Autumn 2017

Presidents Address
Where has Summer gone?? But looking forward , we will enjoy the Fall Season with its colorful leaves and Fall
plantings and of course, putting our gardens to bed for the Winter.
Our planters uptown certainly flourished and as always lended a lovely addition to the uptown area. We want to
say thank you to all the members who helped with keeping the sweet potato vines under control. They certainly
flourished!!! We have had many compliments on the planters this year. GOOD JOB!
Thank you to the committee members who served on the Summer Smiles Farm tour and luncheon. A good time
was had by all. The luncheon was yummy.
Our Monday, September 11 meeting was very interesting with Rose Price from the Garden Club of Johnstowns
program on Flower pounding.
Looking ahead to our Fall luncheon we hope all of our many talanted members will be thinking of a dried
arrangement for the Amanda Dowie Memorial Dried Flower Arrangement Contest. In addition, David Blough
from Somerset Floral will be our designer---sounds like a great meeting.
NOTE: MONDAY, OCT. 9TH: MEETING AT SOMERSET COUNTRY CLUB RESERVATIONS: $20.00
This is our Fall lunch featuring the Amanda Dowie Memorial Dried Flower Arrangement Contest. Please refer
to the Special Rules page 38 in the yearbook.
Our November meeting date will be one week early due to conflicting dates with Laured Arts.
New Date: NOVEMBER 6TH
Co-Presidents, Vonnie Baldiswieler & Nerita Brandt

Happy Halloween When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam

May luck be yours on Halloween.

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 HORTICULTURE: Asters

Late-season blooms take your garden into fall beautifully

Asters are easy to grow perennial plants that take care of themselves all summer long. Their way of vigorous
blooms appear later in the season, right when other flowers begin to fade. A surefire way of adding great fall
color for years to come. Asters' gorgeous flowers will stay true and strong until hard frosts set in. Aster is a
popular and dependable food source for Monarch butterflies, who rely on the nectar of late-season blooms to
fuel their fall migration.

There are about 250 species of asters native to North America, Europe and Asia. Most asters are herbaceous
perennials, meaning they will die back to the ground in winter. However, you can find some annual and biennial
versions of asters as well.
Aster in Greek means star. They are in the daisy family and are notable for their starburst arrangement of
bright petals, which most often surround a yellow center. The flowers are small but numerous, giving the plants
the look of being nothing but color when in full bloom.

Asters have a rich history. They are also known as the Michaelmas daisy for their tendency to bloom around the
autumn equinox, which coincides with the feast of St. Michael. The leaves and roots were used medicinally by
Native Americans. Gardeners, though, mostly grow asters for their beautiful fall flowers and to provide late-
season food for pollinators.

The two most common types of perennial asters are New England and New York. With many varieties of each
available, it's often hard to tell them apart. In general, New York asters tend to be shorter plants with thin stems
and smooth leaves. New England asters will be taller, bushier plants with thick stems and hairy leaves.
Knowing which type you have isn't that important since they both are hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8 and are easy
to grow, rugged plants.

However, selecting the right variety is more important. The flower colors can include white, pink, purple, blue
and red. The plant size can be 1 to 6 feet tall. Some varieties have good disease resistance. So, it's important to
select varieties based on your location, desired flower color and likelihood of disease problems.

Author: Charlie Nardozzi

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 CONSERVATION
Late in the 19th century, around 1888, Martin Stone, a D.C. man, didn't like the way rye grass straws disintegrated
while drinking his mint juleps. Stone wrapped paper around a pencil and glued it, and the disposable straw was
born. A polio epidemic in the early 1900s greatly increased the use of straws as a way to reduce the spread of
the disease. In the 1960s the plastic straw was born.
Americans use 500,000,000 straws a day, yes, 1/2 billion straws a day! Enough to wrap around the earth 2 1/2
times, every day. The slightest wind will lift plastic straw from diners, picnic blankets, and trash dumps,
distributing them far and wide. When they land in rivers and oceans, they are mistaken for food and ingested by
many different animal species. Nearly every restaurant, coffee shop, movie theatre, ice cream stand, theme park,
corner store, school cafeteria and bar gives straws with any drink served.
Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom and the Smithsonian Institute have banned the use of straws. Many beaches
have joined the no straw movement, such as Manhattan Beach outside LA, Huntington Beach, CA, and Miami
Beach in Bradenton, FL. British Columbia will withhold straws until requested by customers. This movement has
been growing slowly, but exploded after a video went viral of a sea turtle with a straw stuck up its nose.
Keith Christman, managing director for the plastic markets at American Chemistry Council, who promotes plastic
manufacturing and resists attempts to ban plastics, will fight any movement to ban straws.
There are many places to buy biodegradable straws, such as Earthstars, which are 100% biodegradable and
compostable, Green Paper Products, and Eco Products.

