Seasons Greetings

Tony Rickett - Dunham's Wharf Vineyard -Nov's Guest Speaker

Tony Rickett has been developing Dunham's Wharf Vineyard for seven years located in Gorham's Bluff on the Kingston Pennsula. With five acres of land where 3,000 grape vines grow in rows. Rickett has spent seven years planting a variety of grape vines on his property and tending to them until they are ready to pick, crush and turn into wine he says tastes "absolutely fabulous.Grapes, some white, some purple, and some shades in between, drip in bunches off the vines and provide a lunch for the hungry birds that visit the property. A loud bird sounds in the background and Rickett explains that it is a sound-machine used to scare off the vultures. His love of fine wine inspired him to grow wine grapes - a challenge he says has been tackled by few, if any, on the Kingston Peninsula. "I hope people get encouraged to say it can be done and try it," Rickett said. He explained that the climate on the peninsula teeters on the edge of being suitable to grow wine grapes.  With the large amounts of rainfall, he said this summer has not been great for the crop. But the way his property gradually slopes towards the river helps fend off frost for one to two weeks longer than other areas of the peninsula. Seven years ago he planted his first vines and has grown the crop steadily each year. He said vines take about five years to produce grapes. Each of the five acres of vines on his property produces one to two tonnes of grapes, half of which he shared with the raccoons and birds in the area. The grapes he grew last year were used to make about 100 bottles of wine. Rickett is not licensed to sell the wine and he makes no money off his efforts. It is a project he says he does because he loves it.Two years ago Rickett decided to take on a new project - growing hops. He said hops grow on vines and produce bunches of small cones that hang off the plants that wrap around stakes on the edges of his property. He said it grew about six inches a day - so fast he could watch it. "When you cut it (the cone) open it looks like yellow traffic paint," Rickett said. "It is what gives beer the aroma it has"They are used to flavour beer and the ultimate test for a brew master is to use fresh hops to make a beer." Rickett said he passed the hops he grew this year on to brew master Wendy Papadopoulos. She used them to make a beer called Indian Beach Nut Brown Ale that is being sold at the Big Tide Brewing Company in Saint John.

Wreath Making Nov 15,2011

REMINDER – Fundy Gardeners Greenery Workshop will take place this Tuesday, November 15th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the Rothesay Arena –upstairs meeting room. The focus will be on making a wreath, however if you choose you can also create a seasonal centerpiece. The workshop will be led by Fundy Gardener Chris Crowley who will supply wreath forms, wire pallets and lots of greenery. All you have to bring is:


 pruners (if you have some)

 ribbon -2 to 3 inches wide

 decorations such as pine cones, rose hips, bells etc. that you might want to use

 container if you’re making a centerpiece

 Optional is - skin-so-soft to take off the sticky greenery residue.


If you haven’t yet registered it’s not too late - the class can accommodate 20, and there are a few spots remaining. If interested please call Pat McGill at 849-4353 ASAP. Workshop cost: $10.00/pp

Oct's Guest Speaker Dave Product Pack -Kredal's Hampton

WHAT IS DAVE’S PRODUCE PACKS?: We are six university students who share a passion for sustainable, local farming. Under Dave’s guidance, the team will plant, weed and harvest the largest variety of vegetables possible. No chemicals,




pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizer will be used. Each week, beginning in mid-June, they deliver a pack of veggies, artisan bread and a dozen of free-run eggs to a pickup point in your area. Our season lasts from the second or third week of June until a week or two after the first hard frost, usually the second or third week of October.
MORE THAN VEGETABLES: If available, we will always try to provide seasonal berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. We understand that our packs include a lot of vegetables, so as added variety, we also want to start occasionally including other SFL approved LOCAL food products such as cheeses, meats, fish, preserves and more. For example, one week could include a pack of Bruce’s SFL sausages, which are so popular or a bottle of homemade jam, which we would make. Of course, with these products we will have a selection and/or a choice, as well as an option for vegetarians and vegans.

September Meeting

FUNDY GARDENER’S MEMBERS NIGHT

“Show and Tell”

 

Bring something from your garden that you would like to” show and tell” about for 2-3 minutes.
“People’s Choice”

 3 categories

 1.Miniatures Six inches or under, including container

 2. "Harvest Happening”

 3.“Anything Goes”

 Prizes will be certificates from Fundy Gardeners 

This is meant to be a FUN night for sharing your garden high and low lights

  

Please have exhibits here by 6:45 p.m. People will vote before the meeting and during the break, with votes being tabulated during the “show and tell”. Certificates will be handed out as soon as the votes are tabulated.

