Tag Archive | fund raiser

November Happenings

Our club’s October meeting was a busy and informative one. Linda V. and Betsy V. presented a slide display of this year’s Pollinator Mini-Grant recipients, including a progress report on their committee’s effort to create a pollinator corridor in Exeter and Stratham. This was followed by slides of our club’s Civic Beautification projects, presented by chair, Linda S.

Environment and Conservation introduced this season’s topic – edible berries found in this area’s fields and forests, kicked off by one of Jill C.’s famous quizes. This was followed by three guests, representatives of the New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, who explained their organization and described the benefits of membership enjoyed by member clubs.

And finally, Patti E. organized a huge Seed Swap and presentation, with seeds galore and detailed information on seed saving.

The Horticulture Table was overflowing with blooms and interesting plants brought by members…

And of course, there were refreshments…

Photos by Ann H.

Fall cleanup at the American Independance Museum in Exeter was completed by Linda S.’s team on a mild, sunny Friday, in little more than hour. Linda reports that it couldn’t have been accomplished without Rose’s truck and Ellen’s leaf vacuum/ mulcher. The museum thanked this year’s Civic Beautification volunteers with a coffee mug

Photos by Ann H.

Mel M. and her Civic Beautification volunteers undertook the fall cleanup of the Stratham Veterans Garden, making sure that it was a pristine setting for the Nov. 11th Veterans Day ceremony.

Photos by Lee C. and Ellen J.

Club News

Don’t miss the first speaker of our 2024 -2025 season. Rita Wollmeringer will be presenting “The Many Gifts of Herb Gardening,” on Thursday, Nov. 21. Arrive at 9 a.m for refreshments & lots of socializing!

Our Election Day Bake Sale was a success, after missing the sale in 2022 due to Covid …. This year: rainy cold weather, limited to one table, and very confusing voter queuing pattern!!
A big thanks to all the bakers for the wonderful assortment of goodies … an extra special thanks for labeling and pricing your items. Thanks to our “drop-team”, Jill and Ginelle.
Our fearless Ways and Means Chair, Johann, sends a very special thanks to the folks who staffed the table and “peddled” our goodies to the patient voters in the very long line. Nearly every crumb was sold and our final sales number was $826!
P.S. A little call out for Lang – he was there to help run interference with the voting moderators.
– Pat N

Photos by Pat N.

Our next fundraiser is on the near horizon – the Nov. 23rd Yuletide Fair at the Cooperative Middle School in Stratham. Many members have already been busy creating sales items, for example:

Photos by Ann H., Vicki B.

On Friday, November 22, all members are invited to participate in our final workshop where we’ll be assembling arrangements and organizing for the Fair. We’re meeting from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Stratham Municipal Center. Contact Johann S. with any questions. This fun workshop is our final big push to make this another profitable fundraiser.

Members’ very last chance to sign up for the Holiday Luncheon at Wentworth Country Club on Dec. 5th is at the next meeting on Nov. 21st. Don’t miss out – contact Paige C. for details.

Lee C. will be offering a Greens Workshop/Design Lesson on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 9 to 11 a.m. Sign-up will be available at the November meeting or contact Lee.

Everyone is encouraged to take a look at our Facebook page. Patti E. does a spectacular job of updating the page with interesting gardening info. You don’t have to join Facebook to look at our page, just click here to check it out. And while you’re there, be sure to click on the “Like” button.

Stay up to date with all the club plans and activities. The minutes of our board and general meetings are always available on the website under Members Only in the main menu.

Other Events

The 6th Annual Seed Swap Giveaway will be held on November 16, from 9 am to 3 pm There will be over 30 species of FREE pollinator-friendly plant seeds. Kingston Recreation Building, 24 Main Street, Kingston, NH.

On November 19, Rye Driftwood Garden Club will be hosting Jean Stefanik and “Orchids All Around Us.” Info at www.ryenhgardenclub.org.

