Jan. 7 2009 minutes

Jan. 7 2009 minutes
Present: Rick Thronburg; Darryl Alt, Katie Kulla, Nanette Villarreal, Yanira Vera, Judi Herubin, Susan Ruggles, Nicole Montesano, Mick Cowles, Patty Mundy, Beverly and David Norman, Leslie Blanding
Absent: Lucy Falcy (excused)

Review of proposed bylines. Susan suggested the number of board members should be five to seven, given the difficulty we have had in recruiting members to attend meetings, then later suggested a range of up to 9 members. Judi questioned what other sections that might affect. Extensive discussion followed.
Susan also suggested term limits; the suggestion was adopted.
Discussion tabled until later in the meeting.
Discussion with Master Gardeners David and Beverly Norman, who coordinate the McMinnville Community Garden at the Salvation Army, and Master Gardener Darryl Alt. Yanira Vera from the Housing Authority, which owns Village Quarter, attended.
Nanette noted that Slow Food wanted to help Village Quarter residents plant a community garden in the rooftop planting beds, and was asking the Master Gardeners for advice and assistance. Slow Food’s ideas were that the residents could grow some of their own food, and perhaps also food to donate to local food pantries.
The Master Gardeners toured the rooftop gardens, to get an idea of the possibilities. Four large planter boxes are available for use.
The Normans strongly advised that the garden be run by a committee, rather than relying on a “lynchpin” person.
David Norman warned against starting with too ambitious a program, so they don’t recommend a formal “Row for the Hungry” at the beginning.
He said it should not be very expensive to get the project started, and that the Master Gardeners might be able to help. The Community Garden might also be able to donate seeds, and that the Newberg High School program also might have extra seeds. Katie Kulla said that Oakhill Organics also has extra seed.
Nanette noted that Slow Food would need to submit a letter of intent to the Housing Authority outlining a proposal for the project, and said the Housing Authority would provide a budget.
Beverly Norman said the Community Garden could provide some of the forms it uses, as a template, and talked about how the Community Garden went about becoming self-supporting, and forming a steering committee. The Community Garden charges participants $15 a year, which includes not only a garden row for personal use, but also water, seeds, fertilizer and advice. It also requires two four-hour workdays a month.
The same model wouldn’t work at Village Quarter, because it’s a different set-up. She said that it could be more relaxed, and that the gardens should reflect what the residents want to grow, and what will grow within the site’s limitations of size, wind exposure and altitude.
David Norman stressed that the residents must feel ownership for the project to work.
The Normans said they are willing to act as liaisons and work with the residents.
A residents’ meeting was scheduled for January 20th, at which the project was to be introduced; the Normans volunteered to attend.
They said there probably is not enough room for residents to each have their own garden space. The individual horse troughs might be used to grow herbs and flowers.
Judi said she’d like Slow Food’s role to be encouraging residents with activities like pot lucks and recipe-sharing.
Nanette is to report back to the board at its meeting on Jan. 21.
The board decided to postpone the year’s first big membership meeting until after the bylaws are completed.
Bylaws discussion was resumed. Judi to collect Lucy's comments, revise bylaws draft according to the suggestions made, and bring back on Jan. 21.
On Jan. 21, the board is to discuss creating a mission statement; forming a committee to create a membership packet for new members and the revised bylaws.
Rick Thronburg has collected several dvds: A Man Named Pearl; The Future of Food and Food Matters, that Slow Food may borrow for public showings.
On Feb. 24, the second Power of Community Event will take place, sponsored by the Peacemakers. Bill Bradbury will make a presentation on Climate Change.
The next meeting will be Jan. 21 at 5:15, at Village Quarter.

December potuck

Our December potluck will be Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at 1105 N.E. Johnson Street in McMInnville. The theme is Christmas around the World, with northwest ingredients. Please join us for a merry time.

Nicole

Nov. 15 board meeting minutes

November 15, 2008 Minutes
Attend: Lucy, Nanette, Judi, Nicole; Absent: Susan (excused)
4:05 p.m. -7:50 p.m.

