November 2023

 Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

November 8, 2023  7 PM

Remote Meeting

Ann, Ian, Lily, Alex, Jolene, Barb L, Ron, Jessica, 

Barb A and Karen.

Minutes  With a motion by Barb A and seconded byBarb L, the October 2023 minutes were approved. 

Registrar Update

Lily reports there are now1 full plot and 2 half plots empty at Eagle Heights. University Houses has one empty half plot

Alex agreed to proofread the Chinese application and Barb L will ask her husband to check the Turkish application.  Jolene said that there are Spanish speaking teachers at Eagle Wing that could maybe help with the Spanish application.

The Seed Fair will be April 6th and the seed repackaging and sorting is on January 15th. 

Lily has sent out some of the seed donation request letters and the rest will be sent soon.  Lily called Ktizawa Seeds to try to get a donation of some of their Asian specialty vegetables.  She was told to contact True Leaf Market and they might donate in exchange for us promoting them on social media.

The flooring in the Community Center will be replaced in late December.  Jolene is helping organize a new drop box location so Lily can receive the application.  She will be able to work from home.

So far there have been 150 responses to the survey and the due date is in the middle of November.

Lily requests we require no workday for plots given out after August 1st.  The committee agreed. Weedy plots are free after August 1st.

97 plots have had no one do a workday.

A gardener has requested that we install the sink at University House or get rid of it.  Discussion ensued.  We agreed to make sure the sinks were installed and worked properly next year. The green chain link fence should be offered to SWAP and if they won’t take it Ron offered to take it to Habitat.  There is an old abandoned shelf behind the shed.  Lily will check to make sure it does not belong to anyone else before we get rid of it. 

One of the share shelves at Eagle Heights is falling down and needs repair.  There was a suggestion to orient the shelf so it was in the shade in the morning so the vegetables people leave for others last longer.

Garden Worker Report

Ian has been shutting down the garden and fixing some carts.  He will buy more fruit tree wrap to protect the trees this winter. 

He has been making marker posts for both corners and number posts.  The only marker missing in Eagle Heights is 1308.  Lily and Ian will do a walk through for University Houses where there are many posts missing.

The other big task is removing trees in plots.  Barb A asked Ian to remove some trees in the Arbor Garden and she will show him where they are.  Ron said there was a hand tool called a sapling puller.  Discussion ensued.  The Committee thought we should get one.  Ian said we might have one in the shed.

There was also a discussion about the large amount of buckthorn growing on the borders of the garden in the Preserve areas.  Lily will check with the Preserve about the buckthorn.

Garden Worker Hiring

A person was recommended for the empty Garden Worker position.  Since she is an international student , she cannot be hired as a temporary employee.  Jolene is working on the problem.

Jolene said Ian has been working lots of hours and wonders if there is work for him in winter.  The next task is repacking and sorting seeds in January.

After discussion it was agreed there will be no December meeting.

Motion by Barb L and seconded by Ann to adjourn.

Adjourned 7:36

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee