July 2024

 Eagle Heights Garden Committee Minutes

July 10, 2024 7 PM

Remote Meeting

Alex, Jolene, Pam, Sam, Barb A, Ann,  Nick, and Karen.

Alex started the meeting.

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

Registrar Update

Since Lily was not here, Alex presented her report (in italics).

We still have some openings but there also continue to be new applicants. 

At the last GOC meeting Laura Wyatt suggested we consider appointing an invasive plant person in the gardens. Ideally it would be someone with a lot of plant knowledge to walk through the gardens and look out for invasive species, especially new ones. 

-Nick thought this would be a good idea.

We also discussed the possibility of collaborating with the Dining Farm and putting fruit trees in the buffer zone/former 400s (where we once had them before). 

The proposal for the windrow composting at Eagle Heights should be ready for the next GOC meeting. If it’s approved there, I will share it with the committee for review by the garden committee. The University Houses weed pile is not looking great, and we do not have a confirmed plan for it. The constant rains have flooded the lower areas of the garden, and I don’t think that any trucks can drive in right now without getting stuck. A rearranging of the weed pile and mulch area at UH might make room for a water retention/rain garden area. The storm drains from University Houses all drain into that low area from an underground pipe.

-Pam reports that the weedpile at University Houses has now been stacked, so there is more room for weeds. 

I’d like to go ahead with the plan to change University Houses Gardens to organic-only, except existing gardeners that can continue to use non-organic practices if they renew. We’d ask those gardeners to report their pesticide/herbicide usage so that we can pass that information on to the Preserve. They track other non-organic control methods and would appreciate being informed about it. If everyone is still in agreement, I could update the application for 2025.

• After discussion the committee agreed with the plan to transition all of University Houses to organic and to update the 2025 application accordingly.

I’d like to propose that we hold the tomato tasting again this year in early September. 

• We should hold a tomato tasting.

Does anyone know who the birdhouses behind the Eagle Heights shed belong to? A gardener wants one, and I did not know if they were just abandoned there, are garden property, or are from the Preserve.

•  There was discussion about making sure they had sparrow excluders, but no one knew where the birdhouses came from.

A gardener reported that she fell on the washed out road leading south past the shed at Eagle Heights. She requests that this be repaired. I plan to bring this to the next GOC meeting, since various groups use this road

•   The committee agreed this is a topic for the GOC.

We are out of wood chips at Eagle Heights. We were able to get a new delivery to University Houses a few weeks ago, but University Apartments will not have more chips for some time. We have a small brush pile there that we could place a work order to have chipped, but gardeners would like more delivered also. I will try to see if Shorewood or UW Grounds have any when I get back. If anyone knows of a reliable source of wood chips, that would also be great. It would be good to avoid having contractors dumping without notice, since this was such a problem in the past. 

• Ann recommends Heartwood Tree Care for chips and thought they would be careful of walnut chips if asked.

Tire tracks have been seen going around the Eagle Heights gate.  The committee thought this was also a topic for the GOC.

Mulberry Tree

After discussion, the committee would like a qualified person to check the tree for safety.  If it is safe, it could be pruned back.  We could also have mulberries in another part of the garden, perhaps near the 500’s.  Could Lily ask someone on the Preserve staff about the safety of the tree.

Garden Worker Report

Pam said the Garden Workers have all been mowing and mowing and mowing.

She also said she has run multiple productive workdays.

Jolene said the last GOC meeting was a tour of Eagle Heights and Malachai offered the use of the Dining gardens ride-on mower.  Malachai would offer training to the Garden Workers.  The Garden Workers thought it was a good idea and would save time.  The mower would be used on the main path, the perimeter and around the 500’s.  We all agreed the bigger mower would not work on the smaller paths.  The committee is comfortable with the use as described above.

Alex thanked the Garden Workers for their hard work.

New Topics

Barb A said the Arbor rain garden had standing water for three days after the last huge rain storm. Pam said she and Doug dug out the trench leading out of the 115 rain garden.  Nick having rain gardens is great.

Karen volunteered to help with cart repair now that the cart parts have arrived.

Jolene requested that a gardener attend the GOC meeting.

Motion by Karen and seconded by Barb A to adjourn.

Adjourned just after 7:35pm

Submitted by Karen, subject to correction by the Garden Committee