Greenleaf - WordPress.com · 2014. 3. 11. · Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8 Page 3 Sugar Land Garden Club Spring Tour is coming to East New Territory Saturday, May 10, 2014

Greenleaf

Member Donetta Parrish’ yard.

Our 15th Annual Sugar

Land Garden Club Tour

will be on May 10.

Garden Tour Chair, Cheryl

Swanson, will be at our

next 2 meetings for you to

sign up for times that you

can help on the tour. This

is a fun event to work

because you get to talk to

other garden enthusiasts.

We are so proud to have

the yard of our member,

Donetta Parrish, included

on our tour!

Has Spring Fever attacked

your senses? At our meet-

ing, Randy Lemmon said he

thought we had seen the last

of the freezes, so I took him

for his word and starting

cutting all the dead wood

back. The winter dreaming

of another flower bed for

(Continued on page 2)

Newsletter of the Sugar Land Garden Club, Established 1932

www.SugarLandGardenClub.org

What should a cultural anthropology graduate from Brown University do with that interest? Move to Sugar Land and become a master naturalist and bee-keeper. Nancy Hentschel has a special interest in sustain-able living and she and her husband, a master gardener, share in gardening, bee-keeping and wine mak-

March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

2013-2014

Club Officers

President:

Carrie Sample

1st Vice President:

Jo Beth Moore

2nd Vice

Presidents:

Gay Chavez

Donna Romaine

Mary Ellen Twiss

Recording

Secretary:

Jeanmarie Short

Treasurer:

Leslie Niemand

Parliamentarian:

Marilynn

Zieg/Scanlin

President’s Message By Carrie Sample

ing. She claims that bee-keeping offers a Zen-like experience for anyone who enjoys gardening and the interconnectivity of nature. And…then…she says, there is the honey? Don’t miss this presentation about bee-keeping in Sugar Land. Some of her bees may be in your garden...

March 18 Guest Speaker, Nancy Hentschel “Honey Honey! Where’s the Bee”

By Jo Beth Moore

President’s Message

roses was accomplished a few weeks ago.

Thought I would plant a few drift roses

and some antique roses that I will buy

when we go to our April Field trip to the

Antique Rose Emporium. I have some

lilies (from

our plant

swap) that

need more

sun, so I will

move them

there also. I

have included a picture of the empty bed.

I will take another picture when it is all

planted.

My calendulas, pansies and snapdragons

have survived our cold winter this year.

(Continued from page 1) Dues for SLGC are

payable each spring,

$30 for the following

year. New members

joining June 1-

December 31 shall

pay $30 for the

current year. New

members joining

January 1-March 31

shall pay $20 for the

current year. For

new members

joining in April, dues

are $30 and apply to

the following garden

club year. Each

member receives a

monthly newsletter

and copy of the club

yearbook.

Page 2 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

MEMBER YEAR

BOOKS

Member year books

are available for pick up at the monthly general meetings.

Be sure to pick up your copy if you

have not yet done so!

My Rufus

hummingbird

has also sur-

vived the

winter.

We have a great lineup of events for the

end of this Garden Club Year. Topics for

the last 2 general meetings are about bees

and then water conservation. We have 3

field trips left (since our Jan. was a rainout).

This month we are going to the Industrial

Market and then on to Janis Vasut’s farm.

(Janis is providing us lunch!) In April we

are going to the Antique Rose Emporium

and finally in May to the Painted Churches.

There will be one more workshop, Making

a Button Tree on Canvas. Our Spring

Luncheon will be at the newly renovated

Riverbend Country Club on May 20.

Finally, thanks for your confidence in me

by electing me to serve another term as

your President. It is a joy to work with all

of you and I am looking forward to another

great year!

Field Trip March 25, 2014 Industrial Country Market and Janis Vasut’s Farm, Cookie Peeler, Chair Our March Field Trip will be a special

treat. We have been invited to enjoy a

beautiful spring day in the country. One of

our new members, Janis Vasut with her

husband David, have a working farm just

north of Columbus. Since March is wild-

flower month we should see Bluebonnets,

Indian Paint Brush and Coreopsis bloom-

ing.

