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TNG Member News 2015
October
August
Next Busy Bee Sunday September 13 – 2-4 pm Afternoon tea at 4pm.
Tasks:
- Install piping for new perimeter watering system and fertilise fruit trees-led by David C and Tina
-
Sow seedlings-Led by Nel
Some hot drink supplies and mugs will be provided, but please bring a small plate/box of finger food to share, and a thermos of hot water if possible.
AGM – brought forward to October 13th, 2015
The current Executive of TNG Management group has met and decided to bring forward the AGM to enable a fresh start to the management of TNG.
Advance notice of AGM: 7.30pm Tues. October 13th, 2015, in the community cottage (adjacent to community hall).
Facebook page for TNG
Join TNG’s facebook page.
Search for TNG, it’s a public group, so click in the top right hand corner to join. Then anyone who is in the group can OK that person to be a member. Once they are a member they can invite other members that they think would be interested using Facebook persona or regular email. Use Facebook to have your say about TNG issues, contribute photographs and ideas.
Craft workshops – basket weaving and mosaic
Ruth Butler is inviting you to join her craft workshops on mosaic making and basket weaving.
Basketweaving workshop
Purpose: To create and learn basket weaving techniques to make some Handmade Baskets for the Taroona Neighbourhood Garden and for your own personal use to take home. Well know basket weaving exponent Gwen Egg will be leading the workshop.
When: 20th September 2015 10-1pm. Cost: $15 per person.
Mosaic workshop
Purpose: To create some Mosaic pieces for the Taroona Neighbourhood Garden and for your own garden.
When: 10th October 2015 10-1pm. Some materials provided. Cost: Donations Welcome.
For information on either workshop or to register email Ruth Butler: ruthbutlerdpe@gmail.com
May
Compost Flash Mob - Please join in
2.31-3.30 only this Saturday (23 May)
A huge heap of unchopped veg waste in the compost bay has just got beyond the poor hardworking small group which has been processing compost for all of us to use. The contents of the heap need to be spread out on the ground and mowed over, then replaced in the bay.
Please help us - 59 minutes only!! This Saturday afternoon.
Wear strong boot or shoes.
Donations of autumn leaves for the compost are welcome - but weed free and in bags please.
Mower inductions
We will be able to conduct mower inductions for members willing to join the mowing crew.
Mowing crew commitment is only and couple of hours once 4-6 weeks - less if we can get more people on the crew. We provide mower and safety gear. Please consider joining the mowing crew.
Taps and Hoses
Make sure hoses are turned off after use, and if children are watering please check the tap after. Two taps were left copiously dripping over last weekend.
April
Sunday Busy Bee Thanks
Thanks to those who attended the busy bee on Sunday 19th. Much work was done on the new watering system and on cleaning up the perimeter. Thanks particularly to David and Jamie for digging the trench, Ben Hartog for the plumbing and Tina, Olivia, Veronica, Bridget and co., Jane, Rosie, Ruth and family, Judy, Marian and Roslyn. A new tap was also installed near the compost bins, which will make it easier to keep the compost moist.
There are some photographs of the work here
About that compost heap...
It would be really helpful if members could chop up vegetable waste before adding it to the compost pile. Otherwise, someone has to get out the mower, remove the waste from the heap, mow over it, and replace it. The current heap is in need of this process. Would anyone like to volunteer to join the compost crew? Offers by return email please.
Worm Farm Reminder
Please cover scraps when you add them to the worm farm. There is usually coffee grounds or compost in a bin in or nearby for this purpose.
Next busy bee Sunday 3rd May, 2-4pm.
All members welcome.
Please come along wearing sturdy footwear and suitable clothing .
Community plots
Any members who are free on Thursday 30th April between 2 and 4 pm, drop in and join Deirdre to sow winter vegetables and green manure in the community plots.
Almonds
Almonds on the tree at the lower gate are ready to be picked. The partly-successful net has been loosened, so get some before the birds take the rest. Before they can be eaten, they need some preparation by removing the soft outer husk and leaving them to dry for some days or weeks on a a tray in a warm dry place.
We have two invitations from Kate Flint at Cygnet
Would you like to learn to make sourdough bread? If you are interested in a workshop which will start on a Friday evening, then on Saturday to finish the bread, please reply to this email. Cost would be $45.
