Category: News from National

Posted on

Projects

Centennial National Projects

100,000 Native Plant Project

Recognizing the importance of native plants, the WNF&GA has taken on the ambitious challenge of planting 100,000 native plants to celebrate our 100th Anniversary.  For more information, please click on:

  • Interests – Environmental Concerns tab

Food Crops Project

Agriculture has historically been an important part of the WNF&GA’s early mission. To acknowledge that historical tradition, we will be recording the food crops grown by our members during the 2014 growing season. There is no final goal but rather a desire to see members’ contributions to homegrown food crops including vegetables, fruits and herbs. For more information, please click on:

  • Interests –  Agriculture – Food Crops  tab

Questions? Please email Suzanne at suzgarden1@verizon.net

Suzanne Smith-Oscilowski, Environment Director

Sylvia Wilson, Agriculture Director

Posted on

Past President’s Update

WNF&GA CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WAS A GREAT SUCCESS!

June 30, 2014

Dear Farm & Garden Members & Friends,

Greetings from Ohio! It is a hot and steamy summer so far but the gardens &crops are thriving. Hope everyone is enjoying the weather. The other day someone remarked about the heat & humidity and I smiled….I was recalling the 17 days of below zero last winter! Another beautiful part of this summer here in Ohio is the lightening bug display every night for the past couple weeks. It’s an amazing show about 11pm each night!

It has been an amazing transformation for me from WNF&GA President to National Advisor! I wanted to keep in touch so I am writing this “catch up” article while Molly Hammerle settles in as your new President.

Speaking of the past couple weeks, I realize it has been even longer since we departed from the 100th Anniversary Annual Meeting at Ambler. My, how time flies! The feedback has been so amazing and positive! From the venues, to the dedication, the food and the fellowship, everyone is reporting back about what a great experience they enjoyed overall AND talking about their anticipation for the 2015 Annual Meeting in Washington DC. Check out the photos posted on line of our good times! If you have any to submit, please send to Dee Welsh at dwelsh149@comcast.net

The 100th Anniversary Planning Committee & WNF&GA would like to thank all who made this meeting such a big success! There are too many to thank here so be sure to check the Fall magazine for as complete a list as possible. If you think of someone we should thank or recognize for their participation/contribution, please contact me at my e-mail address jverhoff300@gmail.com

REMINDER: Deadline for articles for the Fall issue of the Magazine is AUGUST 1, 2014. Please send all submissions to Editor Mary Pat Ford at MP6@hotmail.com  Division Presidents, Interest Directors, and Officers, are STRONGLY URGED to submit articles and submit photos. All members are also strongly encouraged to write articles& submit photos for each issue. The theme for this issue is Sustainability.

Posted on

Celebrating 100 Years

PRESDENTS UPDATE

APRIL 28, 2014

Dear Farm & Garden Members,

Isn’t it exciting that only weeks, not months, remain before the Centennial Celebration and National Meeting?!

So much is happening for this momentous occasion that I am writing to assist the Centennial Planning Committee with updates and to clarify some items. Currently, the Planning Committee consists of Kathy Welsh-Beveridge, Jenny Rose Carey, Linda Lowe, Leslie Morris-Smith, Mary Pat Ford, Maureen Thompson, Susan Hunt, Rita Urbanski, Sharee Solow, Michelle Conners,Eleanor Kingsberry (liaison to the Highlands), Mary Bertolini & the National Executive Committee. The Bucks County and Ambler Keystone Branches are also hard at work as our hostesses and assisting the planning committee.

Only a few days remain until the May 1st Registration Deadline for the National Annual Meeting! Please make sure your Registration form and payment are postmarked by May 1! After that, late fees will apply. (Please note that you can attend a single half day events for $50.)

The www.wnfga.org website remains under construction, so pardon our dust! Many of you are utilizing the website and see the exciting changes. We attempted to incorporate the use of PayPal this year but put it on hiatus until we can figure out how to use it for a nonprofit status without incurring extra fees. Hopefully by waiting we can save our members money. In the meantime, if you are trying to register online for the Annual Meeting, please use the Registration form in the Spring Issue of the Magazine and mail it and your payment to National Meeting Registrar, Leslie Morris-Smith at8818 Duveen Dr.  Wyndmoor, Pa 19038. Thanks for your patience!

