Category: General

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A Note From The Webmaster

My name is Kathy Maestas of Techkat Web Services and I’ve been your webmaster for the past couple of years. I want to take this opportunity at the Holidays to thank you for the opportunity of serving your excellent organization.  It has been a joy to redesign your site and “meet” some of your members.

I also want to thank you for including me in the distribution of the Farm & Garden Magazine. It is lovely and I always enjoy reading up on what the branches are doing and seeing who has won an award. I’m starting to feel like I know many of you. The recipes, stories and poems are fun as well.

I noticed in the last issue of Farm & Garden that you are looking for someone from within the membership to take over the web site. I thought it would be appropriate for me to give a bit more detail about the technical requirements for working on the site for anyone who is interested in taking over the position.

The following are the basic skills that are required to maintain the site:

  • Ability to read and manipulate basic HTML code
  • Ability to read and write CSS code
  • Understanding of the use of templates
  • Ability to read and write JavaScript
  • Understanding of FTP and the ability to transfer files from your local computer to the web server
  • Familiarity with the administrative functions of WordPress including regular software updates as they are released, updates to and configuration of the plugins and monitoring and deleting comment spam
  • Familiarity with AWeber email list management software (this is how the blog updates get automatically emailed to the subscribed members)

Much of the site can be maintained using a graphical HTML editor like Dreamweaver or Kompozer, but knowing HTML will come in handy in seeing where the JavaScript elements are and also for editing the JavaScript.

I wish everyone a beautiful and happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
Kathy Maestas
Webmaster

2 Comments

Comment by Susan Yeager

December 29, 2009 @ 1:10 pmHello Kathy,
Thank you for this additional information. We appreciate all the work you have done.
Is it possible for our branch to be connected to this website? We are currently not using any web connection.
Is it possible to post photographs to this site from our joint meetings? We have a number to share.

Susan R. Yeager.

Comment by Webmaster

December 31, 2009 @ 2:20 am

Hi Susan,Thank you for your reply.

I’m not totally sure what you mean by “be connected to this website” if your branch does not currently have any web connection, but I think the answer to your question is “yes”. If your branch does not currently have a web site we could add a Category to this blog for your branch and your news and images could be posted there. Then, to direct people to your part of this blog you’d direct them to https://wnfga.orgblog/your_branch_name. Is that what you had in mind?

Kathy Maestas
Webmaster

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A Summer Treat by Sue Vette

We were off yesterday with our country cousins to the Armada 4-H county fair.  We drove the moo….d setting back roads to arrive in time for the kids competition with wild life, there ages varied and it was sister against brother but all with a sense of accomplishment.  The displays of sunflowers and corn stalks where as high as an elephant’s eye. The impressive displays of canning produce, baking and quilting was quite a sight.   The VFW featured Road Kill for dinner but no fresh scooped ice cream so on our way back we stopped at Cook’s farm who offered COW to CONE.

Editors note: A perfect picture of a summer afternoon in Michigan and a first time visit to a rural 4-H County Fair. If you’ve not had the experience, put it on your list of Things To Do!

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News From National President Faith Tiberio July 2009

Be sure to add to the message on your website, that not only did the Troy Branch in Michigan win a $500 cash prize for the “Plight of the Bee” program to help bees, but so too, did the Pennsylvania Keystone Ambler Branch. The judges were so impressed by the two top entries that a second award of $500 was made. How wonderful that there was a tie. An award also went to Audrey Ehrler’s New York Division.

                Many awards went into our history. Jean DeDecker and Marla Diamond honored members throughout our meeting.

                Barbara Hochstettler’s great knowledge of our organization kept our deliberations moving forward, her gracious tact and clear explanations always on point. Betty Monahan of course, kept us on the straight and narrow and offered many good ideas when not acting as Parliamentarian.

                The entire meeting went smoothly under the watchful eye of Mary Bertolini who managed to be everywhere at once, even greeting members as they went to the registration desk, manned by Aileen LaBret with her skilful performance of duty and with the aid of the host Mayflower Branch. The members greeted everyone in black and yellow bee costumes, and with useful bags that could be used as at home tote bags with tasteful green decorations. These were filled with “Welcome to the Meeting” gifts.

            Congratulations to Carol Leonard and Mary Merten on the “Silent Auction” … great success!!

                Susan Hunt got all of us on historical [and sometimes hysterically funny] “Duck” tours of Boston and then to the Harvard Club in the midst of the Harvard University campus. There, after a splendid luncheon, we heard Allyson Hayward present excerpts from her book on landscapes designer Norah Lindsay.

            At night, a nice tented clambake, garden tour and music at the home of Faith and Joseph Tiberio. Next! Our meeting will be at Niagara Falls.