Slow Food- To be or not to be.
Discussion. NM- Yes, embodies our intent; JH: yes- we are establishing and growing, need to talk to SF about reducing fees; NV: yes, want to learn more about and get more knowledge; LF: yes, many people are recognizing it and expressing enthusiasm.
NF: motioned to remain with SF; LF: Second. In favor: unanimous.
NM to put together an ‘insert’ of where the SF application fee money goes (to what causes). This will go in brochure.
Associate member? JH: table for now but look into it further for ’09? NM: potential issues with national rules. We need to find out options and see where we are by June 1st.
Mtgs. NM: Chapter board needs to meet monthly but with public only one time per year. Recc meeting monthly with board but with public quarterly. All agreed.
Follow up: NV to get copy of bylaws.
Mission Statement.
General discussion leading towards something like “Empowering people to eat local food”… “through access, affordability, and education”.
Follow up: Get Susan’s three As and make sure they fit in.
2009 Goals
Discussion: NM: expand library series (change or have more), like idea of talk every month (add alt. pollinators), CSA/Farm list together with map and on web and published, community garden, build relationships with other organizations, get AT LEAST the required 20 members; improve the website. JH: work on stakeholder list and contacts, have co-sponsored events, perhaps get a stakeholder brochure; have at least 1 event a month; revive the tip of the month, farm tour. SR [read in by JH]: something for schools...a planting, get a feeler out to schools soon, have ongoing events at local businesses. JH: would be nice to get back to idea of co-op or at least buying seeds in bulk, fundraiser for SF. NV: increase membership, get energy for other projects, get organizations to pay for memberships, present to organizations to get input and buy-in, farm tour, continue library talks, and ULTIMATE: get a community garden going at VQ. LF: CSA/Farm list and map published and done, increase events, have more educational potlucks, be able to know and easily contact stakeholders, increase membership, get word out, think about TurkeyRama, look at expanding past MAC, get a Menu for the Future group going.
Pared Down Goals: monthly events (1. educational and/or social-at least 2 fundraisers); 2. CSA/Farm list maps; 3. Stakeholder list and contacts; 4. Membership to 20; 5. Network and get plan for school education and continue and expand seed planting project; 6. Support development of community-gardens especially through public agencies.
Motion: JH move to accept 6 goals for 2009; NM: 2nd. In favor: unanimous.
Follow up: To get 2009 goals into brochure (Lucy)
Activities, Events
General Discussion: JH: permaculture talk (Mike Fahey), farm tour, seed saving/heritage seed talk, water conservation/harvesting/drought friendly plantings talk, chicken keeping, local cheese/wine, etc. SR [read in by JH]: have events at businesses (Kame, R Stuart, HorseRadish, Panther Creek), “Tableland” at HorseRadish in March. JH: Potluck in conjunction with Greenfield , Menu for the Future with kickoff of in January. NM: cosponsor CoolMac rain barrel/cistern/drought friendly plant talk, alt pollinator talk-with native plant society or master gardeners? NV: combine potlucks with talks, perhaps have potluck in park, plant seeding at school, show ‘King Corn’; ‘Farmer John’. RT [read in by LF]: movies: The Real Dirt on Farmer John, How to Save the World, A Man Named Earl, Rainwater Collection, Peak Moment; Events: invite local chef for demo, permaculture, beneficial insects and pollinators, talk on cookware, talk on local vs. conventional foods. LF: many of above ideas plus repeat winter gardening and converting lawns to gardens.
Potential Calendar (Minimum):
i. Jan Show ‘Real Dirt on Farmer John’, Potluck, and intro to Menu to the Future at Baptist Church.
ii. Feb Talk at library- beekeeping (NOTE: this has since changed for political reasons—need to find new topic); Potluck at Linfield
iii. Mar Show ‘Tableland’ at the HorseRadish in Carlton
iv. April Year-Round Gardening Talk at Library (Kullas?)
v. May Plant and Celebrate Comm Garden at VQ
vi. June Seed Saving and NW Varieties talk at library
vii. July Canning with OSU Extension
viii. Aug Rainwater and DT Plant Talk at library?
ix. Sept Small Farm Tour and Potluck
x. Oct Lawn to Garden Talk at library (Blanding?)
xi. Nov
xii. Dec
Follow Up: Need to set schedule (library), make contacts, and make sure that we have everything that we want.
Subcommittees. Skip.
Bylaws.
Follow up:
i. Does Susan have Bylaws? Nanette to check.
ii. By the 3rd: Everyone needs to think hard about how many board positions we might want, what ‘board’ positions we might want to have and what each board position will be responsible for (e.g. ‘Secretary- taking notes, collecting articles, etc.’)
Meeting Dates:
Decided to move board meetings to WEDNESDAYS at 5:15 Location TBD.
Next meeting will be December 3rd for current board members (plus Judi and Rick T.) at News Register, 5:15

Slow Food USA asks help for rare hog breeder

Dear Slow Food members and visitors,
A farmer in South Dakota who is working to save endangered hog breeds has just suffered a devastating loss. Slow Food USA is asking the Slow Food community to lend a hand.
Below is the letter I received today from President Josh Viertal.
Thank you all for any support you can give.
Nicole M.

