Community Gardens Action Team Meeting Minutes November 30, 2010

Present: Jenna Carlsson, Mary Lou Laubscher, Dave Pitman, Mike Kerr, Jawadia Alam, Katia Ginesta

Announcements:

• Bruce Lyon, Bryan Balch and Harold Blair were recognized Thursday, December 2 in Richmond as Men of Merit from STAND for Families Against Violence
• The SCUFI (Commercial farming) project is looking for more applicants in order to start training January 7. Please help us recruit people for this great opportunity! For more information, scroll down and/or call Tess at (682-8248 x2180).
• Great resource! A Century of Community Gardening In America by Laura Lawson. 384 pages. 2005. http://www.scribd.com/doc/44284943/Garden
• Urban Farming in Cuba: This excellent video is about how a movement started: www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6WOADc-roQ
• Worm Composting: Jawadia was looking for red wiggler worms and was able to get some from Mike! Great community exchange. For more information on worm composting, see http://www.wastediversion.org/app_pages/view/216

Discussion of SCUFI Program and challenges in starting it up

• Challenge: Word hasn’t gotten out enough, resistance to farming work because it is can be difficult and some people don’t see it in the best light, information is not clear enough
• Proposed solution: Info session with those who are committed and James, get information out in the press, focus on those who are really interested and get them to sign up!

Priorities and Refocusing for Team

(agenda item postponed for later discussion as we focus on the SCUFI Program)

Next Steps:

• Sign up for SCUFI & get others to sign up
• Do outreach for SCUFI
• Set up a SCUFI Advisory group
• Get SCUFI questions answered by James Wed December 8th at 6:30pm Chavez Center

Next Meeting: Jan 12th 7-8:30pm tentative.

• December meeting canceled. Stay tuned for information about what will be happening in January.
• If you are interested in working on the Iron Horse Trail project – go to the Transportation Action Team meeting at Keller House Thurs Jan 20th from 7-8:30pm.

This meeting evaluation:

+ Flexible Outreach for SCUFI meeting date Enthusiastic new members Good questions 3 core people for SCUFI BART land available

Δ SCUFI is not clear - $$, who, land, etc.