By Becky Hackman | For The Tribune
On Monday night, Sept. 9, Darlene Groseclose and Brenda Turner hosted the September meeting of All Seasons Garden Club, with 14 members and two guests, Sheila Long of Florida, sister-in-law of Charlotte Foster and Stephanie Strothmann, attending.
President Linda Kamman conducted the business meeting and reminded everyone she and Jean Barkman will host the October 7 meeting. It will take place at the usual time and will be held at Schneider’s Nursery where those attending will make an arrangement, and each person participating will pay for their own supplies.
The November meeting will be hosted by Sandy Kovener and Martha Wilson and the time and place to be announced later. Get well cards were passed around among the members to send cheer to Kovener, who was recently hospitalized, and Kathy Cunningham who is recovering from rotator cuff surgery.
I gave an update on Kovener’s condition and Cunningham’s progress. Kamman asked for Hackman to go over last month’s minutes and tell the group a little about their dinner and the Patsy Cline musical held at Willow Leaves of Hope.
Next, Groseclose asked the members if it is okay that she texts them for the monthly meeting information, and everyone agreed this is much easier for them and the committee.
Nita Bridges gave everyone attending a map and information on the Backroad Gypsies Redding Township Vendors, which is in her vicinity, to be held on Sept. 20 and 21.
Guest Sheila Long gave Gloriosa Lily seeds to those attending and explained to the group how to plant and take care of them.
After the business meeting, the group was served delicious ham and turkey sandwiches, slaw, chips and drinks and peach cobbler and decadent chocolate-mint cupcakes with chocolate-mint frosting for dessert.
Strothman of Purple Shamrock farms gave a wonderful talk on her beekeeping.
She purchased her farm in 2017 and when she was told that the former owners’ grandfather was a beekeeper, she knew that’s where she was headed. She has four bee hives, geese, chickens, dogs, a barn cat named Cooper and two pot-bellied pigs besides her many bees.
We learned so much about bees and beekeeping as she had a very interesting program. We learned the queen bees work together to make the hive, there are “drone” bees who scout in March and April for food sources that are important to keep the queen alive and therefore to keep the hive flourishing. Strothmann brought a bee box along that had frames in it, and these are where the honey is collected. A scraping tool was passed around to the group. This tool is necessary for prying, scraping and pulling out the frames from the box. She said most beekeepers keep a magnet in their pocket so they can attach the tool for easy access. She bought one of her beekeeper suits and gloves that she wears for protection.
We also learned that “balling” of the bees is to protect the queen and therefore keep the colony alive. The bees leave a sticky substance, called propolis, Propolis is used for many things, which some keepers put in vodka, and it makes an antibacterial product. She encouraged the group, being gardeners, to plant bee balm, sunflowers, golden rod, black-eyed Susan and cone flowers as well as don’t get rid of the dandelions, as they are a wonderful source for bees.
In the spring, before much is blooming the bees tend to search trees that are leafed out for their pollen, as a food source. After many questions of Strothman from the group, the meeting was adjourned and of course, as always, lots of visiting.