Tweed Horticultural Society

Carson Arthur, host of the Saturday morning radio show, “Take it Outside” on CJBQ and owner of Carson Arthur’s Garden and Market in the Prince Edward County was the guest speaker at the September Meeting of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society. Members of the community were also invited to attend this presentation which was thoroughly enjoyed by all present.

Carson’s presentation was called, “Going Green” and throughout the presentation, he encouraged audience members to make the best choices for their outdoor spaces. And according to Carson, one of the easiest ways to do this is to “PLANT A TREE”!

Throughout the power point presentation, Carson highlighted facts directly related to our choices about our outdoor spaces. For example, people living in concrete cities are twice as likely to suffer from heat exhaustion as well as cardiovascular, lung and respiratory diseases. And the reason for this is pollution. How do we change this…“PLANT A TREE”!

Low maintenance gardens which are often requested add to this pollution as it limits the green spaces available for trees and gardens. According to research, Carson stated that 3 trees alone will save a homeowner 30% on their yearly hydro bill. 

The concern about water conservation is also another important item to be considered. Canadians use more fresh water that any other country in the world! And where do we use the most water…. watering our grass and gardens. A yard with trees will use 30% less water than a sunny yard. 

With the increase of forest fires in Canada, air pollution is also a major concern. Use native plants in our gardens as well as trees to help clean the air. 

Trees provide homes for wildlife…. bird population has been decreasing due to climate change. We need to “PLANT A TREE” like the Canadian Maple to bring the wildlife back. 

The leaves from the trees provide fertilizer for our plants and grass naturally…so much better for the environment than the commercial fertilizers. So, “PLANT A TREE”!

The tree canopy, especially in urban areas is declining and this is starting to happen in the rural areas as well due to the wind storms and other types of weather that the country has started to experience. Planting trees will help to increase the canopy which in turn will help the environment.

People wanting to have decks built might consider using TREX Decking as no trees are used to make this composite decking material and the decking can safely be recycled…just another way to make a good choice for our outdoor spaces. 

By simply following Carson’s advice to “PLANT A TREE”, homeowners can save money on their hydro bill, fertilizer costs and even increase the value of their home. And even a potted tree can also help the environment. 

Carson’s presentation certainly had the audience talking about the value of planting a simple tree and its impact on the environment. His presentation highlighted many ways to make better choices for our outdoor spaces. Carson concluded his presentation with three simple words… “PLANT A TREE”!

Upcoming Events:

October 3…speaker will be Donna Fano who will be talking about mushroom foraging.

Donna Fano is returning to present an overview of local mushrooms and fungi with photos and information to help us with identification.

Meeting is 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at the library.

Carson Arthur, landscape expert featured on 800 CBJQ radio on Saturday mornings and owner of Carson’s Garden and Market in the County, will be our guest speaker for our September meeting. His talk will be “Going Green…the move to environmentally friendly choices for your garden”.

The presentation will be held at the Agricultural Building (White Building) at the fairgrounds on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 7 p..m.

Hope to see you there.

Jeremy Yearwood of Pure 62 was the guest speaker at the Tweed and District Horticultural Society’s June meeting. Jeremy wears “many hats” in his life…..father, husband, son, firefighter (Markham), maple syrup producer, beekeeper and sawmill operator. His presentation was filled with interesting information about his many “hats”!

He credits his Dad for his love of the land. As a child he enjoyed a varietyof outdoor activities…hunting and gardening that helped to foster his love of nature. 

In 2016, he purchased a place in Madoc on Highway 62 (hence the name Pure 62) at Crookston Road. Initially, he had 36 acres with a mixture of hardwood and cedar. After a consultation with the forestry planner and a forest walkthrough, the “Maple Bug” was planted. Jeremy decided to tap the trees to make maple syrup. Using a You tube video, he studied the process and thought, “I can do this!” He bought a small 2×4 evaporator, tapped 150 trees using the bucket method and collected sap using his ATV. He sold out of his maple syrup in 3 weeks!!!

He then decided to use the tubing method…more efficient in terms of time, waste, and production. He purchased a used evaporator and tapped 1000 trees. He uses the diseased and fallen trees on his property as hissource of heat. By using the “reverse osmosis” method, he is able to get the water out of the sap by cutting the boiling time by 80%….less wood needed…more efficient!

He now has 80+ acres with 2200 trees, 75,000 feet of tubing that leads to his sugarshack. He only uses the sap from the trees on his property in his maple syrup. Like wine, the soil plays a crucial factor in the taste of maple syrup…so maple syrup from his trees may taste different from maple syrup produced in the county or from another farm just north of his farm. Everything is packaged and labelled at the farm. 

Using his maple syrup, Jeremy has started to make maple bourbon. The barrel needed to make the bourbon is imported from the States and can be used only one. It takes approximately 6-8 months from start to finish to make the bourbon.

When he is wearing his beekeeper “hat”, Jeremy looks after 20 hives. Although initially he had more hives, he finds that 20 is a good number for him. He gets more honey as he can pay closer attention to the care of the hives. Although he has no bear issues due to his proximity to the highway, he admitted that ants are often a threat to the hives.

As the owner of a sawmill, Jeremy does small jobs for local people. The bigger mills do production work and do not have the time for small orders.

Members eagerly purchased the honey, maple syrup and maple bourbonthat Jeremy had for sale at the meeting. Maple candy, maple butter and maple sugar can also be purchased at the store. 

