Events

First meeting of our new Seedling.   

Members can stroll and view the native plant gardens.  A discussion round table with member input will discuss issues such as leaf removal, cutting back plants in relation to soil garden and wildlife benefits.  

We are now an official Chapter!!  Membership has doubled since last meeting.  Reported on several press articles about our new chapter. Reports on March event at The Bower.  Listed upcoming plant sales.  Discussed growing trees from seed for Seedling Saver Project.  Discussion on definition of a native plant; eco regions, zip code, cultivars.

Field trip to Mt. Cuba Center, native plant botanical garden.  Meet at the front mansion entrance.  Tour together and on your own.   Peak time for spring ephemerals.  

Two day plant sale and festival.  Members attended individually.

Calendar updates provided.  Starting list serve for members to interact with each other.  Good free ranging discussion at end of meeting:  Spotted Lantern Flies; plant ID apps; Milorganite and other deer repellant strategies; mulch or no. 

Members toured the new native plant garden at Craighead House done by Master Gardeners of Cumberland County.  Member Heather Andrews led the tour.  Members also got to tour the house of Jean Craighead and family, well known children's nature author.

Reviewed events for June.  List serve update.  Update on Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committe next meeting.  Shared Wild Ones video on how Wild Ones got started, history, mission, etc.   Members agreed this would help them talk more comfortably about Wild Ones when promoting. 

Members tour of the Penn State Pollinator Garden, which is part of the Arboretum and only 2 years old.  Meet at the entrance.

Monthly meeting.  Report on visit to Penn State Pollinator Garden.  Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee report.  Info on upcoming plant sales and potluck for the chapter at The Bower. At the end of the meeting, Connie Schmotzer gave a presentation on pollinators and native plants research at the Penn State Research Station in Manheim, PA. 

Learn about seed saving and starting seeds from the nursery where almost all plants are propagated from seed collected locally..

Monthly meeting to discuss field trip for August, potluck coming up, Sept. field trip, and Nov. seed swap.

Field trip to learn about regenerative practices at Horn Farm. 

Monthly meeting to review field trip to Horn Farm, potluck new date, Oct. field trip new date.  Slide show about field trip to Horn Farm presented at the end of the meeting.

Member pot luck at The Bower and chance to tour the native plant gardens. Rescheduled from Sept. due to rain.

Tour the preserve, a former watercress farm, now being preserved by the Central PA Conservancy with native plantings and restoration of the LeTort Spring.

Members will review the field trip to LeTort Preserve, the PA Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee Meeting of Oct, and have discussion about how to get out into the community more as we think about our second year as a chapter.

Members will bring seeds to swap, either already in small envelopes or in batches.  Small envelopes will be provided by the chapter.  Make sure to provide common and Latin name of plant and info about growing.  Member Jane Shull will do a demonstration on how to plant in milk jugs.  Members who do not have seeds to swap are still welcome to come and collect seeds.

Combined November and December monthly meeting due to holidays and conflicts.   A slate for next year's officers will be presented and voted on. Comments on new pamphlet to give to townships, HOA's, etc to encourage to use native plants.  Work on finalizing calendar for 2023.  

We will watch Doug Tallamy's OSU Pollinator Habitat 101 webinar  "Pollinators' Best Hope: A New Approach to Pollinator Habitat That Starts in Your Yard" together and have discussion after.  We will review modifications made to suggested 2023 calendar.