January 2024 Newsletter

Greetings and Happy New Year,

On December 10th, the Western North Carolina Orchid Society gathered at Graham and Leslie’s home for a well attended Holiday Social. Everyone brought ample food and desserts to share. At the end of the day, each member left with a gift of a paphiopedilum, supplied by Lehua Orchids in Hawaii. What a great way to finish out 2023.

We will start out the new year with a visit from our longtime friend, Mark Reinke, of Marble Branch Farms. Mark will travel from Walhalla SC on January 14th to talk to us about  Growing Cymbidiums in the South. (program details are posted on wncos.org) This should be an excellent program and a topic we should all learn something from. Mark is a renowned orchid hybridizer “producing something a little different from the same old hybrids that everyone seems to sell these days.” He will have plenty of his well grown orchids for sale at the meeting. Visit marblebranchfarms.com to get to know Mark a little better. You may find something you want him to bring just for you. If so, send him an email at markreinke@att.net.

With the new year comes a new season of orchid shows. Dates for WNCOS’s Asheville Orchid Festival are April 12-14. That means it’s time to get busy! I will be sharing more details with you at the meeting.

We have around 10 gift paphiopedilums left from the party. So, the first members to arrive at the January meeting that did not attend the Holiday Social, you get to pick your orchid gift.

I will see you there, Sunday January 14th, 2:00pm at the Asheville Visitor Center. Come early to shop and socialize. And don’t forget your Show-and-Tell plants!