Month: April 2016

Newsletter of the Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association (SHiNA) through Sunday, May 8, 2016

SOUTHWEST HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION (SHiNA) information

During the April 17 event, approximately 65-70 people celebrated plants, gardening, and the outdoors.  Specialists in plants, trees, and butterflies as well as environmental concerns answered many questions, and the Friends of the Farmers Market provided tastings of fresh local produce.

The raffle of a $35.00 gift certificate for Schreiner’s Iris Gardens was won by Janet Bevirt.  Two $25.00 gift certificates and supplies buckets donated by Lane Forest Products were won by Mary Rowland and Kathleen Gray.  Camille Noel won free admission tickets to The Oregon Garden.  And another lucky winner whose name was unfortunately lost went home with a poster, handkerchiefs, and a calendar by Joe Wirtheim of Victory Garden of Tomorrow.

Six door prizes were awarded during the event.  Those who filled out questionnaires to indicate what they would like to see in future SHiNA meetings went home with packets of free seeds.  Attendees picked up a number of hand-outs, ranging from specialist catalogs to environmental information to garden ideas.

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BOARD MEETINGS are held on the SECOND THURSDAY of each month, 6:00-8:00pm at the Wayne Morse Family Farm, 595 Crest Drive.  The next Board Meeting will be at 6:00pm on THURSDAY, MAY 12.

GENERAL MEETINGS are usually held on the THIRD SUNDAY of each month.  There will be NO GENERAL MEETINGS IN MAY AND JULY.

Please join us on Sunday, APRIL 17, 2:00-4:00pm at Good Samaritan Society, 3500 Hilyard Street for an afternoon devoted to PLANTS, GARDENING, and the OUTDOORS. There will be a number of people to answer your questions, literature about old and new gardening ideas, as well as some tastings by the Friends of the Farmers Market. Please note: although sales are not excluded, this event is not a plant sale – it is primarily aimed at providing gardening-related information.

In addition to information about SHiNA and its efforts, we will be joined by representatives from
– the City of Eugene Urban Forestry Office,
– the Dahlia Society,
– the Eugene Garden Club,
– Friends of the Farmers Market,
– the Fuchsia Society,
– the North American Butterfly Association,
– Oregon State University Extension Master Gardeners,
– the Pollution Prevention Coalition (Lane County, City of Eugene, City of Springfield, and Lane Regional Air Protection Agency – LRAPA),
– the Willamette Orchid Society,
and others.

To date, we have received donations for this event’s raffles from
– Lane Forest Products ($25.00 gift certificate and bucket complete with bag, gloves, etc.),
– Schreiner’s Iris Gardens in Salem ($35.00 gift certificate and Collectors Edition Catalog),
– The Oregon Garden in Silverton (admission passes, valued up to $11.00 each), and
– Joe Wirtheim of Victory Garden of Tomorrow of Portland (poster, handkerchiefs, and calendar for a total value of $55.00).

Log House Plants in Cottage Grove, originator of the grafted tomato, has donated three Pixie Riesling miniature grapes and three “Ketchup and Fries” plants, tomato plants grafted onto potato plants. The retail price is $25.00, SHiNA will offer them at $20.00 each to raise funds for the neighborhood organization coffers.

As always, we will have door prizes, including popular adult coloring books with markers, a child’s play and succulents kit, plant baskets (edibles and ornamentals), and a box of assorted flower-themed stationery. You must be present to win a door prize.  Each attendee receives a free door prize ticket after signing in as well as a free package of seeds donated by Adaptive Seeds or Seed Savers Exchange (while supplies last).

Additional information will be provided in the form of catalogs, flyers, and handbooks from
– Adaptive Seeds of Sweet Home (Pacific Northwest grown, open-pollinated and organic seed),
– David Austin Roses of Great Britain (“Handbook of Roses 2016”),
– BRING (“Used News”),
– the City of Eugene,
– Down to Earth (“Gardening Guide”),
– EWEB (Green Grass Gauges, “Water-Efficient Plants for the Willamette Valley”, fix-it guides for water leaks, “Water Wise Landscape Demonstration Garden”),
– Firewise (“Firewise Guide to Landscape and Construction”, “How to Have a Firewise Home”),
– Garland’s Nursery of Corvallis,
– the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (“Urban Wildlife”),
– Proven Winners of Sycamore, Illinois (“The Gardeners Idea Book”),
– Schreiner’s Iris Gardens of Salem (“Iris Lovers Catalog, 2016 Mini Edition”),
– Seed Savers Exchange of Decorah, Iowa, and
– Wild Birds Unlimited (free calendars and catalogs).
As a reminder of Earth Day, April 22, we have included recycling and conservation information.

The event is free and open to everyone. The building is wheelchair accessible.

No pets please.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.