Things are about to get real here in the next few weeks. I wanted to update everyone on the processes and progress we have made this winter.
The results of the survey were very helpful. About 15 people signed up which was good. I'll publish a few of the anonymous results in a later post.
As this years Prezi, I'm going to try to make communication a priority. To that end we are going high tech and low tech. The website has been moved to a new domain: eogg.org. The reformat of the site allows posting and commenting to the site through whatever gadgets you choose to link with. It will send tweets, Facebook updates, YouTube videos, emails etc.... i'll continue to send the listserve updates as well, but if you are like me, the lava flow in my inbox is leading me to use tailored apps and feeds to isolate the things that are important. Remember you can always unsubscribe to any of these feeds at any time. You'll start to receive shorter more frequent notifications from me this season. I apologize in advance to those who will continue to receive email updates... the frequency might be annoying. I'll try to send out quick notes about crops coming on and areas of attention and other tidbits, as I mentioned you'll have full access to post your own updates and comments to the site. On the low tech side of things we'll be installing a whiteboard on site. Please use it! Well add pointers about where to focus and what to harvest as things come in season.
Another item that surfaces here and there is the sad state of our tools, we periodically get a few tools annually, this year we are going to have a full arsenal, with grant funding from APIRG we have secured just under a 1000 bucks. You should see these tools showing up shortly. We are also going to install a stainless double sink as well as harvest tools for processing of harvested goodies.
The perennial crops will be arriving in mid-May. The addition of these fruitng bushes and crops will be part of a longer term strategy and is a little more in the vein of permaculture. Because the EXPO bid is no longer a threat to our short term tenancy, it's appropriate to start thinking a little longer term.
We have been very successful in gaining funding from our traditional partners APIRG and IMANTA. I attribute our success to you folks, we have a vibrant opinionated group that photograph really well. If you have any suggestions on how we can use funding to improve the experience of our farm, please email me directly.
There will be some hard work this spring. For all the folks who do it for the sweat and tears, this is your spring. We have brand new irrigation system that needs to be installed. As well as 10 or so 80 foot long row covers hoop houses. I'm excited, this will be similar to the ECOS garden retrofit of 05 for those of you who were gardening with me back then. This will be bigger and better.
To help out with the new tasks we've reached out to the undergrad population of the University. I've also contacted the big brothers and sisters looking for those great enthusiastic folks who came our way last year.
So ya, it'll be busy. Thanks to all the gang whose powered through our lean years, here's to a bountiful season!
T
