February 2025

                                           Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

February 12, 2025  7 PM

Remote Meeting

Zach, Lily, Ann, Ric, Pam, Jolene, Alan, Alex and Karen.

Ann started the meeting.

Minutes  With a motion by Lily and seconded by Pam the January 2025 minutes were approved. 

Registrar Update

Seed Fair April 5, 2025 

Lily said 388 Gardeners have renewed their plots and we now have 44 new gardener applications.  She thinks there is less interest in gardening compared to previous years.

Lily will send an email to the discussion list for volunteers to do new gardener orientations.

The Committee agreed to make Opening Day and the Seed Fair on April 5th.  Lily thinks this might save some of the tools from damage when gardeners try to dig into frozen ground.

Lily proposes to remove the deadline to pay the no workday fee. Previously there was also a financial penalty that we no longer have.  The gardener would still have to pay the no workday fee before being assigned a new plot.  The Committee agreed.

There has been a request for help with the plot fee.  The gardener changed status.  Discussion ensued.  There is a real threshold for asking for help. Jolene said we need to say this is available if we provide it in the future.  

The Committee decided to develop a program for next year for a limited number of spots and the procedure for applying to the Registrar. The number of sponsorship spots available will depend on the amount donated by other gardeners. For this first request we are offering the gardener in need the chance to do three workdays in exchange for the plot.

Lily said we have been offered a sand excavator toy for the garden. Should we accept it?  The Committee thought it was a great idea.

Compost

At a previous meeting there was discussion about providing compost to the gardeners.

Lily found that the price has doubled since we previously bought it. Giving all plots 3.5 cubic feet (½ a cart load) would cost us $5000.  Malachai will propose the windrow composting system to the GOC at the next meeting.  This compost would be cheaper and would work.  

If we could also get fresh horse manure in the fall again, that would also be a solution as it would be ready to use on plants by the spring.  If we could find a source of horse manure, UW Physical Plant would transport it for us if the farm would load it in their truck.

We should pay someone to evaluate the mulberry tree.  The branches are obstructing the path. It would be best to act while the ground is frozen. Lily will put in a work order with PP to ask for an assessment and quote for removal.

Garden Worker Report

Jolene said the process has been started to hire a third garden worker and the target start date is mid March.  Pam said not much is happening in the garden in winter.  Jolene asked that any needed supplies be ordered soon.  Pam is checking the charger of the weed wackers before buying the new batteries already approved for purchase.

Motion by Ric and seconded by Lily to adjourn.

Adjourned about 7:30 pm

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee

January 2025

                                            Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

January, 2025  7 PM

Remote Meeting

Alex, Lily, Ann, Ric, Barb A, Pam, Jessica, Jolene and Karen.

Alex started the meeting.

Minutes  With a motion by Barb A and seconded by Lily, the November 2024 minutes were approved. 

Registrar Update

Seed Fair April 5, 2025 and Seed Sort January 20, 2025.

Garden plot renewals are at the same pace than previous years but new applications are lower. Lily will advertise in the UW Housing Apartment newsletter.  Blue Moon Farms will again do our cool and warm weather plant sales.  We are receiving nice seed donations.  Gardeners asking for less strenuous work days will help with the more extensive seed repackaging. 

Lily asked if the committee thought a postdoc was classified as student or staff.  The committee agreed postdocs are students.

Workday Report so far

195 gardeners participated in garden worker lead workdays, 142 have paid the no workday fee and 73 have not done anything yet. This is following the same trend as previous years. We will have the final report after Feb 15th.

Food Pantry

Andrew with UW Housing connected Lily with Open Seat Pantry, which is a food pantry on campus for UW apartments residents and students. They will provide a collection barrel at Eagle Heights Garden.  The pick up time will be 4pm Wednesday at Eagle Heights Garden.

Request for Blueberries north of E8 at University Houses

A gardener has asked about planting blueberries in this space.  This is a difficult space due to shading and walnut trees. After discussion, the Committee decided to come up with a plan for the north tree line before acting.

Budget

We have reserves for next year and can pursue the new water line up the 300’s.

UW Plumbers have our request for a consultation but we do not have an answer yet.

Compost

There was a discussion about buying compost for both gardens.  The idea would be 1 portion per plot at no cost.  Lily will explore the idea.  

Gardening on a Budget

Lily is working on some information for gardeners on gardening on a budget. She would like people to understand that gardening need not be expensive.

Garden Worker Update

Pam said that the carts and tools were put away by December 1st. Pam will be returning to the garden.  A friend of hers is looking at the weed whackers and trying to fix them. Pam will get the chargers looked at too. 

