Dear Members,
You are to be congratulated, and many, many bows to our beloved Hazel Herring. A telephone call from Ambler has confirmed that they have received from Margaret Latham, the payment due on the Ambler Greenhouse Project for this year.
From Linda Lowe and Dean James Hilty, calls and letters thanking us for updating us on the progress on the project. It has just been given repaired sidewalks, a new electrical system and other necessary repairs. As Dean Hilty said in his letter. “Things are moving ahead”. That is a little pun on the “Head-House”, I suspect.
In the meantime, thank you for your many enthusiastic and helpful letters. I love hearing from you and of course, your ideas are being sought. The New York Farm and Garden newsletter, with articles by
Betty Monahan and Audrey Ehrler and information about our projects are grand. Davene Brown, the editor, does a wonderful, exciting job and an article about the history of aprons will bring back so many lovely memories to those of us in my age bracket. If making a new aprons, maybe “bee pockets”?
Pennsylvania Division’s newsletter was equally important and charming, with a delightful poem by Gertrude Heath about “The Bee” accompanied by a black and white bee and blossom drawing. Of note, the Fall General Meeting in October will have Kevin Parsons, on “Bees”.
Other bee news. The Whitney Laboratory in Marineland, Florida, is conducting extensive research on the bee situation: more and more crops have failed because of bee disasters. The University of Florida will be taking part.
I will be attending the Ambler Board this coming week and will check our project first hand; I have just returned from Savannah, Georgia where alarm over the bee situation is widespread. An article in the Detroit News, just sent to me by Jean De Decker, specifically mentions the Best Honey Farm, Lansing, which trucks bees to South Georgia and other states, helping to pollinate our food supply.
Jean Getty reports that one beekeeper in her area simply lost bees to a bear. She also sent an article by Bob Henke in The Post Star, about Propolis. Propolis is made by honeybees from tree sap, and is used to seal up holes in the hive’s living quarter. The article ends with the statement that some people will pay more for “bee glue” than for honey. Violin makers use this honey-glue and it seems to treat Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 and some parasitic infections; it’s no wonder that we need honeybees.
Again my thanks to all of you and to Kay Engelhart for printing our News from National.
Faith Tiberio
September 2008
Other News ~ The Website, www.wnfga.org is nearing completion of the updates approved by members in January and June of this year. This is a great way to share WNF&GA with all you know – send them to the Website for history, education and scholarship, current happenings, awards, recognition, membership and be sure to click on the blog for the latest information from the President and watch there also for updates on the coming annual meeting.
Also on the website you’ll find information, and registration forms for the two Grants awarded by WNF&GA: The Hazel Herring Civic Improvement Grant and the Marla Diamond Master Gardener Grant. These are valuable grants to apply for – share the information with your branch.
Reminder also that you can contact the Divine Chocolate company for fundraising packets – this company supports Fair Trade Companies in Ghana. As members of the international community, we also share this dedication – fair trade. Contact phone: 202-332-8913 or info@divinechocolateusa.com