Northern Illinois Gesneriad Society
Gesneriad Insights
Our Home Page http://prairiegesneriads.org/index.htm
Mar 21 22 Meeting; Sat. 12:00 to 4:30
& Sun.; 10:00 to 4:30
Location CBG
Program: Spring Show at CBG
Refreshments: None
Next Month’s Program: “Growing
of Seeds as Project Plants – Part 2,
Return of the Seedlings”
Next Month’s Refreshments: Jean
Quirk & Carol Sharits
Vo lume 24 Number 01
President: Bob Nicholson
Vice President: A. Susan Bradford
Second Vice President: Jan Spencer
Secretary: Jane Miller
Treasurer : Gary Mikita
Newsletter Editor: R. David Harley
Directors:
Allen Newkirk (2017)
Darleen Thompson (2016)
Sherry Burtchett (2015)
IRECTIONS: The Fire Station is
at 3S472 Batavia Road,
Warrenville, Ill. Entrance is
from the rear of the fire station;
the meeting room is on the second
floor. Meetings are generally, but not
always, the third Sunday of the month
and begin promptly at 12:30.
D
UES: Membership dues are $15
for individual or families, and
can be mailed to the Treasurer.
Address changes should also
go to the Treasurer (Gary Mikita). All
material for the newsletter should
reach the editor at least two weeks
prior to the meeting. Note: it is not
next day delivery to Urbana.
D
EETING DATES for 2015:
Jan 18, Feb 15, Mar 21 & 22*
Show and Sale at Chicago
Botanic Garden, Apr 19, May
17, June 14, July 18, Aug 16, Sept 20,
Oct 18, Nov 15, and The Holiday
Party* Dec. 13 (*Note: NOT the 3rd
Sunday)
M
Permission to reprint from Gesneriad
Insights is granted, provided that credit is
given to the author and the publication.
Sinn. ‘Gone Salmon Fishin’
The President’s Message – Mar. 2015
Our Show weekend is here. I do hope that the members will have gorgeous plants
for entry, and rare or unusual plants for the sales tables. However, there are some
housekeeping chores to be done that weekend.
Susan has indicated that for those who are to help on set-up, she will be there at
3:00PM on Friday, March 20. We want to be done and out of there before 7:00PM.
Be sure to water your plants at home so that the tablecloths don’t have large, muddy
spots on them. It was mentioned that some plants travel better if they are less
turgid. If you want to wait until you get to the Garden to water, and you
think
they may leak, bring Styrofoam saucers and put a folded paper towel under the
plant. When they are placed on the show tables, the towel and saucer can be
removed just before judging starts.
On Saturday morning, the priority is to get the show plants entered, and the show
tables set up and completed by 9:00AM. All else can wait until the show is ready
for judging. If you have show plants, do not wait until 8:59AM and show up with
your plants. Remember that it takes time to register them so plan your arrival time
on Saturday morning accordingly. When the judging starts, then we can work on
the sales area. If you will be selling plants, let Susan know in advance
approximately how much table space you will need so she can plan accordingly.
We will have three hours to get the sales plant area ready (from 9:00 to 12:00) while
the Judges are still working.
At all times, keep the sales area clean and tidy. Every year
they make a point of letting us know that it is messy and
unacceptable! All boxes and other items should be stored
under the tables, out of sight. Watch purses, phones, and
other expensive items.
The show closes at 4:30PM on Sunday. I would ask everyone
to have all your shopping done by that time. Tear down is
a club effort, not just one or two people. So pitch in and
help. If you have any expenses related to the Show and Sale,
please get them to the Treasurer, Gary Mikita, not later than
Sunday, March 22, so that he will be able to complete the
Financial Statement for the Sale.
In addition to the sales of plants, another important part of
the show is to get the club name and information out there.
If someone buys more than one plant, give them a club
brochure and invite them to sign up on the “Information
Wanted” listing and to come to a club meeting. That is how
we are going to acquire new members. Be sure to wear your
club name tag. Show it at the gate and let them know you
are there to work at the show. That way you won’t have to
pay the $25.00 parking fee. And it will provide a good visual
reference for attendees at the show.
Bob Nicholson
Sad News: I regret to inform members of the passing of long
time Gesneriad Society Member Monte Watler. I recieved
the news thiis morning from Stan Sudal: “It is with deep
sadness to tell you of the passing during the night of our
gesneriad friend Monte Watler. We will all miss him. There
may be a memorial later, no details are available yet.”
Notes From the Editor: This weekend is the event of the
year for the club, the event that everything else leads up to.
This will be the first judged show we have had in several
years. Judged shows do require a good deal of effort, but I
think it worth it. It lets us see if our plants measure up to
what the judges expect. And the judges comments should
help us improve our growing practices. So I wish all good
luck and blue ribbons.
Section A, "Other Sinningia Hybrids with Rosette Growth
Patterns" in memory of Al Wojcik, and Class 44 and 45,
Section G, "Best Lesser Known Gesneriad". Our own Dale
Martens won our award in Class 4, Section A, "Other
Sinningia Hybrids with Rosette Growth Patterns" with her
"Dale's Pink Cockatoo". Due to an oversight, apparently the
funds we sent as an award for "Best Lesser Known
Gesneriad" were not used. They are going to combine it
with the funds that we have already sent for the 2015
Convention and award it to the "Best Lesser Known
Gesneriad". The person who won both Class 44 and 45,
Section G, "Lesser Known Gesneriads" for 2014 was Nancy
Kast. At least she did receive an award, just from another
donor.
