Minutes
Minden and District Horticultural Society

General Meeting August 6th, 2019, 7:00 p.m.
Minden Community Centre

1. Call to Order: President Sharon Ireland called the meeting to order with reminders about cellphones and side conversations.
2. Master Gardener Talk: Liz Case spoke to us about iris and how to get maximum growth and bloom by dividing them every 3 – 5 years preferably in late July. Plant in plenty of sun 18” – 24” apart with a little fertilizer. Siberian iris are also available as well as a mini dwarf one so there is quite a variety from which to choose varying in height from 6” to 40”. They attract bees and butterflies and make great cut flowers as well being somewhat deer resistant.
3. Guest Speaker: Frances introduced Amandha Vollmer from Yummy Mummy Emporium and Apothecary, her local business. She explained that she wanted products as pure as possible so she designed skin cream, salve, soaps and makes tea, etc.
   St. Johns’ wort is used for mild depression as a tea and is made by drying the plant then soaking it in water and place in the sun for a few days – shake and strain. Also used for shingles.Jewel weed is edible but not for gout or kidneys, and the flowers can be used in salads. Also useful as an antidote for poison ivy by stopping the itch.
   Queen Anne’s lace is used as a digestive.
   Yarrow is a blood cleanser, stops bleeding and supports the thyroid.

   Meadow sweet smells nice and is a natural aspirin.
   Plantain is good for ulcers, poison ivy etc. (nature’s band aid).
   Calendula and chickweed or extreme eczema.
   Mosquitos do not like catnip or yarrow.
   She had products with her for sale and the members reviewed them during the break.

   Break & Mini Competition: During the break for berry bliss, the members also reviewed the entries for the mini garden competition and voted for their chosen entries.

4. Minutes of July 2nd, 2019: Elinor Kernohan filled in for Dorothy who was unable to attend. There was an amendment to the July minutes regarding the excursions section. Frances was not present so Michelle Lewis passed around the clipboard, etc. At the end of the meeting only 9 members had signed up and the 2019 excursion was cancelled.
   Moved by: Elinor Kernohan Seconded by: Larry Parsons
   That the July 2nd, 2019 minutes be adopted as amended. CARRIED.
5. Financial Report: MJ reported a balance of $3,201.28 at 31/07/2019. All grants have been received and there are 2 GIC’s – one for $2,000.00 and another for $2,229.00. She also reminded everyone that our year ends on August 31st and requested all revenues, expenses to be handed in tonight or as soon as possible.
   Moved by: Julia Donnelly Seconded by: Nancy Garbutt That the financial report be accepted as presented. CARRIED.

6. Announcements and Correspondence: Sharon reported that Diane Woodcock was writing an environmental guide and was looking for tips and tricks for our zone 4 and was looking for help.A fire on Minden Lake left the family of Rob and Sharon Luke homeless. They lost everything and she wanted the members to know that Home Hardware was accepting donations and a go fund me page has also been arranged.
7. Volunteers for 2020 Fall Seminar: Sharon passed around a clipboard requesting people to sign up to help as well as encouraged as many as possible to attend this fall’s seminar in Fenelon Falls to get an idea as to what we will be required to do to host the 2020 event in October.
8. Advertising: The committee chair was absent – no report.
9. Community Gardens: Marlene has taken over the phone call list and said that help wasrequired for two weeks in September.
10. Communities in Bloom: Elinor advised that 6 gardens have been chosen and the committee is endeavouring to post the locations, get pictures and present them with their gift of fertilizer from Miracle Grow.
11. Youth Program: Pat reported that the 3 sisters’ garden needs weeding and watering. The water tap is being shut off inside the building now so that creates a problem, but the staff were to do the watering anyway, so she’s not sure what happened.
12. Village Green: Liz reported that the mulch is helping.
13. T-shirts, cards, pins: Barb said a sympathy card had been sent to Andy Schollig. Also verbalcondolences were extended to Larry Parsons, whose sister passed away recently.
14. Excursions: Frances had nothing further to report.
15. Library: The committee chair was absent – no report.New Business: Julia Donnelly announced that she and Frances needed help. Her health did not permit her to do what she had been doing and encouraged someone to assist with arrangingguest speakers for the monthly meetings.

    Larry Parsons was still interested in having us tour his property again as the bugs have decreased. He will report as to the best time. Also, he wanted to donate a 100 year old rose bush to the society to be used somewhere i.e. Village Green, Cultural Centre, etc. It was suggested that perhaps the museum would be appropriate or the 12 mile church, but no location was decided.

16. Fall Seminar: Again Sharon encouraged everyone to attend if possible on October 26th, in Fenelon Falls.
17. Results of Mini-competition: There were 3 classes and the winners are as follows:Wildflowers – 1st Nancy Garbutt, 2nd Nick Case, 3rd Liz Case Collection of Herbs – 1st Liz Case, 2nd Jean Neville, 3rd Anna Schuster Cup of Summer – 1st Nancy Garbutt, 2nd Liz Case, 3rd Elizabeth Carrell
18. More new Business: The matter of a lack of a sign on the board on highway 35 where other organizations had theirs posted was discussed. It was reported that we are not a charity and therefore what we do does not fit the MTO criteria for a sign.
19. Attendance: There were 35 present with one new member.Membership: There are now 81 members.
20. Door Prize: Rose Paliwada won the geranium.
21. Adjournment: Moved by: Anica SabelThat we now adjourn. Time 9:10 p.m. CARRIED.