Jim Sloniker started growing orchids in 1973, right after graduating from high school.  He attended and graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Accounting.  While attending LMU he would visit Stewart Orchids and Arthur Freed Orchids and has been adding orchids to his collection ever since.  Mr. Sloniker is an Accredited Judge for both the American Orchid Society and the Cymbidium Society of America.  He is currently on the board of the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show and also the president of the Ventura County Orchid Society.  Our speaker also is on the board of the Orchid Digest Corporation and helps edit both the Orchid Digest and the CSA Journal.

Jim lives in Ventura with his wife Becky and children, Kaitlyn and Jack. 

Click to see more information on OSSC's regular monthly meetings.

• SECOND ANNUAL BBQ AND ORCHID EXTRAVAGANZA  [Submitted by OSSC 1st VP Estee Magid on January 15, 2009] On Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 11am until 2pm, George Hatfield of Hatfield’s Orchids has again offered to host a fabulous day of Cymbidium viewing and purchasing ( cash or checks only please) followed by a delectable  lunch feast of tri-tip BBQ with all the fixin's. Our gracious host is looking forward to a wonderful turnout from the OSSC, so please RSVP to me by February 12, 2010. Think about carpool arrangements!  A map to his nursery and this spectacular event can be found on the Calendar Page of the OSSC website.
• OSSC NEEDS A RECORDING SECRETARY: [Submitted by OSSC Webmaster Ted Augustyn on June 19, 2009] Our new Recording Secretary, Shawn Maestretti, has decided to go back to school, and selling his orchid collection was part of that plan. As a result, Shawn has resigned as our Recording Secretary, and the position is once again open. Any OSSC member interested in giving a little back to the society is encouraged to contact our President about assuming this position. The task of taking minutes at board meetings, the main responsibility of this office, is made much easier by the use of the society's digital voice recorder, and all responsibilities are documented in detail. For a copy of this document, contact this site's Webmaster.
• 2009 ROSTER AVAILABLE: [Submitted by OSSC Webmaster Ted Augustyn on May 15, 2009] The 2009 OSSC Roster has been distributed, first sent to all members with email addresses, and then finally in printed form to all other members beginning at the July meeting. Members needing a printed roster can get one from Membership Chair Larry Freeman.

(Most recent articles listed first.)

• Cricket Pollination Discovered for the First Time
• World's Smallest Orchid Discovered (By Accident)
• Study reveals the reason why orchids use sexual trickery to lure insect pollinators
• Foodie Freak: Vanilla, the x-rated information
• Orchid named UK's most popular houseplant
• Wayanad, hot spot of rare flora, shows up 3 new species
• Houseplants in the Home
• American Orchid Society west of Delray says 'we're open, come visit'
• Unique orchids discovered in Vietnam
• National Geographic Feature Article: Orchids: Love and Lies
• Heard on NPR: Orchids: 'Inflatable Love Dolls Of The Floral Kingdom'
• Rare orchid find sets off frenzy
• Orchid growers hope for technological boost
• Sneaky Orchid Drives Wasps Wild
• Snow white orchid among 353 new species discovered in Eastern Himalayas, WWF report
• Phragmipedium manzurii, a.k.a. the discovery orchid
• American Orchid Society closes doors to public
• Burma’s Vanishing Orchids
• Orchids Through Darwin's Eyes
• December floods cost orchid farm millions of dollars
• Taranaki couple to play part in Obama's big day
• It’s a Corsage Nightmare: An Orchid as Big as a Car
• Orchids: nature's sexy sirens
• A few words about Coelogyne by past OSSC speaker David Banks
• Sexually deceived by orchids? Well I never!
• Hoosier Orchid Co. closing in August
• Tracing Tahitian vanilla
• Ted’s keen nose catches out rare orchid thief
• Bee Prefers Sex With Orchid Over Females
• Orchid sexual deceit has male wasps in a loved-up frenzy
• Orchid Species Now Extinct in Burma