Recruitment and retention

Jolene said that since HR has put an end date on TE appointments and that Lily, Pam and Nick are returning. A resident gardener is interested in the 3rd position. Discussion ensued. Pam thinks three garden workers are good. Jolene will start the process with the person interested in the Garden Worker position.  

Jolene said January is the month the Committee decided to take action on retention raises for staff.  The employees left the meeting. Discussion ensued.  The committee decided all returning gardens would receive a $.50 raise per hour.  Jolene said she is not sure when the raise will take effect as this is HR’s decision.  The new garden worker would be hired at $17 per hour.

Motion by Ann and seconded by Barb A to adjourn.

Adjourned just after 7:45 pm

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee

November 2024

                                         Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

November, 2024  7 PM

Remote Meeting

Alex, Lily, Ron, Ric, Nick, Jolene and Karen.

Alex started the meeting.

Minutes  With a motion by Lily and seconded by Ric, the October 2024 minutes were approved. 

Registrar Update

Important dates for next year are: Seed Fair April 5, 2025, Seed Sort January 20, 2025.

Seed donations are underway. So far we have received three boxes.

As we previously decided, we will buy direct sow seeds like spinach, bok choy, chard, and perhaps something else for distribution at the Seed Fair.

Fedco seems to have the best prices and the order. Will be placed in January when their new catalog (and price updates) are available. The committee previously discussed a potential budget of up to $500, but the purchase will probably be under $200. 

So far 98 gardeners have not done a workday yet and 122 have paid the fee which is the same or a little better than other years at this point. We will know more in February, after the renewal deadline, when the statistics are for this season.

The tree removal is going well.  Ron’s sapling puller works very well and there is one in the shed too.  It is much easier to remove trees when they are young.

We would like to ask the UW Plumbers for a consultation about the new second line up the main path at Eagle Heights.  We would like their professional input before we start the project.  Lily placed a work order with Physical Plant to start this process but we have not had a response yet.
Lily has requested horse manure from Crest Haven Farm. Physical Plant is willing to haul this for us if Crest Haven will load it. However, Crest Haven had not replied.

Shorewood did take some of our weeds to Purple Cow, which Purple Cow accepted.  They have fulfilled their part of the agreement this year.  We will have to get someone else to take the rest of the weeds away.  It would probably be in our best interest to have a start date for getting leaves from Shorewood at both gardens.  Shorewood did take leaves to Purple Cow before giving them to us.

Theft

A lot of large scale theft has been reported in the garden with all the squash and cabbage being removed from a few plots. Discussion ensued.  There was an extensive discussion of trail cameras.  Jolene said the Preserve and the UW Police University would have to approve and that would be difficult.  More discussion ensued. The Committee agreed that this is a difficult problem to solve.

More signage was recommended in several languages.  "These gardens are owned by individual gardeners and removal of vegetables and supplies constitutes theft." Jolene suggested that there be a regular article about the gardens in the monthly newsletter.  She said new residents arrive every day and know nothing about the gardens.  This would also include an invitation to get a garden plot. 

Mulberry Tree

Before she retired, Laura Wyatt said this was an invasive tree, but did not take any further action.  Discussion ensued. The tree is leaking sap from the trunk.  The symptoms point to slime flux or bacterial wet wood in the trunk and limbs, but the tree still needs to be evaluated by an expert. Jolene said maybe UW facilities or Grounds could do the assessment.  The Committee agreed that if the tree was to come down, it would need to be done in the winter.  

University Houses Pollinator Garden 

Carol is starting a pollinator garden in the Northern half of F3, which is no longer a plot.  She plans to start and maintain the garden with volunteer help.  She asked about putting the following native plants in the garden.  Ninebark is a shrub that can grow to 8 feet but hosts native butterfly caterpillars.  Stinging nettles are another host plant. The Committee said no to the ninebark because it is probably too big and also no to the stinging nettles because they could spread to other plots. The Committee agreed to an allowance of $50 at Prairie Moon Nursery for seeds for the pollinator garden.

Garden Worker Report

Lily read a note from Pam, who could not attend. She has been cleaning up the blackberries at University Houses and also the blackberries and raspberries at Eagle Heights. It has been a great year but things are winding down.

Nick reports a lot less work to do this late in the fall.  He has been leading the last couple of workdays clearing plots and covering them with leaf mulch.  He is concerned about the leaning share shelf and would like to take it down before it falls down.  The plan is to salvage the top and put it back next year.  Lily and Nick will check the shelf next week.  The bottom could be rebuilt using tee posts as anchors.  We would call Diggers Hotline first.

Motion by Lily and seconded by Ric to adjourn.

Adjourned just after 7:45 pm

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee