Sunday, April 25, 2010

Greenhouse Garden Party

Greenhouse Garden Party at Brakefield Garden. Lovely weather with wonderful people and yummy food: Quiches, Keener Hamburgers, Homemade Bread, and Apple Pie




Friday, March 5, 2010

NY Times article about backyard rabbits

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/q-why-not-eat-cats/

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Rabbit Proposal link

Here is the link to the rabbit proposal for record keeping and general interest. The hutch pictures didn't transfer, so I will put it here.

https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZQPAQCYsODDZGNxdnNzemtfODhjdDV4dDVncw&hl=en

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Pictures of the cold frame and chicken tractor, update on McClurg happenings














































Here is what is going on with McClurg:
Chessie and I successfully completed the first fossil-fuel free compost transport today, by wheeling the bin of compost and crate of coffee to the backyard garden (and carrying it over the mud). Yay Chessie!! The bi-weekly compost pick-up of a full 55 gallon bin has been great- we have never missed a day and it is wonderful to talk to the workers in the back! A couple of crates of coffee is being composted every week as well.

Jack Nance is dropping off the egg cartons from McClurg on our porch, which are being used for our eggs, some for the compost (we have a TON), and eventually for starting seeds.

I am going to talk to Scott Maino, the director, tomorrow about how the Keener beef is going and what is the next step in composting at McClurg. Email me if you have any thoughts.


Eric sent us some pics of the cold frame and chicken tractor, which I am attaching. Maybe they will magically end up in our scrapbook?

ADD STUFF TO THE NEW CALENDER IN THE HALLWAY!

GreenHouse meeting minutes

Posted by Paul E. Dixon's personal secretary (Kate):

Meeting Minutes 2/21/10

Applications:

Paul will send us copies of each application to review before next week’s meeting. Decisions will be made by the end of next week.

Omelet breakfast:

Email Keri and Compton your ideas for whom to invite. Women’s lacrosse team will come this Saturday.

Dinner this week: Breakfast for dinner!

Compton is working on a map of house garden.

Keri is working on the elementary school project-

Garden update:

Focus on backyard garden, Brakefield garden will rest with some manure.

Stella will email schedule each week so we know who will be there when.

Thermostat- lets take it down a notch or two. 62 degrees!

Provos of the Compost speaks-Need to move the compost in a wheelie thing. Or levitate?

Chores: Callie will arrange chores.

News Flash: There are two showers in the downstairs bathroom.

NO NOODLES DOWN THE DRAIN!

Music jam/Craft night combine to make a great Friday night.

Friday at noon-lunch with the tablecloth and teapot.

Please submit your order to the staff.

Rabbit proposal anyone? Kate's on it.

What we need:

Tables and folding chairs.

Carson found a secret room and freed the ghost. Except some sightings.

Available funding

Hello residents and ardent followers of the GreenHouse:

Leigh Lentile has passed on some valuable funding information- Fund for Innovative Teaching and Learning (FITL; pronounced Fightel) has a category within the fund dedicated for student initiated projects with learning outcomes. Robin Hille-Michaels, who is super sweet and has an office in the Outreach office- she is in charge of the Canale program, knows all about this fund and can hook you up.

SO if you have any cool projects that need funding- like the bike generator (I'm still working on it- don't ask or I will rant about it) - then talk to Robin. I'm also going to write this info in the GH diary, but thought you might need it now.

peace!
kate

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Application, 2010-2011

 !!!!! CLICK HERE TO APPLY !!!!!

It is due by 5 PM on Friday, February 19. You will likely want to draft your short answer responses in Word so you can save and edit your work.

One required question on the application is to tell us which of the GreenHouse positions (excluding Los Jefes) you would excel at and find fulfilling. If none of the below positions appeal to you, define your own. While certainly not binding, your response will help us to craft a unique and diverse house. The positions are as follows:

I. Los Jefes (2) - the directors: Maintain the intentionality and house mission.
Seek to answer the following questions:

    (1) Internal - How can the house residents live more durable, fulfilling, sustainable lifestyles, growing together as a                 family unit?
    (1) External - How can the house implement the vision of sustainable living in Sewanee, while being goal driven and                 action oriented?


II. The Pen – the scribe: Details house activities in journal and online. Writes articles for the newspaper. Organizes and builds house library.  Maintains the blog/Sustain Sewanee GH page. Photograph archiver. Makes house signage for sustainable/educational aspects.

