Author: webmaster

In my area of the country, the days are short and the nights are much too long. Snow covers the ground, everything seems to hibernate. Temperatures are low, winds are gusty and my ambition seems to follow suit. A steaming cup of tea near the fireplace with a good book looks very inviting to me. In a few weeks, the days will begin to lengthen, the sun will shine brighter and our spirits will lift with the arrival of new seed catalogues.

Some of our members are ready to plant their winter annuals, others are hoping houseplants can hang on for a few more months inside dry, low light rooms. Those in the warm climates continue to garden, while snow-bound northern residents wish for sunny days and higher temperatures. A season for everyone and everything. Seasons change, and so must our organization. We have weathered every storm and coasted on every calm sea since 1914. Our achievements are great; the Aims and Goals still serve us today. Education of the public and ourselves is paramount to our existence. It is said that the only thing that remains the same is Change.

And change we must if we are to continue the legacy brought forth so many years ago. Our founders knew women were capable of so many tasks, if they could gain the necessary education. The same holds true 111 years later: We change and educate ourselves to adapt when the need arises.

It is in this spirit that Farm & Garden will move forward to a future that will offer so many opportunities for all of our members and the public. The Transition Committee has made many recommendations going forward. Some will be difficult to accept. However, each Branch or Club will benefit from a new form of leadership, new ideas and a step up to current technology. Communication will be easier and faster. Networking is vital to any organization, it will be facilitated with the new look of WNF&GA.

Come with us! Find out what your Farm & Garden has to offer for your Branch!

Mary Bertolini, President 2024-2026

January of 2025 came in on a very cold note! Some of the lowest and most bitter conditions ever recorded were inflicted upon us. Snow in the very deep south, including Florida and the Gulf Coast, sub-zero readings for the Mid-West and New England areas. Even the inauguration of the incoming President was moved indoors due to bitterly cold conditions! And through all of this, we have reports of hyacinths peeking through the soil in some parts of the East Coast. 

Personally, I find a visit to my local Conservatory the best remedy for these winter doldrums. A walk through the greenhouse of your favorite nursery center can do wonders for your spirits. A potted primrose, a pink cyclamen, and a blooming African Violet can be so cheerful! Treat
yourself to a small bouquet of cut flowers from your local supermarket, warehouse store, or florist. A walk with your fingers through Seed Catalogues and Garden Guides will make us think of brighter days, warmer temperatures, and glorious garden adventures ahead.
2025 has rolled upon us, and a new future for Farm & Garden is in the works.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, or anyone on the Executive Committee. We will try our best to find answers, but, at this time, there is little information to be had over and above that contained in this message. Much like waiting for that new baby to arrive, anticipation, excitement, and patience are needed but seem to be mutually exclusive. 

With great expectations for new plantings and new beginnings,
Mary Bertolini
National President, WNF&GA

President’s Message

Everyone has faced challenges these past few years, some larger than others. Yet, we persevere, and find success. Farm and Garden is no exception. I am the first Past National President to serve a second term at the helm; It seems recycling is not relegated to paper, plastic, and glass.

This term, I will be working solo, my helpmate is no longer at my side. It is a challenge, but a welcome one, a new beginning. As gardeners, and members, you have worked hard this season to achieve a beautiful setting in your life. Take a moment to relax, sit on your patio, deck, sidewalk or garden path with a cool drink of your choice. Enjoy the glory of your hard work, bask in the knowledge that you accomplished this place of peace and wonder. Take a mental snapshot, save it to your brain’s hard drive, for this moment is fleeting. Season’s change is right around the corner.

The fundraisers of Garden Walks, plant swaps, the meetings and luncheons, teas and raffles were a success. We never shy away from an opportunity to share our conquests and failures with our partners in the world of plants.  In the last few years, many of our members have downsized their gardens, learning the benefits of pot gardening. I am among those ranks. Moving from over two acres of woods and native plants to pots on a deck has been very different. I am no longer a shade gardener, but a full sun porch/pot tender. It is easier to deadhead, but my watering can has become my best friend. We visit our pot-friends often, sometimes with water soluble fertilizer. I’m learning, too, there are consequences to pay when things are left alone for two weeks.

Every season gives a gift to our garden. This past Summer has been no exception. In my area, the cool, wet Spring made working in the garden and early planting a challenge. The onslaught of storms with large hail left holes in the leaves of the struggling perennials, which still bear the scars late in the season. The rains were followed by extreme hot and dry spells. These kept only the most ardent of gardeners busy outside, most stayed hibernating in the air conditioning until the cooler hours of the evening. Yet, through it all, persistent gardeners prevailed!

Posted 27 Aug 2024