Dear Leaders,
I just got off the phone with Arie McFarlen who is a member of our Ark of Taste committee. Arie owns Maveric Heritage Ranch in South Dakota, where she has single-handedly saved several rare breeds of pigs, bringing them back from the brink of extinction. Tragically, last week, Arie's barn burned to the ground killing over 40 of her rare breed hogs, sows with babies and her treasured horse. She lost everything - the feed she'd put away for the winter, the feeding troughs - she doesn't even have a pitch-fork. Yet she still has other animals to care for. Since it was an electrical fire and electricity powers her water pump there was no water on the farm to put out the fire.
Arie is devastated, but full of hope. Fortunately she kept duplicate breeding pairs of her rare breeds in multiple locations on the farm, so no breed was lost. Those remaining animals are keeping her going. Her neighbors are helping her out as well. She told me about neighbors using tractors to bring water for her animals until the pump could be restored with temporary power. She said, “One thing about living in a rural community is that everyone pitches in when something goes wrong.” To continue her work though she is going to need more help than her neighbors can give. Our shared work makes us all a part of her community and we should pitch in too.
Unfortunately there isn’t a chapter in South Dakota yet, so we’re reaching out to the larger Slow Food community. A special fund has been set up to help, and you can find more information in the linked press release. It is important that we take care of each other in times like these. I encourage you to share this information with your members, and if you can, to give
your support.

Donations can be made online at www.maveric9.com or sent to the “Endangered Hog Foundation” in care of Maveric Heritage Ranch Co. at:
Endangered Hog Foundation
Maveric Heritage Ranch Co.
47869-242nd St.
Dell Rapids, South Dakota 57022

You can read a letter from Arie below. We’ve posted her letter on the Slow Food USA blog at
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog_post/help_a_biodiversity_pioneer/.
Thanks,

Josh Viertel

-----------------------

Dear Friends of Maveric:

It is with the deepest and most profound grief that I write this message. At 5:30am November 19th, 2008, we awoke to our beautiful 100 year old gambrel barn engulfed in flames. Trapped within the barn was my beloved stallion, several rare Mulefoot hog sows with their litters of piglets, an extremely rare Wessex saddleback boar, a favorite guinea hog boar and all of my dearly loved cats. Although we made attempts to rescue our animals, we were unable to save any from the barn.

We were able to run pigs from their pens near the barn to the pastures and get them away from the heat & flames. Many animals in these pens were burned and have suffered smoke inhalation. Though it is several days after the fire, we are still losing animals we have been nursing and trying to save.

The fire burned with such intensity that it caught a large tree and our new barn on fire as well. The firemen were able to save our new barn, but our gambrel was a complete loss. The fire marshal reported that the fire was burning in excess of 2000 degrees due to the way the metal items in the barn melted and puddled. The fire was apparently caused by a failure in the main power breaker. When the power transformer began to melt, we lost power to the whole farm. This also left us without water, as our well is pumped by electricity.

All of our feed (approximately 1000 bales of alfalfa), our tools, watering troughs & feeders, buckets, piglet pens, fencing supplies, power cords, winter heaters, saddles & horse gear, construction materials for our new barn and so much more were completely destroyed.

We cannot replace our rare breed pigs. They simply do not exist. Our work for nearly ten years has been to preserve and save these breeds of pigs. We cannot begin to express our sense of loss over these animals, not just from our lives, but from all future generations.

This tragedy has made it even more clear to us that these rare breeds are in a very precarious situation. At any moment, a disaster, accident or disease could take yet another species from this planet.

Our friends have already begun to rally around us and offer support. We have received many calls and emails from the folks at Slow Food USA, Animal Welfare Institute, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Dakota Rural Action. Because of this outpouring of encouragement, we feel compelled to persevere and insure that future generations are able to raise and enjoy these breeds, and that biodiversity amongst pigs is preserved.

The Endangered Hog Foundation has been established to help us rebuild and to help continue work with endangered pig breeds. We fully intend to carry on with our DNA research, breeding program, establishing new breeders and promotion of endangered pigs. We have already begun the process of cleaning up the debris and will begin construction of a facility to continue working with our pigs as soon as spring arrives in South Dakota. Temporary measures to provide for the pigs during the upcoming winter are underway.

We need your help. Our immediate needs are for physical labor to help with clean up and building temporary shelter to winter the pigs. Additionally, we need to find a source for alfalfa hay square bales, to obtain portable shelters for the pigs due to farrow in early 2009, hog equipment and hand tools.

