24 September 2019
The Chesapeake Bay Garden Club had its first meeting for the 2019-2020 year. It took place on Tuesday, September 24th, at Festival Halle in Reedville.
Hostess Team
Lunch was served at 12:00 PM. Each member brought a dish to share. Sue Moore and Sharon Stieber created beautiful centerpieces using teapots. Sharon Jachimski , Mary Frazier, Susan Brandli, and Pamela Plumb assisted with serving the delicious lunch.
Call to Order
President Kathy Truxall Called the meeting to order at 12:45 PM. Cindy Boyce led the group in prayer, followed by repetition of our Garden Club Prayer and the Conservation Pledge.
Speaker: Dr. Daina Paupe Henry, “The Art of Tea”
Dr. Daina Paupe Henry was introduced by Sharon Lemke and presented the program, “The Art of Tea.” Dr. Henry is a retired faculty member of the College of William and Mary. She is also a Master Naturalist, Master Gardener, and a Tree Steward.
Tea comes from the leaves and buds of the plant Camellia sinensis, a species of evergreen shrub or small tree. Dr. Henry actually grows her own tea plants here in Virginia. The trees or shrubs are kept small by constantly trimming them. This allows for easier picking of the plant leaves which is done by hand. The placement of the leaf on the plant determines its taste and value.
The Chinese Emperor, Shen Nong, discovered the fine taste of tea around 2737 BCE. The rest is history. China controlled the market on tea during the colonial period. The clipper ship was constructed so tea could be shipped quickly to England and the colonies. Tea was so popular that it could be used as currency. Gradually, Japan and India got into the market.
The taste of tea depends on the soil, climate, and the leaf. The cost of tea depends on which leaves of the plant are used. Black tea is fermented tea. Green tea is not fermented. The more fermented the tea, the more caffeine the tea contains. Herbal teas are not real tea. The tea found in bags are the leaves that drop to the floor.
Serving tea is an art. One should enjoy the process as well as the drink. Cooking time depends on the kind of tea, and should be made in ceramic or glass pots. So sit back and enjoy that cup of tea in a pretty, ceramic cup.
Old Business
The financial report for June-August 2019 was posted and can be found in the Members Area of the website. Get well cards were sent to Carolyn King, Janice Mahoney, Debbie Gwaltney, and Debbie Gillispie. A sympathy card was sent to Cindy Boyce.
Helen Bell presented the Frances C. Biddlecomb “Spirit” Award to Susan Brandli in recognition for her outstanding service to the club. Sharon Stieber presented Jerry Jenkins with a gift for a tied for 3rd place in points in Floral Exhibits for last year.
In addition, daffodils will be planted in the garden at Festival Halle in honor of Joan Clements. Barbara Yinger donated the money for the project.
Committee Reports
Membership - Thirty-seven current members attended the meeting plus one new member, Cindy Ivester, increasing total club membership to 51. Four guests also attended.
Landscape Design - Debbie Gillispie discussed the garden cleanup at RFM and Festival Halle that took place on September 12th. Eleven members and one spouse took part. Four members did cleanup before that date
Nitti-Gritti - Wonda Allain presented some potential activities for our club this year. A hypertuffa workshop will take place some time in late October.
Civic Development & Youth Education - On October 25, our club will once again present The Saved Seed program to first graders at the Northumberland Elementary school. The program teaches children about the growth of seeds into plants using real pumpkins and their seeds. Linda Hixon organized last year's successful program and will do so again this year.
Birds, Butterflies, and Bees / Beyond the Garden - Susan Brandli asked club members to share their ideas for potential future activities. She also presented a display on the lantern moth, an invasive and destructive insect.
Floral Design - Twelve participants received awards presented by Darleen Nelson. Sharon Stieber earned a Blue and Best in Show for her tea tray using fresh plant material. Other ribbons went to --
Advanced: Sharon Lemke, Blue; Carol Medlin, Blue; Jerry Jenkins, Blue; Darleen Nelson, Blue; Patsy Sylvia, Red; Carol Cole, Red; Kathie Truxall, Red.
Intermediate: Anne Haynie, Red.
Novice: Sue Moore, Red; Elizabeth Cali, Red; Linda Hixon, Red.
Horticulture - Eleven participants received awards presented by Anne Haynie. Rebecca Elston earned a Blue and Best in Show for her Pink Angel horticultural entry. Other ribbons went to --
Elizabeth Cali - 4 Blue; Sharon Stieber - 1 Blue, 1 Red; Rebecca Elston - 7 Blue; Debbie Gwaltney - 2 Blue; Anne Haynie - 1 Blue; Jacqui Penney - 1 Blue; Carol Medlin - 8 Blue; Anne Crawley - 1 Red; Bobby Brogden - 1 Blue; Sharon Lemke - 2 Blue; Alice Stieve - 1 Blue.
Pass Along Plants - Helen Bell will be accepting donations of plants, seeds, bulbs, etc., from members who wish to share with other members.
President's Report
Kathie Truxall thanked Helen Bell, Vicky Bowen, and Debbie Gwaltney for a great job done on our yearbooks. She also thanked Susan Brandli for hosting a well-received and successful new member tea on September 18. Four new members and 2 prospective members attended.
The fall edition of the Old Dominion Gardener included articles about our National Garden Week activity in June, and our Horticulture Specialty Flower Show in May. An article about the Art & Bloom show last April was reported in the summer edition of Old Dominion Gardener. The fall issue of Footprints published articles by Sharon Lemke on recycling tips and Karen Luzuriaga on our flower show.
Our club has organized a special event trip in 2020 to Longwood Gardens on June 16th, returning June 18th. The current schedule will include Mt. Cuba, a botanical native garden, on Tuesday; Longwood Gardens on Wednesday (includes an introductory guided tour); and Winterthur, a historical estate with art and gardens, on Thursday morning. More details including estimated costs can be found in the 2019-09-24 General Meeting Summary in the Members Area of the website.
Reedville Fishermen's Museum's (RFM's) "Christmas on Cockrell’s Creek" will be held this year on December 14th and 15th. There will be 5 homes on tour. Club members are encouraged to participate in decorating the homes for this important community event. Our club received a certificate of appreciation for helping RFM with this event. Preliminary tours of the homes will take place after our general meeting on October 22.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:35 PM.
Article contributors include Sharon Lemke and Karen Luzuriaga. Photos by Debbie Gwaltney.