Category Archives: Meetings

Next Meeting: Wednesday

May 1^st at 7:00 p.m.

Speakers: Barry Rossheim and Courtney Kern

(Venice High School Zoology Club)

Topic: “Celery Fields Conservation Project”

Speakers: James Thomas, Carol Wood, and Richard Amos

Topic: “Growers Clinic Live”

Barry Rossheim is the sponsor of the VHS Zoology Club and has been teaching biology and zoology since 1980.

He is a lead teacher for the Costa Rica Global Classroom Project, a co-director of the Life Science Community, a member of the National Audubon Society, and for even more fun, works in the education department at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. . Mr. Rossheim hopes to inspire his students to pursue their studies in science and believes he can help save the planet by teaching global conservation.

Courtney Kern is the President of the VHS Zoology Club and a member of the VHS Honor Society.

James Thomas, our Vice President, Programs, perhaps better known as “Doctor” Jim, has been growing and destroying orchids for 48 years (in his own words). He struggled with orchids for the first three years, until guided and inspired by Brooks Muse, who took him under his wing and taught him the basics he uses today. After losing several hundred orchids during the hard freeze in 1972, due to a rolling electric blackout which killed his electric heaters, he bounced back with his usual resilience and has more than 200 plants at his home in Nokomis. Initially interested in cattleyas and phalaenopsis, he’s been expanding into dendrobiums and other orchids, as evidenced by his recent Plant Table Award Ribbons.

Neither Carol Wood nor Richard Amos, Jim’s expert co-presenters, need  further introduction as both have been active members and board members for a number of years. Carol is presently Co-Chair of the Annual Show and Richard Amos is Vice President, Show Displays.

Jeff Higel of Honey Bee Nursery will be selling beautiful orchids and orchid plant supplies recommended by our Growers Clinic.

Michael Polen is the owner of Art Stone Orchids in St. Petersburg, a premier supplier of orchids and potting supplies since 1986. He has twice been past president of the West Coast Orchid Society and continues to participate in numerous orchid shows, including numerous appearances at our Venice Show.
Art Stone Orchids/Palmer Orchids won both the AOS Show Trophy for the Most Outstanding Exhibit and the VAOS Most Outstanding Exhibit Class I Trophy as well as the Best in Show Trophy at our February show.
Michael will have supplies, mounts and orchids for sale and will be glad to answer any questions.

Speaker: Hal Hills  – “Orchid Fragrances”

Harold G. Hills, better known as Hal Hills, received his PhD degree from the University of Miami and has published numerous articles on orchid fragrances and fragrance cycles as well as a taxonomic revision of the genus Dressleria, naming eight of the twelve species in the genus.

Hal will be discussing orchid fragrances, not fragrant orchids, focusing on fragrance collection and analysis, fragrance production, and how fragrances change over the life of the inflorescence. He will also include the effect of changing light on orchid fragrances.

Hal’s presentation is somewhat technical but includes many beautiful photos, particularly of Catasetum, Clowesia and Dressleria. A question and answer period will follow.