Manotick Horticultural Society Meeting

Monday, January 9^th, 2012  -  7:30 p.m.

RCMP Camp, Long Island Locks

Happy New Year to all of us!

Diversity and Drama in the Garden

Feeling a little “blah” after the revelries of the Holiday Season? How about starting 2012 with a bit of drama … horticultural-style?

By popular demand, the Manotick Horticultural Society has invited Dave Dunn, co-owner of Rideau Woodland Ramble near Burritt’s Rapids, for his traditional New Year’s engagement to delight Society members with his latest presentation, Shrubs: Diversity and Drama in the Garden.

Dave will describe the personal experiences that he and partner Rob Caron went through to create some dramatic garden “experiences”, using a diverse selection of shrubs.  Through Dave’s vision, we will gain insight into the types of shrubs that work well in our climate, one of many reasons for selecting plants for use in a garden.   When designing a garden, we often forget what a significant role shrubs can play in creating the “bones” (structure and backdrop) of our garden, as well as adding interest, color and texture. Coping with tight spaces, and urban garden scale, will also be considerations. This review will include both deciduous and evergreen shrubs. As is their generous custom, Dave and Rob will be bringing a RWR gift certificate to be raffled off to some lucky soul among us.

AGM/Election

At this meeting MHS is holding the AGM, reviewing highlights of 2011 as well as elections for 2012. While the MHS Nominating Committee has already selected candidates for the two vacant directors’ positions, as well as the office of Vice-President, it is possible for a candidate for the Board to be nominated from the floor at the AGM itself by a member (and seconded by another member). However, this process would be greatly streamlined if the nominee approaches Margot in advance, at 613-692-1575, or mandrbel@rogers.com ASAP. Please take this into consideration before waiting until the AGM itself, as a courtesy to all attending members.

Recipe: Following our successful Christmas pot luck, some folks asked for Kathleen Lang's recipe for the dish she brought – Bobotie (prep time 30 minutes, cooking time 50 min).

Here it is:

1 kg minced beef or mutton

1 medium onion, finely chopped

½ cup seedless raisins

½ cup blanched almonds (optional)

1 tbsp. apricot jam

1 tbsp. fruit chutney

1 slice white bread

2 tsp. butter or oil

3 eggs

250 ml. milk

25 ml. lemon juice

2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. turmeric

2 lemon or bay leaves

2 tsp. salt

1.  Soak bread in 125 ml. milk, squeeze to remove milk and mix the bread with the minced beef.  Mix in

      all the other ingredients except butter (or oil), milk, eggs and leaves.

2.  Melt butter or heat oil in a frying pan. Brown meat mixture lightly. Turn out into a casserole.

3.  Beat eggs and the rest of the milk together and pour over the meat. Garnish with the leaves.

4.  Bake in the oven at 180C (350F) until set, about 50 minutes.

NOTE:  Bobotie freezes very well.  Prepare thru step 2.  To serve, thaw and continue with steps 3 and 4.

MHS Reminder 1: 2012 MHS memberships - It’s time to renew for those who have not done so.

MHS Reminder 2: MHS library books - for this time only, we’ll overlook late fee charges … but that charge doubles for February!!!  Please bring them back to the library before it has to cost you!

Other Events

Fourth Annual Living Locally Fair, put on by the Russell Horticultural Society - President Lindley McPhail invites MHS members to attend their Fourth Annual Living Locally Fair taking place on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School, 1211 South Russell Road, from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. This is an opportunity to meet with over 60 local producers and groups, to hear speakers and attend demonstrations. Butchers, bakers and candlestick makers will all be in attendance as well as delicious homemade soups and stews for a nice warm lunch. Bring your friends and come out and spend the day with us, we're only a short drive away. Directions: drive south on Bank St. (Hwy 31) to Metcalfe and following Hwy 6 to Russell. If you prefer you can take the 417 to the Boundary Rd exit, follow south on Boundary to Hwy 6 and turn left to go into Russell. We will have lots of signs. We hope to see you there!! No ATM on site. http://www.russellgardeners.ca/livinglocallyfair/

New initiative by the Russell and District Horticultural Society:  “We have a new Library in Russell and are going to build a Children's Fantasy Reading Garden that the children's library will open into. It will be accessible only from the Library, surrounded by a fence with an emergency exit fire gate. There will be natural trees, grasses and flowers and imaginary creatures! In order to fund this project we are selling rain barrels for $60 each. They are complete with spigots, overflow hoses and screens and would make a perfect gift for the gardener, environmentalist or homeowner; a wonderful house warming gift, or an addition to your own yard. These barrels can be ordered online at www.Rainbarrel.ca/Russell. You will receive a receipt which you then just have to bring to the delivery site, the Russell Agricultural grounds on Concession St. in Russell on Saturday, April 28/12. These would also make wonderful gifts from your society to homeowners who volunteer their gardens for a garden tour.

Link

Here’s a link to keep us dreaming of plants and greenery in this cold weather.

Trowel Talk, published by the Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton:   

http://mgottawa.mgoi.ca/media/Trowel_Talk_--_December_2011.pdf

Newsletter Team

Elizabeth Howard (Writer) newsletter17@hotmail.com

Margot Belanger (Editor) mandrbel@rogers.com

Marianne Wightman (Secretary and distributor) marianne_wightman@hotmail.com