ramapoorchid.org

What is the Ramapo Orchid Society?

The Ramapo Orchid Society (ROS), Inc. is a nonprofit, educational orchid club based at the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood, New Jersey. It meets monthly except July and August, is open to anyone interested in orchids, and is affiliated with the American Orchid Society and the Northeast Judging Center.

Meetings combine guest speakers, hands-on workshops, a show table for members' blooming plants, and orchids for sale from local vendors. The society also runs a yearly show, an auction and a holiday party, and members trade growing advice with experienced growers. The club's page lists a next meeting on Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7PM, with speaker Thanh Nguyen of Springwater Orchids discussing Paphs and Phrags and bringing plants for sale; a $1 suggested monthly contribution supports refreshments.

Who it suits

• Beginners: the workshops and show table offer low-pressure, practical learning and a chance to ask questions.
• Experienced growers: judging ties, workshops and experienced members make it useful for refining culture and exhibition skills.
• Social growers: the auction, holiday party and show give reasons to meet beyond regular meetings.

A useful next step

If you are considering a first visit, attend a regular meeting as a guest, bring one blooming plant for the show table if you have one, and arrive ready to ask about light, watering and repotting for your conditions. Check the club's meeting dates before traveling, since the schedule skips July and August.

For broader orchid-growing resources beyond a local club, the American Orchid Society publishes culture information and judging context that complements what clubs offer in person.

When and where does the Ramapo Orchid Society meet each month?

The Ramapo Orchid Society meets monthly at the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood, New Jersey, with no meetings in July and August. Meetings are open to guests, and the next listed meeting is Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7 PM, featuring Thanh Nguyen of Springwater Orchids speaking on Paphs and Phrags culture, with plants for sale.

A typical meeting includes a guest speaker or hands-on workshop, a show table where members bring orchids in bloom, orchids for sale from local vendors, and a social hour with coffee and refreshments (a suggested $1.00 contribution supports the refreshment fund).

As a next step, check the club's meeting dates page before traveling, since the schedule above reflects the posted listing rather than a standing calendar. If you plan to attend, bring a blooming orchid for the show table and arrive ready to ask experienced members about your growing conditions—the club explicitly frames meetings as a place to trade growing secrets. Anyone weighing a first visit against joining should note that membership is open to all, and the club is affiliated with the American Orchid Society and Northeast Judging Center, so members also get a route into judging events and shows. More at Ramapo Orchid Society.

How do I become a member of the Ramapo Orchid Society and what does it cost?

The page describes the Ramapo Orchid Society as open to anyone who loves orchids, and the practical route in is to attend a monthly meeting: guests are explicitly welcomed. Meetings are held at the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood, New Jersey, every month except July and August, and the next listed meeting is Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7PM. Membership details sit on the site's Membership page, which the homepage links to but does not summarize.

On cost, the page gives no membership dues. The only figure shown is a suggested $1.00 monthly contribution to the Refreshment Fund, which is a social-hour courtesy rather than a membership fee. Orchids from local vendors at meetings are described as "affordably priced" but no prices are listed. Treat dues as something to confirm directly.

A sensible first step

Go to one meeting before committing. Arrive with an orchid in bloom for the show table if you have one—the page asks attendees to bring blooming plants—and use the social hour to ask an officer about joining and current dues. That single visit tells you whether the speaker-and-workshop format, the Englewood location and the evening schedule fit you, which matters more than the fee for most people deciding between clubs.

What membership buys you

• Monthly guest speakers and hands-on workshops, plus access to experienced growers willing to trade culture advice.
• A show table for comparing your plants against others in bloom.
• Special events: a yearly show, an auction and a holiday party.
• Affiliation context: the society is an affiliated member of the American Orchid Society and the Northeast Judging Center.

Choosing between this and other options

If you grow windowsill orchids casually, a local club's monthly meeting is usually the lowest-effort way to get feedback on real plants. If you are moving toward showing or judging, the judging pathway matters more: the Northeast Judging Center holds judging every third Saturday at 9:00 AM, with an educational forum at 10:30 and plants due by noon. The society's own page points to the broader AOS community at American Orchid Society for growers who want national resources alongside a local group.

As a decision criterion: join if you can reliably make weekday evening meetings in Englewood and want hands-on help; if your schedule is irregular, ask at the first visit whether the society offers any other way to stay involved before paying dues.

