Minutes of Meeting
(6 February 2010)

PRESENT: Geraldine Dempsey, Anna Hill, Brenda McCrank, Gary Hanrahan, Barbara Rother, Deveri Joy, Jane Wells and Helen Koumarelas

Angela Reid, Co - Chair for Urban Agriculture, joined us towards the end of our Meeting and let us know a little about Architecture for Humanity in Toronto and their willingness to assist in building design and expansion planning in exchange for possible use of a greenhouse shelf and using the space to occasionally hold meetings. http://architectureforhumanity.org/

SINK
At Barbara’s suggestion, a table with a high working surface was built and put beside the sink. Thank you Sylvia for building this table for us. Helen offered to take a closer look at the sink to see if a hook up can be made into the drain in the middle of the greenhouse. Helen suggested we get a double faucet hook with shut off valves to attach both the garden hose and a watering mister. It was agreed this was a good idea and that we would look into all of this further as it will solve a number of watering issues.

WATERING PROTOCOL
Gary has devised a system using 3 colours of duct tape to help differentiate between trays of plants that require basic watering, trays with specific instructions and trays that don’t require watering (because they are being cared for individually). Plants will get shifted to a community shelf if it is evident they aren’t being properly tended to (an effort will be made to contact members before this happens). Personal plantings need to be clearly marked with red duct tape if they are not to be watered. Green tape will ensure seedlings are being top and/or bottom-watered. Yellow tape is to be used if there are other instructions that need to be followed.

*COMPOST
We would like to build a Square Bin Composter similar to the one at Christy Pitts that was built out of old flats rescued from behind grocery stores.

TABLES (aka COLD FRAMES)
The two massive tables were taken out of the greenhouse for room to be made and kid-friendly height tables were built that everyone can productively use. Helen and Deveri are now going to work together after the Meeting on 20 February to tear both down 4 x 8 foot tables down to make cold frames.

It was agreed that the central protector panel put up to stop soccer balls from hitting the greenhouse will be taken off along the south wall of the greenhouse while seedlings are growing and while soccer playing isn’t an issue(they will be stored and put back on after seedlings are planted in early May). It was noted that vines normally planted along the panels will now need to be annuals … and the more permanent vines will planted elsewhere.

Members will be sent an e-mail asking them to stay and help build the cold frames, etc. if they can after the Meeting.

TRAYS & POTS
All pots need to be on waterproof trays. Pots and trays need to be cleaned before use. Distilled vinegar will be available so that they can be rinsed before planting seeds. Plans will be made for a seed plant-a-long at the meeting that new members can participate in. Barbara will address container etiquette and scenarios for keeping things stored in the greenhouse spotless.

SOIL (aka soil-less soil)
SOIL & SEED CALENDAR and RECIPE will be introduced to the group. It was agreed that we begin to use Gayla’s soil-less recipe once we have used up the last of our peat moss (coir will then be substituted as it is a more sustainable material). A bin will be filled using one part each of coir, perlite and vermiculite. Compost will be purchased until we begin creating our own*(see above). When supplies run low, please call Brenda (see contact information on bin). I will co-ordinate materials pick up when supplies run out – Deveri and Gary will help.

SHELVES
There are 39 useable shelves. Four Community Groups will each use a unit of 3 shelves along with the bottom storage section. The remaining units will be used by existing volunteer members and as luck has it everyone on the Wait List will get a shelf as well. There is no need, therefore, to send a ‘call out’ to ask for additional volunteers at this point. Shelves will be distributed on 20 February during the Meeting. Contact information and a suggested annual donation of $20 (*see below) will be collected from everyone to ensure timely communications occur regarding established greenhouse protocols and that supplies can be renewed.

It was agreed that two floor fans be purchased in an effort to keep the air moving and temperature equalized within the greenhouse. It was recognized that some shelves are in prime sun-catching locations and it was recommended that trays be rotated between the three shelves of each unit throughout the growing season (Feb/Mar/Apr/May) in a manner agreed upon by the group to ensure fairness.
Once it is established how the two fans are doing, members will decide when to put the shade cloth up.

There will be a vote taken to see how many members would like to participate in growing communal trays of seedlings such as tomatoes, peppers and herbs to make watering instructions easier for volunteers. If it is viable, there would most likely be shares of trays established that would be equivalent to ½ shelf (in other words, members could participate and still use ½ shelf for personal plantings).

Freebies will require some Shelf and/or Table Space as will the plugs of annuals that arrive from High Park which need to be replanted into larger pots before going into the garden … these are for the kids to plant because they are easy (one extra is being ordered this year for Barbara to take to her school (Anna will call High Park and Barbara and Jane will co-ordinate this.)

*FINANCES
Members agreed to have purchases over $50.00 approved by Gary. Gary, Anna and Brenda attended a meeting at the TD Bank (Queen & Euclid) to open an account for Trinity Bellwoods Greenhouse. It was agreed between them that cheques over $100 require two account director signatures. Gary will keep $200 petty cash on hand for reimbursements.

An e-mail will be sent out regarding collecting $20 from each volunteer member in an effort to try to become somewhat self-sustaining. Receipts will be given out to anyone that requires one.

OVERVIEW
Jane agreed to draft a letter to the City Councillors Office, to Joe Pantalone, outlining our history so that there is a written record acknowledging volunteer hours being spent operating the greenhouse and recognition of how the community came to acquire it; ie, it was not a community initiative. It was placed in the park and the community was asked to run it. Originally funding was provided through film companies using the park as a location. Filming has since ceased and as a result greenhouse funding has been cut in half. The first two years of operation, there was a heavy outlay of cash required to get the greenhouse up and running. Shelving, storage, supplies and equipment were purchased. This and ongoing annual expenditures are expected to lessen and a budget is being created to forecast costs.

A GARDENERS JOURNAL, A Ten Year Chronicle, purchase will be made from Lee Valley record greenhouse accomplishments. The past two years will be written up using records kept. From hereon as communications are made and Minutes written, updates will be made.