III. Chick Magnet - chicken manager: Oversees the mental and physical well-being of the hens. Ensures Hen Hall is habitable, the purchase of food, and directing the chore of chicken care, including weekly check-list and egg count.

IV. Provost of the Compost - compost director: Monitors the garden compost, McClurg ambassador and Scott Maino's (McClurg director) best friend, coordinates the compost pick-up of the student and prep area compost, and investigates other sources of compost. Vermicomposting (worm composting).

V. Kid Coordinator – weekly elementary and middle school outreach: Continues the outreach program to teach children about gardening, composting, chickens, and other activities at the Green House. Coordinates with other organizations and houses (EMTs, Community Service House, Firefighters).

VI. Homesteader – education director:
Gathers idea from housemates and works with them to coordinate logistics of DIY workshops, speakers, and documentaries. They will organize at least one major event every month and work on inviting a diverse group of students and community members.

VII. Garden Manager – Old Farm: Oversees the work of the garden, including bi-weekly garden work days open to the whole campus. Maintain the purpose of the old farm garden as supplying food for donation to the Community Action Committee or Grundy County Food Bank. Incorporate garden into curriculum (make it a PE or independent study) to teach garden workers Gardening 101/basics.

VIII. Garden Manager – New Farm: Oversees the house garden and land use at the Green House. Makes our land a teaching example of sustainable agricultural and living, including extending the growing season to feed the house and house events.

IX. Utility Witch – Measure consumed resources daily: gas, water, electric. estimates carbon footprint and living cost. Directs shower timing and appliance use. Evaluates house efficiency and appearance. Enacts practical solutions, emphasizing maintenance and consumption minimalization. Our ambassador to PPS. Also in charge of the maintenance and purchase of tools.

X. Checks and Balances - 'checks' = the house treasurer, reimbursements and account monitoring; 'balances' = coordinates with other organizations and houses on campus (EMTs, Community Service, Greek Organizations, Outreach Office). Volunteer coordinator for garden and huge projects. Advocates for maintaining an awesome relationship with local folk and farmers.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Meeting Minutes Vally Day

We need another GH interest email- cstudent about if people are still interested and didn't make it to the meeting- Compton is all over it like eggs on toast.

Eggs! We are getting about 70 eggs a week. 48 can be used for omelet breakfast one week and CAC the alternate week. The rest will be used by GH peeps. SOO start saving, for omelet this weekend. If we each have about two eggs a week, it should work out.

Positions: Still be thinking about what your GH position will be this semester- check out the list on the last blog. Callie wants to be New Farm garden manager. Becca and Hanna maybe want to work on a cool book about the GH history with pics, drawings, stories, etc.

Oreos and bonfire was fantastical.

Merit students are cool.

Craft night will have a facebook event. Twitter? Um maybe not yet.

We need a chore wheel. Anyone?

YAY!

Monday, February 8, 2010

2/7 Mtg Minutes

this week:
think about what position you want for remainder of semester
think about potential people for next year and write their name on the google doc. (invite sent separately)
help kate with compost bucket rotation. empty them into bin!





events:
Monday 7pm: Band practice & picture followed by info session. bring your story to share.
Tues/Wed 6pm- Hosting session in Gailor
Tuesday- Carson is organizing Food Waste display
Thursday 7pm - Callie is organizing Farm Internship workshop in Spencer
Thursday post-8pm: No Light Night.
Friday noon - Lunch at 'Clurg with tablecloth
Saturday 8:30pm- GreenHouse Family Folk Band & Fire Eatin' & Smores & Oreos

tasks:
Callie & Carson are the new directors. (internal/external affairs)
Reed- closet removal
Callie (duchess of the fire)- fire permit
Paul- Annual report
Hanna, Keri, Kate - chick magnet T-shirt squad
Kate, chessie, compton, ??? - compost squad.

Mission statement task force made progress as well.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Meeting Minutes 1/24/10

Garden - Deanna W. and Stella “Sleepy Pants” Pfau= Garden managers
–time to plant! got whiteboard/markers
-garden days: 12-3pm Thursday, Sunday 1-4pm
-Rebecca –R, Hannah – TBA, Reed – R, Keri – R, Compton – S, Sean – R or any weekday, Cardawg – S, Paul – S, Kate – gone rogue, Jonathan
– grow food for the CAC or Grundy County foodbank, not for our consumption, any food we eat should come from the house garden
- ways to get people out to garden: email list – consistent group of people to contact; have them confirm that they will be working, pitches: learn to grow your own food! (workshop oriented), food for the CAC/foodbank, SPO notes

chores
:
1. chickens
Stella and Paul
2. Love and Joy
Hannah and Becca
3. Kitchen
Callie and Chessie
4. Clean Patrol
Sean and Reed
5. Omelet Breakfasts
Compton and Keri
6. Compost Bin washer/Recycling/dirty Work
Carson and Kate

