Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes
August 13, 2025 7 PM
Remote Meeting
Pam, Nick, Ann, Barb A, Lily, Alex and Karen.
Alex started the meeting.
Minutes With a motion by Barb A and seconded by Lily the June 2025 minutes were approved.
Registrar Update
There are seven vacant plots at UH and one applicant in line for EH. The applicant will probably be assigned a plot this week.
Bean beetles have been reported at UH but not at EH so far. There are questions about buying parasitic wasps this late in the season. We order them from the NJ dept of Agriculture, and once they arrive it takes a while for them to have any effect on the bean beetle population. It may get cold before any benefits are seen and the wasps don't survive frost. Barb A suggests asking entomologist PJ for advice. She will share his contact information with Lily.
GreenFund, a sustainability organization on campus, has proposed putting a bee hotel in EHG near the entrance. Barb A suggest caution regarding bee hotels because if they are not properly maintained and cleaned they can harm bees. She will share information with Lily about this and Lily will ask for more details at the meeting with GreenFund.
The temporary food service permit has not been approved yet for the tomato tasting this year as new questions have arisen. If the tasting is held, any participants that are not UW students are employees will have to sign an assumption of risk form. Only trained employees will be allowed to handle or cut the tomatoes. The committee decided not to hold the tomato tasting this year.
The draft of the 2026 application was reviewed. The detailed ground cover definition was approved. The pilot financial assistance program was discussed. The committee liked the income brackets used that are based on Dane Co. housing assistance brackets (like the Gardens Network uses). Half fee and quarter fee assistance will be offered while funds last. The same priority system that is used for applications will be used for financial assistance. Any leftover funds will be carried over into the next year. Since this will be the first time the program is trialed, we will have to see how it goes, both logistically and with regards to donations and assistance applications.
Lily proposed an anti-theft sign for the gardens. The committee approved. She will make this sign in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean.
The lengths of hoses needed for UH were measured. In total we need about 1500 ft of hoses for the garden. If we buy 500 now we can replace the ones that need it the most. Heavy-duty contractor hoses (Gempler brand) would be ordered. Karen proposed a budget of $1000. Barb A seconded.
Garden Worker Report
Pam has been using the new mower at EH. She'll be leading a workday next weekend. How long does it take to mow the gardens? Pam said that EH takes eight hours and UH takes two and a half hours.
Nick said that work is being done on the 1300s water line, including the shutoff to the Grounds Nursery water line. The length for the new line was measured and work will begin soon. A ditch witch may or may not be needed for the trench.
The green mower is still broken. There is the BCS tractor that Dining uses that belongs to the garden. Perhaps this could be used to clear brush.
Additional topics
Barb A reports that the black and gold bumble bees like the comfrey by the arbor garden and says thanks for not removing it. Also, Mark has found another umbrella for the picnic tables at EH.
The windrow composting is not working on the concrete pad due to lack of heavy equipment and gardeners dumping weeds outside of the area. Moving the composting down the hill to the Dining Farm may be necessary.
Lily will bring the natural playground proposal to the next GOC meeting.
Motion by Barb A and seconded by Lily to adjourn which passed.
Adjourned about 7:45 pm
Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee
