EAT Minutes from September 2009
EAT Minutes September 2009
September 30, 2009 at 6:30 to 8:15pm
Wenatchee World News conference room
Next meeting is October 28, 2009 at 12:30 to 2pm in Van Tassell room 5006 on WVC campus
August minutes are not available separately since a quorum was not present. August agenda was tabled until the September meeting and documented below.
Members Present: Mike Cochran, Nadine Lehrer, Rich Colson, Tony Davis, Amy Simonson, Kim Lohse, Michel Wiman, Sandi, Bammer, Kerry Steffan, and Joan Qazi
Dates to Watch For:
- EAT booth at Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Will have the new brochures available, “Eat Seasonal” game, mystery vegetable, and will be selling Farm-to-Table Directory.
- Fall Farm Feast at Cashmere Cider Mill: Sunday, November 1st, 6pm to 9pm, fundraiser for Cascade Foothills Farmland Association, http://www.visitwashingtonfarms.com
- Local Food Summit in Okanogan: Friday, November 6 at 6pm where the IRIS regional food assessment will be discussed.
- Some Enchanted Eating: Friday, November 6th, 6pm to 10pm at Wenatchee Community Center. An end-of-the-harvest celebration, with dinner & dancing “Passing Liberty” to play music. Tickets are available at the Farmhouse Table. Food by Amy Simonson & Tony Davis of Seasonal Kitchen, Richard Kitos of La Bonne Terre and David Toal of Ravenous Catering.
· EAT sponsored film, King Corn at Wenatchee Valley Museum: Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7pm. EAT will share sponsorship with CFC and have table set up with information.
· IRIS Success Summit in Pateros: Wednesday, November 18th in Pateros, $15 registration fee, Joan and Nadine will attend to represent EAT.
Treasurer’s Report: We have a current balance of $451.85, with an accounts receivable due to the Museum, which brings it down to $376.85.
Fundraising: How can we better market the Farm-to-Table Directory?
Suggestions were made to approach local businesses and ask if they would be interested in buying at wholesale price of $5.50 to sell for $7. Local businesses to be approached by the following EAT members: Joan to The Pantry at Sleeping Lady Resort and Sage Mountain
Sandi to Pak it Rite,Kitchen Sync and Wenatchee Natural Foods – Sandi
Lemongrass – Mike & Nadine
Related tax concerns:
As a non-profit, you can sell for fundraising without sales tax. Stores would need a federal tax identification number. They will re-sell directory for $7 + tax. Also discussed was the option of setting up an online account (possibly PayPal) to allow people to purchase the directory through the EAT website.
New Thoughts and Reminders:
Secretary: We are still looking for a volunteer to help take minutes at our meetings either by hand or by the donated EAT laptop (makes it very easy). Many thanks to Kerry for stepping in to take minutes for this meeting!
IRIS Regional Food Assessment report and recommendations: Joan was one of the researchers for this regional study that included the Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas and parts of Grant County. Recommendations included Guiding Investments, Incentives & Markets, Education, Science & Information, and Leadership. It was agreed that EAT seems to fit best with the Education initiative as a partner for IRIS in developing consumer education programs to build demand for regionally grown food and outreach plus educational opportunities for farmers. Report can be found at www.irisncw/Programs/Regional-Food-Systems.html
Fundraising: We did not receive either of the two grants that we applied for over the summer. This means that we need to find other means to fund the school garden video—Nadine will follow up about a video contest that she heard about, and the Farm to Table workshops. There is another grant that has been recommended to us, the Community Food Project grants of the CFSC. It is a complex application and there is no letter of intent only the full application. Rich volunteered to start the application process. Deadline is November 19th.
Farm to School Conference: Action plan for another Farm to Table workshop focused on schools as buyers in late winter/early spring 2010 (most likely late February). Will check with school district about best days of the week. Jan Hansen, kitchen manager at WHS has made some local connections. See about further involvement by her and WSD. Also Steve Kolk and the Agro-forestry policy group wants to partner for the conference (not in financial way, but by hosting workshops, etc). Topics could include obstacles, kitchen prep, demonstrations by local chefs. Michel will invite Tricia Kovacs (WA state farm to school). Senior Center should be invited. Funds would be needed for renting the location and providing local foods lunch. Locations discussed were: Sleeping Lady (connection there is Lori Vandenbrink) – ask them to sponsor? Terra Leaning Center – Mike will contact; WVC- but, in the past, they have only allowed in-house catering – Joan will inquire; Wenatchee Valley Museum – Kim will contact; Wenatchee Community Center or one of the wineries are other potential options. Catering/ lunch -Amy would like to ask farmers for donations (food) for lunch and/or sponsorships.
Committee Reports
School Garden Committee:
Sarah Rolfs – part-time gardener/farmer & parent at MissionView Elementary also works for NW Farm Credit Services so is helping EAT apply for their Community Development grant for a mini-roto tiller and loading ramp to be used for the school gardens. Lowest amount NWFCS will give is $500 & they’ll match $500. Idea is to approach local school PTAs to commit to matching funds. Next month’s GreenWays magazine column will feature school gardens.
Community Garden Committee: Irrigation going in tomorrow and a soil leveling work party will take place next week and during Make a Difference Day on the 24th. EAT has been asked to help with soil amendments and to organize educational workshops such as Jerrilyn Delaney speaking about garlic growing. We are looking for speakers with expertise in gardening/related issues. Doug is advising cover crops and Dave is suggesting compost – but the compost has been tested and was found to be high in nitrates. Was suggested by some in attendance that this is the best time to plant cover crops, then add compost in the spring. Plan to get WSU Extension involved in advising at the garden.
EAT Seasonally Calendar: Vaishali is inquiring whether Wenatchee Valley Medical Center will sponsor next printing. EAT is asking them for $2,000, and would allow them to put their logo on the front, preventative care tips on the back. If we don’t get the $2,000, we won’t do the calendar. We should know within the next few weeks. People should sign up for a page/month of the calendar – select photo, recipe, data points, etc. – must be seasonally appropriate.
2010 calendar – 12- month calendar?
2011 calendar – Local farmers and chefs?
Follow-up on Topic(s) that were discussed in this meeting:
· Sandi will take Farm to Table Directories to various stores; Rich will start the CFP grant; Michel and Joan will work on the EAT Seasonally calendar; Nadine will look into the video grant.
Committee Sign-Up:
Working Group Chairperson Joan Qazi; Meeting Facilitator: Joan Qazi; Minute
Taker: Rotating ; Treasurer: Rich Colson; Webmaster: Ben Fields; Newsletter:
Fran Taber; Media Diva: Kim Langston; Fundraising: Vaishali Bhide
Community Food Assessment Chairperson Joan Qazi; Michel Wiman,
Colleen Donovan; Kim Langston; Angela Schaub (Data Analysis); Marcy Ostrom; Laurie Riegert; JoEllen Colson; Consuelo Coronel
Consumer Education Chairperson None; Kim Langston; Joan Qazi; Ginny O’Kelley
Community Garden Chairperson None; Jenn Crawford; Nadine Lehrer; Bonnie
Shanafelt; Douglas Bergstrom; Allison Neher
Suggestions for next meeting:.
Next Meeting October 28 from 12:30pm to 2pm at Wenatchee Valley College, room 5006