Semester Jobs
:
1. Loremaster (scribe/historian)– Chesnut
-document GH happenings and events (unofficial and official), treat it like a journal and a report
did something beautiful happen? did something awful happen? did we get together and jump in a pile of leaves? did the chickens make the news again?
2. Toolmaster – Stella “sleepy pants” pfau
3. Provost of the Compost – Kate Cummings
4. Utility Witch (Semester) – Carson Wright

CLEAN THE HOUSE
– make this look like a house, not a dorm

Chicken tractor – Sean and Kate
special order some parts
PVC design - should be completed sometime this week

Shower Times Sheets needed
buy 1 new timer for the triple

this Wednesday (1/27) Potluck – 6pm
invite Dr. Zigler

Omelet Breakfasts
Saturday 8:00am, every 2 weeks
don’t advertise the first one too much
entrance: 1 day garden work, $2, CAC food donation
open and invite certain groups/teams

Craft Night – kate and becca
F: 5-7pm

GH applications
talk to your friends

Documentary Films – environmental/food topics-Compton
check out projector from ATS in library

Friday, December 18, 2009

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The Big Hug Dec. 7 (meeting minutes)


*Figure 1

Meeting Minutes 12/7/09

Bells will ring on Friday 350 times-advertise!

Bonus for Regina: $10-15 would be great. Please deposit money in the envelope on kate’s door.

Seeds!

We’re loaded so let’s get some Prada-or maybe fencing for the chickens…

Garden tools, drill bits, extension cord, we need some supplies!

Stella is our TOOL MASTER.

Angie has some sick speakers.

Prep compost from McClurg starting next semester.

Compost bucket painting party to spice things up.

Fake money is popping up in random places so look out!

Update Marvin Pate’s list -priorities.

Email Chessie with food requests/ideas for the retreat by this weekend please!

Chickens have 3 babysitters over Christmas break.

Big hug, with Paul in the middle.

The Snackster rocks. Thanks Nick and Erika!


*Figure 1: a happy moment, brought to you from the first day of egg laying

Also, if you have seen a blue Olympus digital camera in a small black container, Kate has lost hers.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Greenhouse Meeting minutes 11-15

·       House discussion with Marvin Pate this Thursday 4:45
·       Thanksgiving dinner at McClurg at 6 on Thursday
o       Send invitation to dr. zigler
·       Retreat- Wed Dec 16th-Friday 18th
o       Leave wed morning, get back Friday afternoon
·       Chickens
o       Thanksgiving break care by Lydia Boroughs. 
§       She’ll come by this weekend
§       She gets to keep the eggs for payment
o       Predator dogs
§       2 or 3 dogs attacked the chickens this morning
§       Carson tells long story about police officer
§       We’ll get an electric fence from the police man
§       For now, leave the chickens in the coop run
o       Whenever you’re outside, check for eggs so chickens don’t eat them
o       Thank you note to Amy Rae
§       Stella will make it, leave it on the kitchen table for us to sign
·       Keep an eye out for Elizabeth walker’s cell phone
o       Small blue Verizon
·       Kate- we need a set up/ clean-up crew for each event
·       Carson is meeting with Rocco sometime this week
·       Next Sunday GH meeting=food (FRITATTA) around 7 pm
o       Carson will order food
o       Everyone else will clean up
·       Dinning council meeting tomorrow at 12:00 upstairs McClurg in the ABC room

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Fermentation Revival!




Sandor's Workshop, Nov. 4, 7pm

Wonderful News!!!!





THE CHICKENS HAVE STARTED LAYING!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

11/8 Minutes

Reed bio-diesel-list of parts. Time to get to work (possibly after Thanksgiving)

Arm and Trout-give Keri your shirt! Start promoting to friends and get them to tell Angie what they want to play/sing. Need more musicians!!
Posters and cards need to go on campus.
Compton will get cake and coffee from Blue Chair.
Passing out coffee-Keri, Compton, Angie on Tuesday. Maggie, Chessie, Stella, Kate on Wednesday.
SET UP SATURDAY
Optional supplementary meeting for Arm and Trout Wednesday….more to come.

