At the request of the Simmonds/MacEachern family, The Friends of the Farm have set up a fund in memory of our friend and board member Janice Simmonds.
Anyone wishing to donate to the fund may send a cheque payable to :
The Friends of the Farm PEI
P.O. Box 265,
Charlottetown, PE
C1A 7K4.
The large floral crown was re-established in 2011 by Friends of the Farm. Located adjacent to the Royal Grove of trees near Ravenwood House, for many years this had been a regular stop for bus tours of Charlottetown. It also served as a colourful backdrop for wedding parties and other photo opportunities. Eventually budget restraints at the Research Station resulted in the removal of the crown.
After an absence of seven years, a number of community-minded companies contributed to building the mound and supplying sod. And for the second year in a row, Vankampen’s Greenhouses of Charlottetown have provided the almost 1600 plants at a favourable price. Planted by Agriculture and Agri Foods Canada staff, the result of the co-operative effort is a beautiful addition to the area.
On Monday May 28, 2012 the board of The Friends of the Farm were deeply saddened to learn of the
passing of Janice Simmonds. Janice was a long serving member of the board and in recent years served
as board chair.
The passion and love for the environment in particular the Charlottetown Experimental Farm was
evident in any project she undertook.
As a board we have lost our chair person, but more importantly we have all lost a dear friend. Janice’s
dedication, passion and positive attitude will continue to serve as an inspiration as our work continues.
The board of The Friends of the Farm extend our sincere condolences to Janice’s husband Percy and
the entire Simmonds / MacEachern families .
“Keep your faith in all beautiful things; in the sun when it is hidden, in the spring when it is gone.”
The Friends of the Farm hosted a public lecture by Kevin Garvey entitled “The History of Apple Farming on P.E.I. and the Art of Growing Apples,” on Wednesday, May 23, 7 pm, at the Farm Centre, University Avenue. Mr Garvey has researched extensively the apple growing indistry on PEI. He described the early apple orchards on PEI, informing that there was once an apple orchard on the Experimental Farm and at the turn of the 20th centruy there were 200,000 apple trees on PEI. He also described the process of devloping an apple orchard and where the present day orchards can be found.
Kevin Garvey with Nora Jenkins and Lane MacLaren, members of the Board of the Friends of the Farm. (Need to find this picture)
Janice Simmonds thanks Mayor Clifford Lee for his ongoing support
Friends of the Farm Board Meeting
Ravenwood Board Room
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
12 noon
Present: Libby Martin, Connie MacKay Carr, Doug MacDonald, Bert Christie, Janice Simmonds and Nora Jenkins, Catherine Hennessey, Ken MacDonald, Gertie Purdy, Sylvia Poirier, Lane MacLaren
Regrets: Kim Devine
Chair Janice Simmonds called the meeting to order.
Ken MacDonald moved, Gertie Purdy seconded the approval of the agenda with the addition of Urban Conference to Business Arising. Motion carried.
Libby Martin moved, Gertie Purdy seconded the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting on September 13, 2011. Motion carried.
Nora Jenkins reported that the bank balance is $3,156.83.
She reported that a change in signing authority is being made with the Royal Bank of Canada. Lane MacLaren, Janice Simmonds and Nora Jenkins will now be the signing authority with two of three being required for any transaction. This had been approved on December 14, 2011.
Gertie Purdy, Membership Chair, reported good results from the mail out for the annual meeting. She informed that there are 334 members with 140 not yet renewed. It was agreed that Gertie Purdy and Janice Simmonds would have a reminder letter sent to those who have not renewed.
Connie MacKay Carr reported that she and Doug MacDonald have the instructions for uploading to the site. She asked for ideas of things that could be included on the site. It was agreed that the history of the Farm should be included.
Lane MacLaren reported that the annual meeting went very well with a positive response to the guest speaker, Kirsten Connor, Upton Farm Trust. It was agreed that it is important to foster a good relationship with the Upton Farm Board.
Nora Jenkins informed that she and Roger Younker had spoken with Mayor Lee and that he informed that he is pursuing with the Federal Government the idea of turning the Experimental Farm over to the City to commemorate the anniversary of the 1864 meetings held in Charlottetown. He explained the difficulty in getting this request heard in Ottawa. It was agreed that Nora Jenkins write a letter to Mayor Lee expressing the support of the Friends of the Farm in this Endeavour and asking how the Board might assist. It was agreed that the Mayor be invited to the next meeting of the Friends of the farm Board on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.
Sylvia Poirier reported that she has spoken with Phillip Brown, assistant to MP Gail Shea and also with Gail Shea to familiarize them with the Friends of the Farm and to request their support if there is any activity regarding the Farm by the Federal Government.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
The date of the next meeting is Tuesday, February 14, 12 noon.
Janice SimmondsNora Jenkins
ChairSecretary
Friends of the Farm Board Meeting
Ravenwood Board Room
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
12 noon
Present: Libby Martin, Connie MacKay Carr, Doug MacDonald, Bert Christie, Janice Simmonds and Nora Jenkins, Catherine Hennessey, Ken MacDonald, Gertie Purdy, Sylvia Poirier, Lane MacLaren
Regrets: Kim Devine
Chair Janice Simmonds called the meeting to order.
Ken MacDonald moved, Gertie Purdy seconded the approval of the agenda with the addition of Urban Conference to Business Arising. Motion carried.
Libby Martin moved, Gertie Purdy seconded the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting on September 13, 2011. Motion carried.
Nora Jenkins reported that the bank balance is $3,156.83.
She reported that a change in signing authority is being made with the Royal Bank of Canada. Lane MacLaren, Janice Simmonds and Nora Jenkins will now be the signing authority with two of three being required for any transaction. This had been approved on December 14, 2011.
