We moved forward with the proposed layout of the garden, integrating a number of ideas from our members, including a large, tilled area for plants that require deep rooting and/or room to spread out, such as corn and pumpkins. Additionally, the plans include a pair of gazebos for sun shelters and several slimmer beds intended for ornamental flowers.
In the next meeting, we will further discuss funding and donation sources, as well as the progress on our nonprofit status.
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First off, we were pleased to meet our new participants. Thanks to them, our meeting attendance doubled from the September meeting! Our discussions were very productive and covered a lot of new material, with great input from everyone involved.
For anyone who could not make the meeting, in the coming weeks, we will have a sign up at the future Garden site, and we will stake and rope our area to prepare for future improvements, including preliminary tilling of the grounds. We will be sure to take photographs of the process and post them to our Flickr stream, so everyone can watch how things progress.
Speaking of photos, Cella Neapolitan has been gracious enough to grant us permission to post her lovely pictures of other community gardens on our Web site, so keep an eye out for them over the coming weeks. Prints will be available for order via this site.
Regarding the layout of the garden, we decided to go with approximately 32 raised beds, with half of them sized at 4′x8′ and the rest split between 4′x4′ and 4′x12′ sizes. We also discussed ringing the perimeter of the area with specialized 2′x8′ beds that would be ideal for flowers and fence-climbing vegetables. Additionally, part of our area will be left without raised beds and instead will be tilled as a site for vegetables that are inappropriate for raised beds, such as corn, pumpkins, etc.
We also briefly discussed the preliminary bylaws, which are required for attaining nonprofit status, and Lisa Luck will be emailing those out to everyone soon for review and confirmation.
If you or anyone you know would like to be involved in the exciting process of planning and executing the Cookeville Community Garden, please attend our next meeting or contact us for more information.
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GOOD NEWS!
We have been working hard to find a location for Cookeville Community Garden. The original location offered by the County Commissioners was three miles from the Court House Square and considered by garden supporters too far off heavily traveled areas for success. The location to finally be approved Monday evening, September 20, by Commissioners is on Walnut — the field adjoining the Agricultural Building near the Putnam County Fairgrounds. Kim Blaylock lobbied heavily for our budding organization and we greatly appreciate her commitment.
Timeline for the following year discussed at the last meeting was:
2010 September – establish permanent location for Community Garden
2010 October – establish nonprofit organization / setting up a website / establishing bylaws and Board / please send in a statement about the garden and impact on the community if you wish to be on the Board / determine rules & regulations / begin the search for funding
2010 November – finalize organization – grant applications continue / begin site preparation
2010 December – continue grant applications for funding / look for local support (financial and volunteer) / site prep
2011 January – Look for local funding and support / marketing to potential gardeners / site prep
2011 February – Build fencing / marketing / organizing local support / marketing
2011 March – Build raised beds as needed involving interested organizations / Advertising garden & taking applications
2011 April – Plots available for rent by organizations, individuals, and groups
2011 May – garden
2011 June – garden
2011 July – garden
2011 August – garden / Putnam County Fair
Rent for garden spots is to be determined, but will be $25 or less. If you wish to garden but don’t have the money, grants for the fee are available. Mr. Clarence Paulk at Putnam Farm Supply has volunteered to give discounts to gardeners, to be announced this Spring. We will be collecting heirloom seeds to distribute to those who wish to grow heirloom vegetables.
If you are interested in participating in the garden, this is the time to get involved. Join us in establishing this wonderful addition to Putnam County and the City of Cookeville. Please e-mail or call with your areas of expertise, or let us know in what way you would like to volunteer. Thanks so much to Dawn Kupferer, UCDD, for getting the ball rolling on this great community project!
Phone number for the Community Garden is (931) 526-7841. Please leave a message as this phone is not always manned. E-mail address is communitygarden.tn@gmail.com.
Our next meeting is October 13th, 2010, 4:30 p.m., 226 Cherry Avenue, Cookeville, TN 38501. Please RSVP.
- Lisa Luck
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