leadership
2024 Garden Club Board
activities
Dates to Remember
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| October 7 | Hypertufa Mushrooms Arts/Crafts: Kirsten B./Colleen M |
| October 14, 10:00am | Board Meeting: Contact Elaine if you wish to attend. Specific suggestions are welcome. |
| October 17 | Pioneer District of the Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs fall meeting and luncheon. |
| October 21, 9:30am | Club Meeting Speaker: Katelyn Sharpe is the Garden Manager at Abbey Road farm. |
| October 26 | Field Trip to the Japanese Garden in Portland. Details below. |
| November 4 | Arts/Crafts |
| December 16 | Club Meeting |
| November 18 | Club Meeting |
| Fridays at 8:am | Chamber of Commerce Greeters. Click for their Calendar of upcoming Events |
October Meeting
Katelyn Sharpe is the Garden Manager at Abbey Road farm. Her talk will be “Planting for Purpose”. She will discuss how to incorporate bee friendly gardening practices and how they were able to get certified. She will also discuss the Master Beekeeper Program at OSU.
Presidents Corner
Elaine Pollak
McMinnville Garden Club PresidentDid you know that our Garden has 24 committees? We went over them in the September meeting. It was very illuminating to learn all that we do. However, it took well over an hour to read the descriptions and have some committees give brief statements.
We have been having an issue with time management. For years our business meeting was 45 minutes, followed by a 15 minute break and then the speaker at 11 AM. We really struggled last year to follow those guidelines. The business meeting would run on longer and the speaker would have to wait. That is not fair to the people who took time out of their day to come share with us. Then I tried cutting the meetings off so the speaker could begin on time. No break and members did not get all the information from the committees.
Our Club does lot of things. It is great that each committee is passionate about what they do and want to share. And as a club, we need to hear that information.
This is what we are going to try this year. We will have a 55-minute business meeting. We will have a ten-minute break while the speaker sets up. We need some time for sign ups and/or to make payments. The speaker will begin at 11:05 and speak for 40 minutes instead of 45. Then there will be time for questions and the raffle.
I know I sometimes ramble and I will really try not to. Last year several times committees asked to speak for 15 minutes. There is not enough time!! Please, please, please be concise.
We have an excellent website now and the newsletters are posted there. Since not everyone can attend every meeting, this is another avenue to share your information. Thank you.
I must also mention that to do all that we do, we need money. We had a very successful Tour and Faire but most of the money we made is already allocated.
We need the Tour and Faire to continue all of our projects. We need Tour Chair(s). Please seriously consider working with a friend or two to lead the 2025 Tour. We have gardens and most of the Tour committees are filled. We just somebody or more to coordinate and oversee.
And speaking of money. Our wonderful treasurer, Charlene, will reach her term limit at the end of this year. It would be easier if her successor began working with her now. Please consider becoming our new treasurer.
I have met so many wonderful, hardworking people through Garden Club. I am looking forward to another successful year.
happy happy
Birthdays!
congratulations!
October members celebrating this month are:: Evelyn, Sheryl, Sandy P, Sally, Jakie, Jessica, Sheila
Good Eats!
Keeps in refrigerator up to 10 days or freezes well. I usually double or triple the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1.2 pounds rough chop tomatoes
- 2 inch fresh ginger chopped
- 4 T oil 1 t black mustard seed
- 2 T tamarind paste ¼ t salt
- ½ t turmeric 1 t chili powder
- 5 chopped garlic cloves
- 2 oz jaggery chopped ( you can use Cone shaped Mexican sugar )
Instructions:
Heat 2 T oil in pan on medium high heat and cook tomatoes until soft. Add turmeric and tamarind, cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook 5 minutes. Use emersion blender to puree. In small fry pan, heat 2 T oil and add mustard seeds. Fry until they pop. Add seeds to tomato mixture along with salt, chili powder, and brown sugar. Cook another 5 minutes. Let the chutney cool down to room temperature. Amazing taste and texture! Our favorite chutney. Good with fresh naan or over rice.
Note: tamarind paste and jaggery can be found at *H-Mart or order online. Can use hard cone shaped Mexican brown sugar found near the Mexican spices.
*Editor’s note: Re H-Mart: No, that’s not a typo; just in case, like me, you didn’t know . . . Betty informs us, “H-Mart is on 99 in Tualatin, it’s an Asian market.”
District Meeting and Luncheon
The Pioneer District of the Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs will have their fall meeting and luncheon on October 17. The Pioneer District is made up of the 11 Garden Clubs in Columbia, Washington and Yamhill counties. The Scappoose and St. Helen’s clubs are hosting.
- The meeting will be at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Scappoose. 9-10 is social time with pastries, fruit and coffee.
- 10-11 is the business meeting. At 11 speakers will talk about fireproofing one’s residence. At noon is the luncheon and at 12:45 the business meeting resumes if necessary
- This is an excellent opportunity to meet people from other clubs and hear what they are doing in their communities.
We will meet at 7: 30 at Baker Creek Community Church to car pool - The cost is $25. Please get your payment into treasurer Charlene by October 7th.
Newsletter News
As of the October newsletter, Christine Pitts is our editor.
Please send your articles to her from her profile page HERE by the 25th of each month.
Directory Update
Attention all members! Please send any name or contact information updates to Betty Ballentine
Also send me a jpeg photo if you wish.
Please check with our Treasurer Charlene Drake to be sure that your 2024-2025 membership dues have been paid! You have until September 30th to pay dues or risk deletion from the directory.
