Farmscape’s Lara Hermanson is February Speaker · Farmscape’s Lara Hermanson is February...

February 2018 Vol. 2018, Issue 6

Member of CGCI Valley Lode District – Pacific RegionA Publication of Modesto Garden Club, Inc.

Farmscape’s Lara Hermanson is February SpeakerLara’s lifelong love of farming began working on landscaping projects

in Chicago with her mother. As a college student, she maintained the Russell T. Kirt Tallgrass Prairie Restoration in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where she specialized in propagating endangered plants. From there, she managed the 7-acre Vital Zuman farm in Malibu, CA.

Since joining Farmscape in 2010, she has overseen the design and installation of over 300 urban farming projects. She has a B.A. from Columbia College and has recently completed a certificate in Project Management from UCLA extension. Lara has completed additional studies in Permaculture Design.

Farmscape is the largest urban farming company in the country. Since 2008, they have designed and installed over 700 projects with a talented team of landscape architects, contractors and urban farmers. Farmscape grows food for Fortune 500 companies, Michelin-starred chefs, and World Series champions. Their expertise on urban agriculture design and operations has resulted in today’s most innovative and sustainable agrihood developments.

A recent article in Farm Culture Magazine says, “By blending the beauty of ornamental landscaping with food production utility, you bypass common urban farming barriers.” Among Farmscape’s gardens are the vegetable garden under the scoreboard at AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team, and another project at the San Francisco 49ers’ football venue, Levi Stadium in Santa Clara.

Volunteers NeededWe have a volunteer position opening for this year and several for the 2018-19 program year. If you are interested

in helping, please contact the following people for more information on duties and time commitment.• General Meeting Setup and Cleanup: Help is needed once monthly before and after our General Meeting

starting in February, 2018. Contact Judy Crisp, VP of Meeting Setup.• Workshop Director or Co-directors: Lela Harrington and Carol Paxia are planning on retiring after this year.

This position reports to the VP of Activities and is a member of the Board of Directors. Contact Lela Harrington.• Lavender Library Team: All of our Librarians will be retiring after this year. We need a team of people to run

our library. The Librarians report to the VP of Education. Contact Irene Morimoto.• Director of Budding Gardeners: Sharon Searls is filling this position for this year but needs a replacement

starting the 2018-19 program year. This position reports to the VP of Education and is a member of the Board of Directors. Contact Sharon Searls.Thank you for your enthusiastic volunteerism, as this is a major reason for our Club’s varied activities and

success!

President’s MessageBy Mary “Mac” McNicholas

Happy February! This is the month we give special attention to those we love. We also begin to see Mother Nature’s renewal of our gardens and open fields with the first peeks of the colorful flowers of the coming spring. The winter chill is still with us and hopefully so are those “liquid diamonds” falling from the sky.

At our January General Meeting, we introduced a different style of Raffatunity tickets. You might recall these from last April’s Spring Garden tour. For the next few months we will continue to use the new Raffatunity tickets. Each sheet of tickets will all have the same number making it easier to discover if you are a lucky winner. There are 20 tickets per sheet plus a door prize ticket if you purchase at least 10 tickets. As usual, you only buy as many as you want. These are still $1 per ticket. We received a very favorable response to these at the January General Meeting. Let me know if you like these.

This month the Lodi Garden Club will host the Valley Lode District Meeting on Tuesday, February 13, at Mickie Grove Regional Park. See calendar for registration information. If you plan to go, contact me for a parking pass or if you would like to carpool to this event.

Here is a “blooming” thought of Chinese wisdom for this month: “If you want to be happy for a lifetime, plant a garden.” Yes, indeed!

I hope to see you at our General Meeting on February 8, dressed in your eye-catching red outfits and hats. Love is in the air!

Over the Garden Gate

Calendar of Upcoming Events • January 30 – February 1 – CGCI Winter Board Meeting • February6–PlantersandGroomers,GardenClubOffice,9a.m.• February7–HandsonWorkshop,DriftwoodSucculents,ParkGreenhouse,12813WRiponRd,Ripon.• February8–ModestoGardenClubGeneralMeeting.Location:TrinityUnitedPresbyterianChurch,1600

CarverRd.,Modesto;Hospitality:10–11:20a.m.;LearnandGrow:10:30–11:15a.m.;GeneralMeeting:11:45a.m.–1:30p.m.

• February13–ValleyLodeDistrictSpringMeeting,MickeGroveRegionalPark,Lodi.Topic:“ItaliansintheSanJoaquinValley.”Registrationat8:30a.m.Meetingat9:30a.m.$30costincludesrefreshmentsandlunch,duebyFeb.5thtoJeanetteMoore,P.O.Box297,Victor,CA95253.ContactMaryMcNicholasforparkingpassortocarpool.