The list of workshops on Friday afternoon from 1:15-4:00 is printed on the page next to the registration form in the Spring Magazine. If you didn’t realize to sign up for your 1st and 2nd choice when you registered, please do so ASAP and send it to Kathleen Welsh Beveridge via email at Kathleen.beveridge@comcast.net  .

Speaking of the Friday Workshops, here are a few important updates:

  • Elizabeth Belk @ Wyck has moved onward and upward from Wyck with a grand move to Poland! We wish her well! The Rose Workshop scheduled for Wyck, summer home of WNF&GA founder Jane Bowne Haynes, will still take place but will have a new presenter, Denise Snook who is taking over for Elizabeth.
  • Both the “Flower Arranging-Bouquets & Tussie Mussie” and “Photography: Point, Shoot, Admire” will take place at the Morris Arboretum.
  • For an updated and more detailed list of the Workshops, go to the Annual Meeting Tab on this website and when it drops down click on the Event Details Annual Meeting 2014 tab.

On Wednesday May 28, we will travel as a group to Winterthur where we will tour the House and Grounds and also get to view the awesome “Costumes of Downton Abbey” Exhibit. PLEASE NOTE: The members from Michigan who paid for the bus trip to travel to Philadelphia have the cost of this tour built into their bus price as they are coming a day early. Any members not riding the bus, but wishing to join us need to mail their entrance fee of $ 17 to Rita Urbanski at 2729 Red Fox Trail, Troy, MI 48098. ALL meeting attendees are required to pay the $285 registration fee if attending all other daily events, even if they paid to ride the bus. Sorry for the confusion there!

Later Wednesday evening, I cordially invite all meeting registrants and their guests to join us for a “Picnic in the Garden” of Jenny Rose Carey for a delightful evening of food and fellowship. A light meal and beverages will be served. An invitation with transportation to and from Jenny’s gardens will be included in your Check- in Welcome Packet when you arrive at the hotel. (There is no fee for this evening.)

Thursday morning starts out bright and early with the Executive Committee meeting at 8 am at Ambler campus. A delightful day is planned !If your Branch or Division plans to have a flag in the Parade of Flags, please contact Mary Bertolini at mgbertolini@aol.com  ASAP with your Branch name and Flag Bearer name for proper recognition! Later in the afternoon, we will travel to the Highlands for High Tea and an elegant time. That evening dinner at the Hotel will be followed by a wonderful program by Gene Dilks on her efforts on the revitalization of Concourse Lake.

Friday & Saturday will also be filled with tours and our 2nd and 3rd Annual Meeting Sessions, plus tours of Chanticleer and Philadelphia! Friday evening also offers the Floral Arts Workshop, led by Nora Tebben and Kay Buszek. Since this unique program to cultivate future Floral Arts Judges is limited to 20 participants, a different type of workshop has been added, free of charge. It is called the “Old Time Photo Workshop” and is offered to the rest of us who are not attending the Floral Arts event. Past Farm & Garden photographs will be available for viewing and possibly you can help us identify some people we that we cannot. Feel free to bring your own collection of photographs to share. It promises to be a delightful time for reminiscing and fellowship.

Saturday evening will culminate our lovely week with dinner at the Hotel, Installation of Officers, a Peony program by Kathleen Gagan , and our ever popular Silent Auction! Don’t forget to bring an item or two, whether it’s a garden treasure, book, jewelry, gift certificate, goody basket, antique items, Farm & Garden memorabilia or anything your imagination tells you might bring an excellent bid!

A most important part of this meeting will be recognizing the “Member of the Century” & “Member of The Century (Posthumously)”. The Executive Committee will be accepting nominations until Wednesday May 7th. There is no official nomination form. We simply ask that you write up a brief bio and overview of whom you want to nominate& their involvement in Farm & Garden, including Branch, Division, & National levels and number of years they have been a member. Additional info could include local & civic involvement and any special projects that make them stand out in their community. Please return your nomination and write-up to me at jverthoff300@gmail.com .

Currently we are sending out announcements to non-members for our 100th Anniversary. Do you have someone who is connected to Farm & Garden currently or in the past you might recommend we should send one to? If, so please e-mail their name and mailing info to me so we can include them.

This is a lot of info I have shared! If I have missed something, or you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at my e-mail above or my information listed on Page 3 of the Spring National magazine!

Yours in Farm & Gardening!

Julia Siefker

WNF&GA National President