Ft. Meade Area Garden Club: Behnke Nurseries The Early Years
Some of you might recall how much Behnke Nurseries supported our area garden clubs. I have always felt that these clubs, along with different plant societies, are essential for everyone. So, whether you are a beginning gardener or an old pro, these are excellent groups to consider joining. You can find a listing of different clubs on our website.
Last year due to COVID 19, the Ft. Meade Area Garden Club had to cancel their meeting, which included my talk about The Early Years of Behnke Nurseries!
I am honored that they feel there is still interest in how Behnke Nurseries started even after over two years since we closed our doors. My talk is about my grandparents Albert and Rose Behnke, where they came from, how they met, and how they started Behnke Nurseries with hard work and determination.
If you have time, I hope you might consider coming out and joining as I share slides from the 30’s when it all started. Below is the information about their meeting.
Ft. Meade Area Garden Club will welcome Stephanie Fleming of Behnke’s on September 17, 2021, as its opening speaker.
The club meets at Jessup Community Hall, 2920 Jessup Road (MD RT 175 and Wigley intersection), Jessup, Maryland Meeting begins at 10:00a.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend! One does not have to be associated with Ft. Meade. The meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend and consider becoming a member in the future.
At this time, we will not be serving any refreshments, either food or drink, due to COVID. You may wish to bring your own drink. There will be a raffle at the meeting.
We ask that masks be worn during the meeting. If you have not been vaccinated, we request that you do not attend at this time as we wish to keep our members healthy.
Questions can be directed to Jo-Ann Gorrie, 1st.V.P., 410-672-5995 or jgorrie1@verizon.net.
Spent 15 years off and on at Ft. Meade from 1975 to 1994. Spent a lot of $ at your nurseries (met Eva Cassidy a couple of times) and hopefully post housing still is home to many of your plants.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write back. Ft. Meade is a wonderful area and I know many of our customers lived there. Eva and her family were a big part of Behnke’s. If you look at our old blog posts there are a few just about Eva.
Hi Stephanie,
Always enjoy seeing this photo — my father, Carl Nordeen, Jr., is the 6th from the left in the
back row (plaid shirt). We shopped for many years at Behnkes, and looked forward each year
to the Christmas shop.
A.N. Akers
Thanks so much for writing. I think you mentioned this before when I used this photo for something. So many people worked for my grandparents. I miss the Christmas shop a lot. Which is why I am selling some things on the gift shop I have now on the website.
Take care