• February13–HackersandWhackers,SeniorCenterat9a.m.• February13–Multimedia,GardenClubOffice,9:30a.m.tonoon• February20–PlantersandGroomers,GardenClubOffice,9a.m.• February22–MGCIBoardMeeting,ClubOffice,9a.m.-noon• February27–Multimedia,GardenClubOffice,9:30a.m.tonoon• February27–HackersandWhackers,SeniorCenterat9a.m.• March 8 – Modesto Garden Club General Meeting Location: Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 1600

CarverRd.,Modesto;Hospitality:10–11:20a.m.;LearnandGrow:10:30–11:15a.m.;GeneralMeeting:11:45a.m.–1:30p.m.

• April14–SPRINGGARDENTOUR• May22–OakdaleGardenClubAnnualScholarshipSaladBarLuncheon,11:00a.m.-1:30p.m.atGene

BianchiCommunityCenter,110South2ndSt.,Oakdale.• June3-7–CaliforniaGardenClub,Inc.AnnualConventionatTheHotelatBlackOakCasinoResort,

TuolumneCity.HostedbyValleyLodeDistrict.WatchNewsletterorCGCIwebsitefordetails.


Over the Garden GatePublished 10 times a year, September-June, by the Modesto Garden Club, Inc.

President: Mary McNicholasContributing Writers this month: Cheryl Koff, Mary McNicholas,

Mary Lou Rice, Dan Yockey, Gerry YockeyCopy/ Text Editor: Mary Lou Rice, [email protected]

Advertisements, Fliers, Photos: Mary Lou Rice (209) 869-3584 • [email protected]:www.modestogardenclub.org Email:[email protected]

Office:622-14thStreet,Modesto,CA.95354-2505•Ph.(209)529-7360(OpenWednesdays,9a.m.-noon)

Therapeutic Gardening UpdateBy Cheryl Koff

It’s February and we’re seeing red! As I spend more time with the Therapeutic Gardening facilities, I’m learning every planter box has a story. Bethel Retirement staff and residents in 2017 took on the project of replacing the planter. They met to discuss plans, built the box, selected a color, painted and helped with the planting. Yes! The color they selected was red! It brings a smile. “Gardening, my kind of therapy”.

Contact Cheryl Koff if you have an interest in becoming involved with the therapeutic gardening group. [email protected], 209-578-1412 or 209-681-7460.

Bethel Retirement Facility– Charla Zuhlke, Therapeutic Gardening Volunteer.

Planters and GroomersBy Gerry Yockey

I have been thinking for a while about why the garden club members don’t come down to the office. Is it because they feel they must have a reason to come besides just coming for coffee? Or maybe they feel if they show up we will put them to work? Whatever the reason, the same people come to the office.

The volunteers who come down the first Tuesday and third Tuesday wonder if they are working in the yard just for themselves. Of course, we have the Spring Garden Tour folks who look at our yard...but it would be nice if we had more garden club members come during the week. I am thinking of the new members who come down for the new members tea and I never see them again. We are here on Wednesdays also. I am just thinking.......

The ladies raked leaves all morning. We pruned the roses and cleaned around the flower beds. I fertilized the grass with winter fertilizer. It was cold but by the time we were finished we had warmed up. Pat Williams brought a carrot cake and sandwiches for lunch to help celebrate the birthdays in December and January. We had a very good time.

Hands on Workshop

• What: Driftwood Succulent

• When: February7,10a.m.

• Where: Park Greenhouse 12813 W Ripon Rd, Ripon

• Cost: $40


Everything’s Coming Up Roses at Roosevelt Park


I joined the Modesto Garden Club in 1999, because one of my close friends Anne Hayes Thiel was a member

and encouraged me to join. We were neighbors at one time in the 1980s and after she moved to Riverbank I hardly saw her. Anne is a lifelong friend and I got to visit with her more when I became a member. I have made many lifelong friends from the Garden Club. Sharon Wood is one of them. She served as a vice president early on after I joined. Even though she has moved out of

the area, we still see each other and talk often. Sharon’s husband Larry, an architect, was instrumental in helping design the Garden Club office. I brought one of my good friends Donna Genasci to Garden Club meetings, luncheons, and spring tours. Donna joined, and we have been lifelong friends for over 22 years.

I am in Budding Gardening group the Gardenettes. They were my dessert angels the morning of the Christmas home tour Saturday, December 9th, Sandi Rodgers, Joanne Avila’-Pedroni, Linda Black, Jamie Cole. Susan Enos. They brought cupcakes, breads, and cookies. They helped slice, dice, and divide cakes pies, and lemon bars. In the afternoon they all came back to help replenish and condense the desserts that were left on three tables. I can’t thank them enough for all their help that day. I am very grateful and blessed to call them lifelong friends.