Bob Nicholson
Feb. 15, 2015 - Meeting Minutes: The meeting was called
to order at 1:20PM. There were no guests. We had 17
members present: Bob Nicholson, Ann Battenfield, Jane
Miller, Susan Bradford, Lana Gernady, Rich Gernady,
William Wrate, Renee Lasky, Jan Spencer, Nancy Spitz,
Esther Detlefsen, Bonnie Formella, Judy Du Pont, Irina
Tsybulski, Gary Mikita, Darleen Thompson, and Jean Quirk.
Secretary / Librarian: The minutes from the prior meeting
were reported in the newsletter. The Librarian reported
that she had brought various materials from the library for
review andcheckout.
First Vice President - Show Chairman / Ways & Means
Chairman: Our Show Chairman, Susan Bradford, distributed copies of the final show schedule. She also reminded
members to decide on what they are going to exhibit, and
if in doubt, to bring the plant, even with only one flower.
Educational and entries in the Arts categories can be
exhibited as long as they were not previously exhibited in
a judged show. The work schedule sign-up sheet for the
show was passed around.
It looks as though I may miss the show, last Saturday I
slipped on some mushy snow and fell braking a rib. I am
lucky I suppose in not puncturing a lung or other organ, but
it is painful. At present I am taking Vicodon, which does
relieve the, pain but also makes me rather sleepy. Not a
good thing if you are driving. I hope that some of you will
be able to take pictures at least of the winning plants. The
photos make for a much better newsletter, and they give us
a record of what we have been doing.
For those who have never been to the Chiago Botanic
Garden, on the last page of the newsletter I have included
directions to the CBG
Sinn. ‘Peridot’s Sand Pebbles’
Convention Awards: Each year our club sponsors an award
at the Gesneriad Society Convention. At the 2014 Convention in Nashville, we sponsored two awards - Class 4,
The layout for the show will be the same as we have had in
the past for that room. The first priority, both Friday night
and Saturday morning, is to get the show up and running.
Page 2
Photo RDH
From the LIGS Newsletter:
Microchirita involucrata
Ben Paternoster photo
This is one of the annual plants once
included with Chiritas.
They can either be grown from seed or
cuttings.
Then you will have time to work on your personal sale
plants, etc. Keep sales area clean! If possible, water before
you bring plants, and if you absolutely must water at the
show, do so carefully to prevent wet spots on table cloths, or
put something under the pots. Does anyone have any old
copies of the newsletter that they can donate for the educational table (or at Orchid show). Membership cards are
available at the Feb. meeting. No early shopping on Friday
at setup! On both Friday at setup and on Sunday during
Tear down, if you are not there to help, then you are just in
the way. On Sunday, get all your shopping done by 4:30 –
people are tired and want to go home!
Second Vice President - Program Chairman: There is no
regular meeting in March (we have the show & sale
instead). The program for April is "Growing of Seeds as
Project Plants – Part 2, Return of the Seedlings". The seeds
that were planted as in Part 1, at the Oct. 19 meeting, are to
be brought to the meeting to share and to be transplanted.
Old Business: At the last meeting, I had indicated that I
was going to set up a new email account for the club. The
new club email address is:
[email protected]. This is the email
address that should go on all club brochures and forms.. At
this time, there will be only two people with access to the
password – myself and Susan.
New Business: Judi and Bonnie will be setting up the
display and exhibit at the Batavia Orchid Society show on
Feb. 21 & 22 at the DuPage County Fairgrounds. They will
also be doing the Tear down at 4:00 on Sunday. I would
like to have the table manned both days. Does anyone have
a 3 ½ hour slot of time to volunteer? Saturday – 10:00 to
1:30 (Susan), and 1:30 to 5:00 (Darleen). On Sunday 10:00 to
1:30 (Bob), and 1:30 to 4:00 (Judi and Bonnie) and Tear
down.
I have a letter from Joyce Carpenter, if anyone would like to
see it. I have copies of the February newsletter and Gleanings for anyone who does not have email. Name tags, that
can be used for entry at Chicago Botanic Garden, were
passed out to attendees at the meeting. The remainder will
be mailed.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Coming Events:
Northern Illinois Gesneriad Society Show and Sale: Sat. &
Sun. March 21 and 22, 2015. Chicago Botanical Garden 1000
Lake Cook Road Glencoe, Illinois
Illinois African Violet Spring Show:
Details to be announce.
Each year I remind our members, but there are always those
who forget that as a member of our club, they are also
entitled to a $10.00 discount on their CBG membership.
Page 3
Avsa's 69th Consecutive Convention and Show:
May
24 – May 31, 2015 at the Holiday Inn KCI Airport Hotel
Hosted by The Missouri African Violet Council
Gesneriad Society Convention and Show
June 30 - July 4, 2015
at the Marriott Oakland City Center Hotel
1001 Broadway
Oakland, California
Annual Outing/Picnic July 18 (Saturday) – At the home
of Gary Mikita in Portage, Indiana. Join us for a fun day of
good food and great companionship (and hopefully good
weather!) While there, be sure to take a peek into the infamous ‘Crawlspace’.
Directions to the Chicago Botanic Garden From I94/State Highway 41.
Highway 41 and I94 divide about a
mile south of Lake Cook Rd. From
State Highway 41 take Lake Cook Rd.
(County Line Rd.)East approximately
1/4 mile to the entrance of the Chicago Botanic Garden. The entrance is
on the south side of the road.
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