Books will be made available at our November meeting; one per member. An excel spreadsheet will also be available for you to download and print at home by request.
Conservation and Sustainability Committee
At our September club meeting, we were pleased that so many members had questions, indicating your significant interest in recycling. As promised, here is the most current local recycling information.
Recycling Guide
- Straws, bread clips, plastic eating utensils and screw-on caps can now be recycled at Recology. These items do not go in your street recycle bin but must be taken to Recology at 2200 NE Orchard Ave. Place each of these clean items in a separate bag. If you are unable to recycle these yourself, bring separated items to Garden Club meetings and a committee member will recycle for you.
- All brown prescription bottles go together, regardless of the number on the bottle and are recycled at the Zero Waste Recycling Event. Prescription bottles that are not brown are recycled according to the number on the bottom.
- All plastic containers smaller than 3″ with a top smaller than the base can be recycled at the Zero Waste Recycling Events. Please sort according to the number on the bottom. All containers larger than 3″ with a top smaller than the base should be placed in your Recology curbside bin.
- #1 plastic containers must be clean, clear and free of any color.
- Please do not bring your Styrofoam to the Garden Club. However, Styrofoam blocks, meat trays, food & beverage containers and non-squishy packing peanuts (bagged separately) are now being collected during Zero Waste Recycling Events. Styrofoam collection will be set up in the Baptist parking lot across from the church and will operate their own drive-through drop off. The charge is $10 per 45-gallon bag
- All items for recycling MUST be clean. Members are still bringing in items that have not been washed.
- Please check the numbers on all containers. Not all fast-food beverage containers have the same numbers.
- There must be a recycling symbol on the container, or it is not recyclable. There was an entire large garbage bag brought to the meeting with plastics with no symbols. This is garbage!
We will continue to keep you informed of any changes to the plastics we are helping Zero Waste McMinnville collect and recycle. In the meantime, THANK YOU for bringing in your plastic recycling – it is good for our community, state and the world.
Arts & Crafts
Hey Creatives, Let’s make Hypertufa Mushrooms!
Hypertufa is a mix of porous rock, moss, and bonded together with cement to make faux- stone pottery and Old-World Garden decor.
- When: Monday, October 7
- Time: 10:00 AM
- Cost: $10
Find out more here: Arts and Crafts | Hypertufa Mushrooms
Future Arts and Crafts dates- Mark your calendars Nov 4, Dec 9, Feb 3, Mar 3, Apr 7
Horticulture: Are You Lavender-adventurous?
While interviewing club member/master gardener & lavender cultivator, Starr Thompson, I was delighted to discover there is still time to plant hardy lavenders
Serenity Garden Update
Hopefully by the time you read this our gazebo will be completely finished and we will be planning the installation of our 2 benches under it.
We have a final cleanup and planting date set for Saturday, November 2 starting onsite at 9:30 am. Please join us! Bring your gloves, buckets, shovels, and energy. There are some minor Fall cleaning tasks and a few shrubs and one tree to relocate as we prepare the garden for winter. Betty and John will be bringing us one more load of soil to complete our mounds. Yay!
Upcoming Field Trips
Field trip to Japanese Garden in Portland. Saturday October 26th.
- Meet at Baker Creek Community Church, West end parking lot, Baker Creek Road and Elm Street. 9:30 am.
- We will car pool to Millikan Way Tri Met station and take the Max to Washington Park. Then by bus to the Japanese Garden.
- Lunch to be determined.
- Will have a sign-up sheet at our October meeting.
Past Field Trips
Gaiety Hollow Field Trip in Salem: September 21.
Swan Island Dahlias Field trip: September 25.
Arts & Crafts
Hey Creatives! We are excited to announce this year’s series of garden-inspired crafting classes.
Workshops include glass mosaics, wet felted fiber, ceramics, wreath-making, to name a few. Held on the 1st Monday of the month at 10:00 AM, the sessions usually last 2 hours. Class fees range from $5-$12 to cover materials. To learn more, attend our monthly meetings where you’ll get to see the art samples firsthand and be able to sign up. You can also check our monthly newsletter and/or website for upcoming classes.
And now…
Let’s make Hypertufa Mushrooms!
Hypertufa is a mix of porous rock, moss, and bonded together with cement to make faux-stone pottery and Old-World garden decor.
When: Monday, October 7
Time: 10:00 AM
Where: Kirsten Browne’s house. Contact Kirsten for directions.
Cost: $10
*Required: A small bucket or medium-sized mixing bowl, 3 plastic bags, wear comfy clothes
* Optional- bring a mug or cup (iced tea provided) a treat to share, non-porous gloves (black Latex gloves provided).
Other stuff: This is an outside craft, rain cancels, wear comfy clothes, registration/sign-ups close 48 hours before class.
Finally, we understand last-minute issues can come up, please contact one of us by phone or text ASAP. This will help us if there’s a waitlist and/or we can better gauge supplies needed. Thank you and Happy Crafting!
Future Arts and Crafts dates- Mark your calendars Nov 4, Dec 9, Feb 3, Mar 3, Apr 7
Resources
- National Garden Club
- Pacific Region National Garden Club
- Pioneer District Website
- Oregon State Garden Club
- Yamhill County Master Gardeners
- McMinnville Community Garden
- Serenity Garden
- Cascade Nursery Trail
- November CalendarOSU Extension
- Al’s Garden Center – Garden Gab
- Dennis 7 Dees – Hydrangeas
- Better Homes & Gardens – Fall Vegetable Gardening
Quotable
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