More info about the workshop is here:
https://gardenshedandpantry.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/sourdough-bread-workshops/
Would you like to visit another community garden? Kate has invited us to tour the Cygnet community garden one Thursday morning, and stay on for lunch.
If you would like to participate in either, please respond to this email. We could share transport to and from Cygnet.
New members welcome
We have a few vacated plots. If you have friends who would like to join the garden, get them to drop a line to tng@taroona.tas.au. We give preference to Taroona residents.
Keeping the perimeter tidy
After last Sunday's work, the inner perimeter is looking much better, but needs volunteers to keep it ship shape. We are asking members to select a 2 metre length of the inner perimeter (probably near your plot) to maintain. Please send offers by return email.
New hose hanger
We have another large, tall, decorative hose hanger to install. Can anyone donate half a bag of ready-mix concrete for the pole, and we also need a volunteer to install it.
March
Members please respond to requests for:
- Help to install watering system and clean up perimeters
- Nominations for management committee
- RSVP for AGM
- Veg-out help.
Read more below
Annual General Meeting March 15th 3pm
Members, please put this in your diaries and attend. A community group requires active community participation to be successful and lively!
Please consider nominating for a position on the executive or committee. Simply send your name by a response email. We said we wanted nominations by March 9, but even earlier is better!
Sunday 15 March in the garden - 3pm - please RSVP by return email
Bring afternoon tea to share, and a thermos of hot water for drinks.
Irrigation system to be installed!
Marian is congratulated for her successful submission to Feeding the Future Fund for a grant to install an irrigation system to water the perimeter fruit trees. $1,100 has been granted and a plan has been drawn up. As a condition for receiving the grant, TNG agreed to contribute in kind - mainly in the form of labour.
A busy bee devoted to work on installing the system is planned for
SUNDAY APRIL 19TH, 2-4PM
The committee is asking members to pledge 2 hours of labour towards this project, and we need your RSVPs now. Please respond with your offer * to this email.
Veg outs- working together in the garden-a member facilitator wanted please!
We had planned two more veg-out sessions on Thursdays 12 and 26 March, 4-6pm, but no-one on the committee is now able to attend. Is there a member out there who would like to ‘facilitate' the remaining two sessions please? All that is required is to turn up, greet any participants, and decide on what to work on - it could be your own plots, or weeding and planting in the community plots.
Are you still a member?
Now that all subs for 2015 should have been paid, we are cleaning up the member email list.
If you are no longer a member, but would still like to keep in touch by receiving these member news emails, please respond with KEEP ME SUBSCRIBED in the subject line. If we do not hear from you by end of March, we will remove your address from the list.
Pruning
Thanks to David C, Marian and Tina who pruned a number of trees last month.
Jobs still to be done before the watering system can be installed are:
*1. Clearing the fence line and within about 0.7 m of it under the trees of weeds and objects which may hinder installation of the system.
*2. Picking up fruit from under all fruit trees and removal to the compost heap.
We have vacant plots and welcome new members
If you know someone who would like to join TNG, please ask them to email tng@taroona.tas.au to enquire. Preference is given to Taroona residents.
*These will be useful and productive ways for you to fulfil the member obligation to contribute 6 hours towards the TNG community per year.
February
Annual General Meeting Sunday 15 March, 3pm in the garden
All members are encouraged to attend and to consider standing for Executive and committee (President, Secretary, Treasurer and 4-8 committee members. To nominate, just send a reply to this email address with name and position you are nominating for by March 9th.
More important dates
Veg-out sessions - 4-6 pm
- Thursday 12th and 26th February,
- Thursday 12 and 26th March
Come along for all or part of these sessions to work on the community plots to prepare for the next lot of planting and sowing, and to water and work on your own plot too in company of others. The compost crew is also invited to come along and turn what we weed out into compost.
Sunday 22nd February 2-4 pm - Pruning busy bee and general clean-up
David Coleman will lead the pruning, with Marian's help. If you would like to be involved in the pruning, you will be VERY welcome- No experience required. And we need lots of help with cleaning up to promote hygiene in the fruit area.
Contributing to the garden
There are many ways to get together with other members and help to make our garden grow beautifully. Coming to busy bees is not the only way.......