Can a beginner with no orchid experience attend a meeting or join the club?

Yes. The Ramapo Orchid Society describes itself as open to anyone who shares a love of orchids, and its meetings are built around guest speakers, hands-on workshops, and trading growing tips with experienced members. A beginner with no orchid experience fits that description; you do not need to know orchid names or own a collection to attend.

A first meeting is easy to approach. The club meets monthly except July and August at the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood, New Jersey, and the page lists a next meeting on Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7PM, with Thanh Nguyen of Springwater Orchids speaking on Paphs and Phrags and bringing plants for sale. There is a show table, so you can see blooming orchids up close, and a social hour with coffee and refreshments under a suggested $1 monthly contribution to the refreshment fund.

For a beginner, the practical value is the combination of structured learning and informal conversation. A workshop gives you a guided task; the social hour is where you can ask the basic questions—how often to water, what potting mix to use, why a leaf yellowed—without feeling out of place. The club also holds a yearly show, an auction, and a holiday party, which are lower-pressure ways to see how members grow and to pick up plants.

As a next step, decide what you want from a first visit:

• If you want to learn before buying: attend a meeting, listen to the speaker, and ask members at the show table what they grow on a windowsill.
• If you already have a plant: bring it in bloom for the show table, as the club invites, and ask for a second opinion on its health.
• If you are unsure about committing: go as a guest first. The page says guests are always welcome and membership details are listed separately.

You can check meeting dates and membership information on Ramapo Orchid Society. For broader beginner resources, the American Orchid Society, which the club is affiliated with, is at American Orchid Society.

What happens at a typical Ramapo Orchid Society meeting, and can I buy orchids there?

A typical Ramapo Orchid Society meeting combines a guest speaker or hands-on workshop, a show table of members' blooming orchids, and informal time to trade growing tips with experienced growers. Meetings are held monthly except July and August at the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood, New Jersey, and guests are welcome. The club also describes itself as a nonprofit educational organization affiliated with the American Orchid Society.

Yes, you can generally buy orchids there. The society says it offers affordably priced orchids from local vendors, and its listed next meeting (Thursday, October 15, 2026, 7 PM) features Thanh Nguyen of Springwater Orchids, who will bring plants for sale. The same notice mentions a show table, a social hour with coffee and refreshments, and a suggested $1 contribution to the refreshment fund.

For a first visit, bring a blooming orchid if you have one for the show table, arrive a little early, and ask members about culture suited to your growing conditions. Check the meeting dates on Ramapo Orchid Society before traveling, since speaker and sales details can change.

How can I get my orchid judged through the Northeast Judging Center, and when does judging take place?

Bring plants in person to the Northeast Judging Center's monthly judging; there is no indication that judging happens by mail or online. Plan to arrive with your orchid no later than noon, because plants submitted for judging must be in place by then. Judging itself begins after a lunch break, generally no later than 1 PM, and the day opens with an educational forum and discussion on orchid judging topics starting at 10:30 AM. The center judges every third Saturday at 9:00 AM, according to the Ramapo Orchid Society, which is affiliated with the American Orchid Society and the Northeast Judging Center.

What to expect on judging day

Practical preparation

• Arrive early enough to check in. The noon cutoff is for plants already submitted, so build in time for parking, paperwork and settling your plant rather than arriving at 11:55.
• Bring the plant in condition to be evaluated. The society's meeting notices ask members to bring orchids in bloom for the show table; for judging, a flowering plant gives judges the features they assess. Bring the whole plant, not a cut flower, and keep labels legible.
• Use the morning forum. The 10:30 discussion is a low-pressure way to learn what judges look for before your plant goes up, which is useful for a first-time exhibitor.
• Ask before you go. The society lists AOS judge John Sullivan as a contact for questions about the Northeast Judging Center. Confirming the date, location and any entry details directly avoids a wasted trip, especially around holidays or shows.

If you are new to showing

A sensible first step is to attend a Ramapo Orchid Society meeting before your first judging day. Meetings run monthly except July and August at the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood, New Jersey, and include guest speakers, hands-on workshops and a show table where members trade growing advice. That gives you a friendly rehearsal: you can see how plants are staged and ask experienced growers what judges tend to reward. The society also takes part in orchid shows across the center, providing AOS judging plus ribbon and trophy judging, so volunteering or visiting one of those shows is another way to learn the routine. Details are at Ramapo Orchid Society.