  

FOOD

 

If you have something yummy from your garden you would like to share (jams, jellies, etc.) please bring it !!

 

August's Speaker 2011

This month guest speaker is Jeff Morton speaking on Alternatives to the Traditional Lawn.

Garden Tour Photo's and Location of July 27th tour

This Weds July 27th  is a the the home of
Joan Van Wart,1608 Rte 845,Clifton Royal Kingston Peninsula

Grace & George Venkatarangam  a Garden with a Great Veiw

Debra Lindsay a Garden nestled on the shore of the Kennebecasis River

Gwen Belyea 's Garden a large garden with ponds and pathway a true delight.

Brunswick Nurseries

Fundy Gardeners send their condolences to Duncan Kelbaugh & Betty Pugh on the passing of Peggy Kelbaugh on Sunday, July 10th, 2011 Duncan’s Mom was in her 96th year and led a full life expressing herself through her art. Her memorial service will be held from the Kennebecasis Community Funeral Home, 152 Pettingill Road, Quispamsis, on Thursday, July 14th, 2011, at 4:00 PM.


The obituary of a very talanted lady.

Canning Daylilies

The Fundy Gardeners over the years have had some great speakers who have taken the time to pass on their knowledge and love of gardening. Two speakers were Wayne Storrie and Wayne Ward owners of Canning Daylilies known as Big Wayne and Little Wayne throughout the gardening world. Fundy Gardeners were fortunate to have visited their Gardens and have them as guest speakers. Many members now have Canning Day lilies in their own Gardens. The Club members where saddened on the news that Wayne Storrie had past on and would like to express our condolences to their family.


Wayne's Storrie's Obituary and message from follow gardeners.

Web Site

Garden Tour June 29 and Guest Speaker July 6th

Satomi pink flowering Dogwood Merv Cormier's
Garden.

Garden Tour this Weds June 29th
Grace & George Venkatarangam
325 Model Farm Rd.5th Driveway Past Brunswick Nursery’s on the riverside.

Guest Speaker July 6th 2011

Bob  Osborne owner of Corn Hill Nursery Ltd., located in Corn Hill, N.B. . 

June's Guest Speaker

Della Day -Dayhaven Farms -Growing and Using Herbs

Della started her business 4 years ago at her farm in Charlotte County. Although she has a full-time job, herbs are her passion. Her primary focus is on food products although she also produces bath products, sachets and other gift items. Dayhaven Farms produces organically grown, naturally dried herbs.

Della will talk to us about growing herbs, making herbal foods (taste testing at the break), companion planting and more! She will have a wide variety of products available for sale – something for everyone.

Perennial Sale May 2011

Jan Wilshaw’s , 20 Douglas Drive, Quispamsis
(off Model Farm Rd at Meenan’s Cove).
Saturday May 21st from 9am to 3pm

Sunday May 22th from noon-4pm
For more information please call 849 6401
or e-mail   jan.wilshaw@gardener.com


Hosta Sale



Peter Kinsella is finally splitting some of his specialty hostas in support of his trip to the American Hosta Society Convention in  Marlborough Mass. ( Really to make room for more plants) They will available for sale at their open garden on June 16^th or by appointment or
chance. Peter address is 1954 Rothesay Road, Rothesay, NB Phone 849-3706







May's Guest Speaker

This month's guest speaker is George Scott of Scott's Nursery Ltd. who have been growing quality plants and serving the New Brunswick and surrounding areas for over 80 years.They have always taken pride in the amount of plant selection at and quality of plant material at the nursery.

http://www.scottsnursery.nb.ca/

Mystery Migration: Secrets of the Black Scoter

" Mystery Migration: Secrets of the Black Scoter”. As shown by Jim WIilson ed it at the January meeting as part of his presentation on wildlife of the Bay of Fundy. Members of the who ordered copies and they will be avaible at the upcoming meeting plus a few extras in case others want one. The video has a version in English and another in French, both on the one copy. The cost of the video is $20.00 and cash or cheques are fine. Cheques should be payable to the Saint John Naturalists’ Club. 100% of the proceeds from sales will go directly toward the ongoing work of the Point Lepreau Bird Observatory.You would be welcome to encourage people to pass it on to a friend after they’re finished with it.

Botanical Garden Tour April 6 Meeting

Fundy Gardeners own Jane Barry will be taking the members on a tour of at least five different Botanical Gardens, Victoria, Denver, Phoenix, San Miguel, Mexico and Coastal Maine. This slideshow promises to be a great trip. Coastal Maine Garden's is the location of the next Fundy Gardens Road trip. This slideshow promises to be a great trip.

