Garden Club Begins New Year

The Monroeville Garden Club held their first meeting of the new year on September 10 at 1:00 p.m. at the home of Laura Bodiford in Monroeville.

Members were given their yearbooks and programs for the coming year were reviewed.  Fund-raising projects being considered are a Christmas luncheon and a garden tour in the spring.  All funds raised by the club are used to beautify the square.  This year the club plans to replace the arbor in the rose garden.

Following the business session, members enjoyed refreshments of chicken salad sandwiches, ham salad sandwiches,  a vegetable tray with dip, fresh fruit and miniature pecan tarts.

Those in attendance included:  Laura Bodiford, Judi Burns, Bev Colquett, Dotsy Compton, Brenda Gardner, Margaret Groves, Pam Hindman, Pat Hornady, Carolyn Hutcherson,Dana Shinholster, Ree Smith, Vonceil Stringer, Gail Touchton, Patsy Wadlington, and Nancy Ziebach.

New yearbook for the year.  

Our hostess for the meeting, Laura Bodiford

Members, Vonceil Stringer and Carolyn Hutcherson, 

Trip to Gaucho Farms

     On May 14, 2015, the Monroeville Garden Club traveled to Slocomb, Al. to tour Gaucho Farms.
Gaucho Farms, owned by Jorge and Suzanne Sanchez, is a small, diversified family farm.  It produces all natural 100% grass fed beef and lamb, pastured broiler chickens and turkeys, pastured free range eggs, chemical free fruit and vegetables, and heirloom vegetable plants from certified organic, non GMO seed.
     The farm takes a holistic approach to farming where each small enterprise supports the others.  For example, the chickens and turkeys provide fertilizer for the pasture.  Gaucho Farms never use herbicides and they make their own compost which is used to fertilize the garden.  The poultry and livestock are never given antibiotics or growth hormones.  The lambs and steers are never fed grain, soy hulls, or other industry by-products like chicken litter.
     Gaucho Farms was started because the Sanchezs' wanted to grow the kind of food that they would feel good about feeding to their family and eventually expanded to offer their farm products to others.  You can find more information about the farm on their website:  gaucho farms.com
     After taking the farm tour, members of the garden club were served a box lunch of chicken salad wraps, chips, an apple, and cookies.  Hostesses were Patsy Wadlington, Dana Shinholster, and Gail Touchton.
     On the way home, the club members stopped at The Blue Goose Garden Center in Andalusia.  Members who went on the trip were Patsy Wadlington, Nancy Ziebach, Bev Colquett, Pat Hornady, Dana Shinholster, and Laura Bodiford.
   

Spring Garden Tour

This is a copy of the program for the garden tour which included a history of the house as well as instructions for some of the projects that were displayed.

It is impossible to include photos of all the many features of the Countryman's yard but some of the highlights follow the copy of the program.

Sarah's "scarecrow" greeted everyone as they started the tour.

This chair was "repurposed" to make a planter.

This building featured a garden hose wreath.

The pot puppy and brick books were projects included in the program.

A pallet was used for planting Mr. McGregor's Garden.

The back corner of the yard was set up as a garden party complete with burning
candles and soft music playing.

Here are some of the items that were sold in the
Garden Boutique.