Are you a member of your local &/or national Orchid Society? Why or why not?

[IncurablePlantHead]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

I don't understand the politics you mention and others alluding to this behavior in previous posts. Please explain...is it something like all the lady slipper fanatics want to dominate the program? Or does it involve the politics between Phalaenopsis hybrids versus true Phalaenopsis plants that are species?

How can politics play a role in raising orchids?

Oh, I see you don't live in the 305. There's politics in everything here. I have a friend that lost his job because of politics in the AOS. I can't go into that for obvious reasons, but many of the plant societies down here have factions and alliances not having to do with Phalaenopsis lovers and slipper lovers. I can say their dwindling enrollments may lead to a new and better day when all is said and done. Fresh starts smell like dew on the morning leaves.

[LadySoren]

I don't care what age people are, just the attitudes (believe me, I can't stand young people attitudes either!)

As far as getting involved goes, I do hope to volunteer for their show in the Spring. They are going to have a table dedicated just to signing people up to join (they hadn't thought of that before). So I plan to let them know I'm available if they need me. I have never been to show so I'll have to let them know I would like some time to look around as well. I don't even know what to expect.

[MattWoelfsen]

Okay, thanks for the explanation. I think I understand. Here in Indiana, we have very few resources for orchids. So it doesn't matter who you voted for President of the USA, it is more like "several members want to place an order with Orchids-R-Us and we need at least $100 in order value to make shipping costs and acquisition less expensive." I don't really care if you are a Democrat, do you want to order ten 4" slotted clear pots or not?

[JamesL]

I'm not a member of any OS I use to have membership with the AOS and dropped that for most of the reasons posted above... The only Orchid show I go to now is the Ann Arbor orchid show in the spring. Sadly every year it get smaller and smaller. One of the local flower shops/greenhouses has a show in the late spring, It more of the, this is whats for sale buy it and don't bother me thing.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Commadore 64!
Fortran!
Basic!
Unix
Floppy disks!
I am that old!

You're not that old. I started with computers in high school using punched paper tape to enter programs to a time-sharing service via a Teletype model ASR 33 and an acoustical phone coupler.



Back to topic, I've been an AOS member since I started with orchids in 2010 and am also a member of IPA, FSoA and the local OS, SEPOS. I've never actually been to a SEPOS meeting due to lack of a car and conflicts with my work schedule.

[Leafmite]

Politics in organizations always destroys them. I belong to another organization where there is quite a bit of it. I stay out of it but it wasn't very fun the year I was in charge. After my term ended, instead of taking another office as everyone anticipated, I took a long break from the organization.
Our Orchid Society, thankfully, isn't like this. The only thing they do argue about are paphs but it is a friendly argument. I think they do have far too many speakers and presentations on paphs which, unfortunately, don't interest many new members.
Membership table is very fun. I have been doing it for the past three years. It helps if your OS gives out a free orchid to those who become members at the show so suggest this. Also, be certain to be very friendly and to tell those that enter about all the benefits. It helps to have a few people at the table who are excited and enthusiastic. Remember, too, these people are all potential friends as they share a common interest.

---------- Post added at 09:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 PM ----------

Okay, you guys have me with the computer thing. My childhood computer had disks. The Commadore was the first computer I knew. My nightmare was Fortran using Watfor as the compiler.

[MattWoelfsen]

Hey Jayfar, when is next year's SEPOS orchid show? I want to put it on my calendar. You and Call-Me-Bob (I think) talked about it earlier this year.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

Hey Jayfar, when is next year's SEPOS orchid show? I want to put it on my calendar. You and Call-Me-Bob (I think) talked about it earlier this year.

Apr 11 - 13 - SEPOS Show - Acadamy of Natural Sciences. They don't have any other details posted yet.

[LadySoren]

I think maybe they can handle giving out free orchids for membership, I will mention it.
Hopefully I'll get to know the benefits of the society enough to be informative to people by then. I enjoyed the annual auction immensely so at least I have that to go off of for now. The auctioneer is a member and he is HILARIOUS!!! So very entertaining.

[RebeccaBC]

I've been a member of my local OS for just under a year now, I'm not a member of the AOS though because I can't justify the expense.

I lurked here for awhile and would like people's photos of plants, and maybe post one or two things. Until Orchids4ever sent me a private message because she noticed where I lived. She convinced me to go with her as a guest to the first meeting.

I was super nervous, because 1) strange person picking me up and driving me to a distant location 2) I'm in my early 30's and most people don't look at me and think "Orchid grower".

I've had similar feelings as other younger people have mentioned, and I still do when going to meetings. I'm the youngest person in the room at our society most of the time. So I tend to just hide in the back row and not say much. Everyone was super friendly at my society, and they still are, and are really helpful. I've made a couple of acquaintances but I think I've also made some great friends too. I think so far the best part has been when I brought in my Sophronitis cernua to show the bloom, and everyone was shocked it was my plant

I haven't been able to volunteer for a show yet though because I have a toddler who is really attached to mom still. He can barely handle me going to the monthly meetings, let alone being gone most of an entire weekend.

I'm definitely going to continue with my local OS though. And I'm trying to get a few of my friends interested in orchids as well, but where we live there are only 2 real societies, both on either end of the area. And they can be a long drive depending on where you live.