For more information about Pure 62, check out the website…

www.pure62local.com

Upcoming Events:

July 21-23…OHA Convention in Kanata

September 5….guest speaker will be Carson Arthur of Carson’s Garden and Market in the County. At the Agricultural Building (White Building) in the fairgrounds

Jeremy Yearwood of Madoc, owner of  Pure 62 Local will tell us how he has built a business from making maple syrup, maple syrup bourbon, bee keeping, gift baskets and his lumber business. Jeremy is looking forward to answering your questions, and will sell you hives if you are  interested in purchasing your own. Product will be available for sale at the June meeting (cash only). Meeting date June 6, 7 p.m. at the Library.

Janis St John of 506 Tailgate Creations in Cloyne was the guest speaker at the Tweed and District Horticultural Society’s May meeting. Janis described herself as a “crafty” person who loves to create and try new things. She loves to repurpose the “old” to make it “new” again. She  admitted that she loves to “make a mess” but she did say she is very fortunate to have a husband who will clean up!!!

Growing up, Janis’ family always recycled items such as clothing and furniture. Her mother would repaint the furniture and sell it “at the end of their driveway.” And Janis still has a bin at the end of her driveway where people drop off furniture, old windows, screens and even an artificial Christmas tree and Janis loves to use these old items to make them new again!

One of Janis proudest moments occurred when she lived in Port Perry and she was on the cover of Country Woman and her beautiful garden was featured as the centre fold in the magazine. She has lived in Cloyne for 6 years so her present garden is still a work in progress!

During her presentation, she shared some of her “new” works of art…painted screens, stain glass windows, bird baths, a purse with a spring floral arrangement, driftwood creations, a wall hanging that she is rug hooking using old clothes, to mention a few.

Janis used an old picture frame with plexiglass to create a garden art piece during the presentation. She coated the plexiglass with clear silicone and smoothed the silicone with her hand wearing a plastic glove. She added battery operated fairy lights, stained glass that she has previously cut and coloured glass pieces. To add glitter, she sprinkled smashed patio door pieces. She then patted it down when completed and placed it on a birch tripod that she had made from trees on her property…..stunning! And one lucky member won the creation as Janis donated it as a door prize!

Janis stressed that she rarely buys new items for her creations…the bin at the end of her driveway is her “store”!! She uses stones, shells, buttons, old jewellery-basically whatever she can find. Much of her stained class came from a local church where the windows were being replaced. 

It will be interesting to see how many members will look at their “old stuff” with new eyes after seeing and listening to Janis! 

Upcoming Events:

May 20…Plant Sale at Memorial Park in Tweed….8:00 am

June 6…speaker will be Jeremy Yearwood who will be talking about maple syrup, maple bourbon and even the beehives he has on his property.

July 21-23…OHA Convention in Kanata

Janis St John owner of 506 Tailgate Creations of Cloyne loves to craft and be creative in repurposing old and making it new again. From stained glass mosaic pieces, signs, wreaths, fall flower heads and recyclable items that all have a new purpose. 

Janice has been a vendor at Peterborough Flower Show and does craft shows local and in Toronto. 

A demo of using stained glass will  be done and Janice will talk about winter planting of perennial seeds.

A variety of articles will be for sale at the meeting. Please bring cash. Meeting date is May 2, 7 pm at the Library/

Tweed and District Horticultural Society welcomed Aric Aguonie of Earth Haven Farm as the guest speaker at the April meeting. Using a power point presentation, Aric shared highlights of the farm and the various programs offered.

Aric is the General Manager of the 200 acre family owned business on Vanderwater Road in Thomasburg. The farm is demeter certified meaning that the agricultural practices used on the farm are “a step above organic.”  A requirement of this certification is that there are animals on the farm as a source of manure which is the main ingredient used in compost. The farm is home to a herd of Scottish Highland cattle. 

Aric’s main passion is the soil and developing the right soil to grow his crops. He constantly works the soil to make it right for the plants. He uses lots and lots of his animal compost in his soil. 

Everything produced on the farm is naturally raised with integrity and spirituality. The overall goal of his farm is an ever evolving journey to ensure that something is left behind for future generations. 

Several programs are offered through Earth Haven Farm:

-seedling sale in the spring

-CSA Food Boxes…. weekly or biweekly delivery of farm produce to locations in Tweed, Foxboro and at the farm…check website for details

-Food Sovereignty Project…one or two days a month, people gather at the farm to plan, plant seeds, weed, water, harvest and save the seeds for next year; there is always a social aspect to these days as the people enjoy a meal together, sing, share stories and socialize…check website for more details on this project

In conclusion Aric admitted that gardening is filled with many challenges but he enjoys looking for ways to overcome these challenges.

For additional details about Earth Haven Farm, please check their website….www.earthhaven.ca

Upcoming Events:

April 29…Rosanne Ballast of Stonepath Greenhouses and Landscaping will talk about planting and composting at the Tweed Library @ 11 am.

May 2  Meeting… 506 Tailgate Creations…a mother/daughter team who create whimsical glass art using recycled glass.

May 20…Plant Sale 

July 21-23…OHA Convention in Kanata

 

 

For our April 4 meeting, Aric Aguonie of Earth Haven farm will be our guest speaker.

Aric is the farm’s general manager overseeing the whole farm operation including the market garden fields, greenhouses, pastures, livestock ponds, forests, sales and marketing.

He will be giving a power point presentation about the farm, what they do and offer with a focus on their food sovereignty project.

Meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Tweed Library, side door.