The Journal of the Canadian Orchid Congress
Le Journal de la Fédération Canadienne des Sociétés Orchidophiles

news

Contents

From the President

Greetings to COC societies and members. We hope you had a great summer and your orchids are ready for the fall shows. The Central Ontario Orchid Society ( COOS) opens the fall season with their show and sale in Cambridge, Ontario on September 27^th and 28^th. They have some great things planned, do come, enjoy and support their Show.

In September, our new membership liaison coordinator, Valerie Tribes will contact all COC societies to ask questions about how the COC can better serve your society. Although many societies have already provided updated contact information, she will again ask those who have not yet provided it. The remaining items can be discussed more fully, and the information sent later, but no later than Oct 15/08. We need this information for planning and for the November newsletter.

An email has been sent to society presidents to ask for your approval of the auditor which is required under the constitution. We are requesting a quick response on the auditor approval by September 30.

Over the summer, your COC Executive has been very busy. I promised you an active executive, and we are ready to start to deliver tangible products. These include:

In upcoming months we will be circulating other projects for your input and comments: a revised and sustainable plan for funding speakers (replacing funding for the speakers tour), and expanding the COC culture sheets which can be copied and given to interested growers at your meetings. Jerry Bolce is in the process of upgrading and modernizing our very popular web site.

These are important new initiatives. We need your support and input if these are to be relevant and useful to societies. We invite volunteers who would be willing to work with us on some of the committees that have been struck. If you are interested, please make your name known to the committee / subject chair. They will be pleased to have your help.

Happy growing

Jean Hollebone and your COC Board

Notice Board

Vendors Listing

We all need orchid vendors to make our shows a success. However lately a lot of vendors have been going out of business. You can help by checking the COC website listing of vendors. Look at the listing for your part of the country and let me know of entries that should be removed and, especially, vendors that should be added. http://www.CanadianOrchidCongress.ca/vendors.html

- Jerry Bolce, Webmaster

COC First Vice President - Elsie Gerdes

Elsie was enticed into growing orchids by Eugene Banziger of Kelowna (Okanagan Orchid Society) after a presentation at a Vernon Garden club meet, having had limited experience beforehand.

She has been a member of Okanagan Society since 1997 and member of the Executive for one year before initiating the North Okanagan Orchid Society in Dec/02 when she became the First President.

NOOS has grown to about 35 members. Having her husband edit the 'Medium' in Kelowna and now the 'NOOS' in Vernon has helped both to learn much about the care of orchids and resources available to hobby growers

COC Secretary - Carole Gert

Carole joined the Foothills Orchid Society in Calgary ten years ago and has served as Secretary since 2002. She grows a variety of over 100 orchids in a sun room that her husband built. Her biggest challenge to date is growing Disas, acquiring her first flask of Disas from the 2005 WOC Dijon France.

Carole is married with two daughters, one son and two grandchildren. Her son, daughter-in-law and three year old grandson live in Berlin.

COC Conservation - Marilyn Light

Marilyn has 35 years experience growing and exhibiting tropical orchids and has registered 20 of her own hybrids. Her hybridization objectives include compact growth habit, repeat or successive blooming and fragrance. She wrote Growing Orchids in the Caribbean Macmillan. In 1993, she directed an educational video for the Canadian Orchid Congress titled, For the Love of Orchids - In Living Memory, about the late Joseph Purdon and his efforts in conserving the Showy Lady's-slippers on his property in Lanark County, Ontario.

Since 1996, she has moderated a monthly internet discussion group on orchid conservation topics at http://www.orchidsafari.org/. She is a Past President of both the Ottawa Orchid Society and the COC, now serving as Conservation Representative for both entities. She chairs the North American Region and the Education Committees of the Orchid Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission.

Marilyn recently retired from the University of Ottawa where she had worked with the Professional Training Service for some 20 years. Marilyn studies the long term behaviour of terrestrial orchid populations including Cypripedium and Epipactis. In 1995, she received the Anne Hanes Conservation Award from the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club for her orchid research in Gatineau Park, Quebec. She has recently received the prestigious Edgar T. Wherry Award from the North American Rock Garden Society recognizing her outstanding contribution in the dissemination of botanical and horticultural information about native North American orchids.

Hardy Orchids

Hardy Orchids by Bill & Carla Bishoff & Lorne Heshka is now available in PowerPoint. One disk contains an 85 slide PowerPoint presentation of orchids hardy in Canada plus a Word document narrative describing the pictures and the cultural conditions required for the plants presented in the PowerPoint presentation. The program requires a computer with disk drive that runs PowerPoint and a compatible digital projector. Size 61.9 MB and 91.5 KB. For other programs and borrowing information, see the COC website or call Peter Poot at 905-640-5643.

COC Logo

Have you noticed the improved COC logo? Thanks to the friendly people at http://www.brighthouse.ca/ we have a logo in vector format that is scalable to different sizes while retaining a smooth shape.

