Benton Park Garden Committee
Meeting Agenda and Notes
March 28, 2007

Agenda

Agenda
Ten minutes group weeding

1, Watering schedule status and future water sources.
2. Individual plot update.
3. Lawn mowing schedule to be figured out
4. Events, fundraising,
5. Picnic table, bench, arbor, gazebo and signage update.
6. Gateway Greening update
7. Your items
8. Next meeting date and work date

 

Notes

04.26.07 meeting minutes of community garden at benton park 7 pm garden and at 1960 arsenal storefront

Submitted by bill kranz and marian amies

Attending: Bill Kranz; Marian Amies; John Doggette; Karen Doggette; Nancy Galvin; Dan Guenther; Bob LaRouche: Chris Rowley; Daven Schansche and Lisa Watson.

Watering Schedule Status and Future Watering Schedule
John Doggette discovered that the watering calender was in a pool of water itself and will need to be replaced. He volunteered to get a new calendar going, transfer the existing names and put it back on the picnic table for people to continue signing up. A tentative idea put forward is for two watering sessions per person per year, watering trees and everything. However we hope that by the start of summer we will have a full sprinkling system installed that will be on a timer system to reduce the work load. Need from additional watering sources, i.e. from Marian Amies’ side garden if and when an additional outside faucet is installed on the west side of the garden by the existing garage. Also in future years we may be able to petition Gateway Greening for an additional spigot.

Individual Plot Update
25 individual plots have been signed for. Garden group planning committee will email anyone that has not yet started to work their plot by the second in May to ask them what their intentions are unless they have already been in touch about it. The watering sticks have been handed out and the system implemented i.e. stuck upright in soil if you wish your plot to be watered. Several members of the committee feel it would be a good idea to have a security camera on the garden especially when it is

Lawn Mowing Schedule
The grass and weedy areas need to be mowed asap. Marian will contact Nancy Galvin about her offer of mowing and lending a mower. Still looking for others to volunteer spot use of a lawn mower also weed whips. Group decided to investigate the possibility of donated mower to leave at the site and welcomes ideas for security of this. Schedule: Once a mow per year for each plot owner.

Events and Fundraising
The next Garden Specific event would be organized by Dan, Daven, Bill and Bob, this will be a summer picnic or two in the garden and Dan Guenther suggested a pig roast as one of them. As a reminder John McKinstry offered to barbecue some meat for one of our picnics also. Other ideas were a formal dinner, free hayrides and selling our harvest ware. One of us will be talking with Frazier about the Street festival in September that he is planning with the Venice Cafe however we are still awaiting further details on this street festival from the organizers.

Picnic Table, Bench, Gazebo and Signage Update
Picnic table needs to be picked very soon if not delivered by Gateway Greening, Daven and Lisa are coordinating this. The group discussed buying the lumber for Hermann to build the gazebo, since offered his carpentry services at the end of last year. Sandy’s idea of a interim banner to be created and put against Hermann’s wall was adopted and working was discussed, Marian prepare rough drafts of the signage to be submitted for feedback to the group using Sandy’s research on type 1820’s and alternate ideas one by Bob for the strolling bridge motif and Bills for icons relating to English Cave. The vinyl banner will have the capacity to be transported to fundraising events off site.

Gateway Greening Update
Lisa Watson is one of the first to work three comp volunteer hours out of thirty required before February 2008. Gateway Greening needs to be advised before any of the group shows up to put in their comp hours at Bell Garden site etc. The completed volunteer hours for Gateway Greening need to be reported to Bill Kranz 314.772.1190 or Daven Schansche 314.330.3105 to make sure they are recorded as required by the grant.

Operation Brightside
Chris Rowley is a block captain, flowers will be available, pick items to be put out so they can be picked by the city. Daven and Bob, Block captains for Provenchere asked for volunteers to do the same in the area of the garden.

May 5 and 6 Workdays
Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6 both days (during these hours, please contribute time as you can and please don’t overdo it)
These will be some of the tasks we are attempting to complete:

• Planting plants from the perennial divide order.
• Daven will give a demonstration on how to identify weeds (many need to be pulled now)
• Fresh seeds will be sown where needed
• The berm on Provenchere will be a major focus along with the herb garden berm on Illinois alley side.
• Lisa also requested flowers to be planted in between the herbs.
• Work on access ramp and dump area for leaf mold and mulch.
• Beginning preparations for tree flower rings underneath all trees which Daven has planned to be carried out over the next few months.
• Herb berm will need extensive preparation.
• Digging the holes for the security chain and concrete to secure the two picnic tables.

Next Garden Meeting
Thursday May 31
Ten minutes weeding before meeting start at 7:30 pm in the garden

The meeting adjourned at 8.45 pm

Follow-Up

Last updated: Friday, November 14, 2008