Communities

Holiday Gathering

Garden Club holds Christmas meeting

ELKINS -- For the members of the Emma Scott Garden Club, the outdoor garden projects have been put to bed for the winter and the December Christmas party was a time for a little frivolity and relaxation. The gathering was held at the seasonally decorated Halliehurst mansion.

An elaborate appetizer table was available for the 43 guests and members in attendance. Club members Shakeela Khan and Nayoka Guthrie, served as hosts and catering was provided by D&E Catering.

Not to forget that this is the season of giving, the club, once again brought cookies for the young men at Mountain School who, over the years, have assisted in multiple community projects, In addition, a new project was initiated this season and members prepared and donated 42 Jared boxes for Davis Health System. Plastic shoe boxes were filled with items that can used to occupy children of various ages as they are being seen in the emergency room or during a hospital admission.

An update on the Rosie the Riveter Statue was presented by president Linda Shomo. Shomo shared with the group a 12-inch replica of the Rosie the Riveter statue that the club has been raising funds to purchase throughout 2023.

The 8-foot rendition is to be placed in a planned extension of the Veterans Park in Elkins. The 8-foot statue was ordered on Dec. 15 and will take six to seven months to build.

The public is able to order a mini 12-inch Rosie statue with a name engraved upon it for an amount of $300. A check can be made to ESGC for that amount, with a notation on the bottom left-hand side of the check "mini Rosie statue." Checks should be sent to ESGC o/o Linda Shomo, 118 Chestnut Street, Elkins, WV 26241. Additional donations for the 8 foot statue can be made and sent to the same address with the notation to read "Rosie statue."

Those in attendance engaged in a rousing White Elephant gift swapping/stealing game along with an ugly sweater contest. Dr. Thomas and Renee Benz donned a double ugly sweater combination that took the prize.

The next meeting of the ESGC will be on March 11 at 7 p.m. at St. Brendan Church Parish Hall. The program will be about Blue Star Markers discussing their history and the value they have have for the landscape and the community.

Placing Blue Star Markers is a national project for garden clubs across the U.S. Anyone interested in information about joining the EGSC may contact membership chairperson, BJ McKenzie, at 304-614-3079.

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The Emma Scott Garden Club met at St. Brendan Church Parish Hall for its monthly meeting on Nov. 13.  

ESGC President, Linda Shomo opened the garden club meeting by welcoming all members. She was followed by Rosemary Markley, who led ESGC Member's by reading the "West Virginia Garden Club Creed" out loud.

Summer Swanson introduced ESGC Member Ed Daniels who presented an amazing program on "Forestry Farming."   

Ed Daniels explained to club members that many at risk medicinal plants could be overharvested.  Forestry Farming is a method where growing crops under a forest canopy are intentionally modified to provide shade levels and habitat that favor growth and enhance garden production levels.

He explained that when trees are cut some plants have too much light to thrive.  The plants become dormant because there is too much light and not enough moisture.  Therefore, when planting it is best to plant the seeds on moist soil, cover with leaves and then cover with brush to hold the leaves in place. 

Many plants that grow in the wild such as ramps are overharvested.  For instance, ramps which are removed from the ground in the spring never get an opportunity to go to seed to produce more plants because that stage in its life does not occur until late August.  

Daniels encouraged club members to get involved in Forest Farming because the more folks that are involved, the more likely these plants will survive.  He said that the West Virginia Forest Farming Initiative has grants available to help farmers buy fencing and mulch.

Daniels and his wife Carol can provide consultation and sell plants to help others start up their own forest farming.  You can find out more information about this process by consulting their website at www.shadygrovebotanicals.com.

If anyone is interested in joining the ESGC please contact BJ McKenzie at the following email address: bjandmac@gmail.com or Linda Shomo at ace99900@aol.com.