April General Garden Meeting 4.9.22

 April Garden Meeting

9-10am April 9, 2022

Present: Emrys, Lindsey, Megan, Schuyler, Steve Sandberg, one

9:00am

1. Welcome and grounding

2. Go around: what kinds of events or workshops would you like to see in the garden this year?

1. Plant diseases

2. Skill shares i.e. herbalist

3. Volunteer days

3. Reminder: 

1. Garden plot fees were due March 31st. Garden plot fees are $30 and garden keys are $5 each. If we did not get your plot fee by the deadline your plot may be reassigned. You can drop off garden plot fees at the EPIC office (2433 Bloomington Ave) - just drop them in the slot to the right of the door.

2. Make checks payable to “EPIC Garden”. They may be mailed to the EPIC Office at 2433 Bloomington Ave., Mpls., MN 55404. If you pay with cash, put it in a sealed envelope with EPIC Garden in the address line and your Name, Plot Number, and the amount you are paying under it.  Then put the envelope in the mail slot on the Right Side (South Side) of the EPIC Office door at 2433 Bloomington Ave. S. 

4. Announcements

1. Lindsey plans on being in the garden Tuesday mornings once it gets warmer out- 830-930ish?

1. Gardeners are welcome to join her weekly to tend to general garden tasks

2. We haven’t put it up/starting taking measurements (waiting until I don’t have to deal with snow), but folks will be able to see precipitation measurements here: https://www.cocorahs.org/ViewData/ListDailyPrecipReports.aspx 

1. The station number is  MN-HN-418

Propose a time for General Garden Meetings going forward: 

• Thursday evening - 5pm? - 1st or 4th?

• 1st Thursday evening - 6? - put a widget out to group - call people to decide

• We will do outreach about it and vote on it at the next meeting

**Note that Garden Organizing Workgroup/Steering Committee meets 3rd Thurs at 5pm

9:15am Review and vote 

1. Budget 

Approved

2. Structure Proposed Change:

1. currently general members elect steering committee - change to no election, all gardeners are a part of the garden committee

1. what gives power to the gardeners?

1. Garden Membership Committee is directly under EPIC board

1. Garden Organizational Workgroup under Garden Membership, does bureaucratic work, reports back to Garden Membership for all decisions, facilitates consensus building

1. subgroups

Approved

3. Draft Charter - TABLED

4. Draft Selected Policies 

Approved

5. Draft Garden Waiver 

Approved

^^2 gardeners shared they approve of the above documents

6. Discuss whether to hire a garden coordinator - TABLED

1. One gardener shared via email that they think hiring someone will be crucial in the new structure

2. One gardener shared they approve of hiring a garden coordinator, said it makes sense especially since the garden requires is so much coordinating

3. Two gardeners shared it sounds like a great idea

^^Two gardeners approve of all documents

^^A gardener shared: As far as the proposed changes I like the changes to the garden flow chart, charter, policies, budget and the creation of a garden coordinator. I think they are necessary updates to the garden organization language and the garden coordinator should hopefully help with better maintenance and more engagement to foster a stronger community garden group.

7. Linguistic Landscaping Proposal

Approved

8. Event proposals/ possible community group collabs: TABLED

1. plymouth congregational youth group volunteer day/ teach in/ tour

2. do we want to offer meeting space to plant grow share for irl people's land network meeting/s

1. Peoples Land Network : Garden Gathering Save the Dates

1. Tuesday May 17th 5:30-7:30pm

2. Tuesday July 19th 5:30-7:30pm

3. Tuesday September 20th 5:30-7:30pm

4. South Mpls Garden TBD