October Happenings

Oct6

We know Fall has arrived when our Awards committee presents EAGC’s annual awards for Outstanding Gardens. This year, our Awards ceremony was moved up a month to September, allowing members more time to look over the gardens of our recipients before a fall frost arrives. A slideshow of the spectacular winning gardens was presented by Carmen G. & new Awards chair, Ginelle H., reflecting three very different gardens – all beautiful in their own way. The winning gardeners or a representative were present at the meeting to receive their awards and answer member questions about their gardening techniques and experiences.

For photos of these three Outstanding Gardens, click here.

This September kickoff meeting was well-attended, with members exchanging summer garden information and learning about what the club has in store for this 2024-25 season. New Yearbooks were distributed (if you missed the meeting, pick yours up at the October meeting) and there were plenty of sign-up sheets for Yuletide Fair workshops. The sales table had a good selection of donations and members were encouraged to hang a leaf on the Promise Tree – some fun activity that will bring us together, an opportunity to get better acquainted. And of course, the refreshment table – always mouth-watering.

Thanks to Carmen G. Ann H. and Nickky J. for the photos. (And to the drone that took a photo of the refreshment table!)

Club News

The October 17th meeting will be a busy one. Environment & Conservation will be presenting a slideshow of the Beautification Mini-Grant recipients for 2024. Civic Beautification will show us some slides of the gardens our club maintains. The NH Federation of Garden Clubs will introduce their organization and take questions.
This will all be followed by Patti E. who has arranged a Seed Swap. Please bring baggies or small envelopes for the seeds you would like to try – and a marker. If you are providing seeds, be sure to label them so that members can copy when they take SOME of your seeds.
Following all this, there is time for committees to meet and brainstorm about their year, as we have the room till 1pm.
Please bring your checkbook to the October meeting, as we will be doing sign-ups for the December 5th Holiday Luncheon, at the Wentworth Country Club, Rye, from 11:30 to 2. Our headcount and food choices must be submitted to the country club before our November meeting, so sign up now. If you’re unable to come to the October meeting, contact Paige C. to sign up and choose your entree.
Mark your calendars for our Election Day Bake Sale – on Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to noon at the Exeter polls. We are coordinating drop-off locations on Monday, Nov. 4th for your baked goods. A sign-up sheet will be available at the October meeting for help at the sales table on the 5th. Johann S. will be providing more details.
Reminder: Lee C. and Ellen J. are holding a Holiday Gnome Workshop on Thursday, October 10 from 10-12 at the Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham.
The Design Committee is planning an Instructional Greens Workshop for Thursday, Dec. 12. More info will be available at the October and November meetings.
Mark your calendars: we will be holding our annual Yuletide Fair Workshop on Nov. 22, in preparation for the Fair on Nov. 23rd.

Lynda B.’s Fall Photos

Hollyhocks at community garden at Wagon Hill, Durham

September Happenings

Sep15

EAGC’s first meeting of the 2024-25 season is Thursday, September 19. We’re adjusting the starting time of our general meetings – our new set-up time is 8:30, with doors opening at 9 for Social Hour. This will allow members more time to chat, check out displays and Promise Tree offerings, and enjoy the always yummy refreshments before getting down to business. (As always, bring your own beverage.)

Our Awards Committee will be announcing the recipients of three Outstanding Garden Awards at the September meeting. Outgoing chair, Carmen G., along with our new chair, Ginelle H., have invited award recipients to the meeting and have put together a Powerpoint presentation of photos of the winning gardens. The meeting will also include Ways & Means announcements, overviews of all our committees, and some committees will be meeting to discuss plans for the year.

Fall must have officially arrived – Ellen J. of the Beautification committee has created a seasonal display for the entrance to the Stratham Municipal Center. She’s taken the scarecrow theme to a new level, covering all the fun of fall!

Club News

Ways & Means

Workshops are underway for the Yuletide Fair, to be held on November 23rd. Lee C. and Ellen J. are hosting an Oct. 10 workshop to make Gnome Centerpieces (right). Members are also working on Scented Pomander Balls, under the direction of Pat N. Sign-up for the Gnome workshop will be available at the Sept. meeting.
A Promise Tree event: Apple Picking & Refreshments tomorrow, September 16, from 1-3 at LuAnn F.’s home. $10 donation to the Promise Tree. Contact LuAnn to RSVP.
We will be holding a Bake Sale at the Exeter polls on Election Day, Nov. 5. This is our first Election Day Bake Sale since the pandemic brought them to a halt.
Our 2024-2025 Yearbooks will be available at the September meeting, thanks to our new Yearbook Editor Pat N. Be sure to pick yours up at the membership table.
There are still a few empty board and committee spots waiting for member volunteers. Please consider whether one of these would be a good fit for you: Vice President, Nominating Committee, Hospitality chair to oversee monthly refreshments, Publicity, or Civic Beautification coordinator of the Holiday decorations at the Exeter Historical Society.
Looking ahead – our Holiday Luncheon date has been scheduled. We’ll be celebrating on December 5 at the Wentworth by the Sea Country Club in Rye.

Other Events & Activities

The Barrington Garden Club Seed Swap is on October 16 at 6 pm. Go to https://www.facebook.com/BarringtonBloomers/ for more info.

The Lane Memorial Library is offering an HBO documentary film, “Trees and Other Entanglements”, on Tuesday, September 24th, 2 PM and Friday, September 27th, 2 PM at the Weston Gallery & Theater. Free admission. In this film, meeting a young boy stolen and hidden amongst trees, an artist refining American bonsai, a photographer artfully observing trees, a mother fighting to protect the forests in her backyard, family trees and uprooted trees, and a man who steadfastly plants them.

March Happenings

Mar12

Brian McPherson inspired members to work toward “More Blossoms, Less Mowing” at our February general meeting. Using his own Exeter home gardens as examples, Brian provided lots of planting ideas to replace the typical manicured lawn, which provides so little benefit to our pollinators and our environment.

With his slide presentation, he also showed the results of his volunteer work reviving an Audubon Center rain garden and developing a pollinator meadow.

Meeting attendees also learned about predatory insects, thanks to the Environment & Conservation committee via posters, handouts, and a presentation of some surprising predator habits and preferences. Several sign-up sheets for upcoming social events were also made available.

Upcoming Club Events

The Programs committee has arranged a Mingle, Munch and Moot Promise Tree gathering on Thursday, March 14, from 2-5 PM at the home of Ann S. in Exeter. We’ll be meeting over savory snacks to discuss possible program options for future club meetings. There is still room for others to join the gathering. Contact Vicki B. if you’d like to sign up. The Promise Tree donation is $5.

Ann H. and her Horticulture Committee are planning a Spring Design Workshop for Thursday, March 28th from 2-4.

As always, participants will be creating a beautiful floral arrangement to brighten up their homes – this time for spring. If you’d like to be part of the creativity, contact Ann H.

Another club event in the planning stages is our annual Indoor Yard Sale fundraiser, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 8 AM to noon, at the Stratham Municipal Center. Members will be asked to bring plants, bargains and baked goods for sale at our club’s tables. Signup sheets for help with set-up on Friday and sales on Saturday will be available at the March meeting. Details will be emailed to members.

Other Upcoming Events

March 16 (9:30am to 5:30pm) and March 17 (9:30am to 4:30pm) Old House & Barn Expo – New Hampshire Preservation Alliance at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH. Featured speaker Henry Homeyer, The Gardening Guy’s lecture on Saturday at 3pm: Great Plants for Historic Properties: How to select and grow trees, shrubs and flowers that have stood the test of time. Go here for tickets.

March 19 Jane Raymond will speak on Successful Vegetable Gardening. Sponsored by the Rye Driftwood Garden Club. Contact here for info.

March 20, 11am – 12pm at the Urban Forestry Center, 147 Elwyn Rd, Portsmouth. Shaker Herbs and Gardening. Author Galen Beale will speak about growing herbs and explore the Shakers’ herb gardening heritage. Sponsored by the Portsmouth Garden Club. Guests are always welcome at PGC events. Arrive at 10:00am for light refreshments and social time, followed by a business meeting or arrive at 11:00am for our presentation. We ask nonmembers to donate $5 which is used to help defray speaker costs. Contact us at [email protected] for more details.

April 10, 1-3 pm. “Spring is Sprung” by Bert Ford, one of New England’s leading floral design professionals. At the Fellowship Hall of First Parish Church in York, Maine. For info, go here.

Online Programs
March 28, 1-2 pm. In the Life of the Bumble Bee Queen (and the Cuckoo too!), with Rich Hatfield. ONLINE, hosted by Xerces Society. Take a deep dive into the reproductive females of bumble bees, including cuckoo bumble bees. Register here. Free
March 28, 7 pm. Spread, Impact, and Control of Jumping Worms, with Josef Görres. ONLINE, hosted by URI Cooperative Extension. An important presentation summarizing new research on jumping worm invasions in New England. The lecture will touch on identification, how they spread, their impact on plants and the environment, and new developments in how to control them. Register here. Free.

UNH Extension has put together an excellent article on preparing gardening tools for the upcoming season. Click here for advice on getting your pruners in shape for spring gardening.

October Happenings

Nov7

November has launched with a flurry of activity for EAGC members. We’ve been tidying up our community service gardens, planning for our Holiday Luncheon, attending workshops for the Yuletide fair, and best of all, welcoming new members to our busy club. But first, let’s recap our October general meeting.

Our Awards Committee, chaired by Carmen G., took center stage in presenting EAGC’s annual Outstanding Garden Awards. This year, three awards were presented – Outstanding Residential Garden, Outstanding Commercial Garden, and the new Lifetime Achievement Award. After visiting a number of beautiful gardens, the committee chose these three as the most impressive.

Outstanding Residential Garden: Elizabeth Niebling, Exeter. Her gardens are a wonderful example of all that can be accomplished on a modestly-sized town property.

Outstanding Commercial Garden: Inn by the Bandstand, Robin Davis (partner of Jamie Lopez, owner of Inn at the Bandstand). The Inn’s location at the center of Exeter near the bandstand is the perfect location for a front garden and planters that help beautify the historic downtown.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack Fermery of Hampton Falls received the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award for his many years of dedicated care and maintenance. A photo of a bit of his beautiful gardens show why he earned this award.

*Award Recipients Jack Fermery, Elizabeth Niebling, Robin Davis, and EAGC member Judy Roberts*

Carol C., a member of our Horticulture committee, provided a detailed Hort Moment for attendees that focused on the plant, bay laurel. Her presentation, including posters and plant cuttings, covered all aspects of this useful plant. A transcription of her program can be found in Hort Tips on the website.

Carol C.’s Bay Laurel Presentation

At our November 16 General meeting we will host Betty Sanders, a Massachusetts Lifetime Master Gardener, a former District Director for the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, and an accredited Flower Show Judge. Her talks share her knowledge and experiences on a diverse set of topics. She will be sharing the following talk:
Going Native: Low Maintenance Trees and Shrubs — Native trees and shrubs evolved in New England without our help. They have adapted to hot, dry summers and cold winters, to browsing deer, and local insects. The flowers and fruit they produce attract birds and butterflies, and along with their foliage add color to your landscape. Nativars—the cultivars of native plants—have expanded the color palette and options for the homeowner.

While at the meeting, don’t forget to sign up for the Holiday Luncheon, which will be on Thursday, December 7th, 11:30 a.m. at the Wentworth by the Sea Country Club. You must sign up no later than Nov. 23rd to attend.

Yuletide Fair Committees at Work Club members have been attending workshops, organized by Lee C. & Johann S., to prepare sale items for the Nov. 18th Yuletide Fair in Stratham. Many projects have been completed, with impressive results, but our biggest preparation effort will be the workshop held on Friday, Nov. 17 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Stratham Municipal Center. We’ll be working on fresh arrangements, gourd decorating, and finishing up the amaryllis containers for sale. Here are Yuletide committees at work and a preview of some of the completed sale items talented members have created:

With Veterans Day soon upon us, Linda S. and her Beautification committee spent a few hours this week tidying up the Stratham Memorial Veterans Garden for the upcoming ceremony. Spent plants were pulled, leaves were raked away, and grasses were trimmed. Applecrest Orchards in Hampton Falls donated their remaining mums for our use, adding some color to the garden.