NFBC Upcoming EventsAugust 11th: NFBC Meeting- Pre-Meeting Help Hour- This month we will be continuing our pre-meeting help hour. In an effort to be of service to all club members, some of our more senior members have been kind enough to offer their guidance between 6pm and 7pm at the club before the meeting starts. If you need help with anything bonsai related and have the time, join us at 6pm at the club and bring whatever material it is you are seeking help with.
- Meeting Topic: -The Culmination of the 10 Month Tree Progression Competition-Our meeting for August will involve a tie-in to a previous meeting, specifically to November 11th 2024’s meeting, where those of us who opted to participate purchased a tree to take home and develop to be revisited approximately 10 months later. As you may recall, most of us received a Green Island Ficus, while a handful took home a different species (Parrot’s Beak, Brazilian Rain Tree, etc.) and pictures were taken that night with the idea being we would bring them back to review and see what improvements were made and how the tree has progressed and a competition winner would be selected. The time has come to choose a winner for this friendly competition to challenge creativity so if you have been neglecting that tree for 9+ months, you’ve still got a few days to get to work! The plan is to bring those trees back in to take a look at and evaluate progress/give feedback and select a winner. David Ruth has the photos of the tree the night we received them which is what the current day tree will be compared against.
- Note: If you were not a member of the club or simply were not present for the meeting in November, you are encouraged to bring a tree (tropical if you can, but does not have to be) that you would like to get an evaluation of. If it has been viewed by the club previously and you’ve made progress on it since that time, even better!
- August 16th & 30th @ 3pm: Beginner’s Study Group
- If you are new, fairly new, or just seeking more bonsai knowledge in general, try out our very first Beginner’s Study Group! Recommended for folks with less than 1 year of experience.
- At the moment this group is completely open. So, if you plan to sign up please do so soon! If there are no sign ups this group will pick back up the next month where we have participants.
- WHEN: Saturday 3pm August 16th & 30th @ Florida Bonsai
- More information will be available at the meeting or you can email Kelly Harrison directly at [email protected] to register or if you have any questions!
August 20th @ 6pm: Intermediate Study Group- Not a beginner but not ready to call yourself an expert? We’ve got just the group for you!
- While this is the first group meeting of the new quarter, we welcome any and all participants to come by whenever they can make it. You do not need to be present for every meeting in a single quarter to sign up, but if you wish to take the study group sessions in succession, this quarter’s meetings will be taking place on July 23rd, August 20th and September 17th!
- We will be sending out a reminder the week before each meeting.
- WHEN: Wednesday 6pm August 20th @ Florida Bonsai
- More information is available at the club meeting, or you can email Kelly Harrison directly at [email protected] to register for July!
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Florida Bonsai Nursery & Supply Now Has a Podcast- The Florida Bonsai Podcast has officially launched with the Pioneer Series featuring Mike Rodgers.
- You can check out the latest episode here!
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The BSF 2025 Exhibit Book is now Live on Amazon!- If you loved this year’s exhibit, or didn’t get to see it, don’t fret!
- You can get your own copy for just $22.99 right here!
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Bonsai Society of Brevard Annual Bonsai at the Zoo- When: Saturday-Sunday August 16-17th (10am-3pm)
- Where: Nyami Nyami River Lodge, Brevard Zoo
- 8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, Florida 32940
- Fee included with zoo admission
- Sponsored by the Bonsai Society of Brevard, this is a 2-day cooperative event between Brevard Zoo and the Bonsai Society of Brevard (BSOB), where club members showcase their trees amidst the beauty and adventure of the Zoo atmosphere. Enjoy local bonsai, vendors, free demonstrations, and more!
- Find more info here!
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9th Annual U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition- September 12th-14th in Rochester, NY
- Sponsored by The American Bonsai Society and featuring some of the best bonsai in the US!
- More info available here!
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Pre-Meeting Help HourAn opportunity for anyone seeking help, newcomer or otherwise, to bring in any material they are looking for feedback or guidance on. David Ruth has made himself available the past couple of months, but many of the club’s more senior members are present and available to offer guidance. Feel free to take advantage of this as we plan to continue this as a permanent fixture. Part 1 Club Update/AnnouncementsWe will begin the club meeting with an update on club business and upcoming events of note. We will also go over the decisions reached at last month’s meeting related to club soil for anyone who missed it. Part 2: -The Culmination of the 10 Month Tree Progression Competition-Our meeting for August will involve a tie-in to a previous meeting, specifically to November 11th 2024’s meeting, where those of us who opted to participate purchased a tree to take home and develop to be revisited approximately 10 months later. As you may recall, most of us received a Green Island Ficus, while a handful took home a different species (Parrot’s Beak, Brazilian Rain Tree, etc.) and pictures were taken that night with the idea being we would bring them back to review and see what improvements were made and how the tree has progressed and a competition winner would be selected. The time has come to choose a winner for this friendly competition to challenge creativity so if you have been neglecting that tree for 9+ months, you’ve still got a few days to get to work! The plan is to bring those trees back in to take a look at and evaluate progress/give feedback and select a winner. David Ruth has the photos of the tree the night we received them which is what the current day tree will be compared against. Note: If you were not a member or were not present for the meeting in November you are encouraged to bring a tree (tropical if you can, but does not have to be) that you would like to get an evaluation of. If it has been viewed by the club previously and you’ve made progress on it since that time, even better! |
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Bonsai Beginner’s Study GroupAugust 16th & 30th (Saturdays) 3pm |
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This is not a class or workshop. It is a group of individuals in a similar place in their bonsai journey studying the same material. There is no charge or membership fee. We will be studying from The Foundations of Bonsai by Harry Harrington and will cover the material over two meetings in a single month, but this group will be ongoing. We currently have about 5-6 copies of the The Foundations of Bonsai so please only commit if you are serious about attending both meetings and studying the book. We will need each copy returned at the last meeting of each month. Typically the second Saturday of each month will mark the beginning of a new study group and will be led by a facilitator. Because it is a study group and not a workshop or class, you do not need prior experience to facilitate this group. So, if you are interested in facilitating or participating please get with Kelly Harrison at the April meeting or send him an email at [email protected]. |
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Intermediate Bonsai Study GroupAugust 20th (Wednesday) @ 6pmThis is not a class or workshop. It is a group of individuals in a similar place in their bonsai journey gathering to further their bonsai knowledge. There is no charge or membership fee. This group will meet once a month over a 3 month period before a new group begins. David Ruth is hosting our current intermediate study group. If you are interested, the club has multiple copies of The Principles of Bonsai Design by David De Groot available to check out while you participate in the study group. We ask that if you do check out a copy that it be returned at the last meeting of the third month. Keep in mind the course material is merely a guide and a potential source for discussion topics at the meetings. The NFBC is not in the business of “indoctrinating” members on particular styles of bonsai. If you any questions about this group feel free to ask Kelly Harrison at the August meeting or by sending him an email at [email protected]. |
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