Worth offered his tractor to help clean and pull up the landscape fabric. The bucket might be used to scrape grass off the top. We agreed to get together next Sunday, 4/13, to try this out.
We discussed soil quality with reference to Joe's book, "Soil Survey of Worcester County Massachusetts, Northeastern Part", published by the USDA Soil Conservation Service. The book ranks soil for agriculture on a scale of three: poorly suited, suited, and well suited. The Littleton Rd site near the road is suited, but quickly becomes "Swansea muck" and poorly suited towards Bower's Brook. The water table is high particularly near the brook and would not be good for deep rooted plants (trees). But it may be ok for plants that like water - paw paw, water celery etc. The soil near the road may be fine for the kind of crops we're growing, particularly if compost is applied.
Other sites need to be evaluated for soil, water availability, and shade. Parking is also a factor. If one is available that surpasses the Littleton Rd site, we should consider moving the garden there. Possible sites are on Slough Rd, and the land on Old Littleton whose gift was acknowledged at town meeting. This land may be next to an orchard of Carlson's, and may get downwind spray. Water will likely be an issue on Slough Rd. There may be a site available on Still River Rd by West Bare Hill. At all sites, the appearance of the garden, particularly many parked cars, may be an issue for the neighbors. Sydney offered to talk with people to find the availability of other sites.
Removing the landscape fabric at Littleton Road has several advantages. The soil underneath is grass-free and probably doesn't need to be tilled. If we can move the fabric over to cover the grass in the adjoining area, this may kill the grass there. That would make it much easier to prepare that area after tilling, since grass clumps would not have to be removed by hand.
We should have one or two shared plots to grow three sisters - corn, beans, and squash - and perhaps other crops. Corn grows better in large quantities, and this would provide an area for squash and pumpkins.
The fence has to be installed soon, before the deer get in the habit of grazing the area that will be used for the garden. We would have to remove the fence while tilling, and then replace it. This means we need to size and buy the fence as soon as possible. Susan Morris costed out welded wire and deer fencing at Home Depot. Welded wire comes in 3' and 4' heights, and both come in 50' lengths. A 3x50 roll costs $33.98, and a 4x50 roll is $39.98. 7'x100' of plastic deer fencing is $54.94. They also have 28" rabbit fence and posts.
To find the fence size, we need to know the number of plots. 16 people from town meeting signed up on the sheet there, and of those one person signed up on the email list. Others may be interested in plots but not the email list, and may be planning to send in registration forms. We agreed to send out an email to the email list, asking people to let us know what size plot they would be interested in, and their level of commitment. The request should note that applications are due April 30. Since plots are allocated on a first come first served basis, sending in the application now would guaranteed a place in line, since space will be limited (see below). As applications come in, they can be used to pay current expenses such as soil samples.
The space covered by the landscape fabric is roughly 30'x100'. Twice that area (60x100) is 6000 square feet, which is 60 quarter plots (10x10), or 15 full plots (20x20). If we limit the garden to this area for this year, then we can size the fence now. The perimeter of this area is 2x100 + 2x60 = 320 feet.
The risk is that we would need a great deal less space, and so would buy unneeded fence. Susan suggested that knowing the incremental cost of fence would help answer this question. For example, the low electrified mesh comes in 130' rolls. Two rolls is 260', which is the perimeter of the area currently covered by landscape fabric (2x100 + 2x30). If we use twice that area as expected, we'll need another roll. But this roll will not be used if we don't need the extra area.
The expectation is that a 30x100 area (7.5 plots) is not big enough, and that 60x100 probably will be. The email reqest for plot sizes should give us a ballpark estimate of how well the 60x100 area will meet our needs.
We discussed fence funding. The deadline for Garden Club grant applications is May 15, and we won't know the outcome of ours until sometime after that. Worth proposed that it may be reasonable to expect fees to cover all costs. We discussed members helping out with general garden tasks, since there is a great deal to do. Perhaps this should be required (i.e. one of the rules). Currently people are asked to volunteer for projects on the registration form. We could say that people who don't want to work on projects could pay an extra amount. This should come into effect next year, if not this one.
It would help to know how other community gardens handle fencing for deer and woodchucks. The Acton community garden is on Rt. 27, about 1/5 miles north of 119/2A. They don't have fencing up now but may put it up later in the season. They may have a website, and Acton has a community resources book that may have information.
We discussed selling produce at the Farmer's market. The question was asked whether it was reasonable for someone from out of town to raise crops at the garden, and then sell them back to townspeople at the market. Since the garden is supported in part by town taxes, this use may not be well balanced. One possibility would be to ask anyone who sold produce raised at the garden, to pay some percentage back into the garden fund. Another possibility would be a donation to charity. A third option would be to ask people from out of town to pay somewhat more in registration fees. This option seems preferable, since it is much simpler than determining and collecting fees based on sales. [Note: this question was motivated by someone selling produce. Is it an issue, and do we want to charge extra, if someone from out of town simply wants to grow food for their own use? ... rwood 2008-04-07]
The rules currently state that if someone doesn't plant their plot by June 8, then only half their registration fee is refunded. The rules should be amended to read that if there is a waiting list, and another person agrees to take their plot, then half the registration fee will be refunded, otherwise there is no refund.
Deborah agreed to be treasurer. We will use the Harvard Local bank account for now. We do not need to be rigorous with receipts for tax purposes. Harvard Local is in the process acquiring non-profit status, at which point the rules should be clear around keeping receipts, etc.
We need a budget, and Deb's wishlist is a good start. We agreed that all expenses need to be pre-approved by a majority vote of those present at a meeting.
Deborah's son has agreed to build the sign. He'll come to a meeting to show a proposal for a design. We'll want to set the signpost firmly in the ground against vandalism (but not permanently, no concrete). The sign will be made of wood, with roofing, and plexiglass to cover notices. There is an example sign at Oxbow in Still river. We need to determine how big the sign should be - what materials do we want to display there?
We need a location for the next meeting, 4/21.
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