Oak Hill--Another one bites the dust?

[Leafmite]

Most orchid societies don't mind if you attend for a few months without paying...a trial period. This gives a prospective member a chance to see if they want to be a part of the society. The benefits of joining our Akron, Ohio society is the free orchid at the end of the year and, if one joins at our show, there is usually a free orchid then, too. Two orchids and a membership for $20. Not too bad.

---------- Post added 11-12-2014 at 12:01 AM ---------- Previous post was 11-11-2014 at 11:59 PM ----------

I do understand how expensive college is. We have two of our kids in college right now (and involved in professional societies) and they cannot wait to work every holiday and all summer as they are pretty desperate for $. Good luck with your studies!

[calvin_orchidL]

Regarding Oakhill, I noticed a decline in the interesting stuff they stock since the nursery got sold to new management. Goodbye, fascinating dendrobium species, d. lindenii seedlings, etc...as Paul mentioned, I'm am also not surprised this is happening.

Excuse my little rant, but in my humble opinion, I do wish more people would get interested in species. Beyond the whole species snobbery thing, it is only through the cultivation of species that we keep incredible places like Andy's, Troy Meyers, and the OSBP alive. Kew is obsessed with cataloging plants, storing seed and pollen in deep freeze for god knows when. Meanwhile, these plants are being chopped down along with the forests around the world, and any attempts at import are strangled to death by CITES. It's an ironic twist that a convention intended to protect these species instead dooms them to the grave, locked in their own countries where they are burned to make way for farms. The ones that make it out are clones, with almost no genetic diversity, and even that is becoming limited. Any hybrid can be recreated, but once a species is gone, it's gone forever.

Regarding OS, as a younger member, I once brought in 3 angraecoids I had blooming, including a somewhat rare aeranthes arachnites. I was probably one of less than 3 people in Canada growing this plant, and yet, the comment from the show announcer regarding this plant was "most of these look sort of the same." Somewhat discouraging, but it highlighted that most people like big, pretty, colourful flowers, and the interest in the new, the different, and the exotic is limited. Unless that interest is fostered in new growers, whether in OS or online forums, the only thing left in collections will be hybrid catts and oncidium intergenerics, and these nurseries will also go extinct.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The discussion of hobbyists focusing more on species has been brought up with heated contention in the past. Unless people truly understand the direction this hobby is headed, there will be strong opposition to this.

In terms of getting youth involved...here're my two cents...

They need to be taught very, very young about the beauty of nature and the habitats the orchids come from. There must be no negative stigma of being humiliated for sexual orientation for growing an orchid, (even at 36, some of my friends occasionally rib me in this way about growing orchids, which irks me a bit; I'm able to brush this off because I know they're not serious, but little kids don't get it). Kill the horrible myth that ALL orchids are difficult to grow once-and-for-all. Do not tear the child down for failing to grow an orchid, instead offer help to come up with solutions to their problems. Maybe, just maybe, there might be enough young people who could get into the hobby without a whole lot of hang-ups.

[desertanimal]

Perhaps if there were no stigma about being gay in the first place . . . A little more important, IMO, than whether people think you're gay for growing flowers . . .

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by desertanimal

Perhaps if there were no stigma about being gay in the first place . . . A little more important, IMO, than whether people think you're gay for growing flowers . . .

This is the ideal situation, my comment was meant to encompass both scenarios.

[Leafmite]

Perhaps someday, humanity will forgo hurtful labels and instead realize that what makes the world a wonderful place is the diversity that is found all around. The variety of flowers, plants, people, animals, stars, buildings, sunsets, etc. What a boring life we would all have if there was no variety. :|

I select my orchids based completely on whether I like them and want to make the accommodations necessary to grow them. I have mostly species, some primary hybrids and some complex hybrids. Most, but not all, are fragrant.

I think orchid societies need to do more 'outreach' and introduce orchids to the public. Orchids are not difficult compared to other houseplants when set up correctly. As with any houseplant, people just need to be taught how to pick the correct one for their environment and how to care for it. I am trying to convince our Orchid Society to do this but, well, we shall see. :|

[stonedragonfarms]

Interesting thoughts; I've never encountered "attitude" about being gay and growing orchids. I find too often there is a deep divide between the "old" guard (read, those growers that remember when you could gain cultural information either by making the trip to where something grew naturally, or by attending proceedings to listen to somebody droll on ad nauseam about their observations, findings, research, etc) and the rest of us (read, I know how to use technology; if I want concise information I'll email the author of the article, one of the current growers, etc.)
We are slowly seeing things change--the acceptance of digital photography for AOS judging; the reformat of the AOS Journal into both print and digital editions, etc. Don't get me wrong, there are still a lot of things that need to be changed imho: CITES needs to be reworked on a massive scale, the AOS needs to be more supportive of both it's local branches and vendors/nurseries here in the US, etc.
As a very specialized grower, I frankly find the species vs hybrids debate/argument irrelevant. Do I wish there were more species on the market? Yes. Do I wish there were more hybrids on the market? Yes. That being said, what I as a hobbyist ultimately hope for is the ability to purchase those plants that I desire at a fair price.
Sorry to hear about Oakhill passing, it joins the ranks of Hoosier Orchids, RJ Rands, Ratcliffe Orchids and others.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

J & L might soon join those ranks.

Mountain Orchids also seems to be taking less of an interest in selling orchids nowadays.

I've also heard on passing that growing orchids "are for old people". If it has been brought up, and someone my age has heard it, I'm almost certain those younger than me have heard it at one point or another. If the youth are to be involved, it has to be known that this IS NOT JUST an "old people's hobby" or a hobby for retired people. It is a hobby for everyone of any gender, of any sexual orientation, and of any age who may be interested in these plants.

[Subrosa]

I think that we as individuals can help with outreach as well, if we just look around. I was at a customer's over the summer(I do aquarium maintenance), when I noticed a Phal on the kitchen windowsill. I asked about it and it turned out it was given as a gift. His attitude was that it was beautiful, but since orchids were so difficult he expected it to die. When I mentioned how easy they really are his first thought was to offer it to me. I was able to convince him to make a few small changes as to its potting and assured him that it didn't do well for him that I would take it. Yesterday I was there, and that plant is starting to get nice fat buds on the new spike it put out. Plus there are now about a half dozen others on windowsills around the house, including one very sad looking one that he bought to rescue! He wants to try something other than Phals now, so next time I go I told him I'd bring him a surprise. You'd have thought I offered an alcoholic a drink! Had I ignored that first little Phal, or just accepted it when it was offered, there would be one less orchidaholic in the world.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

@Subrosa:

What was the approach? I've done this a multitude of times, and most of the times I get excuses.

Maybe my approach turns them off, or jars them, or something…; somehow, it feels as if a good number of people have an extremely tough time listening to what I'm trying to say.