Gertie Purdy, Membership Chair, reported good results from the mail out for the annual meeting. She informed that there are 334 members with 140 not yet renewed. It was agreed that Gertie Purdy and Janice Simmonds would have a reminder letter sent to those who have not renewed.
Connie MacKay Carr reported that she and Doug MacDonald have the instructions for uploading to the site. She asked for ideas of things that could be included on the site. It was agreed that the history of the Farm should be included.
Lane MacLaren reported that the annual meeting went very well with a positive response to the guest speaker, Kirsten Connor, Upton Farm Trust. It was agreed that it is important to foster a good relationship with the Upton Farm Board.
Nora Jenkins informed that she and Roger Younker had spoken with Mayor Lee and that he informed that he is pursuing with the Federal Government the idea of turning the Experimental Farm over to the City to commemorate the anniversary of the 1864 meetings held in Charlottetown. He explained the difficulty in getting this request heard in Ottawa. It was agreed that Nora Jenkins write a letter to Mayor Lee expressing the support of the Friends of the Farm in this Endeavour and asking how the Board might assist. It was agreed that the Mayor be invited to the next meeting of the Friends of the farm Board on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.
Sylvia Poirier reported that she has spoken with Phillip Brown, assistant to MP Gail Shea and also with Gail Shea to familiarize them with the Friends of the Farm and to request their support if there is any activity regarding the Farm by the Federal Government.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
The date of the next meeting is Tuesday, February 14, 12 noon.
Janice SimmondsNora Jenkins
ChairSecretary
Friends of the Farm Board Meeting
Ravenwood Board Room
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
12 noon
Present: Libby Martin, Connie MacKay Carr, Doug MacDonald, Bert Christie, Janice Simmonds and Nora Jenkins, Catherine Hennessey, Ken MacDonald, Gertie Purdy, Sylvia Poirier, Lane MacLaren
Regrets: Kim Devine
Chair Janice Simmonds called the meeting to order.
Ken MacDonald moved, Gertie Purdy seconded the approval of the agenda with the addition of Urban Conference to Business Arising. Motion carried.
Libby Martin moved, Gertie Purdy seconded the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting on September 13, 2011. Motion carried.
Nora Jenkins reported that the bank balance is $3,156.83.
She reported that a change in signing authority is being made with the Royal Bank of Canada. Lane MacLaren, Janice Simmonds and Nora Jenkins will now be the signing authority with two of three being required for any transaction. This had been approved on December 14, 2011.
Gertie Purdy, Membership Chair, reported good results from the mail out for the annual meeting. She informed that there are 334 members with 140 not yet renewed. It was agreed that Gertie Purdy and Janice Simmonds would have a reminder letter sent to those who have not renewed.
Connie MacKay Carr reported that she and Doug MacDonald have the instructions for uploading to the site. She asked for ideas of things that could be included on the site. It was agreed that the history of the Farm should be included.
Lane MacLaren reported that the annual meeting went very well with a positive response to the guest speaker, Kirsten Connor, Upton Farm Trust. It was agreed that it is important to foster a good relationship with the Upton Farm Board.
Nora Jenkins informed that she and Roger Younker had spoken with Mayor Lee and that he informed that he is pursuing with the Federal Government the idea of turning the Experimental Farm over to the City to commemorate the anniversary of the 1864 meetings held in Charlottetown. He explained the difficulty in getting this request heard in Ottawa. It was agreed that Nora Jenkins write a letter to Mayor Lee expressing the support of the Friends of the Farm in this Endeavour and asking how the Board might assist. It was agreed that the Mayor be invited to the next meeting of the Friends of the farm Board on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.
Sylvia Poirier reported that she has spoken with Phillip Brown, assistant to MP Gail Shea and also with Gail Shea to familiarize them with the Friends of the Farm and to request their support if there is any activity regarding the Farm by the Federal Government.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
The date of the next meeting is Tuesday, February 14, 12 noon.
Janice SimmondsNora Jenkins
ChairSecretary
The Friends of the Farm lecture series was initiated in 2002 with the intention of informing the Friends and the community in order to promote wise decision making concerning the future use of the Experimental Farm lands.
2002: Brian Mackay-Lyons, architect and urban planner, “Public Spaces and Spirit of Place”.
2003: Julie Harris, historian and heritage consultant,”From Experimental Farm to Town Farm”.
2004: Bernard Jackson,Memorial University Botanical Garden, “Development of a Botanical Garden”.
2005: Andreas Haun, Kingsbrae Gardens, St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
2005: Karen Achenbach, Annapolis Historical Gardens, Annapolis, Nova Scotia. Presented jointly with the PEI Garden Club.
2005: Daniel Glenn, landscape architect and park planner,”Ravenwood Experimental Farm Concept Plan”.
2006: Doug Shouldice, President, Friends of the Central Experimental Farm, ” Ottawa’s Central Experimental Farm, Preserved and Flourishing”.
2007: Diana Beresford- Kroeger, botanist and medical biochemist,” Island Trees , Island Treasures”.
2008: Warwick Harris, Island Studies, ” The Plants and People of the Chatham Islands”.
2008: Laura Lee Howard and Bert Christie, Island studies and Agriculture,” The Future of the Experimental Farm, Conflicting Views”.
2009: Larry Beasley, urban planner, “Buildings, Spaces and People: Making a Great City by Design”.
2010: Greg Smallenberg,landscape architect, “How good design is saving the world…one landscape at a time”.
2012: Kevin Garvey,historian,”The History of Apple Farming on P.E.I. and the Art of Growing Apples “.
2012: Catherine Hennessey, historian, “Ravenwood- An Early Estate, A Place in History, A Local Treasure”.