MSU Orchid Research

Michigan State University has a research program related to the commercial production of orchids. Orchids are currently the second most valuable potted crop in the United States with a total wholesale value of $144 million in 2005. The primary goal of the orchid research program is to understand how environmental parameters (e.g., temperature and light) influence growth and development of several orchid species. Have a look at the website below and see what they have learned that can help you grow and bloom your plant. There are also links to pertinent articles from trade magazines and refereed journals. http://www.hrt.msu.edu/faculty/Runkle/Orchid/Orchid_Research.htm

Principles of Solar Greenhouse Design

Even though fuel costs are rising you might still be thinking of building a greenhouse to house your orchid collection. The design we normally think of is the metal frame building with glass all around. That design originated in warmer Europe and is just not practical in our climate. A solar design greenhouse is built on a few basic principles that balance the amount of light against the cost of heating it.

The greenhouse should be oriented with the long axis facing the sun in the south. The angle of the glazing should be more or less perpendicular to the sun at noon in mid-winter for your latitude. (Basically add 20 degrees to your latitude.) That allows maximun sunlight in at the coldest time of year.

The north side of the greenhouse should be insulated with a reflective surface on the interior. If the north wall is glazed, you probably have as much light going out as coming in and you have a whole lot of heat going out.

The east and west ends let in some sun and let out some heat so it is a toss-up whether to insulate them or not. That is where the entry door and potting room should be.

The south knee-wall should probably be insulated as well. You are not likely to grow much under the benches. This also means that if the site allows it, you can bury the greenhouse almost to the height of the benches. The ground also act as an insulator. A kneewall also provides some height for snow sliding off the glazing.

The greenhouse can be free-standing or it can be attached to the house if your house has a good location with proper orientation.

Water barrels or water jugs under the benches or along the back wall can be used to store the daytime heat. More elaborate heat storage is also possible.

Use glazing materials that minimize heat loss. There are many materials that can be used to cover the greehouse each with advantages and some disadvantages. The more layers of glazing, the better the insulation but the less light.

Design in passive ventilation and use fans for the worst case.

There are many websites devoted to the details of building a solar greenhouse. Here are a few:

There are also many books but a lot are out of print so you may need to check the library or used book store.

- Jerry Bolce

One solar greenhouse design - from The Solar Greenhouse Book

COC Projects

1. Appointment of the auditor for 2008

Annually the auditor is appointed at the AGM meeting as required by our constitution. Because of the change in Treasurer this year, we did not do this at the AGM. The Treasurer, Margaret Hewings, has identified Mr. Alan Lutyk, C.A. of Burlington, Ontario to conduct the audit. He has worked with Ms Hewings for many years and has agreed to conduct the audit. We therefore ask COC presidents to respond on behalf of their Society indicating support for this choice by September 30.

2. COC Insurance Policy

Liability insurance is offered to all societies in good standing. The policy covers Commercial General Liability. Errors & Omissions Liability (Directors & Officers / Wrongful Acts). Non-owned Automobile. See the COC Website for complete coverage.

The insurance agency is now offering coverage for libraries and possessions. The coverage is based on dollar value. A value of $10,000.00 would be $50.00 per year with $500.00 deductible if the items were stored in one place. The items can be moved for use and then returned to the storage area. If all the items were moved from place to place then the cost would be $200.00 per year for a $10,000.00 value. Each society would have to advise me the value of their possessions, I would then get the cost from the agent. The society would have to pay the premium directly to the insurance agent. This coverage can be obtained at any time without penalty.

The deadline for the liability insurance is December 15. A late sign up penalty of $50.00 will have to be paid after this date. This charge is made by the insurance agency.

Please advise me before the above date that you wish to take advantage of this insurance program.

Lynne Cassidy
Email: lynne.cassidy@telus.net
Phone: 604-536-8185

3. Changes to the web site

Our webmaster, Jerry Bolce, is in the process of changing the layout and format of the website. We look forward to the "new look" as we fine tune it to make it as relevant as possible to the needs of COC societies and members. Please forward any suggestions you have that would make the website more useful.

4. Record of COC Policy Decisions

In response to identification of an urgent need at the Ottawa AGM for a document that pulls all COC decisions together in order to help make decision making more timely and efficient, your COC secretary has spent her summer reviewing and compiling all previous COC AGMs. She extracted policy decisions that were made that affect COC business and actions. This document is seen as an evergreen document which will be updated annually by the secretary following the COC AGM.

The document will be emailed to you. We invite you to look at it and make comments. Should you be aware of other decisions that have been made but not recorded, we invite you to contact Carole Gert, COC secretary, with references to support your suggestion so that they may be entered into the record.

5. Development of a COC display for COC representatives to set up at Society Shows

At the AGM it was suggested that a portable (bilingual) display that could be set up at Shows would help explain to both societies, their members, and the public, the breadth of services which the COC offers. At SOOS Summerfest, the idea was developed further and your executive plans to develop a comprehensive communication plan. A draft COC display is being developed which includes a stand alone poster. A brochure will describe the COC, its goals, and its member societies. Other handouts such as culture sheets taken from the COC web site will complete the display. It is hoped to have a first pilot ready for the COOS show in late September.

6. Guidelines on Hosting a COC meeting

These guidelines have been revised as decided at the AGM. The document has been distributed and is available on the website. Please send your comments / approval of the document so that we can finalize it by November.

