[sustainableri] Re: very important! MUCH!
- From: Michael Giroux <eagleseasons@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: sustainableri@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:58:20 -0400
Thanks for caring for the schedule, Dauna.
I have planted some flower seeds in the serpentine bed thus far, so let me
know where we put in those blueberries, (I would be interested in those!)
I am in full agreement, Andrea, that we have a unique and effective
opportunity to grow crops way more efficiently when we have them in neat
rows, planted to receive their proper sunlight and so forth, and can have
one person go over there and take care of watering the whole thing, so on
and so on. It is very eloquently put in your message; I couldnt say it any
better.
Every other South Side Community Garden has a waiting list. Some people
have been on waiting lists for three years. We should contact these people,
and incite them to join with us, to be in involved with our progressive and
novel take, which is actually more efficient and rational. I have been
personally speaking on our behalf to a few people who have shown interest,
some right in the neighborhood. But I think a cohesive recruitment is very
much in order!! I would be willing to write a statement, Andrea, your
statement right there may be a righteous piece in itself!! Can we get that
waiting list and contact them?? I am with you too, A, in that I'm not
opposed to people doing their own thing, but I would much prefer them to
join with us!! I did talk with Yarrow to the point that if we see a bed
being obviously neglected this year, we would place a complaint and if those
repsonsible dont take care of it, that bed will revert to the collective
control of the garden after a said amount of time (I proposed three days,
like if there is tons of bugs on their plants and everything, we want to be
able to address that quickly)
I am going to write to the gardens coordinator right now, from SCLT, and
try to get that waiting email list. If any of you would like to write quick
snippets, such as:
"There is this greenhouse that kind of reminds me of a spaceship, and the
people there reassured me that the sun wasn't going to blow up in two
thousand twelve!" * -Christian, young neighborhood resident*
You know, in your own words though, not paraphrasing for someone else.
With these three year waiting lists, I have a feeling we may be able to drum
up some members, and I believe we're offering a sort of premier membership
in some ways, considering the greenhouse access, although I havent heard
anything about extra fees for greenhouse use; emm? I have been nominated as
Greenhouse Steward, a position I will accept if/when it becomes formal.
I submitted my own wishes for our agreement, including the right to keep
BEES which Yarrow is also entirely in favor of, and that we can maintain a
campfire space. I am all about maximizing garden beds, but I really feel
that the fire is part of keeping our spirits burning, and actually (quick
story) one friend and potential new member I brought over changed his
opinion from "maybe interested" to "definitely coming this thursday" when I
showed him our bad-ass firepit. So as far as making sure we've got enough
members, I think there are other allures besides vegetables, being honest.
Community and good times are right up there. (we're also going to be
needing to burn those blight ridden tomato plants and so forth, so it's
really part of farm operations in my book.)
More update: the kids have been coming around regularly, they want to
learn a lot and grow their own seeds, very interested, very enquiring. So I
am inviting them to come on Thursdays also, because that is my consistent
day of stewardship and I'll be coming up with activities for them and
satisfying their interest in astronomy etc. I think we could eventually get
money to do after school programming summer programming etc. which is
another way we could pay for our collective rental of the land. If anyone
would like to work with me on that, please do!!! For now I just keep doing
the good things with trust it will all pan out in the end.
More update: The greenhouse is so god-porkin beautiful these days; it
has gained a whole new motif since y'all have been there. There's a reason
we'll be planting SPACE SPINACH in there this week. (By the way, I went and
picked up our 200 seed packs from URI, and also traded for some local seeds
from the Laotians and other Providence gardeners. It is high time to get
some seeds going and I really look forward to getting some trays filled.)
Trev gave it all a fresh coat of paint, and our friend Than has been coming
by to water his seedlings, am I making you envious???? well you should be!
let's get some seeds going! we gotta straighten out the deal before we do
that, tho I put in some basil just to keep myself calm.
Yarrow's main focus seems to be upon effective use of the space. He
doesnt want to see the land neglected nay more than we do. That is why he
would like to get more people involved. Hell, I think we all do! My own
hope is that we bring them into the fold of Fertile Underground, because I
think it is more coherent, as Andrea described. We have a novel approach
that I agree, I don't see elsewhere in any gardens of our size in Prov. So
write me some short quotes, those of you with the inspiration to do so, and
I'll piece together some sort of press statement if I can get it to that
waiting list.
