Meeting date
Hot Topics
new approach to increase farming in the valley
Transform farm status either through residents
1) paying residential tax rate (e.g. $400 each)
2) farming ($500 gross revenue each)
3) associating yourself with farmer but not doing the farming yourself (need to invest with farmer to gain status e.g. $400, can choose which farmers and which benefits you receive such as vegetables,goshala, fencing, etc.)
- Farmer would need to make $1000 in revenue to cover addition person
- Concern: farmers starting to compete with each other if investments turn into a market
- Idea is to remove SVHI, except would need to insure farming receipts were made *** need to be made very clear
- Make a form? Individuals could make clear which farmer their money will be invested with?
- Paper trail is very important
- Action Item: Need to figure out dollar amount of Farm status vs. No farm status
- Need to be able to allow individuals to farm independently rather than pay $500 / be a part of the co-op
- how can we make sure it is a legal income? (e.g. money that is never exchanged but there is a receipt)
- Would be easier if money went into once place with form indicating which farmer investment is going towards
- Farmers would get their $500 back with receipts showing revenue
- What to do with people who are not here? Would just be paying tax, could be lesser amount e.g. $400 vs. $500, addresses point of empty homes in valley hurting new families/members who want to live here
- Everyone needs to pay $500 upfront
- For farmers who are a part of the co-op there would be a pool of money to draw upon
- How accountable is the co-op to show that they are working towards spending money to grow food for valley ($500 each)?
- Co-op would keep some money for processing labour and accounting
- Essential point is that they need to pay the money anyways*** Need to make clear to devotees
- Would you rather get nothing back or $500 of prepaid vegetables?
- Need to give people choices
- If farmers are making a big income, some should come back to the community
- Farmers could pay investment of $500 at harvest season
- Start a trial period for this year? Could take to the AGM for further information for devotees
- Investors would get farm produce back
Labour and Woofer program
- Not sustainable without infrastructure for accommodating but need the right people
- Krishna Village model, have screening process
- Consider co-op money going towards infrastructure
- Importing devotees? Legal problems if not from Canada
organic certification
- Don’t have enough record keeping, Action Item: Brihat volunteers for community garden record keeping
- Manure must be put on 4 months before, be careful about what you say to inspectors
hay growing and harvesting plan
- Daivata will cut hay, will invest in baler if needed
- With baler and machinery could do 4000 bales
- Brihat made a financial plan for using tractor, baler, etc.
- Will see quality and quantity of hay, could supplement with seed
- Sensible use of land, grow vegetables near the lake and hay higher up where land becomes more stony
Community Garden Plan
- staff for watering, weeding, fence security, harvesting
- Fields need to be managed so that it will be taken care of
- Need someone for farm-gate sales
- Action Item: Brihat will turn on drip lines
- **Need money from the dam for reconnecting pipes
- With commitment comes farming results
- rows are leased to villagers (example: $54 per row)
- Money would go to the person managing land
- fee includes Ox plow by Daivata before planting
- drip lines available for small yearly fee (example: $20 per row)
- plow fallow areas with rototiller early spring?
- mapped out area of farm land
- Francis has "retired" from farming here, he will help us when he visits.
Community Garden Improvements
- care for existing fruit trees, herbs, bees, raspberries, strawberry, goji need maintenance
- soil has to be built up with cover crops and manure from goshala
- electric fence to be fixed and fine-tuned, need battery and solar panel
- Useful for bears, need during fall
- Action Item: Brihat would like to learn how to maintain fence
- Perimeter fencing is alright, fence near ML property nears maintenance
- Need dam to fill up to use water
- Bala's portion of the community garden: turn over in may, plant cover crop. middle june plant buckwheat, turn under, peas/legumes, then fall rye - this will get rid of sunchokes
Co-op Assets and Investments
- We need a good backpack sprayer + purchase neem from kripanidhi and soap for sprayer
- Needs to be sprayed once a week
- Francis' land and tools and tractor available to co-op to plow and disc, especially the weed areas of fallow fields
- Mahavishnu said tractor wasn’t very good, co-op tractor is alright
- Rototiller available?
- Using Ox? If it is grassy or overgrown then doesn’t work so well
- May need to use tractor to initially get everything over control
- Who are designated tractor drivers?
- Selling post-pounder? SVHI has partial investment in post-pounder, board can decide whether or not to sell, can bring up at next meeting (money can be put towards fencing)
Community Fencing
- fence wiring starts early spring
- southend fence posts in place, needs rails and gates
- community garden fence need improvements
- May be hard to get people to pay $500
- Bala says money is available for fencing according to HariLila’s calculations, can use along with other money ($3500 and money from selling post-pounder) to fence West
- Action Item: Find out what money is available?
- Need to clear up fencing concept
Announcements and Events
- Seed order first week of February
- Seed exchange in march, april and may
Business:
- co-op is not for profit, so pays no tax
- Mahavishnu joined
- Brihat & Jennifer to be become new members!
- Micheal and Kam to become new members as well!
Election of Directors
- President: Yoginath
- Secretary and Treasurer: Ramanath
Previous AGM minutes approved.
end of meeting
Present: Ramanath, Jai, Yoginath, Udara, Bala, Brihat, Jennifer (as minutes taker)
Links
Mapped out area of community farm land
Fence Plan for Saranagati Village