This is so sad!

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 NATURE:
Natural Wonders of Western Pennsylvania
Get out there and explore! Check out this list of the best parks, trails, and other things Mother Nature has
provided for Pittsburgh.

The Pine Creek Gorge

Commonly referred to as "The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania", this 47-mile gorge was carved by Pine
Creek. It sits in about 160,000 acres of the Tioga State Forest.
The Pine Creek Rail Trail

You can combine natural and man-made wonders if you're in the area like the rail trail". The trail is
a train track that has been converted to a biking/walking trail.

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Presque Isle is a beautiful state park located on a sandy peninsula in Lake Erie.

Lake Erie is the fourth largest of the five great lakes. It has been called a fishermans
paradise and a family getaway.

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 The Susquehanna River

At 464 miles long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the
Atlantic Ocean. You can paddle down the river and really be one with nature.

Allegheny National Forest

This is Pennsylvanias only National Forest, so go out there and appreciate it!

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 HEALTHY LIVING
Everyone knows the incredible health benefits of avocados, but the
seed is loaded with antioxidants, fully 70% of the entire fruit. One seed
has more soluble fiber than oats, which can solve digestive and
intestinal issues, and lower cholesterol. It has also been proven to keep
bacterial and viral illnesses at bay. The seed can boost collagen,
hydrate skin, and make hair shine. It is an anti-fungal, anti-microbial,
anti-inflammatory, immune boosting wonder fruit. Folklore claims the
seed was used for toothache and to fight dysentery, diarrhea, dandruff
and complexion problems. Plentiful polyphenols, such as found in green tea, help defend against heart
disease. Is there anything this humble seed cant do?

To prepare the seed, remove from the flesh and rinse well, without damaging the shell. Place in an
oven, and bake 1-2 hours on low to medium heat. Cool, then gently peel away the dry shell, revealing
the inner seed. Cut into small pieces, and blend until it is a fine powder. You can allow it to dry naturally,
then grate the inner seed. Save several, and prepare all at once. Mix 1 tsp. into drinks or food.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted

Aesop

October gave a party; Just before the death of flowers,

The leaves by hundreds came - And before they are buried in snow,
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, There comes a festival season
And leaves of every name. When nature is all aglow
The Sunshine spread a carpet, Author Unknown
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
George Cooper

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 MEADOWVIEW NURSING HOME: BERLIN, PA

In August Jean Ogburn, Tish Will and Arlene went to Meadowview Nursing Home in Berlin. They helped the
residents make arrangements to take to their rooms. Daryl Jones donated the dahlias

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 SUMMER SMILES FARM
Stoystown, PA

This farm produces honey as well as garden produce. They raise non-GMO organic products, fruit, meat, eggs,
nuts and wild-foraged foods.

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 PLANTING MUMS
Childrens Peace Garden, Flight 93

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 UPCOMING MEETINGS:

Monday, October 9th: Fall Lunch Meeting: Somerset Country Club. Reservation: $20
Amanda Dowie Memorial Dried Flower Arrangement Contest
(Refer to page 38 for rules)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5: Daylight Savings Time Ends

Monday, November 6: Dressler Art Center (meeting is 1 week early)

A workshop is scheduled following the meeting to do bows and pine
cones for the wreath project
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Saturday, November 18 : 8:30am: Decorate Uptown Planters with greens for Somerset Light-up Night

Tuesday, November 28th: Wreath-making (9am Noon) *ALL MEMBER PROJECT

Monday, December 11th: Holiday Luncheon @ Grace United Methodist Church, Felgar Road.
This is a Covered Dish Luncheon (Meat, Rolls & Vegetables Provided)
Last Names A-M bring Vegetable/Pasta Dishes
N-Z bring Salads/Desserts
Program: Musical Treat

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

The scarlet of maples can shake me like a cry When all the cows were sleeping
Of bugles going by. And the sun had gone to bed,
And my lonely spirit thrills Up jumped the pumpkin,
To see the frosty asters like smoke And this is what he said:
Upon the hills.
William Bliss Carmen Im a dingle dangle pumpkin
With a flippy floppy hat.
I can shake my stem like this,
And shake my vine like that.
Author Unknown

Volunteers dont get paid, not because they are worthless, but because they
are priceless.

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