By Becky Hackman | For The Banner
All Seasons Garden Club traveled to the Vallonia Tree Nursery on July 1 for an educational tour of the facility, which is the only state tree nursery in southern Indiana. Driving into the nursery, you couldn’t help but realize how fortunate we are to live in this area of southern Indiana.
Corn and oats were growing along the main entrance. For a ‘city girl,’ I learned that rotating crops was necessary to keep the balance of the soil nutrients for the tree seedlings that are planted there.
The group was given a tour of the main operation center by the manager, Ron Winks. We learned that 25 million trees are sold, mostly to individuals, yearly at the facility. Some of the species include northern white cedar, Norway spruce, black cherry, pecan and persimmon.
Winks said the work is very physical and planting and harvesting are done by state inmates.
A seed meeting will be held July 18 where people can purchase seeds at the nursery.
After the tour, the group traveled to Tiemeyer’s Market, not far from the nursery, for dinner and a short meeting. Upon arriving, the tables were decorated in a Fourth of July motif with centerpieces of blue Mason jars filled with American flags, handmade by the hostesses, Julie Ballard and Joan Thompson.
Each member received a flag of their choice and bags of delicious Aunt Elsie’s mix as table favors. Kathy Cunningham and myself received door prizes of gift certificates to Tiemeyer’s Market. Each member ordered from the menu.
After dinner, President Linda Kamman conducted a short business meeting. First on the agenda was the Aug. 25 meeting. The group will travel to Hope for a dinner and play, Patsy Cline, at Willow Leaves of Hope. The ticket price is $35 that will be paid that day.
Kamman told the group that member Martha Wilson fell in her garage recently and was taken to the ER to make sure she was alright. She is recovering at home, but was not feeling up to attending the meeting. Then, she told us that member Jeanette Chastain’s husband, Buck, was admitted to St. Vincent Heart Hospital, with heart issues.
Following the brief meeting, several of the members shopped in the market and purchased peaches, tomatoes, cantaloupe and corn.
After enjoying each other’s company, the meeting was adjourned.