Speaker: Alan Koch  

Topic: Mini-Catts

Alan Koch owns and operates Gold Country Orchids in Lincoln, CA. where he grows his more than 300,000 orchids. He started growing orchids in 1969 with three Cymbidiums given to him by an aunt and continued and expanded his hobby while in college and discovered that many orchids would grow outdoors in S. California. Specializing in miniature and compact Cattleyas, he is recognized as an expert in the Brazilian Cattleya alliance and is an internationally renowned speaker.

He has been published in the Orchid Digest, AOS magazines, and the proceedings of the World Orchid Conference. Alan is an Accredited AOS Judge as well as a past member of the AOS Judging and Research Committees. He is Vice-Chair and Training Coordinator for the California Sierra Nevada Judging Center.

It’s taken Alan almost two years to return to Venice where he last spoke to a standing room only audience in September 2014. Once again, he will be bringing a selection of his outstanding orchids for sale and is accepting pre-orders until July 27th. Pre-order details and selection lists may be found in the newsletter.  Many of his orchids are very limited in availability, so don’t hesitate.

Alan is a great speaker and his presentations always entertain, motivate and educate his audience.

LOCATION: Christ Lutheran Church, 701 N. Indiana Ave.,Englewood

Englewood Orchid society will host a joint meeting of EAOS and VAOS in Englewood on July 11, 2016 with Jim Roberts as the speaker.  Jim is the owner of Florida Suncoast Orchids, located near Myakka City where he grows Phalaenopsis, Dend­robium, Vanda and his specialties: Cattleya and Encyclia hybrids.

He will bring a wide variety of plants for sale.

Roger Hammer is a professional naturalist, botanist, author, and photographer. He was the Keynote Speaker at the 19th World Orchid Conference in Miami and also gave the Keynote address at the Florida Native Plant Society state conferences in 1997 and 2013. Among his awards are the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award from the Florida Native Plant Society and the Charles Brookfield Medal from Tropical Audubon Society. In 2012 he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Florida International University. His specialty in wildflowers is native orchids and, of the 108 species reported for Florida, he has photographed 94 of them. He spends his leisure time birdwatching, long-distance canoeing, kayak fishing, and sipping expensive rums. Roger also works as a survivalist instructor for the Discovery Channel on their reality TV program, Naked and Afraid. Roger grew up in Cocoa Beach but moved to Homestead after being honorably discharged from the Army in 1968 as a tank gunner. Visit his website for further information:  http://www.rogerlhammer.com

Location: Venice Community Center -(doors open at 6:30)