The home was built by David’s grandfa-

ther is the 1940’s. Even with some reno-

vating and additions they have preserved

the “feel” of the farmhouse intact. They

have also added a “Party Shack” on the

property for entertaining. Janis plans to

serve us lunch in there or on the wrap

around porch of the house. They also have a

35 acre lake stocked with bass and catfish. If

weather permits we will get a hayride tour of

their property that is steeped in Texas his-

tory. We might be able to get David to tell

about his encounter with a chupacabra on

the ranch a few years ago. He has appeared

on several TV broadcasts related to it.

On the way there is a scheduled stop at the

Industrial Country market. It’s an interesting

store that includes an art gallery, crafts,

snacks, survival gear, electronic parts, toys,

clocks, greeting cards, jewelry--all sorts of

“stuff” (including garden art) for sale - it’s a

wonder!

Page 3 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

Sugar Land Garden Club Spring Tour is coming to East New Territory

Saturday, May 10, 2014 9 am to 3 pm

Please email CHERYL SWANSON tour chair

[email protected] or call

281.242.1773 if interested in volunteering

THE FEINSTEIN CHALLENGE RETURNS in MARCH and APRIL Helping End Hunger in America For the 17th straight year Alan Feinstein is donating $ 1 million dollars to selected hunger fighting agencies across the United States. The more checks, cash and food items that are donated during March and April, the more each agency will receive from the $1 million dollars. That is why it is called a challenge. East Fort Human Needs Ministry has been selected to participate again this year. East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry operates an Interfaith Food Pantry for families and individuals in times of financial crisis in Fort Bend county. SLGC helps EFBHNM each year by raising donations of money for the Feinstein Chalenge. You can donate at the Community Service table at the general meetings in March and April. Both cash and checks are ac-cepted. If writng a check, make it out to SLGC and write EFBHNM or Feinstein on the memo line. If you will not be at he meetings and want to donate, send a check to our treasurer, Leslie Niemand. Her address is in the SLGC yearbook. For more information about EFBHNM, check out their website at www.humanneeds.org. Debe Fannin

Sugar Land Garden Club Brookwood Community Where Adults with Special Needs Contribute

to the World

April 10, 2014

Volunteer Sign Up at the March General Meeting. Spend a few hours working alongside the residents. Visit their beautiful Gift Shop and Retail Garden Center. Lunch provided from the Café. Leave Sugar Land 9:30 am. Arrive Back 3:00 pm. Half shifts also available. Lim-ited to 4-6 Volunteers. Contact Diana Miller 713-724-3113 or [email protected]

Important Announcement to Our Gardening Friends

In 2014, the Fort Bend Master Gardeners will discontinue their regularly-scheduled monthly programs and instead offer and support a wide variety of educational programs in cooperation with Fort Bend County Texas AgriLife Extension. The programs will not be offered on the same day of the month, but they will be posted to this calendar, so please visit us often.

March 22, 2014 From Your Backyard to Your Table

Learn to grow, prepare and preserve nutritious food

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Fort Bend County, along with the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, are offering opportunities to learn more about getting back to homegrown and homemade basics through various Backyard Basics programs and workshops throughout 2014. These programs support healthy living through home-based food production, preparation, and preservation.

Cost: $15 per class, $25 per couple (some classes may include a fee for optional materials)

Pre-registration required by contacting Brandy Rader at 281-342-3034 or [email protected] or downloading and completing the registration form BYB registration form 2014. Make checks payable to Fort Bend County Master Gardeners (FBMG). Location: Fort Bend County Extension Office at 1402 Band Road in Rosenberg Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Program from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

April Workshop

Button Tree on Canvas

by Lynette McQueen

“Buttons!” Who doesn’t

love doing crafts with

buttons? Paint a whimsical

tree on canvas with buttons

added to adorn the tree. .

Tuesday, April 1,

10:00 am—12:00pm

Imperial Park Rec Ctr

234 Matlage Way

Chair: Gail Clarke

Page 4 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

Sugar Land

Heritage Hike

This historical hike is

held the 2nd Saturday

of each month at

10:00 am, leaving

from the Museum at

198 Kempner St. The

walk is about 1-1/2

miles and takes one

and one half hours.

