August Community Garden Action Team Minutes

M.C.P

Community Gardens Action Team

www.communitygardensactionteam.blogspot.com

August 13, 2008

Keller House

Present: Lina Ortiz, Miss Dorthea Jenkins, Susan Vought, , Harold Blair, Lucy Keller, Colleen Majors, Mary Lou Laubscher, Virginia Aguirre, Susan Lawson, Ivette Maruri, Charly Hahn, Bryan Reiss, Michael Kerr, Kathy Greene, Alex Barton, Christi Campbell

Announcements

Miss Dorthea, Lakeside Apartment Meeting- excellent attendance and good number interested in the volunteering at the Community Garden, lots interested

Susan Vought, reporting for Stan Hansen on Y.V. High School garden project, garden area leveled, concrete blocks purchased for raised beds, garden is measured out,. irrigation system being worked on.

Lucy, has a contact for free seeds, good for summer planting (Harriet Burk – 372-8038).Kevin Edwards from YV High in charge of getting grounds ready for school. Volunteers call him at 685-8414 x 3602

Susan Lawson, facilitator Lakeside/Palm Terrace Apt. planning group, this summer got approval for a community garden, Javier Huerta took a look at Lakeside plot, very hilly, top boxes would work best, not low to ground because of the raccoons. High platforms best to keep raccoons out.

Colleen, teaches at Cambridge Elementary taught summer school and enjoyed a few days of vacation

Harold, has moved. He misses his large vegetable garden at his old home.

Ivette, has a vision of starting a community garden in an open space where residents could grow food and then hand it out to the homeless and hungry. Wants us to check out Galindo house and property behind Osh on Monument

Virginia, has a new Caring Hands volunteer coming to her house and is excited. Will now be able to get to more meetings

Bryan, Anti-War action CCRA, Contra Costa Radical Action, worked feeding the homeless in Berkeley, draws, music, organizing community events for a cause to help others.

Mike, runs the www.baypointcommunity.org website Friends of the Anuta Park, works with Bay Point Garden, Ambrose Community and Recreation

Charly, interested in creating sustainable communities

Kathy, compulsive gardener, Mt. Diablo Peace Center Wants opportunity to start a Soup-Kitchen garden, Grew tomato plants with produce for food bank people

Christy, interested in everything talked about tonight

Lina, all moved in, back from vacation NY/camping, ready for her son to start Kindergarten at St. Francis. Great Kids Garden Discovery Area at the Monument Community Pride Celebration in June, lots of volunteers and over a hundred children visited our booth.

Community Gardens Updates

Ygnacio Valley High Garden

(Chair: Kevin Edwards

Stan saw that trees were removed to make room for planter beds

Now there is room for two areas of raised beds.

Basalite blocks will be used to contain beds

Need volunteers to help build the beds

Cambridge Elementary Garden

(Janice Winsey chair)

Gardens used during summer school

New Lakeside Apartments Garden

(Doretha Jenkins, Chair, Susan Lawson, facilitator)

7 residents from Lakeside signed up to participate

Lakeside Gardens Meeting

_____________________________________________________________

HEAL Grant Requirements –(Kaiser funds this Action Team)

1. Inventory of Present Community Gardens in Monument Area

Map where gardens are presently and other possible sites within walking distance

- City Planner needed to assist us with larger size maps

2. Community Gardens Strategic Plan

Mary Lou passed out our current plan which is in progress

A strategic Plan Committee established with:

Ivette. Convenier

Lina, Facilitator

Mary Lou

Others welcomed

*HEAL Grant Strategic Plan Committee will meet

Wednesday, August 23, 2008 at 8:30am. at Country Waffles near Kohls

Fall Garden - What to plant now – Tomatoes, peas, spinach, kale, mustard greens, Chinese greens, collard greens, radishes, garlic, onion, broccoli, cabbage (ask Janice for a planting list for fall gardens)

Oct. 4 Health Fair

Planning Committee Established

Lina, Facilitator

Lucy

Janice

Stan

Mary Lou

Any interested members

October Health Fair Planning Sub Committee)

Tuesday, September 9th at 10:30 at Ygnacio Park (Lina and Ivette)

What Our Booth will look like

Container Gardens, rolling gardens to show examples of fall gardens

School Gardens Display, posters with pictures of progress

Apartments – Display of pictures of hanging gardens

Informational Hand Outs- Starting a New Garden and Best Plantings in the fall

Kids Discovery Garden

Children’s’ Garden Book Give Away – Coordinate with Sally Smith (798-1680)

Parking Lot of Ideas for Future Discussions

Monument Community Healthy Eating Guide

Group planting project Bryan’s house

Monument Community Gleaners

Galindo Property

BART Land by the Skateboard Park

Property behind Osh on Monument

Health Gardening Guide

Problem, ground squirrels and raccoons

Invite Brian to the Transportation Action Team

Look into Rent A Gardener for vacant lots – talk to Monument Futures

Bryan: signed up to research where there are current community gardens, call him with further instructions

Agenda for Next Meeting

City Planner / Gardner speak on what land we can use in the future, where there are community gardens

Currently in use.

This Meeting Highlights

New faces, Lakeside group attendance, all attendees seem to be on same page, networking potentials

How this meeting could be improved

When our regulars come back, Stan, Ekkerhardt, Bill, Janice

Next Meeting (All Members)

(normally the 2^nd Wednesday of Month)

Note Change for this Month:

Thursday, September 11, 2008, Brookview Park's Clubhouse, 1201 Monument, 7-9 pm,

Mission Statement

Within five years the Monument Community Gardens Action Team will help with the establishment of five community gardens within walking distance of high density neighborhoods in the Monument Community

Vision Statement

A Monument Community Gardens Action Team will be established to: Foster both nutrition and health for all community members; Foster spiritual and psychological health of the community; Involve all ages and capabilities; Foster Garden Clubs, School Gardens and Large Community Gardens; Establish a Farmers Market in the Community