August 15, 2016 – Meeting Minutes

Members In Attendance:
Donna Willard

Rebecca Patterson

Karsten Baumann

Evelyn Baumann

Sophie Bolick

Susan Howe

Barbara Blackwell

Jack Johnson

Sangeetha Thankamani

Call to Order

Approval of agenda

Review of minutes – July 2016 minutes approval tabled

Tree trimming

·  Karsten to schedule meeting with Steve from Town of Morrisville to see when work can be completed

·  Action: haul bamboo in pathway behind garden to front for Steve to haul away

Wood chips, soil

·  Davey Tree Service to deliver the next batch of wood chips—Rebecca has emailed to Davey to determine timing of next delivery

·  Susan said Bartlett would be happy to also provide MCG with wood chips

·  Homemade compost ready for use

·  Action: Wheat straw to be ordered from Page Road Nursery in September 2016

·  Action: Order 1 truckload of soil (order approved in July 2016)

Garden chores

·  Members present at meeting agreed that no animal-based fertilizers to be used in MCG (ie, blood meal, fish emulsion, bone meal)

‒  Fertilizers that can be used include homemade compost, cover crops, coffee grounds, and planting of nitrogen fixers encouraged (eg, peas, beans, clover)

·  Action: Rebecca to remove sodium nitrate from shed; not to be used in MCG

·  Action: Eventual purchase of clover seed (anytime beds are between crops)

Calendar/Outreach

·  Next group workday is Sunday, August 28, 2016

·  Children’s Garden has been weeded, squash plants have been left; Donna to provide wildflower seed “bombs” for children to plant

·  Fall plants include mums, carrots, radishes

·  First frost date is around Halloween

Communications

·  Fall garden survey include any leafy greens and fennel

Treasury report

·  July 2016 balance: $3,928.11

Other business

·  Summer beds to be released by August 28

‒  Bed 8: unassigned strawberry bed

‒  Bed 17: open now

‒  Bed 21: unassigned and ready

‒  Bed 26: open now

‒  Bed 37: Surya back on August 25; contact upon return

‒  Bed 38: cantaloupe to be removed

‒  Bed 40: Jack to maintain tomatoes until Labor Day, then plant turnips and kale at end September

·  Summer beds that require member response regarding next steps (no response since August 8)

‒  Bed 24: Ming

‒  Bed 25: Xu

·  Beds in flood prone areas of garden to be potentially raised and ditches to be added in Oct/Nov

·  Raising water barrels on concrete cinder blocks for access: 4 cinder blocks to be purchased

·  Bed 6 to be sole bed maintained for strawberries

·  Beds 1, 2, and 39 to be resized and subdivided in Oct/Nov after first freeze

·  Update on Food Hub (Donna and Susan): meeting this past week with Chef’s Academy

Next meeting time & location:

Monday, September 19, 2016, at 7 pm at Morrisville Aquatic and Fitness Center

Adjournment of meeting: 8:15 pm

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