Costs are $10 for

adults, $5 for ages 12

to 18, and free for

children under 12. For

information on group

tours, which may be

scheduled during the

week call

281-494-0261

Upcoming Events

Photos: February Field Trip. Martha’s Bloomers and Tea Room

Horticulture by Paula Goodwin

This is why gardeners have bad backs!

Page 5 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

This is my skinny, young self (in the blue shirt) picking strawberries with my grandparents

and my sister in Oklahoma. I was 26 and my grandparents were 76. Actually this picture

shows only a quarter of their strawberry field. My grandparents loved strawberries and

filled most of a big chest deep freezer with them. I grew up helping in Grandpa’s huge

“Victory Garden” and he was the person who instilled the love of gardening in me.

Grandpa also kept bees. Grandma taught me frugality—especially with food you grow

yourself: “Oh, if a bird (or a bug) picked on this side of the strawberry (or anything else),

just cut that side off and use the rest.”

This is a picture of another strawberry patch taken about 30 years

later when I worked as the supervisor of the juvenile community gar-

den here in Sugar Land. Then I was teaching teenagers what I had learned from Grandpa. Notice the boys are feeding

the soil with homemade compost (made with composted horse manure, grass clippings, leaves, coffee grounds, news-

paper, and any un-diseased garden refuse) which was the only fertilizer and mulch we used on the berries. In the more

than three years I spent in this job, we never had to buy mulch. We made our own. And I must say it was excellent

stuff.

While I worked with these kids (who were doing community service to pay off fines), we were unabashed dumpster divers. At the time

there were two dumpsters next to the garden on Gillingham Lane for just paper and cardboard and there were signs over every opening

(DO NOT ENTER!!). Sometimes, I had to flaunt the rules. And since it was all paper and cardboard, I felt it was fairly safe to let them

jump inside and dig around. Actually, it was one of the highlights of the kids’ day. I was too old and unlimber to get inside myself—just

supervised from the outside. So the kids always knew the list of things we needed and what to look for:

Cardboard boxes to take the harvested food to the East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry Food Bank; to cover the tomato plants if

there was a cold snap; and to use (flattened out) as weed block under compost/mulch. It would eventually turn into compost

itself, unlike ground cloth. They were a major resource for us. One year we took more than 2,000 pounds of fresh, organic

vegetables to the food bank (all produce had to be weighed before donating).

Newspapers for making seed cups, for the stuffing inside our scarecrow, and for always, always layering between planted seeds/

seedlings to conserve moisture, to block out weeds, and to add more compost. (On a not windy day, pile overlapping layers

over moist soil—no need to weed before you do this. Water down the newspapers and cover with mulch).

Envelopes to store seeds. We needed lots of these for harvested flower and vegetable seeds. This is a good idea for us all who col-

lect seeds. Enclosed envelopes you may receive in your mail can be used to store and identify seeds gathered out of your gar-

den.

Books—the kids took them to sell at used book stores—not especially for reading. They found a biology textbook for me that had a

lot of information about plants.

Magazines for reading material, especially at lunch time in the garden. The People magazine was highly prized. The kids picked out

stacks and stacks for me. I would read them and then back into the dumpster they would go.

One Saturday while I was working in the garden with the kids after a dumpster dive, I saw Yvonne Louviere our fellow garden club

member walking towards me with this stricken look on her face. I knew something was terribly wrong. She said, “There is a

girl’s body in the dumpster. At first I thought she was dead, but then I watched to make sure that she was breathing”. So I re-

assured her that I had permitted “Jane” to nap on top of those piles of cardboard. “Jane” was an exemplary garden worker, and

she was just finishing up her last hour to complete her community service. So I let her sleep. Early mornings on Saturdays were

hard for teenagers, but afterwards there was no more allowed sleeping in the dumpster.

Since we are having a speaker this month about beekeeping, I want to share with you my two much-loved books:

A Country Year: Living the Questions and A Book of Bees: And How to Keep Them by Sue Hubbell.

Volunteers Needed

for Sugar Land

Butterfly Garden

Workday

March 27

Thursday

Sugar Land Branch

Library, 550 Eldridge

8:00am—9:00am

Garden Club Personality Matt Hurley by Gretchen Cockerill

Page 6 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

Contact

Joel Chavez

[email protected]

832-633-0400

Thursday March 20

the Native Plant Society of

Texas - Houston

Mickey Merritt:

Urban Trees

Time: 7:00 - 9:00p.m. Free

presentation at 7:30 pm.

Location: Houston Arboretum

& Nature Center, 4501

Woodway Drive

www.npsot.org/houston

I grew up in the inner-city of Washington, DC. Three things kept me away from the vices of the inner city were: Scouting, Sports, and Par-ents that weren’t afraid to use a belt for misbe-havior. I would visit my grandparent’s farm every sum-mer in South Carolina from age 5 where I learned how seeds are planted and then grow into things you can eat. I always had a garden for my kids to learn the same thing. I branched

out into shrubs and ornaments gardening with the purchase of our first home many years ago. I am now happily into 8 years of retirement from John Deere Corporation where I was the plant Human Resource and Safety Manager. My back patio area is my garden. I try to keep a colorful array of base plants for my wife’s enjoyment. I also have certain spots throughout the garden where I plant or pot specimen plants that I learn about in the meetings or read about. I have been really lucky in attract-ing birds. Unfortunately I fight “Nut Grass” all the time. I have been a member of the SLGC for 4 years now. I enjoy the plant education sessions and the great social interaction with the other members at every meeting. I get great pleas-ure out of having a hand in planting and seeing beautiful things grow. The garden club has helped me to better understand the importance of the balance in nature. I have met many very knowledgeable and friendly people through the garden club. It has made our reloca-tion from Georgia to Texas very pleasing. I have been married to my wife Ruth (the girl next door) for 41 years. We have three adult children - two sons and a daughter. We are new grandparents. My wife and I will do a travel trip to other parts of the world every other year. I have always tried to do what society says are the “Right Things” - stay out of trouble, get a good education and work hard. So far I’m happy with the way things have worked out for me. My wife and I have tried to instill these values in our children. Each of them is a professional engineer. Our oldest son is a Princeton graduate in Civil Engineering?Architect. Our daughter is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate in Mechanical/Nuclear Reactor Engineering. Our youngest son is a University of Virginia graduate in Bio-Medical Engi-neering. Each has a Masters degree, as do we, and each one has a very interesting story.

2014 GAPS is looking for New Ideas

Any member is welcome to attend our first

Fall Festival FUNdraising Idea Meeting Monday, March 31 10:00 am Diana Miller’s home

419 Brooks Street, Sugar land 713-724-3113

Topics: Getting Corporate Sponsors, Children’s Gardening

Activities, Increased Vendors, Bigger Raffle Prizes, Expanded Marketing,

Food Sales. Committee Chair Opportunities in these new areas available!

Don’s Nature Corner In the Garden, The Unexpected Happens

Years ago, while cutting back plants in our front yard, Penny heard a hissing sound coming

from under one of the bushes. Her shrieks of “Snake, Snake!” brought two yardmen racing

from next door wielding rakes. The damsel in distress was rescued from the upset female

mallard duck that was protecting her nest. The unexpected encounter left the duck fraz-

zled, but unscathed!

Last year we bought a six pack of collards and planted them in various places in the garden.

As the plants began to grow we enjoyed eating the leaves. After several weeks we noticed

that our collards were starting to make little white heads in the center. Cauliflower was not

what we expected. Apparently someone switched tags at the store. We found out that cau-

liflower leaves are edible and tasty, but we are now practicing plant identification skills.

We have a number of bird feeders in the yard because we enjoy watching the many color-

ful species that come. During the migrations we often see birds that may be here for

only a few days. Imagine our surprise upon returning home one day to find a Cooper’s

hawk in our yard eating one of the doves. It

looked like a pillow fight had taken place. The

hawk must know that when I put out bird seed

his dinner will congregate at the feeder.

