Download Notes from Community Garden Potluck and Seed

Notes from Community Garden Potluck and Seed Exchange
TEF Building, UVic, Saturday, 11:30-4:30 pm.
Present: Wanda, Kathleen, Diana, Morgan, Fred, Mary (with Sam), Melissa &
Samantha (Nursing students), Lindsay, Annalisa & Fred (with Tobias, Maude, August),
Ada (with Franklin), Juliana.
Update:
Wanda has two student nurses from Camosun, enrolled in a course she is teaching, who
will be spending one day per week for 13 weeks with the community garden, as part of
their course work (the course is entitled Community Empowerment through Health
Promotion). Some projects Samantha and Melissa will be working on include:
- writing an article for The Ring about the C-G
- creating a questionnaire that will be sent to the gardeners about their needs
- applying for a grant offered through Vision TV called "Recreating Eden"
- possibly be applying for a grant through BC Healthy Communities, a seed grant, which
would allow us to put on a speaker series. This program was offered last november.
Wanda mentioned that her current job commitment to the university will end in
September. It is uncertain, at this point, if she will continue at UVic.
Ideas we are currently acting on:
- Wanda and Kathleen are putting together a grant for Evergreen (up to $10,000
awarded). They are working on the budget aspect. Deadline is Feb 2nd. Wanda has
contacted CobWorks – they are putting together a budget. Possible contact is Mark
Vardy, student, who was involved in the James Bay cobshed project.
- Wanda will be presenting a talk to a women's group in Family Housing about the
community garden.
Other ideas that we are considering:
- Bringing on Carolyn Herriott as a speaker
Networking on campus:
- Pocket market (every thurs), organized by sustainability students & Share Organics
- Are we interested in selling food? Is someone interested in doing this? Could tie in with
Family Housing. Mary mentioned there is an event on April 1st. We could make posters.
Elizabeth is new director. They produce a monthly newsletter – 20th of the month is
deadline. We can do an article for this, also advertise work parties, etc. Mary and
Analissa will look into.
- Juliana mentioned a dinner organized by USP students celebrating locally grown food,
and the CG contribute? (we have small amts of kale and watercress, maybe a couple of
cabbages). The dinner is held in April. Would be a great idea to grow crops this fall for
the dinner, something to keep in mind.
- Creating a community garden calendar. Lindsay will take a monthly picture from the
TEF boardroom window which offers an eagle eye view of the garden. Ada offered to
put the pictures together to create a calendar. Can be part of the fund raising initiative.
Funding Raising:
- Kathleen organizing a Bake Sale to take place Fri Jan 19 in Clearihue by computer lab.
She needs baked items to be brought on Fri am (8:30-9:00) – smaller and bigger sized
items appreciated – and needs people to man table. Sign up sheet was circulated. Will
send note out to the general membership next week.
- Funding raising needed for cob shed
- Calendar (see above)
Membership update:
There is a total of 45 plots available. 15 are still left as of today.
UVSC Update:
Both accounts are with UVSC.
One account is the $88 received (rec'd per term)
Other is the Trust account where membership fees go. Plot fees are currently $30.
Club ctee members can do photocopying at ZAP (Wanda, Kathleen, Juliana)
Kathleen offered to find out current balance in Trust account. Wanda needs someone
from the student membership to help in the administration of the UVSC accounts
(i.e., filling out paperwork that UVSC asks for, keeping abreast of requirements, letting
everyone know about club and course union days so display can be set up, etc). This isn't
an onerous job, but a job that needs someone to keep a regular 'eye' on things.
Kathleen/Wanda will prepare financial statement and will circulate to all members.
Juliana will send the Club Status Form to Diana, who will then fill it out.
Accomplished:
Water line has been laid and covered up and is ready to use when the water comes back
on.
Work Party ideas (Wanda – I didn't write down the dates).
Talked about making work party themes each month and offering a prize (ideas, coffee
mugs, cinecenta passes, fleece blankets (Lindsay offered to make)
February – turning sod
March – play area – needs work, raspberries planted there. Strawberries waiting to be
planted. Need to level out and make it mowable, make sure no glass is around.
April
May
Seed Exchange:
Diana brought lots of seeds that were from Planet Organics. At the meeting they were
catalogued. Wanda also brought seeds from the garden which included, along with seeds
that Dave has: - tomatoes, peppers, bush beans, pole beans, swiss chard, dill. The group
will forward the list to Dave who will enter them on the seed databank that he has created
and the list will be circulated to general membership via USource portal.
Westcoast seed catalogue is a great resource – they have a planting calendar – Lindsay
will post on USource – catalogue is free through garden shops, can order through
westcoast seeds or pick up in stores – should be out soon.