Benton Park Garden Committee
Meeting Agenda and Notes
Jan 20, 2007

Agenda

1-20-2007

Dear Garden Friends:

This email is a reminder of our next planning meeting at Marian Amies’ house at 7 p.m. at 1960 Arsenal St. on Thursday January 25th.

If you have agenda ideas, pass them on to me please. I know that 3 of the main items we need to discuss are developing the sign up sheet/rules for the individual garden plots, update on the Gateway Greening Grant and the goals that the BPNA Executive Board had asked about. I collected some of them in summary form and also attended their meeting. I asked for more time to discuss this matter which they granted. So, in closing, here are our friend’s goal comments:



Marian Amies

Split the garden team into three or four rotating teams of three that would take turns to lead the garden for a period of three months each. This would spread the load and responsibility equitably. This would keep in action the community aspect of the garden and not overtax any one group.

Have the rules defined and completed for individual plot owners.

Have a community garden events calendar that dovetails with the neighborhood association and park calendars, including other garden community outreach occasional events.

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Liz Oldham

Dear Bill, my first goal is that people would be really involved and prepared to work in the garden. My second is that it should be as maintenance free as possible and thirdly there should be signs indicating where it is so people can visit it.

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Karen Finley

1. to have 35 percent of the available beds "spoken for'' by May 1.

2. 1/2 of the available community plots established by June 1 with plantings.

3. To have plans for neighborhood events, such as easter egg hunt, open air concert.??

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Nancy Galvin

I would suggest that the goals be simple things that must be done to complete setting up the garden and getting it onto a sustainable course. For example:
1. Establishment of the procedure for individual plot sign-up and rules for maintenance, including the obligation for plot-owners to help with general maintenance.
2. Completion of Gateway Greening grant, if not already done.
3. Procedures to follow when plot-owner abandons or fails to keep up their plot.

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Bob and Sandy LaRouche

We feel the most essential need right now is to advertise, accept and process applications for individual garden plots and lay them out; to prepare beds for flower and herb gardens; and to finish securing the boundaries of the garden area, particularly where Daven has cleared away the rubble along the brick alleyway.


Thanks!!
Posted by Bill Kranz 772-1190

 

Notes

1-25-07 Minutes from the English Cave Community Garden Planners

Present: Bill Kranz – Cryptic-Eyed Note Taker, Marian Amies - Happy Home Host, Todd Brandt, Herbalist President ala dente, Daven – Green Thumbed Instigator and Tractor Brain, Lisa Watson - Native Plant Fairy with 10 green thumbs, Nancy Galvin - Voice of Reason fueled by caffeine, Sandy LaRouche – Goddess of the Compost Pile, Bob LaRouche – Keeper of the Rake for the Compost Pile.

Gateway Greening Grant Update:

We have already met with a representative and they are impressed with our early efforts. They can offer help with benches, compost bins, flowers/bulbs, water, gates, arbors (Grape Gates). We’ll know in mid-February how much we get this first year. Remember we must help them for 30 hours from a variety of people in our green-thumbed group.

3 Top Goals to the BPNA from the Garden Committee:

1. Establishment of the procedure for individual plot sign-up and rules
for maintenance, including the obligation for plot-owners to help with
general maintenance and establishment of the contact list to help achieve getting the plots signed out.

2. The welcoming sign(s) or the doggy poop post.

3.Organize a structure for garden events. Social and physical.
Leadership rotates with the seasons:

Spring: Lisa Easter to June
Summer: Daven July
Bob August
Bill September
Fall: Marian Halloween to New Years
Winter: Sandy 12th Nite to Easter

Garden Committee and Parks Committee Interface:

We will keep tabs on the folks at the Parks Committee leaders and help as best we can. We are still figuring out how we can help considering our work needed on the Community Garden. Feel free to pass on ideas if you can. It will be appreciated.

Leadership Sharing:

To avoid group burnout, a common problem in our busy busy world, Marian suggested we create a fun way to organize our volunteers. We’re going to try to do this by the timeline of the 4 seasons, including the main events of the seasons, events that we want to see reflected in our camaraderie at the Garden. (At the end of each 3 month term they would “Pass On The Water Key”) –Please see “3 Top Goals” section for more details.


Writing of the Rules for the Individual Plots:

We will have a basic sign up sheet at the February 6th BPNA General Meeting. The basic premise of signing up is that you would have to actively “garden” the plot - or lose it, and help with the community needs of the garden such as watering. We will develop more information/rules on this area soon.

State of the Garden:
Todd has volunteered to plant a line of herbs between the berry bushes and main alley.
There was talk of using mulch in-between the plants to keep down the weeds, we’ll need a watering schedule, we had several ideas about a fire pit that would have multiple uses, we estimate there may be 22 individual plots, there was talk of getting a succotash garden going, we need to plant the redbud and dogwood, and need to move a peach tree.

New Information: A.) Todd said that Frasers may help the Garden out with a fundraising opportunity pending approval. This is in regard to a Mardi Gras tie-in here in Benton Park which would feature a kid’s costume parade and a beer booth. More details at the BPNA Meeting soon.

B.) We need to look into the whole insurance aspect, rates, event coverage, etc.

C.) Todd mentioned something new called a “South City Summit” This would be a meeting and sharing group for those involved in Community Gardening.

D.) Daven refined the goal wording for Marian to type in then I’ll get it in the minutes. Daven wants an updated contact list which Bill and Todd can help with. Mine needs refinement yet. We need signage also; we remembered that Glenn had Boy Scout contacts. Daven brought up the phase “Good To Grow” in relation to goals versus gardening output as this year progresses to spring and summer.

E.) Sandy brought up how good Cavendar’s Seasoning is for foods for the events we have. Her and Bob also presented brochures from the Cardinal Gazebo Co. ?? out of Indiana. (Note I may have the name wrong…) Though it’s a big challenge a gazebo will make our garden very nice.

F.) Lisa brought up how we need a “Doogie Poo Post” for obvious reasons.

Draft Minutes written by Bill Kranz, 02-04-07
Let me know about any changes…

 

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Last updated: Friday, November 14, 2008