to tpfletcher@charter.net
Directions to the Gray Community Center
Directions from I 26(I-181) - Take the Gray exit #13 and turn Right. Turn Left onto Old Gray Station Road from the traffic light in front of Dairy Queen. Take the 1st Left onto Gray Station Road. Take the 2nd Right onto Gray Ruritan Drive. The 2nd building on your Left is the Gray Community Center. This building is located next to the Gray Volunteer Fire Department.