Guy’s Greetings
As our terrible, horrible winter morphs into spring, I find myself again in a state of wonder over the resilience of life. Crocus and other minor bulbs suddenly graced us with bright, welcoming colors, daffodil buds are swelling in sheltered spots, witch hazels delight with their sassy fragrant flowers, leaf buds on trees and shrubs are emerging, and perennials are poking up fresh green shoots everywhere. And then there are the weeds, already out of control!
Our “Think Spring” luncheon was a great success with a record number of raffles, a stunning quilt exhibition, and even a home-grown poetry reading. Congratulations to Georgia, Arlene, and their committee on a job superbly done.
Mark the Date
Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 7:00 PM, general meeting at the Hagerman Fire Department, off Montauk Highway on the corner of Dunton Avenue and Oakdale. Our speaker will be Master Beekeeper Raymond J. Lackey of Sweet Pines Apiary. He will have honey for sale for $10 per pound. For more information about him and beekeeping on Long Island, please visit the Web site at http://www.tianca.com/tianca2.html.
Dues are being accepted now until March 31, 2010. The board has voted on a late fee of $5 after that date, which means a single membership will be $20 and a couple $25.
This just in! The Public is invited to share ideas about local Victory Gardens. Bring your ideas! Each speaker gets 3 minutes. Two of the four meetings are left: March 24, 2010, Brookhaven Town Hall, 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon, and March 31, 2010, Farmingdale State University Little Theater, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. For more information or to be placed on the Task Force's mailing list, contact Legislator Vivian Viloria-Fisher's office at 631-854-1650 or contact hobbsfarmfriends@aol.com.
February Meeting in a Flash
Paula and June still need information from members to complete the membership booklet. Please complete a membership form.
Peter Priola, a student at LIU, gave a very interesting talk about tagging Monarch butterflies and their migration habits.
Guy spoke with Lori about the many problems with the Winona Cottage and suggested the Carnegie Library when it is moved or the Patchogue Beach Club as possible alternate meeting sites. The possibility of using one of the local churches came up.
We now have a brand new trifold brochure. These need to be placed in public places and at our various events.
John H. Rouse, Brookhaven Supt. Of Highways, Presents
Learn A-Z about plants. Floral arranging, plant propagation, etc. at the Harold Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center, 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville NY 11742. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Call 758-9664 Extension 10
Adult Horticulture Classes, Wednesdays 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon on April 14, 21, 28; and May 5, 12, & 19. The suggested donation for supplies for the full session is $30.00. Please make your donation payable to "Brookhaven Wildlife Center, Inc." and include name, address, phone, and emergency contact.
Garden Photography Contest
Great gardening goes hand in hand with great photography—that's why Horticulture is pleased to introduce the new Garden Photography Awards to celebrate the best in garden photography. One grand-prize winner will be selected by renowned garden photographer Rob Cardillo; the winner will receive $1000 and the winner's name and winning photograph will appear in the January 2011 issue of Horticulture. Note that entries are $20.00 each. http://hortmag.com/gardenphotoawards.
“The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s Eye View of the World”
Didn’t we all read the best seller by Michael Pollan? It is now a PBS program available on DVD via the library. The documentary begins in Pollan’s own garden and proceeds around the world from potato fields in Peru to tulip markets in Amsterdam with stops for apples in New England and a medical marijuana greenhouse (they didn’t say where, but there is only one in the United States, the legendary Ole Miss Pot Farm at the University of Mississippi, bringing pot to people since 1968). The DVD special features include over 15 minutes of scenes deleted from the original program, a panel discussion about the interdisciplinary importance of the book, and additional interview footage with Michael Pollan. Go behind the scenes, and more at http://www.pbs.org/thebotanyofdesire/.
“…our sense of plants as passive objects is a failure of imagination, rooted in the fact that plants occupy what amounts to a different dimension.”
~ Michael Pollan, “The Botany of Desire”
Serious Dirt From Richard Waldman
Join good people doing great things…and help us fight dirty!!!
3rd Annual Great Brookhaven Cleanup and Plant-In
KEEP BROOKHAVEN BEAUTIFUL and Keep America Beautiful, Inc., in cooperation with the Town of Brookhaven, invite you to join the Great American Cleanup™. Every spring, individuals and groups join the Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest organized cleanup, beautification and community improvement program. The volunteers know that they really make a difference, and the results are dramatic! The communities look clean and beautiful, and there is a sense of hometown pride and accomplishment.
Last year, 4,000 Brookhaven residents joined over 2.3 million volunteers in more than 15,000 communities across America to pick up millions of tons of litter, renew parks, plant community gardens, beautify miles of roadway, and clean up rivers, lakes, and seashores in their communities.
Join thousands of Brookhaven residents to help make Brookhaven a cleaner, greener, more beautiful Town!
Cleanup - April 17
• Identify a specific site that you would like to improve. Visit the site to plan your event and get permission from the property owner if necessary.
• Possible activities: • Litter cleanups on streets, parks, playgrounds • River, lake and seashore cleanups • Woodland trail and field cleanups • Park renewals • Nature trail and woodland cleanups • School cleanups • Commercial Site / Shopping Center cleanups • Graffiti paintovers / removals • Beautification / community improvement projects
• Recruit family members, friends or neighbors to help
• Register your individual or group’s participation
• Pick up your gloves, tee shirts and bags. Pick-up times and locations will be emailed to you upon registration.
Plant-In - May 15
Groups and individuals are invited to join the Great Brookhaven Plant-In to help identify and remediate areas that need a makeover. Choose a spot and make it pretty. Compost, wood chips, and a limited number of plants will be provided.
• Identify a specific site that you would like to improve. Visit the site to plan your event and get permission from the property owner if necessary.
• Areas that can benefit from decorative plants and landscaping include: • Parks • Vacant corners • Shopping centers / Commercial sites • Schools, Churches, Nursing Homes • Memorials • Medians / Buffers
• Register your individual or group’s participation
• Pick up your plants on the day of event (compost and wood chips will be delivered) ...and make it pretty!
Details: http://www.brookhaven.org/DesktopModules/Bring2mind/DMX/Download.aspx?TabId=134&Command=Core_Download&EntryId=2664&PortalId=0&TabId=134
Tree Damage from the Latest Nor’easter?
http://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/home-and-garden/garden-detective-1.8120
29/what-to-do-about-storm-damage-to-trees-1.1812050
We wish to thank the following businesses, friends, members &
organizations for donations to our 2010 “Think Spring” luncheon
Advance Auto Parts
Associates Gourmet Market
Astoria Federal Savings
Margaret Atkinson*
Bayport Flower Houses Inc.
Babette Bishop*
Barbara Bestafka*
Blums
Bobbique
Bonnie & Fred Bossert
Brick House Brewery
Barbara Bruce
Carla Buchanan-Steward*
Pauline Carleton*
Carvel
Casino Clam Company
Anne Marie Coakley
Rosalie Coleman
The Colony Shop
Country Kitchen Restaurant
Creative Hair Replacement
Curves
Peg & Frank Densing
Joanna Drake
Georgia Dulmovits, Co-chair*
John Dulmovits
Fantastic Gardens
KarenFerb* Finest Fitness Health & Sports Club
The Fish Store
Sandra Franco
Friends of the Patchogue-Medford Library
Forever Young
Linda Gugliuzzo
Barbara & John Gustafson
Gladys Heimburger*
Janet Heyer*
Mark Jeffers
J&R Steak House
Lynn Kane
King Kullen
Arlene Lamberti, Co-chair*
Marie Magnano*
Marita’s Hair Studio
Marita Morello*
Phyllis Mendelson
Jo Miller*
Paula Murphy
New York New Wave
Painters’
Panera
PatchogueFloralDesign Patchogue Picture Frame Inc.
Patchworks
PeraBell Food Bar
Petite Pets
June Petruccelli*
The Pilates Studio of Bayport
Quench Wine & Spirits
Diane Riviello-Voland
Marjorie Roe
Annie Rubbo*
Salon Bellport
Carolyn* & Tom Savastano
Sue Scala
Ellen Scammon
Signs & Advertising
Starbucks Coffee Company
Summer Salt Beach House
SwanBakery Swan Cleaners
Swiftway Wine & Liquor
Ruth Szuminskyj*
Tall Tree Flower Shoppe
Mary Ann Tchinnis*
Theatre 3 Productions, Inc.
Joan Tifford*
Time On My Hands
SusanToplitz Town of Brookhaven
Tricia’s Hair Galleria
Carol Tvelia
Village Fish Market
Guy Vitale
Phyllis Voegeli
Bert Voland
Waitress-To-Go
Tony Wenderoth
Carolyn Young*
Millie Zimmerman*
Colleen Zollobb
Creative Hair Replacement
*Denotes members of the committee
Our supporters, the best!
Timely Tips for April
Plant new trees and shrubs now.
Prepare soil in the vegetable garden and annual beds; sow early crops of peas, radishes, lettuce, and hardy annuals such as cornflowers, larkspur, and annual poppies.
Remove earth mounds from roses and prune established ones.
Now is a good time to control grubs on lawns.
Trim and repot houseplants as necessary.
Plant herbaceous perennials through May. For perennials already up a few inches, spread a ring of fertilizer around them and water in. If they are summer or fall blooming, divide them now.
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks."
~The Writings of John Muir, Volume 8
