Community Garden Feasibility (and Potential Design) Discussion Group
Meeting was held at 10:30AM on Thursday, December at Candy’s Coffee Shop
In attendance: Jim Sperry, Bob & Renee Tobin, Mike Liebman, Kenny Kapler, Steve Willman, Mandy
Wilkes, Mike Anaya, Jerry Lacy, Sue Pitman, Ruth Mitchell, Ron Fischer, Melissa Marts, Jennifer Lang
& one other person from Cotopaxi.
(Melissa operates 3 garden plots for Care and Share Food Bank in Colorado Springs, each 9,000 square
feet in size and is on the Board of Pikes Peak Urban Gardens which is establishing gardens all over
Colorado Springs, each one unique. She came in conjunction with a site visit to approve the County,
Community Share Center, and Helping Hands to receive and distribute Food Bank collected food.)
Sue explained that she was approached by Steve Willman at the November 12 Sustainable Ways
Transition Initiative Movie Night with a vision the Hospital District has been working on to enhance the
health and safety of Custer County residents, which includes a safe road crossing for the High School and
tying together the HS, Valli Assisted Living, Club America, and a parcel of land owned by Custer 2020
on which they visualize a Community Garden. Steve wants to write a grant requesting the funds for this
project and asked for assistance in determining what to put in the grant proposal for the community
garden portion. He will cost out the materials and improvements once he knows what to include and will
write the grant. March 1 is the deadline for the 2010 funding cycle for GOCO so he would like the
information he needs by mid January.
Club America WMV (Custer 2020) has offered the use of 1.86 acres, east of the school’s football field for
use as a Community Garden. This use is contingent upon a formal proposal for use of the space being
drafted and submitted to Club America for approval by their board. According to Steve, this land must be
in beneficial use to maintain its tax exempt status under the conditions set forth by a USDA program.
There is a minimal fee that must be paid to USDA in lieu of taxes. Whether or not the garden would have
to generate income to cover this ($200 or less a year) has not yet been decided. This land could be used as
a Community Garden while title is held by Custer 2020 with the intent to use the land as collateral for a
loan should they need one in the future. Although it is not Custer 2020’s intent to sell the land, we need to
know that use as a community garden might not be permanent.
Purpose of Meeting:
To determine if there is enough community interest to design, build and maintain a community garden
and, if so, what such a garden would look like. All of the attendees committed to making it happen
(except the people from Cotopaxi who were looking for ideas to utilize there.) In addition several other
people who could not attend the meeting expressed interest in helping. It was decided to proceed with
developing a general design concept. People are to bring their design proposals to our next meeting on
Jan. 5 for agreement on specifics that would allow the group to determine what is needed for Steve to cost
out and include in a grant proposal.
The Vision as expressed in the meeting:
-This would be primarily for food production but it would have to be beautiful as well because an overriding purpose is to demonstrate and educate people to grow and eat more pesticide free and artificial
fertilizer free fruits and veggies, create community (get people to work together), and exercise (physical,
mental, etc.)
-Create a local food supply so we don't have to import so much food from far away.
-It was also suggested that there be an element of income generation - much needed in this community. -It
was suggested that it be the site of the Farmers Market as well so that people get used to going to the site
and seeing what is going on - and purchasing food grown there (as well as grown elsewhere locally.)
-It needs to have a small park-like area for the elderly from Valli and others to sit and rest and enjoy.
(This could be a Permaculture forest garden area that produces food.
-One element would be for row crops - perhaps showing dryland farming techniques, including crop
rotation and cover crops, and producing food for the Farmers Market.
-It would provide a space for families to grow food either in individual plots or in groups as well as plots
along the lines of the WWII Victory Gardens.
-There would be plots for individuals who live in apartments or who are unsure about growing and want
to be with others to give it a try.
-When we get low income housing it is supposed to include space for the families to grow their own
food. This could be where they experiment and learn.
-It is to feed the food insecure and encourage them to grow what they can.
-It is to demonstrate different methods of growing and demonstrate growing medicinal plants as well as
food.
-It needs to have a children's garden where they can grow their own food and experience the composting
cycle. (Children in the community would be invited to participate through the CCKC, School, FFA and
4H.)
-Handicapped accessibility.
-Sheds for tools
-Root cellar.
-Compost piles.
-Fruit and nut trees.
-Fencing (high deer population.)
-A greenhouse is part of the dream but that is probably long term. Demonstrating season extending
devices would be included.
We want to water to the site but as much as we can do without it, the better. We should investigate the
possibility of utilizing rainwater from school roofs.
By unanimous vote, it was decided that the Community Garden would be chemical and pesticide free.
We need to have an overall plan to implement in stages and designed to insure visible success from the
start. The start being this spring with something even before we get any grants - just with donated stuff
and donated labor. After we get this under our belt there was interest expressed to expand to other sites
around town.
Volunteer Assignments:
- Zoning, requirements parking, restrooms or porta potties, and water, including cost. (Jerry Lacy)
- Survey the site and come up with a suggested lay-out for plots and elements (Everyone, but especially
Kenny Kapler, Sue Pitman, and Ayesha McDanyld).
- Topo maps and soil type data. Check on possible funding sources through Conservation District. (James
Sperry)
- Melissa volunteered 2 wheelbarrows and she and her husband to assist in getting the project going.
- Bob Tobin will contact the School and various kid groups. He will see if the school might allow access
to the garden and parking for events (that don’t conflict with school activities) on their property. He will
draft an article for the WMT explaining the Community Garden with a request for surplus supplies,
fencing etc.
- Renee Tobin offered to do the minutes (notes for this meeting is a combination of my notes –started at
the end of the meeting- and those submitted by others – please let me know if you have any
corrections/omissions/misspellings, etc.)
- Steve Willman and Mike will talk to the Clinic relative to including the Community Garden in their
overall Health for the Community Plan. Steve, upon approval of the proposal by the Club America WMV
Board of Directors, would also apply for grant money for the Community Garden when a list of needs is
compiled.
Next Meeting: Candy’s Coffee, 10:30AM, Tuesday, January 5th: please bring your plot
plans/designs/ideas/budgets/lists, etc. We have a short time-table if we want to break ground this spring.