7. Expansion of the criteria for awarding the COC Medal

It has been suggested that the COC Medal should be available for things other than as an award for merit in exhibiting orchids at orchid shows. Indeed at the time of the World Orchid Conference in Vancouver, the COC did award some of the medals to the organizers of that event in recognition of their work. At the Ottawa AGM, it was decided that a committee would draft a proposed set of rules or guidelines that would expand the use of the COC medal to areas of orchid endeavour other than orchid show exhibits. A number of suggestions have come forward:

It has also been suggested that rather than getting into different medals for different categories, the medals could be differentiated in some way through a distinctive mount or a paper certificate.

These are only suggestions at this time. If you have any comments or suggestions or wish to join the committee, please contact Peter Poot at sonja.poot@sympatico.ca or 905-640-5643.

8. Coordinators for Awarding of the COC show medal

Terry Kennedy has agreed to continue to give out medals to eastern and central Societies and Ingrid Schmidt-Ostrander has agreed to do the same for western societies. Societies should apply to the appropriate coordinators. Medals will only be given to societies in good standing, e.g. membership in COC is current.

9. Update and expansion of the Slide Shows

COC maintains a library of 35mm slide shows on various orchid topics developed by Canadian orchid growers on a voluntary basis. We are hoping to review, expand and improve on the collection. If you have a program or set of slides that you could develop into a program please submit your proposal to us. What we need are interesting educational programs that include good pictures and narrative, preferably with a cultural slant, that can be handled by local society presenters. PowerPoint presentations, while not yet for everybody, are an excellent vehicle for combining pictures and text.

COC Slide Programs

Huntleyinae by Ingrid Schmidt-Ostrander. It contains general descriptions, culture and name changes; 59 slides of species and 9 of hybrids.

Orchid Pests and Diseases prepared by Marilyn Light, consists of 27 slides. This program helps you identify pests and diseases that often are introduced to your collection on infested or diseased plants. A sharp eye for telltale signs will help you keep pests and diseases out and to control them before they become a major problem.

Fragrant Orchids produced by Marilyn Light

More and more hobbyists nowadays cite fragrance as one of the major factors they consider when selecting orchids for their collections. Orchid flowers can offer a veritable potpourri of olfactory delight to adventurous growers. With sweet, spicy, citrus, vanilla and floral notes, the orchid fragrance palette is as varied as are the insect pollinators that the scents may attract. This presentation will tantalize the senses and introduce hobbyists to some common and not so common orchids that can be easily raised. A set of informative notes accompanies the slide set.

Cattleyas - by Ken Girard. This is an excellent program.

Oncidiums - by Gordon Heaps. Slides have been added and the script has been re-done by Gordon Heaps.

Terrestrial Orchids and Their Culture, compiled by Bill Bischoff. Available as slides or as a Power point file on CD.

Phragmipediums includes fifty colour slides of all the Phragmipedium species, including all the newer ones up to September 2002 and a good number of hybrids. There is a short written introduction, with instructions on caring for Phragmipediums etc. and there are short notes for every slide.

Lycastes by Ingrid Ostrander. The program consists of 68 slides plus background on Anguloa, Ida and Lycaste.

Details for ordering a slideshow may be found on the COC website.

COMING EVENTS

2008

• Sept 27-28: The Central Ontario Orchid Society, Cambridge Hespeler Arena, 640 Ellis Road, Cambridge "http://www.coos.ca/"
• Sept 26-29: Western Australian Orchid Spectacular and Conference "Living with Orchids" "http://members.iinet.net.au/~emntee/WAOS.html"
• Oct 4-5: The Foothills Orchid Society, Triwood Community Association Hall, 2244 Chicoutimi Drive NW,Calgary, AB "http://members.shaw.ca/foothillsorchidsociety/"
• October 25-26: Fraser Valley Orchid Society Show & Plant Sale, will be held at the Langley Civic Centre, 20699 - 42nd Ave., Langley, B.C. "http://www.orchidbc.ca/"
• Oct 25-26: Eastern Canada Orchid Society at the Days Inn Hotel, 1005 rue Guy, in Downtown Montreal. Phone 450-467-4795
• Nov 8-9: Niagara Region OS, CAW Hall 124 Bunting Rd, St. Catharines, Ont Contact: Jodi Shannon, Show Chairperson Phone: 905-641-1934, "http://www.niagaraorchidsociety.org/"

2009

• February 4-8: The Quito Orchid Expo, the show, with many of the 4,000 orchid species of Ecuador, will be the Third Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids, plus a series of Roundtable sessions on Orchid Painting, Orchid Photography, Orchid Conservation in Ecuador, and Orchid Culture. "http://www.quitoorchidexpo2009.org/"

The purpose of COC news is to inform members of the meetings, policies of the COC, to profile members, and to provide technical information regarding happenings, trends and techniques in orchid culivation across the country and around the world.

We welcome your suggestions and contributions. Deadline for each issue is one month before the issue dates previously announced.

Recipients of this newsletter are strongly urged to pass a copy on to other members of their society

Officers of the Canadian Orchid Congress