I have been married to my husband, Darrell, for 40

years, who loves me unconditionally no matter what I do. Even when I drag him into my garden club projects. We have three wonderful children Justin, Jillian, and Jordan and six beautiful grandchildren. They all live locally and our lives are very much intertwined daily. Darrell and I love to travel and have been to Europe many times. We have also traveled to Hong Kong and Japan. We have plans to travel to Italy this year.

I have many interests and I have joined many clubs. My birthday club consists of 11 friends from high school. We go to dinner once a month, two of these friends I have known over 50 years since we went to junior high together. I belong to an antique club, bunko, and bingo group. I also volunteer at Modesto Pregnancy Center every Friday. I help women make important decisions about their lives. I was a Stephen Minister Leader for 15 years at Grace Lutheran Church. During that time, I helped many women who were in crisis. I also took harp lessons with Brianna Rodgers, who is another friend I met through Garden Club. I served on her committee of garden of the month. I do garden in my yard and I swim almost everyday in the summer months.

I serve now on the fundraiser committee. Arlene Robbins and I searched out the homes and gardens for the Christmas tour and the upcoming spring tour. Again, making new friends like Arlene and the rest of the committee, Deanna Clark, Jean Davis, Mary Lou Rice, Judy Spencer, and Rhonda Kluender. We all work well together, and we are achieving all our goals. Thank you all for your help and the desserts for the Christmas tour December 9th.

Getting to Know You: Meet Janice Garcia

Volunteers of the Month – Jean Davis, left, and Mary Lou Rice, center, receive the Volunteer of the Month award from Club

President Mary McNicholas.

CivicAffairsBy Dan and Gerry Yockey

Spring is just around the corner and things are going well with the downtown pots. The mild fall and early winter weather has made for a great start up for the plants in the pots.

Each street was planted with different colored Pansies with a coordinated Snap Dragon center. The pots on H street are exceptional with Pansies that are dark blue in color and are very colorful even in this early part of the season. When downtown take a drive by and look.

Some of the pots have been vandalized with partial plants pulled out and some have had all plant material removed. This seems to be an ongoing problem with the Downtown area, but we plan to replant in February when new product comes available.

Yours in Gardening, Gerry and Dan


Modesto Garden Club Out of Town Tour

Beyond AWESOME Tours March 13th– De Young Museum – Bouquet to Art April 4th – San Francisco Flower & Garden Show

March 13 – Bouquet to Art at the

De Young Museum Take a deep breath and inhale the most unforgettable fragrances ever. Now let your eyes follow the fragrances into rooms filled with beautiful

arrangements that interpret masterpieces throughout the ages, When you finish your Bouquet to Art tour, you can explore the Botanical Gardens or sip tea at the Japanese Tea Gardens. You can have lunch at the De Young Museum or at the hot dog stand by the Conservatory of Flowers.

Cost: $55.00 Time: 7:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.

Departure Location: Park & Ride in front of JC Penney’s April 4 – COW PALACE San Francisco Flower & Garden Show We have made a full circle “back home” to the Cow Palace!!! Sooooo, lets get ready together for a new adventure with full size landscape designs, vendors, guest speakers, food trucks, restaurants and lots of people. Dress for comfort; bring lots of money and energy to have a wonderful day.

Cost: $50.00 Time: 7:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.

Departure Location: Park & Ride in front of JC Penney’s

Choose one, but better yet, choose both events!! Enjoy two delightful days for anyone who loves gardening and beautiful flower arrangements.

For more information, call Patté Williams at (209) 521-5889

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name____________________________________________ Guest_____________________________________ Address Phone __________________ Bouquet to Art- De Young Museum $55.00 (Circle one or both) San Francisco Flower & Garden Show $50.00 Amount paid__________ NO REFUNDS!! Make checks payable to: Modesto Garden Club Send to: Patté Williams, c/o Modesto Garden Club, 622 14th Street, Modesto, CA 95354-2505 **DeYoung/San Francisco


622 14th StreetModesto, CA 95354-2505

Return Service Requested

The Virginia Corridor gets a pruning while the club volunteers work on Roosevelt Park. All the clippings are picked up by the City of Modesto crews. See more photos on pages 4 and 5.

Spring Garden TourThe Spring Garden Tour committee is excited about this year’s

Annual Fundraiser.There are 6 happy homeowners who are committed to making this the

BEST ever Spring Garden Tour.We hope you will join us in our enthusiasm and sign up at the February meeting

to be a docent in one of the spectacular gardens.

Farmscape’s Lara Hermanson is February Speaker · Farmscape’s Lara Hermanson is February...

Documents

Transcript of Farmscape’s Lara Hermanson is February Speaker · Farmscape’s Lara Hermanson is February...