Present: Toni (TM), Sandra(SC), Marie(MC), Rebecca(RJ), Lorna(LM)

Apologies: Elsa, Rosie, Axel, Justine

1. Introductions

2. Agenda

3. Updating on Current Spaces
– Ashley Court: gooseberries, chive, mint, borage, strawberries are growing well. Parsley, thyme and rosemary were planted and signs were added (see more here)
We decided to contact housing association; community development officer … (TM to find info, MC)

– Norfolk planters:  They need someone to water them before we can add any more plants and signs. We would like to try to involve shopowners (MC!)

– Daily Bread: Everything is growing well and people are helping themselves!
Our 1st produce swap stall was organised at this space (see more here): 20-30 people; mainly beans and apples, also fennel, courgette, edible flowers. It went well and we will definitely do it again in the future.

We have to go to remove summer plants and add autumn/winter plants  in October (SC to give a date): winter wheat; pak choi, chard?, winter spinach, set onions, fruit bushes

There is now a gardening book section in daily bread cafe.

– George 4th Street: A little tree was removed. Nicely, people watch and care about the space. Strawberries doing very well! Parsley and mint were added.
Ask about bare patch – raised bed or new tree?

– Roundabout: Come on the Sunday 4th October, morning to pick the chard!
What to plant around the outside – perennials, so people will pick them
How to prune summer raspberry
Signs?
Council stopped mowing grass?it’s not a problem but worth finding out their current policy
More bulbs?
– Roman court – waiting on response of housing officer
– Milton Road Library abundance, drop by to say hi and mention edible roundabout (SC)

– Abbey Orchard: We discussed doing a joint carpentry workshop (check with LM)

– Histon Road – needs signage once replanting is certain

– Shelly Row (TM – send sign to someone to laminate)

– Wycliffe – needs more cardboard – might be a good task Paul’s people
speak to the neighbours to find local primary space carer/coordinator

4. Potential Spaces
– Geoff/ARU – raised bed/permaculture; SC to be in contact with him
– Murray Edwards – tricky for “learning garden”(RJ) but ok for gardening club
– Sherbourne Court – TM to speak with Cllr Manning again
– Proposed Milton Road space no good anymore – bill boards since put up there
– Kings Hedges community house – 37 Lawrence Way – next to tesco and fishnchips – gardening session last saturday of each month

– Arbury Court (in front of the library)- we should try to contact the library (go there one day?) Evan- who does raised beds there? (TM)

– Barnwell parade?

5. Admin + other
– Art grant to make art work on the raised beds at the Daily Bread space
– Go out and put signs up on all spaces and on public edible plants in town (MC): we need a list of the spaces where signs are missing
– Video of garden initiatives – Anthony Carpen?(MC)

Tasks: We are trying out a “buddy” system, where everyone with a task has a partner who checks in whether they have done the task or helps them do it. This is shown below with a “/”, e.g. “TASK Elsa/Ivan” means “Elsa will look into it, Ivan will follow it up eventually”.

If you see a task without a name behind it, or one with names that interests you too, or a trailing “/” you are very welcome to pipe up (admin@growingspaces.org) and lend a hand.

Present: Elsa, Ivan, Rosie T., Helen, Toni

Apologies: Sandra, Marie, Justine, Axel, Alba

1. Cake!
Hurray for many great things accomplished:

2. Current Spaces

3. Potential Spaces:

4. Admin

GS meeting 13.5.2015

Present: Justine, Sandra, Rosie T., Ivan, Toni, Anna S, Elsa, Axel, Helen

Likes: Ryvita Thins multiseed got a thumbs-up

TASKs: We are trialling a “buddy” system, where everyone with a task has a partner who checks whether they have done it or helps them do it. This is shown below with a “/”, e.g. “TASK Elsa/Ivan” means “Elsa will look into it, Ivan will follow up eventually”.
If you see a task without a name behind it – or one with names that interests you – or a trailing “/” you are very welcome to pipe up (admin@growingspaces.org) and lend a hand.

