Garrison Creek Park Community Association
Executive meeting
February 28, 2009
In attendance: Ana DeVera, Mark Cherrington, Kat Tancock, Melanie Roscoe, Airin Stevens
Absent: Arthur Flach
Minutes taken by Kat Tancock
Agenda
1. How to organize memberships/plots in 2009.
2. What to do about the soil.
Barb has organized the membership list in a spreadsheet. Kat will clean up and export to Google Docs.
For 2009, one plot per household.
Three plots closest to the shed to become community plots and not allocated to individuals. Specifics to be decided at a later meeting.
Process for reallocating plots: must confirm that they want the plot again by March 31. After March 31 they will start being allocated to the waiting list.
Lock: Marc de Mouy suggested maintaining the gate lock to prevent rust. However, since the lock was already in poor condition we will instead purchase a new weatherproof lock and distribute new keys to the membership. Melanie to take this on. Members will be asked to pay the actual cost of cutting a new key. Executive to consider replacing the lock annually.
Regarding plots, the executive agrees that the membership is encouraged to use plots to grow edible crops rather than ornamentals in fenced-off plots. It is suggested that members who wish primarily to grow ornamentals participate more in the community plots and planters along the fence.
Melanie suggests we reinforce the raised beds with stakes as the long sides are bowing out. To be discussed at the next meeting and planned for spring.
Soil
We need to test the soil. Melanie has soil-testing kits to use to test the plot soil so we can make decisions on amendment.
Melanie has a source of free horse manure (3 hours away), but we would have to have a truck or trailer to go get it. Melanie to research horse manure.
For 2009, we need a short-term solution to get nutrition in the soil for this growing season. Horse manure + compost?
Best solution: to bulk-purchase for the entire garden area, perhaps in conjunction with another community garden. Melanie and Kat to test soil in several plots and report back at next meeting. Airin suggests testing the soil more extensively at her high school.
Long-term: do we maintain raised beds or plan to dig into the park soil?
Our goal is to test the park soil with the goal of eventually growing right in the soil. Kat to contact Joe Mihevc’s office to organize proper soil testing.
It is likely that we will have to depend on raised beds for many years to come as the park soil is probably not fit for growing food. Therefore we should do our best to make the current raised beds last as long as possible.
Ana to join executive committee as member at large.
Next meeting: Discuss funds. Tentatively March 29, 10 am, location tba.
For next meeting:
- Melanie and Airin to work on educational schedules
- Kat and Melanie to work on soil issues
- Art to get fundraising/budget info organized for next meeting
- Kat to organize agenda
- Kat to work with Barb on getting membership list organized
