The Orchid Doctor - United Electric Co

United Electric
The Orchid Doctor
Alan Porter is smitten with rare flowers’ exquisite beauty
By Dianna Troyer
Above, Renanopsis Arizona Star orchids bloom a
bright orange and red. Below, Alan Porter cares for
more than 600 orchids in his greenhouse.
4
F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 5 As a teenager, the exotic beauty of
orchids enchanted Alan Porter. Decades
later, his floral infatuation has not waned.
“When I was 17, I’d completed all the
gardening projects in 4-H and thought
growing orchids would be interesting for
a self-determined project,” says Alan, 52.
“Back then, the only time you saw orchids
was in a corsage made at a floral shop. I’ve
always liked rare things.”
He found orchids advertised in the
back of a magazine and ordered one from
a Seattle grower. Alan never imagined
how that orchid would affect his life.
Today, Alan tends about 600 flourishing orchids in a greenhouse he built, is
president of the Magic Valley Orchid
Society and serves as an orchid consultant.
Even his license plate, ORKD DR, proclaims his passion for his adored flora.
His beauties blossom year-round.
“Most peak in spring and summer,
but I always have a few even in winter,”
says Alan. “Many stay in bud for several
months.”
He tends to his orchids when he is
finished working as a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist at Minidoka County
Schools and a youth specialist at the Idaho
Youth Ranch. At his house, he built a
17-foot by 15-foot greenhouse attached to
his entryway.
Alan will select his most impressive
orchids to display during the Magic Valley
Orchid Society show on Valentine’s Day.
The annual show and sale at Magic Valley
Mall is scheduled during mall hours on
February 14 and 15.
He also exhibits orchids in summer at
the Minidoka County Fair and travels to
shows as far away as Helena, Montana.
Although orchids appear to be fragile,
they are robust if cared for properly.
“They thrive on the sides of trees or on
the ground, and some can live to be more
than 100 years old,” says Alan. “They need
moisture, but shouldn’t be over-watered or
bone-dry.”
Orchids survive even Idaho’s climate.
“Statewide, we have 36 species, including five varieties of Lady Slippers,” he says.
“Generally, they bloom only for about a
week in early June. It varies year to year,
depending on how long it takes the snow
to melt. Whenever I hike, I’m always looking for them to photograph.”
The more Alan learned about the variety of orchids, the more fascinated he
became. Worldwide, about 35,000 species have been identified, with countless
shapes and fragrances to attract insects for
the flowers’ pollination.
“Some have such sweet fragrances,
while others smell like a dead elephant,”
he says. “We had one at a show that was
gorgeous but smelled so bad we had to
put a glass jar over it.”
Some orchids are extremely rare.
“There are only about 20 of these in
existence,” Alan says, pointing to a tall
orchid in his greenhouse. “A friend’s father
in Boise developed it as a hybrid from
two species. You can only grow one with a
division from the original plant since the
cross has not been able to be remade.”
Orchid Doctor
With 35 years of experience growing
orchids, Alan has been a consultant at a
garden center in Ketchum. Once a month,
he spends a day there, advising clients
about their orchids.
“There’s a joke among orchid growers
that you become an expert after you’ve
killed 1,000 orchids,” says Alan.
Most people ask him how to get their
orchids to bloom again.
“Most orchids bloom once a year,” Alan
says. “After the flowers wilt, the plant goes
through a dormancy period followed by a
growth period.”
Above, orchids come in
many colors, sizes and
even shapes. Right, a
Tiger Swallowtail butterfly enjoys a brief rest
and meal on a bright
Dendrobium thyrsiflorum orchid.
The most common problems are providing too little bright filtered sunlight and
too much water, he says.
The leaves should be a medium green.
“If they’re a deep green, it means they’re
getting too little light,” says Alan. “They
need natural sunlight that can be filtered
through a sheer curtain for at least six
hours a day. In the jungles where they
grow naturally, the humidity acts as a protective barrier to sunburn.”
Orchids dislike wet roots, which can
cause unhealthy fungus and bacteria to
grow.
“They do well if you put their planter
on a tray of gravel with water in it,” he
explains. “If they’re in sphagnum moss,
you can go two to three weeks between
watering. To check on their health, you
can pull them out of their pot and trim
away squishy or dead root sections and
repot with bark or moss.”
Alan installed underground pipes that
circulate warm water from a heater in the
corner to maintain temperature and moisture levels.
“It keeps the floor temperature at about
90 degrees,” Alan says. “Even on the coldest day in winter, it’s about 65 degrees
in here. The humidity is about 45 to 50
percent.”