1. Introductions

2. Upcoming events:
17.5. Trumpington allotment seedling swap
27.5., 7:30pm, talk on growing food in water at Transition Sustainability Hacking meeting
31.5. – Daily Bread space building and planting
3.6. WI seedbomb making with talk GS on urban public gardening TASK put selection of gs photographs in a folder
6.6. Strawberry Fair TASK Toni/ in Minutes – ask if anyone has energy to organise – leaflets, signup sheet, plants to giveaway; on the day if it happens: ask people about food and whether it’s plants or not
10am Sunday 14.6.: GS composting workshop
TBA Planter building TASK Toni/ ask at Hub on who in the community has a good location for the workshop and/or woodworking skills to share

3. Upcoming meetings:
14.5.,10am Histon Road Space site visit with Aldi area manager and landscapers (say if you are interested in the space)
15.5., 4pm Chelsea Fringe/Burleigh street planters get-together at MS charity event
19.5., 3:15pm Meeting with council open spaces officers (say if you are interested in GS admin and would like to come along)
20.5. Abbey community orchard meeting (open to all interested)
Next GS meeting (incl edible landscaping skillshare?)
TBA Landscapers and development officers for new areas in Cambridge

4. Thanks:
To Jackie for donating spades!
To Karen for offer of herbs!
To Sochel, Dobbies Garden center, Barhill, for plants for the stourbridge paddocks nursery! TASK Leaflets to Sochel; thanks to garden center and website
To Martin R. and Anna M. for support in getting the council grant monitoring report sorted!
To Justine for organising the Wycliffe weeding!
To Sandra for blog writing and Daily Bread space organising!
To all who helped at the nurseries!

5. Space reports:
Wycliffe weeding and planting
1. Jo, Rebecca, Li
2. Anna S., Sandra, Axel, Justine; weeding, strawberries, Raspberries, signs (good white pen on any wood); cardboard and mulch against nettles or barrier
Date: TASK Justine (/someone from the space, Justine to ask all, Rosie T., Jo, Ivan perhaps) doodle dates
Mulch: Amey Cespa, and grass

Edible Roundabout
Courgettes for green manure space

Girton
Application for use of space is going through parish council meetings

Nightingale Park community garden
– sowed wildflower meadow
– looking for a group of volunteers available on a weekday to fill in ditches

Ashley Court
Marie put in sign sticks and tree spinach

George 4th street
– could do with contacting Hanover Court community gardener for helloes and collaboration TASK
– shade space could do with planting up
– tree or raised bed imaginable where tree used to be

Shelley Row/Bridge Street
– seeks carer; laminated sign needs to go up TASK Toni/
– needs small plant signs

Stourbridge Nursery
Lots growing – to be listed on Plants page
Got donations from Dobbies

5. Tasks:
Daily Bread space will be created on 31st May (Sun):
Sandra introduced space design and will send an email soon with a summary of material and plant needed TASK Sandra/
Things can be brought during the week and stored at Daily Bread
Helen to bring manure and hay, Rosie to bring sticks and soil conditioner from Amey Cespa, Ivan extension leads
Everyone to bring a watering can and some buckets if possible, (electric) screwdrivers
Plants: tomato, chilli pepper, melon (Justine), majoram (Elsa), Courgette, bean (Jessica), Parsley, mint, chive (Sandra), Nursery: Rainbow chard and others (TASK: Helen/Justine to make a list of plants at the nursery ready to be planted)

Box of chicken pellet on offer from Elsa TASK follow-up Ivan/Elsa

Plants web page (Justine TASK Toni create justine, Sandra shows how to use, Axel may look into single page edit/login options)

Anglia Ruskin Sustainable art TASK

Would you like to be a space follow-upper? TASK

County council site – who to talk to regarding their landscaping: TASK someone to ask at reception

Get in contact with new development landscapers/developers TASK Toni/Dawn? Elsa?

web map TASK Toni/

City officer meeting: TASK everyone – any questions to add to this list?
specific spaces
planting in parks
what herbicides do they use
city planters outside stores – policy
county council contacts
tree officer re fruit trees, good locations, and george 4th street
new developments
flaoting planters

International permaculture convention TASK? Ivan, Rosie – who else? Which spaces?

Leaflets TASK

Murray Edwards community garden, discuss collaboration TASK