Coastal Maine Garden's is the location of the next Fundy Gardens Road trip.

                                                AUCTION ALERT!

 

There will be an auction of three interesting items at Fundy Gardeners’ monthly meeting on April 6th. We have a beautiful ceramic hummingbird feeder, saffron bulbs and a gift basket (retail value approximately $50). So bring you wallet and enjoy the fun.

HOW TO MAKE BETTER PICTURES OF YOUR OWN AND OTHER GARDENS -Freeman Patterson

Renowned professional photographer, author and avid gardener, Freeman Patterson will be speaking to our Fundy Gardener membership about garden designs and composition. This presentation will be valuable to gardeners, photographers and painters alike.

Two presentations are planned 5:30 and 8:00 Thursday, April 7th at K.V. Select Funeral Home. Registration is required for attendance. Limited seats available sign up early to avoid disappointment. For more information or to sign up for presentation check our Fundy Gardner’s blog by March 15th, 2011.

Please note is  a members only event

March Meeting

This   months guest speaker is Fundy Gardeners very own Merv Cormier. Speaking on the Birds in My Garden.Merv is a very talanted birder and photographer.

Seed Sale

The Oxalis will be $1.00 for both bulbs and plants (they are hatchlings). The Jade Plant will be $5.00.
Iinformation sheets  will be at the meeting

Good Luck Shamrock

Oxalis deppei: Iron Cross Oxalis

Iron Cross or False Shamrock, unlike many types of oxalis, is not invasive. It was introduced to European gardening in Victorian times. The cultivar name is derived from the maroon cross formed at the center of the four bright green-rimmed velvety leaves. Throughout summer and into early autumn it has big bright pink flowers.

Even if it never flowered the foliage is so gorgeous it belongs in the garden. That it also flowers for quite a long time just adds to its excellence. The flowers are almost crimson they are so darkly pink.

Lift in the fall.

Height: 6-8 inches
Colour: Rose Pink
Light: Sun



Crassula ovata: Jade Plant


Commonly known as jade plant, friendship tree, lucky plant or Money Plant, Crassula ovata is a succulent plant with small pink or white flowers. Normally a house plant, it can be planted outside and cuttings can be taken in the fall to bring inside and grow for next year.

Jades are evergreen plants with thick branches and smooth, rounded, fleshy leaves that grow in opposing pairs along the branches. Leaves are a rich jade green; some varieties may develop a red tinge on the edges of leaves when exposed to high levels of sunlight.
Height: Small shrub
Colour: Pink or white flowers
Light: Sun to light shade
Bloom Time: Usually summer

The leaning tower of butterflies: Mass of Monarchs in Mexico makes the heart flutter with joy

By Daily Mail Reporte

Colony numbers double a year after storm devastated population

Their numbers were devastated a year ago when severe storms hit their colonies.
But now the Monarch butterfly has made a spectacular comeback having more than DOUBLED in size this winter.
Despite the growth, however, the migrating insect remains under threat.
Millions of butterflies make a 2,000-mile journey each year from Canada to winter in central Mexico's warmer weather but the size of that migration can vary wildly.

Link to news site http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1357164/Reborn-The-Monarch-butterfly-makes-comeback-Mexico-year-storms-devastated-colonies.html

Stone Hammer Geo Park

 Stonehammer Park

From towering rock formations and sea caves along the
Bay of Fundy to the Reversing Falls and fossil-laden cliffs,
the southern coast of New Brunswick reveals a billion year geological story. And nobody tells that story better than our very own Dr. Randy Miller, P.Geo., who spearheaded the effort to have Stonehammer named North America’s first Global Geopark.

Dr. Miller is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Geology at the
University of New Brunswick and the recipient of the 2010 Distinguished
Scientist Award ‘Gesner Medal’ from the Atlantic Geoscience Society.
His tireless work in exploring, documenting and promoting Stonehammer
Geopark’s significance was an influencing factor in it being named North
America’s first Global Geopark in October 2010.
Dr. Miller’s presentation will discuss:
• What it takes to become part of the Global Geoparks Network
• The vibrant geological history of southern New Brunswick
• The unique features of Stone

Awards and a Big Thank-You

Fundy Gardeners President Jane LeBlanc (left) presents Dick Chiswell the Presidents award on behalf of  the out going President Bob Perry. The award was given to Dick for his work and voluntarism within the club. The painting is of  Dick's  famous vegetable garden by artist Nancy Hart (right)


The Fundy Gardeners wish to thank Bob Perry for his work in the past two years as President.