Techniques for growing orchids have
changed dramatically since Alan’s 4-H
project decades ago. Now, they are cloned
in tropical greenhouses.
“They’re grown by the millions, which
is why they’re inexpensive at stores,” he
says.
He advises people who want to buy an
orchid to do research.
“Start with an inexpensive one in case
it accidentally dies,” Alan says. “The
American Orchid Society’s website is a
great resource. Or you can come to our
show and see which ones intrigue you
and get some free advice.” n
F E B R UA ry 2 0 1 5 5
United Electric
Annual Meeting Notice
Official Notice of the
Annual Meeting of the Members
of United Electric Co-op Inc.
March 17, 2015, 5 p.m.
Minico High School
292 W 100 St., Rupert, Idaho
Agenda
Other Annual Meeting Activities
XX
XX
Call to order
XX Determination of quorum
XX Invocation
XX Posting of the colors, Pledge of Allegiance
XX Introductions
XX Approval of minutes
XX Election of two directors
XX Audit report
XX Youth Rally report
XX General manager’s report
XX Board president’s report
XX Old business
XX New business: election results
XX Prize drawings
XX Adjournment
Registration, 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Chili, soup and cinnamon rolls in the cafeteria
5 to 6:30 p.m.
XX Business meeting, 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the
auditorium.
XX Door prizes drawn and awarded after the
business meeting. Members must be present
to win.
XX
Minutes of the 2014 meeting are on
page 25 of this issue.
Election News: United Electric Co-op
Two directors will be elected during the
Annual Meeting of the Members of United
Electric Co-op Inc. on Saturday, March 17,
2015.
Directors whose terms expire are
George Toner and Bruce Beck.
Election Petitions
The bylaws require formal petitions for
election to the board of directors to be
filed at least 28 days prior to the meeting
to allow for preparation of ballots.
Petitions are available in the office and
must be signed by five members of the
corporation.
Completed petitions must be received
in the office no later than 5 p.m. MDT
Thursday, February 12, 2015, and must be
8
F e b r ua r y 2 0 1 5 accompanied by a short biography and a
head-and-shoulders photograph.
Balloting
Each membership in the corporation is
entitled to one ballot.
Each membership will vote for one
director from Cassia County and one from
Minidoka County.
Absentee ballots are available in the
office after March 2 and until 5 p.m. MDT
Monday, March 16, 2015. Proxy votes must
be deposited in the ballot box the day of
the annual meeting. No person may vote
by proxy for more than one member.
You also may vote by mail. Request
forms for mail-in ballots are available
by using the request form inserted in
this issue of Ruralite or by calling the
office. Requests for mail-in ballots must
be received in the office no later than
February 20, 2015.
Improvements
The changes made to last year’s annual
meeting were well received by members.
The Minico High School auditorium provided a warm, comfortable venue. The
food was great, and the meeting concluded
early enough that members didn’t have to
drive home in the dark. This year, wheelchairs or carts will be available to help
members travel from the cafeteria to the
auditorium.
United Electric
United Electric 16th Annual Meeting
March 18, 2014
George Toner called the United Electric 2014 Annual Member
Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Determination of Quorum: Cordell Searle, board secretary,
reported that 158 members were registered. According to the
bylaws of United Electric, a quorum was present.
Posting of Colors: American Legion Post No. 77.
National Anthem: Glade Chandler, United Electric line
foreman.
Pledge of Allegiance: Garrett Stocking, Youth Rally director.
Invocation: David Phillips, board director.
Introductions: Board President Dean Nielsen introduced
the board members, Layton Larson, special guests and ballot
counters.
Approval of Minutes: A copy of the 2013 annual meeting minutes was published in the February 2014 edition of Ruralite
magazine. The membership was given the opportunity to
state additions or corrections to the minutes. Hearing none, a
motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes as written. The motion carried unanimously.
Audit Report: A copy of the United Electric 2013 financial
statement was provided to the membership. Brandon Tregellas,
a certified public accountant from the firm of DeCoria, Maichel
& Teague, briefly reviewed United’s financial position. Tregellas
stated that it was a pleasure to work with United’s staff and
reported that they were well prepared and very professional.
Tregellas found United to be in good financial condition and
issued a clean opinion.
Youth Rally Report: Stocking, United Electric’s returning
Youth Rally director, addressed the membership. Stocking
thanked United board and staff for giving him the opportunity
to attend the rally. He had two siblings who attended the rally
in prior years and encouraged him to apply. Attending the rally
gave Stocking the opportunity to step out of his comfort zone
and meet a lot of new friends. He was very excited and anxious
to return as a director and represent United.
