Meeting Minutes (5/11/09-5/15/09)

Attendees:
Rosanna Giorlandino
Connor Gillis
Felipe Silviera
Susan Halpin

• Students viewed drawings and quotes for gazebo, storage shed and bridge from Assabet Valley Carpentry Department
• Since meeting attendance was very low, we did not discuss any other issues
• Students helped with positioning sprinklers out in garden. We discussed tasks for Friday’s work day.
  

Drawings and Quotes from Assabet Valley Carpentry Department

• Thanks to Shirley Lundberg and the Assabet Valley High School Carpentry Department we now have drawings and quotes for materials for the following items to be built as the fall project for the carpentry students. (ARHS will need to purchase only the materials).

Storage Shed
Gazebo
Foot Bridge

• Thanks to Andy Mariotti we have scanned these documents and they are available for viewing on the following website. http://www.nsboro.k12.ma.us/algonquin/faculty/appliedartsteachers/halpin/halpin.htm
• In the very near future all of the Courtyard/Garden information will be moved to our new website: http://www.nsboro.k12.ma.us/algonquin/courtyard/Welcome.htm. This website will be specifically for the courtyard/ garden project, however website is still under construction.
• Please view the scanned documents and provide any feedback to Susan Halpin. We would like to finalize this project with the Assabet Carpentry Department soon.
  

Fundraiser for Garden – Algonquin Acoustic Open Mic Garden Jam

• This fundraiser was scheduled to be held out in the courtyard area on Tuesday and then on Thursday of last week. Unfortunately, the unusually rainy week we had prevented this event from happening either day. Hopefully it will be rescheduled soon.

Money/Donations – Very Good Week

• Charlie Chung from National Honor Society donated $100 to the Vegetable Garden Project – Thanks Charlie!
• Class of 2008 donated $4,000 to the Courtyard portion of this project. Thanks Grads of 2008!
• Northborough Garden Club awarded $100 to the Vegetable Garden. Thank you!
• Gillis Brothers donated all of the plants needed for Friday, May 15 work day – Thanks Connor for coordinating this!
• Southborough Ed Foundation awarded the Vegetable Garden Project a grant of $3993. This will enable Mrs. Halpin, and Mrs. Connolly to attend the Mass Agriculture in the Classroom Summer Graduate Course where they will gain ideas on curriculum to be developed using the garden. This grant also enables us to purchase wheel barrels, shovels, hand tools and other needed supplies. Supplies also include food preparation and cooking supplies for Mrs. Halpin’s & Mrs. Loughlin’s Foods classes. Thanks SEF!
  

Tools & Supplies

• We purchased wheel barrels, shovels, gloves, fertilizer, stakes and hand tools. Bob Wall from Shemin Landscaping Supply allowed to us to purchase quality materials for a discounted price. Tools and supplies were delivered in time to be used for Friday’s work day. Thanks Bob!

Work Day on Friday 5/15 Very Successful!

• Bud Richardson shared his planting know how and expertise in getting us started with planting the following vegetables and herbs:

celery
potatoes
broccoli
peppers
tomatoes
chives
basil
sage
thyme
eggplant
squash
zucchini
pumpkins

• Twelve students from various clubs such as CLEAN, NHS and Interact helped with the digging and planting. All beds are planted and seem to be thriving.

Irrigation:

• Thanks to help from Alan Steinman and his irrigation specialist we will have an irrigation system set up in the very near future that will enable us to water all of the vegetable/herb beds without moving sprinklers. They will also be set up on 7 day timer system. This will be tremendously helpful during the summer. Staff and faculty members who have volunteered to oversee the watering (Andy Mariotti, Susan Halpin, Eileen Palmer, Kathy Dagliesh, Bud Richardson) will now just have to make sure timers and sprinklers are working properly.

Next Garden Meeting:
Tuesday, May 19, 2:05 in E107
Agenda Items

1. Work in the Garden – weeding, stringing peas, identification markers for plants, fertilizing
2. Assabet Quotes/Feedback
3. website/webcam
4. summer watering/weeding schedule