General Garden Meeting 4.10.21

 

2^nd Garden Meeting of 2021 Minutes

Saturday, April 10 at 9am

Steve Sandberg, Steve and Karen Watson, Flo, Emrys, Lindsey Fenner, Megan and Luke Brandt, Louis

1)     9:00 AM Call to Order.

2)     Announcements

a.      May Steering Committee Meeting – Monday, May 3 at 7pm Via Zoom

            First Monday of the month at 7pm

b.     May Garden Meeting – May 8^th at 9:00 AM Via Zoom

c.      EPIC Annual Meeting & Board Elections -  Saturday, April 24^th starting at 10 A.M. with a pancake breakfast via Zoom .

d.     Phillips Clean Sweep – Saturday October 9^th – Free cleaning supplies at 9:00 AM at the Welna Parking Lot, Clean the ‘hood and community gathering at Stewart Park Noon to 2:00 PM.

e.      Garden Fall Harvest Party: Saturday, October 16^th from 4:30 PM until the fire goes out.

 

3)     Review Garden Use Agreement and Plot Payment options:

Each adult gardener must sign the garden use agreement. Please return to the EPIC office by mailing or dropping in the drop slot to the right of the EPIC office door at 2433 Bloomington Ave Minneapolis MN 55404. There are blank garden use agreements on the door of the EPIC office.

4)     Review Basic Garden Policies & Procedures.

a.      Make your plot look beautiful and help make the whole garden look beautiful

b.     Organic & natural fertilizer only

c.      No Poison

d.     No digging deeper that 12”

e.      Masks and social distancing required

f.       Plots must be planted by the first Saturday in June (June 5^th) or they will be reassigned.

g.      Dogs must be leashed when in the garden

h.     Never harvest another gardeners produce without specific permission

i.       Sign up for garden workdays and maintenance projects. Gardeners in each plot must contribute 6 hours of maintenance work over and above that of their own plot.

j.       Use Rain Barrel water until it is gone. Only then use expensive City water.

k.     Always make sure the water valve in the shed is turned OFF when not in use!

5)     Finances: 

a.      We ended 2020 with a balance of $43.93

2018 Budget
Paid by	EPIC	Gardeners
Property Tax		$384.12
Water		$300.00
Unpaid Plots (15%)		$144.00
Other	$450.00
TOTAL	$450.00	$828.12

            

 

 

4)     2021 Garden Plot Fee

a.      The $30.00 per plot will raise $960.00 assuming all plots are filled & paid - $131.88 Over Budget.

5)     Garden keys are available for $5.00 per key

6)      Excess Funds and Donations  will be used to fund:

a.      the Alternative Plot Payment Plan which assists those who are unable to afford the plot fee,

b.      the purchase of garden tools and compost,

c.      the fall harvest party.
 

7)     How to Pay the Plot & Key Fee and Submit the required Garden Use Agreement:

a.      Please make checks payable to “EPIC Garden”. Place Cash or Check in a sealed envelope with “EPIC Garden”, your name and plot # and the amount you are paying on the outside. Checks may be mailed to EPIC Garden, 2433 Bloomington Ave. S., Mpls., MN 55404. Do not mail cash. Drop envelopes into the mail slot on the Right (South) side of the EPIC office door at the same address.

b.      Garden Use Agreement Forms are located in an envelope on the EPIC Office door (2433 Bloomington) and in the Garden Work Groups Binder in the Garden Shed. Each gardener in each plot must read and sign the agreement and drop it in the mail slot or leave it in the Binder in the Garden Shed..

8)     Gardener Obligations:

a.      Garden Work Groups and Policy (6 Hrs./Plot/Year beyond time required to maintain your plot) Review Work Groups & paperwork

#1 Priority:  

v   Determine date and time to replace10 fence posts on north garden property line.

#2 Priority: 

v   Re-establish paths on South and West property lines as shown on the Plot Map

#3 Priority:

v   Organize compost area.

b.      Plots must be planted by the first Saturday in June, (June 1^st) (or they will be reassigned)

c.      Water (Conserve Water – use rain barrel water FIRST)

d.      Plot Fees are due on plot assignment. Contact Brad or a SC member for an Alternate Payment Plan if necessary.

 

9)     Plot Map

a.      Garden plots must look exactly like they do on the plot map. No Plot Creep.

b.      Adjacent plots must share an 8” to 12”  path between them or more if shown on the Plot Map.

10)  Determine date & time for new gardeners to take the Orientation Tour.

11)  Sign Garden Use Agreement and Pay Plot Fee (See #7 above).

12)  Determine Garden tools that are needed & plan a shopping trip.

13)  Get to know your gardening neighbors and have a have a great time in the EPIC Garden!

14)  Adjourn

 

15) Fruit Tree Update:

Cherries have brown rot

Pick all of the dead fruit off the tree

Pick up leaves from around the base of the tree

 

10am   Adjourn

 

Free compost for community gardens: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/clean-city/community-garden-compost/request-compost/