Sunflowers galore Aug. 2016 at the Victory Garden.... way to grow

Look at these beauties......amazing!!!

Victory Garden 2016 weeding and potluck

Our meeting was held at the Victory  Garden to help weed  the rows  of veggies and flowers that have been so lovingly taken care of by Tamarra McMahon, her husband Richard, Brendon and the rest of the group.

This fun event was followed up with a delicious pot luck supper.

Attracting birds to your yard

Margaret Robbins, owner, Wild Birds Unlimited, 317 Federal Rd., Brookfield  provided us with great information on attracting humming birds, orioles and other local birds to our yards.  She discuss nesting materials and resources to provide housing for the birds. Margaret is so knowledgeable about all kinds of birds  and there were plenty of questions.

Raffles were held and prizes were distributed.  I will never think of birds the same way again.
Tips: 
Take an orange cut it in half place at least 7' up to feed the birds,  fill the other half of orange with grape jelly.  When feeding birds feeders should be at least 5' + from the ground.
Check on the freshness of your seed. 
 Clean your bird houses every spring.  
Don't cut your trees from April - Nov.  remember there are birds nests.
Make your own hummingbird food with water and sugar nothing else.
Birds need 1" of water only in bird baths.
Birds like running water
Happy birding!

Birds like movement in water so dripping or moving works

Great brand

Tammara made a home made rhubarb cobbler fresh from her garden yum!

One of the happy raffle prize winners!!

Gail volunteers in the Victory Garden

Victory Garden 2016

A quick early spring tour of our rows at the Victory Garden.
Looking good, can't wait to go back for another peak.
Volunteers are always welcomed - speak with Tammara.

2016 Annual Trade & Swap

The cold rainy day did not stop people from attending as they shared there gardening goodies & stories at the annual  Trade and Swap at Dickinson Park, Newtown, CT. Grateful for all the trading and the pavilion to stand under when it rained.

Happy planting! .

Trinity and the Newtown Horticulture Club sponsor this yearly event.  This is the 6th time we have traded, this is so much fun so keep this in mind for next year.  

Tag Sale Annual event

• We are still planning on having our Tag Sale on September 30, 2017 so please start saving some items you would like to donate.  

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April 2016
Place: Miller’s Barn - A big thank you to George and Shane Miller for letting us use their wonderful barn for our tag Sale which was a great success. This event helps us continue to earn funds to support the Newtown Scholarship Fund, speakers and other projects. We all had fun, purchased goodies and sold lots of great stuff!

Ferris Acres Farm, Newtown, CT

Charles and  Shirley Ferris shared a wonderful documentary on Ferris Acres Farm about their life and the long history of the farm.

Charles and Shirley were there to answer questions we had about their life farming.  They have received many awards and recognition through out their journey and it was a treat to have them spend some time with us at our meeting. 

Of course there was a delicious ice cream cake to eat so be sure to visit The Creamery if you ever are in Newtown  located on 144 Sugar Hill Road, Newtown, CT. 

To read more about Ferris Acres Farm
http://www.ferrisacrescreamery.com/about-us.html

Delicious ice cream cake made by Ferris Acres Farm

Charles III and Shirley Ferris

Charles Ferris III

Shirley Ferris

A  great turn out to hear about life at the Ferris Farm

John Passander amazing orchid

John Passanders plant show

April 14, 2016 meeting on Ferris Farms

Thursday, April 14, 2016 7:00 pm Place: The Meeting House Program: The History of Ferris Farms Presenter: Shirley Ferris Come learn the story of a multi-generational local farm that has been in Newtown for over 200 years. Shirley Ferris will present the history of the farm through family photos and narrations of the farm, the family and the creamery. Invite a friend or two as this is our local history and an evening that should not be missed.

1st meeting of 2016 - 3/10 Neonicotinoids and 2016 programs reviewed

Hello everyone,  

I hope that everyone is doing well and excited about spring coming so quickly! While we were blessed with a very mild winter I am very anxious to get out in the yard and start digging!  There are tiny buds everywhere and tinges of color on the trees.  A huge group of starlings wiped out my birdfeeders this morning!

Next Thursday, March 10, at 7 pm at the Meeting House,  will be our first meeting of the year.  Our club members Holly Kocet and Mary Wilson will be giving a very important presentation on Neonicotinoids, neonics for short.   They will discuss where do we find these pesticides,  how do they impact our pollinators, how do they affect the food and water we drink and what is the long term plan to educate and stop the widespread use of them. 

We will also be reviewing the 2016 programs that are scheduled and all of the activities planned for the year. 

I would appreciate three volunteers for refreshments.   Please let me know if you are able to bring something to share.

Looking forward to seeing everyone !!! 

Joan Cominski

Tag sale

Horticulture Club of Newtown

Benefit Tag Sale

To Support Our Scholarship Fund

Saturday, November 14, 2015 - 9am to 2pm

In the barn at 50 Main Street, Newtown

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Gardening tools,

Pots and decorative planters

Antique and vintage garden ornaments

Books and house plants

Kitchen items

Christmas decorations

Art

Clothing

Small furniture and rugs

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No early birds, please.

Questions, please email jcominski1139@frontier.com.

Oct. 2016 Election of officer's and pot luck

Great food and discussion.  The grape jelly demo will be rescheduled for another time Tammara was stuck at work.
Tidbits from our annual business meeting:
Our dues for 2016 will be $25.00.  If you would like to donate a different amount please speak with Joan everything will be confidential.
Anyone who may have an interest in being Vice President for the 2016 year please speak with Joan.
Budget was distributed.
The club would like to bring in new members, and fund raising ideas.
 We will be having a tag sale on Nov. 14th in George Miller's Barn as a new fundraiser for the group.
A second tag sale will be scheduled in the spring
Auction at meetings for fun and fund raising.
 We will be aiming towards a scholarship  of $500 for one person
More updates
 ...... in the meantime enjoy the fall and all its colors.

Great food as always.  Hey who at the last piece of apple pie?

Look at the size of John's falsie onion plant

Auction for plants will be part of ongoing meetings

Victory Garden - Learning about, weeding, followed up by picnic

The July 2015 meeting was held at the Victory Garden, Newtown, CT.  Tamarra has  been doing a great job growing veggies, her helper's Richard and Brendon were there working away when we arrived.  Joan arranged for the group to visit  our adopted row. We all helped weed the garden at the gathering followed by a delicious potluck picnic.  It didn't rain!!!!
PS Tamarra will  demo how to make jelly this fall at our meeting.  Yum.... (My grapes are turning black anyone know what to do contact Cindy )

Welcome to the garden

Our row

Well let's get weeding, where is the corn?

Hey you can't eat yet more weeding to do

Finger licking good blueberry tart, can you make another one please!!!

There is the corn

Amazing blueberry tart

Zuchinni with bisquit

Cole slaw from Tammara's garden delicious