Whitehall Garden Club News - December

The Whitehall Garden Club (WGC) held its last meeting of 2022 on Wednesday, December 7th. Hostesses Mary Baughn and Evelyn Edmisten treated those in attendance to a "from scratch" feast. A hot potato casserole, two varieties of homemade jam to top homemade yeast rolls (cue the music – I like bread and butter, I like toast and jam...), fruited banana bread, and my personal favorite, soft chewy molasses cookies (pretty sure I had three, but fortunately no one was counting!) A beautiful garland of natural leaves and berries adorned the table. The name of the species escapes my current COVID brain, but suffice it to say the food and décor were perfect.

 Member Dorie Westhoven, a self-described picker, thrifter, and repurposer provided a short program on crafting suet bird feeders using cans and coffee mugs and molded suet cakes using various shapes and sizes of baking pans. Dorie recently hit upon an idea that she believes cuts the cost of ingredients and streamlines the prep time of the actual suet mixture by starting with a purchased suet cake which you beef up (pun intended) with a few choice ingredients. Her recipe can be found at the end of this article. Watch sales for premade suet cakes so our feathered friends don't experience food insecurity this winter. Last week our local Ace Hardware was selling a variety of flavors for 99 cents each.

An additional feeder that served up fresh fruit and mini blueberry bagels spread with peanut butter and then pressed with birdseed was fashioned from a metal claw weeder whose wooden handle was long gone. This idea was greeted with enthusiasm.  I suspect a room full of gardeners may own a broken tool or two.

Following the business meeting, the outgoing President, John Carlson, retired and Kathy Ross, who will serve as President in 2023, took the oath of office. Also sworn in was Laura Horn who will serve as Secretary for the club in 2023. Jayne Dean and Barbara Willis were reelected to the positions they now hold as Vice President and Treasurer respectively, and will renew their oaths at the February 2023 meeting.

The WGC does not convene a formal meeting in January, but rather its many committees meet independently that month to plan the year's programs and activities and their necessary budgets. Beginning February 1st, regular meetings resume at 9:30 AM in Borden's Conference Room. The community is always welcome to attend and we hope to see new faces as well as old favorites! The Whitehall Garden Club wishes the Whitehall community a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

SUET CAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 to 1 and ¼ cups birdseed

½ cup chopped p-nuts

½ cup chopped cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

Melt in a non-reactive pot on low to medium heat one pre-packaged suet cake – any flavor. While the suet cake is melting, mix the following ingredients together in a bowl.

When the suet cake is completely melted, stir in the contents of the bowl and mix thoroughly. Press into desired container or mold. The mixture sets up fast and the contents of the pot can be reheated at the same low medium temperature if necessary.

If you have any questions, feel free to text Dorie Westhoven at 360-298-4026.