Much love, everyone, I look forward to seeing you. By the way, anyone up
for a game of 8-player chess?
Michael
On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 1:34 PM, Dauna J. Noble <daunajean@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> OK, firstly --- blueberry bushes have recieved such excitement, I think we
> would alll love to have them if possible and Yarrow concurs, and
serpentine
> bed seems good for them. So, if that can happen -DO IT!
>
> scedule adjust per request- WE WILL MEET EVERY OTHER THURSDAY @ 530
> CAMPFIRE, STARTING MARCH 25TH, BUT, ALSO APRIL 1, THEN EVERY TWO FROM
> THERE. SO MARCH 25, APRIL 1, APRIL 15TH, APRIL 29TH, MAY 14, MAY
> 28......
>
> AND 1ST SAT OF THE MONTH @ 430 APRIL 3, MAY 1, JUNE 5, JULY 3....
>
> EVERY THURS AFTERNOON IS A GROUP WORK DAY, AND EVERY SAT AFTERNOON IS A
> GROUP WORK DAY. EVEN IF ITS NOT A MEETING DAY.
>
> You are not required to catch every meeting but both are offered for sched
> flexabilty. the idea is to stay connected, so if you cant do thursdays,
> really try to be there for the sat meetings and vise versa. YOU ARE
REQUIRED
> TO CATCH AT LEAST ONE A MONTH!
>
> NOW THE BIG DEAL
>
> met with yarrow last weekend. He is taking a MUCH more active role this
> year and is hell bent on seeing the garden filled up and rockin. This is
> definately a good thing, but presents its challlenges. Yarrows title is
now
> Garden Director, while mine is Garden Coordinator, and he pretty much
wants
> to make most of the decisions. He seems to be developing the garden under
a
> system to allow it to run as a community garden should our group pull
out.
> He is giving us first rights on everything and does acknowledge that we
> brought it this far, so he is being cool, but he is tricky to understand.
> Basically, he has staked out many many more beds that he claims he will
lead
> the building of(and pay for building of), maybe 30 or 40 beds in total
(4x8
> beds-so many of ours are doubles). Now, he says we can take as much of
the
> garden as we want to pay for, and the rest he would rent out community
> style. This leaves the greenhouse running as a separate entity, where
some
> members or the group rent greenhouse space, or other entities, other
> seasons, rent it separately. Seems confusing to me and I would much
rather
> see us rent the whole garden and be more clear. But that is up to you
> guys. Nothing is set in stone yet- but he is thinking 40 beds at $40 a
bed
> (includes dirt, water, etc) which is $1600. We have 15-20 members
> currently, so that would put us at $80 - $100 PER MEMBER for the year, if
we
> want the whole garden and most of the greenhouse (except special projects,
> winter rental etc) Payment this year is one-time pay, preferable on April
> 1. (sorry we cant do the monthly thing again - hes not having it and it
was
> alot of trouble.)and the season means April thru November.If we do it this
> way we would be paying less than last year, have alot more services and
> recsources via Yarrow, and twice the bed space, more than twice the food.
>
> or...do we want to consider having less beds, less contol, less food, and
> pay less, and have our group function as a group that works a portion of
the
> garden while other community members have their own beds. At this point,
> the garden itself is one thing, Fertile Underground its tenant.
>
> We have to have a final vote on this ASAP, AND SIGN UP AND PAY UP, so we
> will discuss it at the meeting this coming thursday @ 530, and vote. If
you
> are unable to attend, please forward your comments and insights, and
> preferences about which way you would like to see this go and how much $
> you would prefer to pay/ how much is your limit you would pay and still
> maintain your membership. We intend to sign a lease April 1, so please
plan
> to arrange for your membership fees by then if at all possible. We will
be
> in the garden for facetime/payment thursday 25th (3-7) sat. 27th (1-4)
and
> thursday april 1 (3-7), or can be mailed to Dauna Noble 109 Summer St.
Prov
> RI 02903.
>
> It is tricky, but considering how far we have come and how lucky we were
to
> get out of $1000 debt AND still have a garden, I think we can work it out.
> what do you think? hope to see you alll thursday!
>
> dirtluv!
> -Dauna
>
> ps-sorry i missed you at the sat. kick-off --my truck broke down, got
> stuck....
Other related posts:
