Meetings
Members' Meetings for 2025
Members’ meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Fergus Legion, doors open at 7:00 pm, located at 500 Blair Street, Fergus. Map It
Shows will be at the April, June and September meetings. Entries for the shows must be placed between 4:30pm and 5:45pm on the day of the meeting. Click here for more information on the Shows
Flexibility will be used to ensure the health and safety of our members at in-person meetings. Procedures for name tags, prize draws, and refreshments will be adjusted based on best health practices at the time of the meetings.
Upcoming Meetings in 2025
April 23, 2025 Show & Barry Vanderveer
Gardens without Borders – A new approach
May 28, 2025 Serena Soucy -Lessons Learned from the Canopy
Serena is a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture and has spent the past five years working with, around and in trees as an arborist.
Chainsaws, climbing ropes, and pruning tools are as familiar to Serena as pen, paper and laptops are to most people in their professions.
When not climbing trees to prune or remove them, she’s conducting tree inventories, examining roots to improve tree health, or planting young trees. Working outdoors with trees everyday is a passion for Serena and she loves to spread her knowledge of trees with others. Through volunteer organizations including the Canadian TREE Fund and Women in Arboriculture Ontario, Serena hopes to help educate more people about the wonders that the arboriculture industry has to offer and support those who are working hard to improve it.
June 25, 2025 Show & Emily Fitzpatrick, Mapleton Acres Flower Fam; The Farm’s Story
“When we moved to the farm, we knew we wanted to share it—and then flowers found us (thank you, Instagram Algorithm).
Flowers were always a part of our childhood homes, gracing the kitchen tables thanks to our Moms and Grandmas. Now, it’s our absolute pleasure to spread that same joy, sharing these beautiful blooms with you.” mapletonacres.com
September 24, 2025 Show & Denise Jupp, Guelph Wellington Master Gardeners; Pruning
Denise is a Guelph Master Gardener. She will be giving up tips on pruning
October 22, 2025 Pat de Valance Deux Jardins au Quebec (two gardens in Quebec)
Pat de Valence has been gardening in the Greater Toronto Area for over 25 years, and has been a Master Gardener for 13. Pat is keenly interested in garden design, particularly architectural elements and designs that attract wildlife and are low maintenance. She favours native & species plants, but also uses a range of non-natives to serve various design objectives.
November 26, 2025 Annual General Meeting & Potluck Dinner
Sign-up for a dish that you will contribute to the pot luck. Doors open at 6:00 pm, dinner is served at 6:30 pm. Bring your own plates, cups, and utensils
Past Meetings in 2025
January 22, 2025 Members Night
February 27, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Aboyne Hall, Wellington County Museum.
Come for a bit of light relief during this long, snowy winter.
“My Talk will focus on two characters who appear in Middle-Aged Spread, Moving to the Country at 50. Published back in 2009, this memoir chronicles my adventures after rashly buying (with my husband) a ramshackle, squirrel-infested house on 48 overgrown acres in Belwood. We spent 20 years there before downsizing – rather reluctantly – to Fergus.
If you have ever gardened, you may recognize Deirdre the Hoity-Hort and Elinor the Eco-evangelist among your acquaintances.”
Sonia Day is a writer/painter. Author of 10 books, Silver Medal winner for Deer Eyes, A Novel. Sonia’s new novel, A Newfoundland Lunch Party, A Sisters of the Soil Novel – with Recipes, is now available on Amazon. For more information, link to soniaday.com
March 26, 2025 Randy McLean
Randy will entertain us with a presentation on how he makes Maple Syrup!