Many gardeners enjoy watching butterflies in

their yards, so they plant milkweed to attract

the monarch. Geckos and wasps patrol the

garden looking for meals. Wasps take the cat-

erpillars back to the nest for their young. Geckos stalk the butterflies. When we

planted the milkweed we didn’t expect to help wasps and geckos. The unexpected

happens.

In mid-November I captured an attractive green cat-

erpillar crawling across our patio and put it into a

large view jar. I knew that it was a moth larva, but

did not know what kind. While I was researching the

species, the caterpillar made a cocoon. “I will get a

beautiful polyphemus moth,” I thought, “but it might

be too big for the container.” In early February I

noticed bean sized black objects in the bottom of the

jar. I knew then that I was not going to get a moth,

but a number of tachinid flies. A fly had parasitized

the caterpillar by laying her eggs inside it where they hatched. The larvae of the fly began

to eat the inside of the caterpillar and what I was seeing were the pupae of the fly.

(Continued on page 8)

Page 7 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

Sugar Land Garden Club member Don Johnson , is a member of the

Fort Bend Master Gardeners’ Entomology Group and of the Texas

Master Naturalists, Coastal Prairie Chapter.

The Cooper’s Hawk had just killed a dove in our backyard.

A wasp catches a butterfly.

The mother Muscovy duck watches over her newly hatched babies in our

birdbath.

The caterpillar in the cocoon was parasi-tized by a tachinid fly. The pupae of the

fly look like black beans.

This caterpillar was crossing our patio.

Don’s Nature Corner

In addition to the seeds we put out, we also provide several water features for the

birds. What we intend is not always what wildlife understand. Our ground- level wa-

ter bowl served as the swimming pool for baby ducks, carefully monitored by the life-

guard. We have attracted other wildlife to the bowl, but never thought that we would

attract a vulture. How do you stop a thirsty bird? Being vulture-friendly is not good

for our reputation.

Last November we noticed fungi

growing in an almost perfect ring

measuring about 12 feet in diame-

ter in the field behind our house.

Upon doing research we found

that it is called a “fairy ring.”

Three months later we noticed a

healthy looking green grass ring

growing there. Nature is not al-

ways predictable, the unexpected

happens.

Almost every morning I begin the day by going out onto the patio. One morning, before I opened the door, I noticed a

squirrel in an empty flower pot outside. I wasn’t sure if he was sleeping or had found his final resting place. Carefully reach-

ing out the door with a yard stick, I tapped the pot several times.

Nothing happened. I tapped harder. Nothing! I decided to poke him

with the yardstick. Both the squirrel and I jumped, he much higher

than I.

He apparently didn’t like the wakeup call.

The unexpected happens.

(Continued from page 7)

Page 8 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

Sugar Land Garden Club member Don Johnson , is a member of the

Fort Bend Master Gardeners’ Entomology Group and of the Texas

Master Naturalists, Coastal Prairie Chapter.

The circle of mushrooms, called a fairy ring, grew in the field behind our house.

This squirrel spent the night curled up in a flower pot at our door

Three months later the ring is only a healthy looking green grass.

The vulture takes a drink at our birdbath.

Page 9 Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8

Save the Date...Spring Installation of Officers Lunch By Patty Ranson

MAY 20, 2014 RIVERBEND COUNTRY CLUB

11:00a.m. -- 1:00p.m.

SIGN UP SHEETS AT MARCH GENERAL MEETING

ALONG WITH MENU $22 INCLUSIVE [email protected] or 281-494-6405

Hospitality by Suzanne Hanks and Jean Waleke

All members are required to help with hospitality, which includes supplying refreshments for the meeting, helping with set-

up before the meeting and helping with clean up after the meeting. If you realize several weeks in advance that you are unable

to help during your month please contact us so we can try to move you to another month. Of course, we also know that

sometimes things arise at the last minute. If that occurs, and you are unable to meet your obligation please note that our by-

laws require you to find a replacement or pay $15 to the club (check should be make out to Sugar Land Garden Club). The

money will be used to purchase paper products or other refreshments. Thanks to all the wonderful members who have

volunteered to be monthly host chairs.

