President Vic Palmer welcomed 35 members and guests to the Clifford and District Horticultural Society spring flower show on May 22 at the community hall in Clifford.
Guest speaker Marlene Wynnyk owns The Healing Arc. Inc Sea Buckthorn Golden Orchard located outside Teeswater.
Over a span of 20 years, she learned to plant, nurture, maintain and market the male and female trees and their harvest of sea buckthorn berries.
Her brochure notes, “The berries contain high concentrations of vitamin C, carotenoids and essential fatty acids, as well as phytochemicals that are known to have strong antioxidant activity.”
She invites people to the orchard mid-August to early September to pick their own berries and help with the harvest. Sea buckthorn berries, juice, jams, jellies, oils, creams, soaps, leaves and skin treatment products along with trees and saplings are all available at her orchard business.
Vic praised the ongoing work of long-time resident and volunteer Ann Bowen and her husband John who will be leaving Clifford soon to move to Fergus. Ann was a director in charge of public planting for many years.
Membership convenor Trish Palmer noted in the Newsletter volunteer canvassers have come through again with a current total of 309 members signed up for 2018.
The society has 294 paying members, two lifetime members and 13 new members.
Flower show committee members Isabel Senek, Blanche Freeman and Audrey Garrett noted 17 members showed 155 entries.
Wayne E. Pfeffer supplied two prizes for most points in tulips, narcissus and spring flowers to first place winner Ethel Weber and second place winner Janet Huth. Georgie and Bruce Hutchison provided a gift for most points in potted plants to Jean Yenssen. Most points in design with a gift from Paul Judge went to Jean Yenssen and Paul Judge won the section on photography winning a gift from Frances Newman.
Henry Dyksterhuis won best in show for his four wooden tractors in the men-only section.
Prizes were won by Jane Langella, Margaret Reidt, Helen Braun-Kreller, Elisabeth Kuersten, Audrey Garrett, Mary Mighton, Julie Duncan, Kathy Hendry, Yvonne Williams, Bonnie Whitehead, Ethel Weber, Jean Yenssen and Jim Measures.
A luncheon was prepared and served by Doris Jaunzemis, Marion Wylie, Joy Burnett and Rita Measures.
National Garden Day will be celebrated June 16 during Garden Week Ontario with the planting of shrubs and flowers at the three new welcome to Clifford signs.
