Author Biography
Barb Schmidt published her first book titled, “Orchid Care: For the Beginner” in 2016. She has a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and biology and a teaching certificate in secondary science education. She has been raising orchids for over 14 years and is a member of the American Orchid Society's (AOS) Education Committee and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). Her orchids have won a variety of awards, including first place ribbons at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Barb regularly teaches orchid classes for the Cornell University Botanic Gardens and the U.S. Botanic Gardens, as well as local community colleges. She recently returned from a book promotion tour in southern California where she spoke at the UCLA Botanic Gardens and the Orchid Society of Southern California, as well as orchid growers and book stores. Barb presented "Orchid Origins and Fun Facts" at the AOS Spring Members Meeting in May of 2017 and will be teaching her first class for the Smithsonian Institute as part of their Smithsonian Associates Program in March of 2018.
She maintains a website, www.basorchidcare.com, which discusses a different orchid care tip each month and highlights one orchid from her collection.
Barb regularly teaches orchid classes for the Cornell University Botanic Gardens and the U.S. Botanic Gardens, as well as local community colleges. She recently returned from a book promotion tour in southern California where she spoke at the UCLA Botanic Gardens and the Orchid Society of Southern California, as well as orchid growers and book stores. Barb presented "Orchid Origins and Fun Facts" at the AOS Spring Members Meeting in May of 2017 and will be teaching her first class for the Smithsonian Institute as part of their Smithsonian Associates Program in March of 2018.
She maintains a website, www.basorchidcare.com, which discusses a different orchid care tip each month and highlights one orchid from her collection.
Resume:
Orchid Presentations/Classes Available:
“A Night of Wine and Orchids”
This class is run in conjunction with a winery or distillery and is similar to a “paint and sip”. The class starts with a wine or spirits tasting, allows time for participants to mingle, and concludes with a fun discussion of orchid history, lore, and fun facts.
“Beginners Orchid Class”
Orchids are the most common houseplant in America. This class discusses how orchids grow in nature and teaches basic care instructions to keep them blooming in your home. Participants take home a blooming Phalaenopsis orchid.
“Everything Orchids”
This is a fun, informative presentation the delves into the origins of our love for orchids, how orchids grow in their native environments, and how to care for orchids in our homes. It provides fun facts and orchid care tips to pique the interest of experienced orchid collectors, as well as beginners.
“Is an Oncidium by Any Other Name Still an Oncidium?”
This presentation focuses on the Oncidium genus. It discusses the growth and care characteristics of Oncidiums and addresses the changes that occurred to the Oncidium Alliance with the 2014 reorganization.
“Orchid Immersion”
This class discusses anything and everything orchid. It has several different discussion sessions built into it which can be tailored to include any of the class topics described in this list. The class is usually 2 to 4 hours long and covers topics such as orchid trivia, orchid physiology, orchid care, and a hands-on demonstration of mounting orchids on cork bark.
“Orchid Origins and Fun Facts”
This is a fun, informative presentation that delves into the origins of orchids and our endless fascination with them. Participants are given a short Orchid Trivia Quiz that serves as the basis for the discussion, which provides fun facts, orchid lore, and myth.
“Orchids Gone Native”
In their native environments, most common orchids grow on trees. This class will teach you how to free your orchid from the confines of its pot and mount it on a piece of cork bark. This can be done as a demonstration or as a hands-on class where each participant mounts an orchid on a piece of cork bark and takes it home.
“Orchids in the Office”
This is an informal discussion of how to grow orchids in an office environment. It touches upon the types of conditions orchids need to grow and bloom, and how to integrate these into an office setting.
“Raising a Show Quality Orchid”
This is a more advanced orchid class that discusses the conditions necessary to raise a vigorous, healthy orchid for competitions. It touches upon timing blooms, overall orchid health, and competition requirements.
“Summer Orchid Care”
This class presents the pros and cons of moving your orchids outside for the summer. It explains the extra care needed while the orchids are outside and when they are ready to be brought back indoors.
"What's in a Name - Identifying Your Orchid"
To know your orchid is to love it, and be able to care for it better. This class will teach you how to identify your orchid's genus and troubleshoot its specific needs.
“A Night of Wine and Orchids”
This class is run in conjunction with a winery or distillery and is similar to a “paint and sip”. The class starts with a wine or spirits tasting, allows time for participants to mingle, and concludes with a fun discussion of orchid history, lore, and fun facts.
“Beginners Orchid Class”
Orchids are the most common houseplant in America. This class discusses how orchids grow in nature and teaches basic care instructions to keep them blooming in your home. Participants take home a blooming Phalaenopsis orchid.
- Northampton Area Community College
“Everything Orchids”
This is a fun, informative presentation the delves into the origins of our love for orchids, how orchids grow in their native environments, and how to care for orchids in our homes. It provides fun facts and orchid care tips to pique the interest of experienced orchid collectors, as well as beginners.
- Asheville Orchid Festival
- Cornell University Botanic Gardens
- North City Congress Senior Citizen Center
- 2016 Philadelphia Flower Show
- UCLA Mathias Botanical Gardens
- U.S. Botanical Gardens
- Logan Township Library
- Northampton Area Community College
“Is an Oncidium by Any Other Name Still an Oncidium?”
This presentation focuses on the Oncidium genus. It discusses the growth and care characteristics of Oncidiums and addresses the changes that occurred to the Oncidium Alliance with the 2014 reorganization.
- Orchid Society of Southern California
“Orchid Immersion”
This class discusses anything and everything orchid. It has several different discussion sessions built into it which can be tailored to include any of the class topics described in this list. The class is usually 2 to 4 hours long and covers topics such as orchid trivia, orchid physiology, orchid care, and a hands-on demonstration of mounting orchids on cork bark.
- Smithsonian Institute Associates Program
“Orchid Origins and Fun Facts”
This is a fun, informative presentation that delves into the origins of orchids and our endless fascination with them. Participants are given a short Orchid Trivia Quiz that serves as the basis for the discussion, which provides fun facts, orchid lore, and myth.
- American Orchid Society 2017 Spring Members Meeting
“Orchids Gone Native”
In their native environments, most common orchids grow on trees. This class will teach you how to free your orchid from the confines of its pot and mount it on a piece of cork bark. This can be done as a demonstration or as a hands-on class where each participant mounts an orchid on a piece of cork bark and takes it home.
- 2017 Philadelphia Flower Show (Demonstration)
- Cornell University Botanic Gardens (Hands-on class)
- Northampton Area Community College (Hands-on class)
“Orchids in the Office”
This is an informal discussion of how to grow orchids in an office environment. It touches upon the types of conditions orchids need to grow and bloom, and how to integrate these into an office setting.
- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Wintergarden
- UCLA Mathias Botanical Gardens
- U.S. Botanic Gardens
- New York Botanical Gardens
“Raising a Show Quality Orchid”
This is a more advanced orchid class that discusses the conditions necessary to raise a vigorous, healthy orchid for competitions. It touches upon timing blooms, overall orchid health, and competition requirements.
- Northampton Area Community College
- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Meadowbrook Farms
- Marie Selby Botanic Gardens
“Summer Orchid Care”
This class presents the pros and cons of moving your orchids outside for the summer. It explains the extra care needed while the orchids are outside and when they are ready to be brought back indoors.
- Northampton Area Community College
"What's in a Name - Identifying Your Orchid"
To know your orchid is to love it, and be able to care for it better. This class will teach you how to identify your orchid's genus and troubleshoot its specific needs.
- 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show
