Sweetgrass Garden Comes to SI Garden Club!

Join us for the Seabrook Island Garden Club’s April meeting on Friday, April 14 – Local Garden Feeding the Community. Featured guest speaker Jennifer Wicker is the Executive Director of Sweetgrass Garden, a local, non-profit center that provides free, fresh produce to charitable food distribution agencies. The mission of Sweetgrass Garden is to teach the general public about sustainable methods, farming, composting, and to distribute food to people in need and the organizations that serve them. Sweetgrass Garden was founded by Dr. George Taylor and Dale Snyder in 2010, with a two-acre property that was donated by a local resident of Kiawah Island. What started out as a desire to feed the hungry of Johns Island and a church volunteer effort grew into something much more. ​ Initially Sweetgrass Garden provided the food to the Lowcountry Food Bank in Charleston with their first year of crops. It comprised 6,000 pounds of produce, including green beans, cabbage, blueberries, tomatoes, peas, and peppers. Today, all of the produce is donated to the Sea Islands Hunger Awareness Foundation, an umbrella organization that is linked to eleven local organizations that help local residents receive the food. They also have active bee colonies that produce honey that is offered to anyone who makes a donation to Sweetgrass Garden. Sweetgrass exists through donations, fundraising events, grants and the dedication of the people who receive no salaries and work tirelessly on the farm. When: Friday, 4/14/23 Greeting and Refreshments: 9:30 am Business Meeting: 9:45am Presentation: 10:00am with Q&A’s Location: Oyster Catcher Community Center Presenter: Jennifer Wicker, Executive Director, Sweetgrass Garden *Please bring cash (small bills) to participate in our fun raffles, where the funds benefit our philanthropies. Guests of members are welcome to attend: $5 donation. The Seabrook Island Garden Club focuses on those who have an active interest in horticulture and artistic design, community beautification, ecology and philanthropy.  The 2022-2023 Seabrook Island Garden Club: Let’s talk some dirt! –Submitted by Beth Wright, Seabrook Island Garden Club Publicity (Image credit: Seabrook Island Garden Club)

Milkweed and the Importance of Monarchs as Pollinators

 

 The March meeting of the Seabrook Island Garden Club featured a talk on “Milkweed and the Importance of Monarchs as Pollinators” by guest speaker Christopher Burtt from the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service. Mr. Burtt is a 2015 Clemson graduate and serves as the Urban Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties.

 Most people are familiar with monarch butterflies due to their relatively large size, their bright orange and black coloration, and their annual migration patterns. Like bees, butterflies are plant pollinators, and about one third of all crop production in the world depends on pollination. Sadly monarch populations have declined precipitously over the past two decades primarily due to habitat loss, although Mr. Burtt pointed out scientists believe the decline has not been as significant as it was originally thought to be.

 To understand what can be done to prevent further decline in the monarch population, it is important to understand this butterfly’s migration patterns and life cycle. Monarchs spend the winter months in central Mexico and begin to head northward in the spring where they lay their eggs on milkweed plants. These eggs hatch and grow into caterpillars that feed exclusively on milkweed before pupating and becoming the next generation of butterflies. Simply put, no milkweed means no monarch butterflies. Additionally, milkweed produces a milky sap that makes the caterpillars toxic to birds and unpalatable to other animals thus allowing them to survive.

 Effective conservation efforts involve planting native milkweed species to restore the breeding habitats of monarch butterflies. According to Mr. Burtt, South Carolina has 21 species of native milkweed but only three are common. He recommends planting Swamp milkweed (Asclepius incarnata), Butterflyweed (Asclepius tuberosa) or Aquatic Milkweed (Asclepias perennis). All native milkweed species are perennials. While milkweed grows readily in a wide range of wild habitats, it can be hard to establish in backyard gardens as it requires significant sunlight and moist but well drained soil conditions. Mr. Burtt nonetheless encourages gardeners to incorporate a few milkweed plants into any landscape plan to attract monarchs. Although non-native milkweed is easier to grow and more readily available at nurseries, some scientists are concerned that it has negative impacts on monarchs and their larvae. To avoid these risks, native milkweeds should be grown whenever possible.

 Right about now, the monarchs are beginning their journey northward and will be passing through South Carolina. We should do everything possible to ensure the prosperity of one of our most beloved pollinators. Whatever you do, don’t forget the milkweed!

 

—Submitted by Susan McLaughlin

 

SIGC Gets a Lesson in Photography

Tidelines Jan 25 Susan Soden The January meeting of the Seabrook Island Garden Club featured photographer Susan Soden who delivered an informative workshop on photographing plants and floral arrangements. Susan is a Seabrook resident and is well known for her photographs of nature and wildlife on the island. Her work has been featured in many of the island’s publications. She is currently honored as the Photography Club’s Quarterly Featured Photographer, and her work will be displayed at the Lake House for the next several months. Susan’s presentation started with helping individuals become familiar with most phones' camera functions and features. She then presented tips for capturing quality photographs—utilize soft lighting, choose simple backgrounds, place floral subjects near a window, shoot from unique angles, create still-life scenarios, and look for small details to add interest. Most importantly, her message to the group was to have fun and enjoy the art of photography. Garden Club members could then practice shooting photos of the floral arrangements on their tables. In this “hands-on” part of the presentation, Susan was available to answer questions and provide additional tips.   Karen Sewell, Anne Bavier, Deborah Wiehn The Seabrook Island Garden Club’s next event is the Winter Open House from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Lake House on Sunday, January 29. All Seabrookers are invited to join the Garden Club members for an evening of hospitality featuring light appetizers, desserts, and drinks. -Submitted by Susan McLaughlin, Seabrook Island Garden Club (Image credits: Vivien Joklik)

 

WE DID LUNCH!

Another enjoyable luncheon marked the official close of the 2021-2022 Garden Club season.  Committee Co-Chairs Deb Duerr and Kathy Maher arranged a flawless event for our members on May 12th.  The room was abuzz as arrival, sign-in, and beverages proceeded to warm and friendly greetings among attendees.  As members settled into their seats for a tasty meal, lively conversation was interrupted only by door-prize drawings as we checked our tickets for each prize drawn.  Adding to the delight of winning ticket holders, all members received a swag bag containing items for indoor and outdoor planting.  At departure, everyone was invited to select from assorted herb plants that made up the creative table centerpieces. 

Club President Karen Nuttall presented the remaining business matters of the year for resolution by vote, including the nominated slate of incoming officers.  She then delivered remarks highlighting this season and acknowledging everyone who served the club in various capacities.  She thanked all members for their participation, enthusiasm and support, and shared a beautiful poem with deep sentiment spanning personal memories and club friendships.

By all accounts, this was a successful garden club year. The club resumes in September with new Officers at the helm.  Along with Karen Nuttall (returning as President), they are: Carol Price, Vice President; Patti Tully, Treasurer; Ann Bavier and Sally Boudinot, Recording Secretaries; Joyce Markwell, Corresponding Secretary.

There are, of course, many additional roles to fill in an energetic club and committees are a great way to participate.  It's not too early to make your interests known. 

Have a great summer!

       

 2021-2022 Garden Club Philanthropy & Outreach

This year's donations are awarded to Haut Gap Middle School, Sea Island Water Wellness Mission, and Trident Technical College.  

The Haut Gap school project has been on our radar for several cycles.  Committee member Ann Bavier kept the Executive Board apprised of changing circumstances and challenges impacting the school's garden program. The timing of recent events at the school made it advantageous for our club to support construction of new plant beds and augment projects pledged to the school by other donors.  The work in the garden is done by the students and is integrated with lessons in calculating required supplies through implementation of planting, harvesting, and distribution of the fresh vegetable yield to local charities.

Most of our community residents are familiar with the Water Wellness Mission, and the great need for available, safe water in the many at-risk homes not so far from our own community.  Our donation supplements the ongoing projects of drilling wells as the wait list for vital clean water is addressed, one well and one home at a time.

Trident Tech has long been a recipient of a club award designated toward the education expenses of horticulture program students.  This year's award was presented in person to our April program speaker, and Coordinator of Horticulture Technology, who updated the membership about Trident's curriculum and activities.

As our club membership grows, our membership dues allow us to participate in such worthy causes as these.  It means so much to those whose names we may never know, but we can all feel a sense of pride in belonging to an organization that puts our dues to good use.

Q:  WHAT'S THE RUSH?

A:  Listen to this captivating recording of April 6th by Doug Tallamy, Co-Founder of Homegrown National Park.  For the answer, click here:  

What’s the Rush? Doug Tallamy, Co-Founder Homegrown National Park® (vimeo.com)

Mr. Tallamy presents the science-based solution to the biodiversity crisis and what each of us can do--beginning with the flowerpots on our porches, decks and patios, and expanding throughout our personal properties, right where we reside--to improve our piece of the planet in the fight against the genocide of nature.

Learn how practicing conservation on private property is essential to each and every living being, now more than ever.  It's less than 25 minutes and worth the time!

We thank club member Lee Hurd for submitting this link to the virtual presentation, also embedded in the organization's website, which you are encouraged to visit by clicking here:  HOMEGROWN NATIONAL PARK

Lee was keen to share this knowledge with our Club.  She is, no surprise, already at work implementing many of these tactics within her own property.

LET'S CELEBRATE!