Board President Report: Nielsen welcomed the membership
to the United Electric 16th Annual Meeting and thanked all
those who worked to help make this meeting a success. Nielsen
discussed the reasons behind the change in the annual meeting
format.
It is the responsibility of the board of directors to see that the
cooperative is operated efficiently, provides reliable power and
is financially sound. It is United’s goal to replace and update
older sections of line each year to ensure greater reliability to
the system. The United crews have spent time upgrading equipment in the substations and patrolling lines. Nielsen discussed
United’s conservation programs and the rebates that are offered
to those who participate. A special thank you was given to all
United employees for their dedication and work ethic.
Manager Report: Jo Elg, United general manager, addressed
the membership. Elg had a specific message she wanted to share
with the membership: affordable electricity. She discussed the
vital role electricity plays in the economy, at home, work and
the transformation in farming.
Elg discussed a proposal issued by the Environmental
Protection Agency that would set stringent limits on carbon
dioxide emission of power plants. This will limit future resource
options and make power more expensive. Co-ops across the
nation support using a diverse resource mix and the opportunity to choose our resources. We oppose the limitation on
future resource options and believe the proposed EPA ruling
should be withdrawn. Members were encouraged to let their
voice be heard and participate in Action.
Action. Co-op postcards were provided to each member giving
them the challenge to participate in this initiative if they choose
to do so.
New/Old Business: None.
Announcement of Election Results: There was no election in
the Cassia district as there was only one candidate who petitioned. Incumbent Ron Osterhout was elected by acclamation.
The open seat on the board of directors from the Minidoka
district will be filled by Bob West.
Prize Drawings: The grand prize, a $500 gift certificate to
any business in the Burley/Rupert area, was won by Kyle and
Verdene Page.
There being no further business to come before the meeting,
Nielsen adjourned the meeting at 7:25 p.m.
Penny West, Recording Secretary
F e b r ua r y 2 0 1 5 25
Co-op Connections Card
Please support these businesses that participate in the Co-op Connections Card program
Al’s Pizza Shoppe
2510 Overland Ave., Burley
678-3040
Two medium pizzas for $14.99 or
$1.50 off any large pizza.
A&T Construction
194 E 200 S, Rupert
436-0738
5 percent off labor.
Animal Medical Clinic
284 S 600 W, Heyburn
679-4550
Clegg’s Service ’n Repair
Brad Clegg, owner
703 W Main, Burley
678-7697
Cell (208) 670-7624
Lube, oil and filter; up to 5 quarts
with card, $24.95.
Columbia Electric Supply Co.
1027 Normal Ave., Burley
878-9035
[email protected]
Wholesale pricing on all cash
sales.
5 percent off all cash services.
Arby’s
594 N Overland Ave., Burley
678-8426
10 percent off purchase.
Barclay Mechanical Services Inc.
100 S 490 W, Paul
438-8108
5 percent off metal purchase.
Barry Rental & Equipment
159 W Hwy 30, Burley
678-7368
15 percent off rentals; 10 percent
off purchases excluding whole
goods, such as mowers, skid
steers and construction
equipment.
Clayville Insulation
250 E 100 S, Burley
678-9791
5 percent on existing residential
insulation.
Connections Credit Union
510 21st St., Heyburn
233-5544
New members receive a free
welcome gift and an initial $5
deposit.
D.L. Evans Bank
North Burley Branch
South Burley Branch
Rupert Branch
Free small business checking
Member FDIC
• Complimentary Visa check
debit/ATM card
• No annual fee Visa with a
business checking account
(upon approved credit)
• Free introductory order of
checks
Farmers Corner
202 S Highway 27, Burley
678-5130
Mind & Body Wellness Center
2207 Overland Ave., Burley
878-9418
Free pop with gas purchase.
20 percent off any services,
15 percent off nutrition. Free
consultation, Ideal Protein
Weight Loss program.
Greener Valley Computer
2853 Overland Ave., Burley
678-0964
5 percent off any software in the
store.
Hansen Sign Company
1625 W 16th St., Burley
678-8892
10 percent off all sign work,
including trucks. Custom T-shirt
at $5+ tax—one per customer.
Larry’s Electric & Heating
1133 Albion Ave., Burley
678-4071
www.larryselectric
andheating.com
Mini-Cassia Chamber
of Commerce
1177 7th St., Heyburn
679-4793
www.minicassia
chamber.com
25 percent discount on all Idaho
gifts and jewelry retail items,
excluding consignment and sale
items.
NAPA Auto Parts
501 Overland Ave., Burley
678-8311
10 percent discount on filters and
light bulbs bought in the store.