Donations can be sent to the “Endangered Hog Foundation” in care of Maveric Heritage Ranch Co. at the address below or through the link on our web page at www.maveric9.com.

Thank you to everyone who has offered support. I cannot describe how it feels to stand in a place of profound grief and intense gratitude at the same time. We will carry on through the love and support of our friends.

Endangered Hog Foundation
Maveric Heritage Ranch Co.
47869-242nd St.
Dell Rapids, South Dakota 57022

<('(..)')>
Arie McFarlen, PhD
Maveric Heritage Ranch Co.
(605) 428-5994
www.maveric9.com

Nov. 10 minutes

In attendance: Nicole, Judi, Aimee, Lucy, Rick Thronburg, John Phillips

I. November 15th Movie and Panel. Meeting at 12 for brownbag. To bring following materials:
Nicole: invitation on blog, cards/paper for people to ‘submit’ ideas, 10 reasons to eat local.
Judi: Sign up sheets, Menu for the future publications, any SF publications
Lucy: Brochure (100), SQUASH,
Susan: doorprize and raffle stuff,

Lucy to talk 5-10 minutes on activities done so far, 2009 goals,

II. Powow. November 15th after Movie event. At Nannette’s. We’ll worry about food when we get there but it might be nice to have some wine to sip on…
Agenda:
1. Slow food: to be or not to be.
2. Formalize mission statement. (“empowering people to eat locally” (or something like that) or “expanding access to locally grown and produced food for everyone in the region”)
3. 2009 goals
4. Set list of activities/events for next year and begin to assign responsibility.
5. Revisit subcommittees (lucy to bring lists)

Lucy to bring a timetable for topics to be agreed upon at powow beginning.

III. Financial Reports. Susan motioned to have reports out quarterly and not monthly, Judi seconded, Lucy, Nicole, Judi: Aye.

IV. Misc.
Grant denied.
Nicole to work with Katie K. to update website.
Lucy: add John Phillips to meeting list.
Need follow up on Oakhill Organics Winter Farm Visit.
December Potluck. Theme: Christmases around the World. Lucy to find out date.
Event ideas: talks: local seed varieties that excel, beekeeping (FEB), Alternative pollinators, Extending the harvest with greenhouses, pruning. Movies: Dirt on Farmer John, A man Named Earl, Tableland.
Need a stakeholder list: Soil & Water, Mike Fahey –garden project. Greenfield , etc.
Need to follow up with Kullas regarding possibilities for 8000 sq ft plot in Mac.

Saturday movie and discussion

Join us this Saturday, Nov. 15, for a community discussion on local solutions to global issues, including food, housing and transportation. Slow Food Yamhill County has joined with Yamhill Valley Peacemakers, Cool Mac, Greenfield and the Cozine Bicycle Club to offer a free showing of the award-winning documentary film "The Power of Community; How Cuba Survived Peak Oil."
We'll start with a brown bag lunch at noon, in the Great Room of McMinnville Cooperative Ministries, 544 N.E. Second Street, McMinnville.
The movie begins at 1 o'clock, and will be follolwed by a panel discussion.
Hope to see you there.
NIcole M.

Minutes of Oct. 27 meeting

Present: Lucy, Susan, Rick Thronburg

I. November 15 forum with YValleyPeacemakers and Cool Mac. Lucy will be speaking either on City stuff or on SFYC stuff (Nicole has since volunteered to speak if necessary). Barbara Boyer might also be speaking on ag. Stuff. Will show movie “Power of Community” and then have a panel discussion on our community. Lucy to verify if they want City talk so that she can clear it with the City. A light lunch might be served but that begs the question: what type of food and is there potential liability for ‘home-cooked’ foodstuffs. YVPeacemakers to find out or to reschedule from 12-3 to 1-4. SFYC to co-sponsor event.

II. Brochure. Mostly done, needs some additional information. We went through and looked at it.

III. Rick (Judi-please add Rick to the mailing list rickzt@verizon.net ) He has a marketing background and wants to help. He is just learning about us but he might be able to give a talk on ‘knives’.

IV. Finance. Susan turned in the 3rd Quarter report and would like a vote to determine if she can continue turning in quarterly reports rather than monthly.

V. Misc. Nicole- Fees expire on Dec. 31st. Does this mean that all memberships expire then? What if we don’t have 20, etc.?
Lucy will talk to Kullas about their ‘cheap website’. We recognize that the blog is not really meeting our needs and that a website would much more.