September Jonita Ramirez

October Sharon Pence and Carolyn Salmans

November Elizabeth Jones and Jeanmarie Short

December Patty Ranson and Social Activities

January Gay Chavez

February Debe Fannin

March Marian Kozlovsky

Membership Request from the Feb Luncheon: Charleston Cheese Dip From: Sue Jordan

1/2 c. mayonnaise 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 c. grated sharp Cheddar cheese 1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese

2 green onions, finely chopped dash of cayenne pepper

8 crackers, crushed, such as Ritz (I used vegetable Ritz but will try it with Panko the next time)

8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled Fritos, crackers or bagel chips for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, mix the mayo, cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, green on-

ions & cayenne pepper. Transfer to a lightly buttered 9” pie plate. Top with cracker crumbs & bake until heated through,

approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven, top with bacon & serve immediately. Tip: I made one half more of this recipe

because I thought it looked skimpy in the pie plate after making it as it is written above. I also used 6 slices of bacon instead

of 8.

SLGC General Meeting

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 Social 9:30 am, program 10:00 am

“Rainwater Collection and Water Management Tech-

niques” Speaker-Boone Holladay, Fort Bend County Horticul-

ture Agent

Knights of Columbus Hall, 702 Burney Rd 77498

Native Plant Society of Texas—Houston

April 17, 2014 Meet at 7:00 pm. Program at 7:30 pm

Earth Day Celebration. To be announced

Happy Easter April 20th

SLGC Field Trip

April 22, 2014 Antique Rose Emporium and Blue Bell Cream-

ery-Brenham

SLGC Butterfly Garden Workday

Thursday, Ap[ril 24, 2014 8:00 am

Sugar Land Branch Library, 550 Eldridge 77478

For more information contact Joel Chavez at

[email protected] or 832-633-0400

Oops, sorry we missed the recognition of

Leslie Niemand as 2014

GAPS Finance Chair. We are so

pleased to have her on board for

this important task!

Houston Federation of Garden Clubs

March 14, 2014 10:00 am

“Oranges, Apples and Pears, Oh My!”,

Angela Chandler, Master Gardener and Master Naturalist

West Gray Multi Service Center, 1475 W. Gray, Houston

SLGC General Meeting Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Social 9:30 am, program 10:00 am “Honey Honey! - Where’s the Bee?” Speaker - Nancy Hentschel Knights of Columbus Hall, 702 Burney Rd 77498

Native Plant Society of Texas—Houston

March 20, 2014

Meet at 7:00 pm. Program at 7:30 pm

Mickey Merritt, Urban Trees

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

in Memorial Park. 4501 Woodway 77024

SLGC Field Trip

March 25, 2014 Industrial Country Narket and Janis Vasut’s

Farm. Columbus and Highway 71, Industrial Country Market

SLGC Butterfly Garden Workday

Thursday, March 27, 2014 8:00 am

Sugar Land Branch Library, 550 Eldridge 77478

For more information contact Joel Chavez at

[email protected] or 832-633-0400

SLGC Workshop

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 10:00am—12:00 noon

“Button Tree on Canvass” By Lynette McQueen

Imperial Park Recreation Center

234 Matlage Way, Sugar Land, Texas 77478

SLGC Brookwood Community Garden Therapy

Workday

Thursday, April 10. Leave Sugar Land 9:30am. Arrive back 3:00

pm. Limited to 6 volunteers. Garden alongside Special Needs

Residents.

Houston Federation of Garden Clubs

April 11, 2014 10:00 am

“Orchids in the Air”, Vern Wiersema, Past HOS President

West Gray Multi Service Center, 1475 W. Gray, Houston

March Calendar of Events April Greenleaf March 2014 Volume 16 Issue 8 Page 10

NEW GREENLEAF ARTICLE

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

So we may issue the Greenleaf the week prior to the

General Meeting, it is now requested that you submit

your articles no later than the 1st day of the month. Send

your article and any photos by email to

both Diana Miller, [email protected] and

Gay Chavez, [email protected]

Photo Submitted by Mary Ann

Kovack: This little guy has

found a spot to wait out the

rain in the camellia bush. Isn’t

he just the cutest??