If you cant come to busy bees.....make an offer on one of the following
1. Take big load of fruit tree prunings to the tip at end of February
2. Take big load of fruit tree prunings to the tip at end of March
3. Contribute 2 hours of plumbing expertise to the watering system works (see below)
4. Use TNG mower to mow the grass (by joining the mowing roster - mow 2-3 times a year)
5. Use TNG brushcutter to trim edges (by joining the strimming roster - strim 2-3 times a year)
6. By joining the compost crew (various jobs at various intervals)
Offers gratefully received by responding to this email.
Feeding the Future Grant success
The submission made to Feeding the Future by Marian on behalf of TNG has been successful. The aim of the grant is to install an automatic watering system around the perimeter to water the fruit trees. The grant will provide $1100, but our part of the agreement is to provide labour. Therefore we are asking members to pledge 2 or 3 hours of labour in the next few months to complete the works. Please respond to this email with your offers. Thanks to Marian for pursuing the grant and writing up the successful application.
Afternoon tea
Thanks to every one who participated in the afternoon tea on Feb 1st. The Secretary made an attempt to cancel it due to atrocious cold and windy weather in the morning, but the participants turned up nevertheless and enjoyed sunshine in the afternoon!
Childrens gardening tools
Thanks to a kind donation from a member family, we now have 7 child sized gardening tools for young members' use. They are kept in a tub in the shed. The donation has also provided some sand to replenish the sand pit. Several small watering cans have also been donated, and are kept on a shelf in the greenhouse. We hope the children will enjoy using these tools and will care for them by returning them to their storage areas after use.
Green flags
Don't forget, where green flags have been placed members can harvest. In the community plots there is some silver beet, parsley and maybe a zucchini or two at the moment as we approach the end of the summer season and still wait for tomatoes to ripen! Fruit tree adopters will put green flags by their fruit trees when fruit is ready for harvest. Members take a share and leave a gold coin donation in the box.
Compost - $4 per barrow load please
Use up to two barrow loads per plot. We also suggest a gold coin donation into the donation box on the side of the shed if you are harvesting vegetables or fruit from community areas.
Bandicoots
The small diggings in the grass at the garden are probably evidence of bandicoot activity. We would like to protect these vulnerable little native animals which help us by feeding on pasture pests such as corbies and cockchafers. Please keep dogs leashed and well under control if you bring them into the garden.
If you no longer want your plot
PLEASE LET US KNOW NOW! Don't just rely on letting your financial status lapse, as plots become overgrown very quickly when neglected.
Annual subscriptions due - some members still outstanding!
It's easy to pay by bank transfer, but please indicate in the reference field with SURNAME first so the treasurer can mark you as paid.
$60 per year for full paying members
$25 for concession (low income heath care card holders).
Associate members (no plot) $10/$5.
More details are here on our website
/neighbourhood-garden/how-to-pay
January
Sunday February 1st - Afternoon tea in the garden at 3pm
Hot drink supplies and mugs provided, but please bring a small plate/box of finger food to share.
Beans and Apricots
Green flags have been placed by some of the apricot trees, and beside beans in the community plot. Please take a share home to enjoy. There are also a few zucchini and lettuces, and some parsley in the community plots which members are welcome to harvest.
New compost - $4 per barrow load please
A veritable mountain of very nice compost has been delivered. This is for members to use on their TNG plots (not to take away.) The committee decided that we would ask members to pay a donation of $4 per barrow load (into the donation box by the shed, or through our online banking). This will allow us to fund a good supply of compost through out the year.
Annual General Meeting to be held in March
Date and time to be announced. All positions open - President, Secretary, Treasurer and 6-8 general committee members. Please consider nominating. For more information, just ask in a response email.
We have a waiting list...
So if you no longer want your plot PLEASE LET US KNOW NOW!
Anyone going to the tip?
If you can take a load for us, there is green waste and other rubbish on the upperside of the shed. We just cant fit it all into the weekly wheelie bin!
Annual subscriptions due
$60 per year for full paying members
$25 for concession (low income heath care card holders).
Associate members (no plot) $10/$5.
Preferred payment method is by electronic bank transfer.
Electronic Bank Transfer:
Name of Account: Taroona Neighbourhood Garden
BSB: 037 812
Acct No. 000 3874 15
Please put you name in as a reference so we know who has paid.
More details are here on our website