Shauna is the Steering Committee contact for the following teams:
~Lawn and Chrysanthemums as well as Garbage Can Emptying
this team waters the flowers along the front fence that borders Elati Street. The beds on both sides of the fence need to be watered and weeded. The lawn inside the garden by the toolbox will be reseeded in May and will need regular watering throughout the summer. I will send an email to this committee when the garden is re-seeded and ask for watering help. It is crucial that the grass seeds stay wet for the first10 days after it is spread. Lastly, please check the garbage can every time you go to the garden. If it is half-full, empty it. It is much heavier to carry to the alley and dump in the dumpster when full.
Gretchen K.
Jim M.
Theresa C.
Shauna I.
Gabe
~Communications Committee
This group is responsible for helping make the Elati Garden blog and Facebook page informative and interesting as well as maintaining the garden bulletin and signage. Our social networking sites can be used to post upcoming Elati Garden events, workday reminders, recipes, images, and link the community to the garden. For example, Deb will be posting recipes on the blog and then posting a link to the blog on facebook each time she adds a recipe. Make sure the signage is up and readable: front gate, back gate and compost. If the signs are damaged or fall down please fix them. It is important to maintain the gate signage because it educates the community about the garden and asks those who enter to be respectful by staying out of individual plots, not taking from the gardens (stealing) and encourages neighbors to enjoy produce from our donation baskets. This team also oversees the 3 compost signs that Lola made at the start of the season. On the bulletin board you can post a plot map, info on water conservation, upcoming classes and events and other information pertinent to the garden. This committee would be most productive if each person takes on one or two tasks from the list. If you are interested in blogging please email Shauna for log in info.
Shauna I.
Vanessa C.
Eric P.
Leigh Ann D.
Deb W.
Adam L.
Vanessa is the Steering Committee contact for the following teams:
~Weeding, Watering, Deadheading of Common Areas
This includes the pathways, entryways, and strips on the inside and outside of the east and west fences. While each gardener is responsible for the care of the perennial beds adjacent to their garden plot, this committee takes care of the edges of the garden that do not border gardens such as the front perimeter bordering Elati Street (both inside and outside the gate). The committee also provides oversight for the entire perimeter managing watering and weeding. If you find an area that is being neglected please let Shauna, Lola or Vanessa know. We suggest Erik & Monte are excellent resources (because it was their design and hard work that brought these beds to life), to identify perennials at all stages of growth as well as educate re: best composting and watering practices.
Erik P.
Monty L.
Kenneth R.
Maryann B.
Vanessa C.
Steve C.
Deb W.
~Grapes and Raspberry Hedge
Prune, water, cultivate and put to bed. This team also prunes, cultivates and harvests the grapes. Please harvest all grapes and raspberries at end of season and use or donate.
Maryann B.
Amy K.
Kim W.
Carolina
Sue R.
Lola
Monte
~Center Seating/Flower Beds Planting, Watering, Weeding
& Shade Trees/ Watering/Pruning/Cultivating
This committee is responsible for keeping the four center planters bursting with plants! To do so, each committee member can either purchase plants, have them donated or plant flower seeds. This is the centerpiece of our garden so we need to stay committed to making it beautiful, lush and inviting. This group is also responsible for keeping the center beds watered, weeded and deadheaded. Please make it a habit to check the center beds when you go to the garden to see if they need water or weeding. Because there are several people on this committee we encourage you to use the water meter in the toolbox to see if the beds need water. If it does need water please water thoroughly. This committee also needs to keep an eye out for the lilac bush, the big apple tree in the front and the 3 apple trees in the back. All the trees in the garden need a slow 20 minute spray watering once a month on cool months and every other week on hot and dry months around the of the branch parimeter (the width of the branch spread where all the main water sucking rootlets are) .. Folks in the group should divide up the trees for each to take care of one or two trees and set a ground spray to water while they come to work in their plots keeping with the tree watering schedule.
Vanessa C.
Sue R.
Monty L.
Kim W.
Theresa P.
Derek
Lola is the Steering Committee contact for the following teams:
~Compost Maintenance
These committee members love worms, digging in the dirt, and fiddling with the whole life cycle and recyle process. They are responsible to organize for general compost bin maintenance, produce compost using clean compost practices, and provide garden community education for general garden water conservation practices.
(1). Cleaning out or cutting up "too big" items and pulling out trash items into the alley trash bins,
(2). Watering (damp sponge-like but not drippy or soaking)
(3). Turning once a week,
(4). Cleaning up spillage & keeping the whole area clean.
(5). Making decisions about readiness to use fresh made compost, rest, adjusting quality of material, or starting a new. Decisions on when to move signs, start a bin or rest a bin are made in collaboration (contact the committee leaders and one or two other members when making these decisions an ongoing learning experience).
(6). Education: encourage educational contacts on how make the compost process work as well as how to effectively use the compost for water retention and soil health. Encourage gardeners to add coffee grounds in our compost or straight to their plot.
Lola H.
Laurance L.
Kim W.
Ayana
Adam
~Community Herb Garden
This group makes being a chef so much fun. The committee members are delightfully and creatively responsible for planting, watering and weeding the herb garden that is available for everyone's use. This committee might encourage other gardeners to donate herbs for this plot.
(1) Plant and care for herbs amending and prepping the soil. Consider signs to identify herbs,
(2). Bulletin board posting for herb wish lists and notifying the community when herbs are ready for harvest.
(3). Responsible to control and divide large perennial herbs for best product and size.
(4). Use good soil preparation, composting, water retention and organic practices all during the season.
(5). Share herbs that are divided with the Elati garden community or market to help the general garden cash flow.
(6). This committee is responsible to prep herb bed at the end of season: harvest and use or donate, dig in compost, water deeply, use leaves to cover open ground.
Eric P
Leigh Ann D.
Shawnee A.
Theresa P.
Lola H.
Sue R.
Steve
Derrick
~Tools and Irrigation Supplies & Carpentry and Masonry
This is a committee of fixers and organizers and mechanics who like to make things work and dislike clutter. This committee is responsible for the tools and hard ware of the garden.
(1) .They are responsible for the tool inventory. Marking for discard any broken or unfixable tools. Discarding broken ones that the gardeners do not want.
(2). Keeping the tool box clean and safe: Adding a hook on the lid so it doesn't slam shut. Painting the tool box. Posting on the bulletin board any rules about the tool care and cleaning the garden community should follow.
(3). They might create a wish list and post on the garden board for needed items encouraging and spearheading attaining items through garage sales, donations.
(4). The committee might organize pods of gardeners around each hose station to find hoses, purchase new or replace watering wands and brass faucit hardware or add hoses as needed. Committee members will usually do the actual work on installing hardware.
(5). The committee is responsible to periodically inspect benches, throw out broken chairs, repair broken wheelbarrows, etc (minimum once a month).
The garden has a small fund to replace some items and can reimburse on a case by case basis. If you have any questions ask Lola H.
Josh LePree
Kim W.
Monty Lambie
Leigh Ann D.
Adam
Come on down to the garden this coming First Friday August 5th for the next Elati Garden First Friday Art Fair + Bake Sale. The wonderfully designed flier by Vanessa Coates.
