August 2023

 Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

August 9, 2023  7 PM

At University Houses and some people by Remote Meeting

Ann, Barb A, Lily, Jolene, Barb L, Nichole, Ric, Jessica, 

Doug, Sandra and Karen.

Minutes  Motion by Ann and seconded by Ric to approve the July 2023 minutes. The minutes were approved. 

Registrar Update

Lily reports that the waiting list is quite short.  There have been complaints about bikes in the UW Preserve.  Bikes are allowed in the garden, but not in the Preserve.  Laura would like us to cover the bike sign at the entrance.

There was a suggestion to use a butane torch to burn weeds off the wire fences.  The Committee decided that this was a fire hazard and is not allowed.  

There was discussion about an elderberry bush in a plot.  Discussion ensued.  There are elderberry bushes along the easement.  Elderberry bushes are aggressive and very difficult to remove.  Elderberries were removed with great difficulty from a plot.  The garden workers have made a big effort to remove trees from the gardens and are making good progress.  

Motion by Ric and seconded by Bard L to remove the elderberry from the plot after this year's harvest.  All agreed.

A gardener was requested to remove Artemesia along the 12” boundary path with the neighbor and fell.  Discussion ensued.  It is difficult to get everyone to clear the paths between plots.  People plant along the border and plants get larger than people expect.  Lily will send out an email about keeping the 12” path between plots clear.

How many gardeners need a workday?

Lily estimates that 118 gardeners still need to complete a workday.  There need to be enough workday opportunities so we can go back to the rule requiring a workday every year for every plot.

Doug will have a ditch workday and there will be a workday later to remove the elderberry.

Garden Worker Report

Ian reported a dead tree at University Houses.  Since we were there, we could see the dead tree was on UW Preserve land and not our responsibility.  

The west leaf pile at University Houses cannot be serviced any longer by Housing because the road is impassable in wet weather and overgrown.

The weed pile at Eagle Heights has not been removed this year.  Lily will ask about it at the GOC.  Nichole reports that many tasks have been caught up and she is now here working. Ian has now been removing the trees in plots and the buffer zones. Ian would like to know how many people still need to do workdays? 

Budget and Fees 

There was discussion about the budget and fee review.  The GOC had concerns that the rise in fees for students and residents is too high.  Since the chart with the information could not be shared electronically with all present, the decision to take the GOC recommendation will be made by email discussion.  

Electronic Vole Deterrents

The vole deterrent puts out a beeping sound.  After discussion there was a general consensus that these electronic deterrents do not work.  Better advice is to take away the cover for them and they also do not like cayenne pepper.  Someone suggested that Castor Bean was a deterrent.  Castor beans are extremely poisonous!  The garden said the castor beans would be removed from the plant.

Herb Garden

There was concern that a community herb garden would be quickly decimated and was probably not a good idea.

August Calendar

The tasks include weeding, the 700s wall and workdays in the former 400’s.  Nichol will email Lily to set up workdays for the weekend.

People commented about how wonderful the new pink paint looks on the tools.

Karen, Ric and Ian need to set up a cart repair workday.

Adjourned

Some people took a tour of University Houses Garden after the meeting.

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee