Next Meeting: Wednesday                                                          
Feb. 5th at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Venice Community Center (doors open at 6:30pm)
Speaker: Vern Bloch
Topic: “What’s Wrong With My Orchid”

Vern Bloch is a retired Navy pilot who first became interested in orchids after leaving the service in 1987. Two years later, Vern, and his wife, Helen, became owners of the Palm Bay Orchid Range and participated in many orchid shows around the state. They sold the nursery in 2004 but continue to do business on a small scale. For the past twenty years, Vern has conducted programs for numerous orchid societies ranging from the Florida Keys to North Carolina.
Vern’s main interest has always been in the cattleya alliance and his presentation will focus on the Epidendrums, Encyclias and Prothecheas genera. Many orchids were originally misclassified as Epidendrums and Vern will show you how to differentiate between them and provide culture tips on how to grow them here in Florida. All are members of the cattleya family and their hybrids, Epicatts, have become very popular in recent years. They are easy to grow in Florida, providing us with a wide range of colors and shapes.
Vern will be happy to answer questions and will have an assortment of fine species Orchids for sale.

Wednesday January 8th at 7pm
Location: Venice Community Center (doors open at 6:30pm)
Speaker: Francisco Miranda, Miranda Orchids
Topic: The Genus Cattleya in Brazil

Miranda Orchids started in 1999 and is a nursery specializing in growing mainly selected Cattleya alliance species. In a sense, it is a continuation of Boa Vista Orchids, a nursery we ran in Brazil from 1986 until we moved to the U.S.A. Many of the plants available are produced in our lab and nursery in Central Florida from our extensive collection of stud plants. The rest we bring from Brazil to increase variety and novelty. Being native Brazilians, and having had a nursery for many years, we know that there is a lot of development in Cattleya species being done there. This is mostly because a lot of those species are native from Brazil (including all the bifoliate cattleyas) and because these plants are favorites of growers there. Of course having lived and grown orchids for a long time there we know most of the growers and what is being produced and we go there several times a year to make sure we are kept up-to-date. Miranda Orchids also grows other Brazilian species so if you are looking for something in particular do not hesitate in contact us. Our goal is to be your number one source for selected Brazilian Orchids.
A taxonomist, naturalist and orchid grower, Francisco travels extensively in the U.S. and internationally speaking at orchid-related events and meetings. He has been doing this since 1988, while still living in Brazil. The subjects of these presentations reflect Francisco’s extensive travels to study orchids in their natural environments.
Miranda Orchids is located between Orlando and Tampa, on the I-4 corridor. He will have a nice selection of orchids for sale.

VAOS Annual Holiday Party

Sunday December 15, 2019
Boca Royale Country Club
1601 Englewood Rd. (Rt 776)
Englewood

11am Holiday Brunch
Followed with an Orchid Plant Auction

$20pp
Brunch Buffet includes:
Egg station including omelets made to order    
Smoked bacon, sausage, breakfast potatoes
Eggs Benedict, Corned beef hash
Biscuits & Sausage Gravy, NY style egg strata
Waffles, Cheese Blintzes, Carved Ham
Pasta, Potato and five bean salad
Fresh fruit, Desserts, Assorted breads & pastries
Coffee and tea, Cash bar
Casual dress (no shorts)

Holiday gift orchid seedling to each member household

Sign up at our October 2nd or November 6th meeting or
Mail check payable to VAOS to:
PO BOX 443
Venice, FL. 34284-0443
Note “Holiday Party” & attendee names on your check

Info: Janet Keown 941-493-7334 email: Social@VAOS.org