7 percent discount on regularly
priced items upon presenting
card.
Lee’s Furniture Clearance Outlet
459 Overland Ave., Burley
878-4433
Ponderosa Golf
320 Minidoka Ave., Burley
679-5730
Upon showing card, receive up
to a 5 percent discount on
purchase.
$1 off green fees, Monday
through Friday before 4 p.m.
Marble-N-Counters
1321 E Main, Burley
878-6042
5 percent discount on any marble
job.
Pro Paint Inc.
1116 Overland Ave., Burley
878-0856
$5 off a $50 purchase.
Quality Tire Factory
822 S Onieda, Rupert
436-3900
6 percent discount on regularly
priced items.
28
f e b r ua r y 2 0 1 5 United Electric
Sears Burley
2338 Overland Ave., Burley
878-8004
Owned and operated by
Ron and Judy Fowler
10 percent off any regularly
priced merchandise.
Skaggs Furniture
Overland Shopping Center,
Burley
878-5100
Discount of up to 50 percent on
regular priced items.
Snake River Bowl
725 Minidoka Ave., Burley
679-2695
10 percent off regularly priced
bowling, food or merchandise
(league and tournament bowling
excluded).
Stars Ferry Building Supplies
20 S 300 W, Burley
678-5562
Free hat with $100 cash
purchase.
Sweetheart Manor
Overland & 42nd St., Burley
678-8692
10 percent off invitations or 30
percent off if Sweetheart Manor
is used for receptions and tuxedo
rental.
Ted’s Diesel Electric
1141 South Hwy 30, Heyburn
878-4991
10 percent discount once
a month on any rebuilt starter,
alternator or generator.
The Gathering Place
524 6th St., Rupert
436-0455
10 percent off purchases,
excluding kits, batting and
quilting machines.
Tony’s Barbershop
1607 J St., Heyburn
(208) 219-0666
Special price for seniors and
children.
Ward’s Cleaning & Detail
1131 E 18th Lane, Burley
878-5105
10 percent off carpet and
upholstery cleaning; 5 percent off
auto detailing.
Wilson Bates
Appliance & Furniture
2560 Overland Ave., Burley
678-1133
Additional 5 percent off the best
sale price of any furniture. Burley
location only.
f e b r ua r y 2 0 1 5 29
United
Electric
Co-op Inc.
Directors
President Dean Nielsen
Vice President Bruce Beck
Sec./Treas. Cordell Searle
Brent Bowen
Ronald Osterhout
David Phillips
George Toner
John R. West
General Manager
Jo Elg
Engineering and Operations
Trevor Parke
Line Superintendent
Dan Kidd
Executive Assistant
Penny West
Manager of Finance and Admin.
Curtiss Peterson
Community Relations Manager
Chris Seibold
Mailing address:
1330 21st St.
Heyburn, ID 83336
Phone: (208) 679-2222
Fax: (208) 679-3333
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.uec.coop
Office hours: Monday-Friday,
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
After Hours: (208) 679-4444
UNITED ELECTRIC
CO-OP, INC.
32
F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 5
ID-29
Annual Meeting Time at United Electric
What do St. Patrick’s Day and the United Electric Annual
Meeting have in common? They are both March 17, 2015. Don
your favorite green, and join the directors and employees of
United Electric for the festivities.
The annual meeting of the members is March 17 from 5 to 8
p.m. at Minico High School. Registration is 5 to 6:30 p.m. The
business meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Soup or chili and cinnamon rolls will be served prior to the business meeting.
Jo Elg
Last year was the first year the annual meeting was held in
March, and the results were good! Members commented on the excellent homemade
soup, chili and cinnamon rolls prepared by the Minidoka Food Service Association.
Many members were pleased the event was held indoors as it was nice and warm. The
meeting and prize drawing concluded by 7:30 p.m., leaving plenty of daylight for the
drive home.
Just like last year, the cafeteria will serve up the feast. The business meeting and
prize drawing will be in the auditorium, which has great acoustics and cushy seats.
If you cannot attend the annual meeting, you can still participate in the director
elections and vote by mail. For your convenience, an insert is included in this issue.
Simply fill out the postcard. Prior to the annual meeting, a ballot will be sent to your
home. The ballot can be returned via mail or dropped off at the office. Even if you
plan to attend the meeting in person, you can still vote by mail.
Mark your calendar now: March 17, St. Patrick’s Day and the United Electric
Annual Meeting.
Jo Elg, General Manager
Co-op Connections is a product of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, a national alliance of more than
700 electric cooperatives working together to gain greater savings for members.