Tuesday 7-9 dinner HERE with Rocco and ERs.
Please go to Emily Ezell’s talk.

Wednesday-Catholic students making spaghetti.

Scarf felting Thursday at 5 in the living room.

The chicks need company-article in the messenger to find sitter.

Party at Carson’s!!!!! Let’s hit the road December 16 and go into the woods.

Rockin compost buckets!!

Close fridge and freezer please-and LABEL your stuff or Paul will throw it out!

Waste display in front of McClurg TBD.

a committee on committees?!?!?!

No wonder this place spins its wheels...

Committee on Committees: J. Peterman (10), Chair; A. Glacet (11) for P. Macfie (11), W. Brosend (12), S. Metz (11) for D. Miles (13), D. Murdock (14).
 Committee on Committees (Joint Faculties) (5 voting members)
    1. 5 faculty members, five-year term (staggered)
            charge: beyond its title: to make nominations for all elective committee posts except this committee.
authority: created by Joint Faculties 1973 November 16

from http://www2.sewanee.edu/provost/committees

Friday, November 6, 2009

building a greenhouse & a home with an entire tree!

click here for the whole article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/garden/05tree.html

After finishing the A-frame, Mr. Gundersen built a 100-by-20-foot solar greenhouse next door with thick straw-bale walls on three sides, banked into the north slope. He used small-diameter, rot-resistant black locust trees for the timber framing.

A wall of double-paned glass, positioned to optimize the low-angle winter light, faces south. Growing beds angled slightly toward the sun are planted with rows of mustard greens, kale, chard, arugula, lettuces and herbs. Hanging trays of micro-greens and a fig and bay tree promise fresh food for the fall and winter.

But it is the Book End — the little house attached to the greenhouse, which is home to the firm’s project manager and his wife — that quietly vibrates with the spirit of the forest.

“We used a lot of standing dead elm here,” Mr. Gundersen said, pointing out the delicate trails, or galleries, left by the beetles that killed the tree. Peeled of their bark and satiny smooth, these trees have a presence that seems to draw one’s arm around their trunks and invite a viewer to lean into them, to soak up strength from these powerful old souls.

In this quiet farming community, where people may not have a lot of money to spend, but do have plenty of wood and straw, word of the beauty and practicality of Mr. Gundersen’s structures has spread. Solar greenhouses made of local materials can extend the growing season through winter, even in a place where temperatures can drop to 30 or 40 below. In the last 18 years, Whole Trees has built 25 of them here.

Monday, November 2, 2009

somebody had the same idea!

a post from a greenhouse alumna:

hey guys,

I found this house that's at Sarah Lawrence College that is similar to the Green House... it even looks kind of similar (from the one picture shown) and they have retrofitted it with a solar hot water heater and rain water catchment system... take a look at it.


-emily

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Meeting Minutes for 11/01/09

No sign of Stella.


Paul talked with PPS about our “sidewalk”.  They didn’t know what we wanted, so they decided not to put one there yet.  We should have a mote with serpents and ducks.  If someone wants to come up with an idea for the sidewalk.  Smaller gravel like from the parking lot on Alabama, same sidewalk as everywhere else on campus, cement and design.  Gravel is not a good idea for a lot of reasons – ask Carson about these. 


It is illegal to ride a skateboard on the road.  You can also ask Carson about this. 


ARM AND TROUT!  By the end of this week, we need to send letters to people we want to perform.  Angie and Compton can put an invitation together and send letters to musicians and performers and artists.  Keri is making t-shirts sometime after Tuesday – she will send an email about when she is doing this.  Angie and Maggie will make a poster.  Compton will look into Blue Chair coffee and cake.  Next Sunday we will sort out dispensing coffee on campus. Post something on the Sewanee homepage – we will talk about this next week. Dr. Miller, Nathan Bowman,

Sandor Katz is coming on Wednesday!  He would like to do something cool at Sewanee on Wednesday afternoon before his “wild fermentation” workshop.  House dinner with him at 5:30 and workshop at 7.  Carson and Stella and Reed are interested in hanging out with him.

Farm internship.  Easy to organize next semester.  It’s a bit early now. 


Local food meeting at 8:15pm in the LAL.  We are all welcome.

Greenhouse retreat.  Possibly right after exams.  Possibly the first weekend back from Christmas break.    Paul will plan.

Last year, there was a GH thanksgiving dinner with some faculty and staff.  We could do this again this year or maybe a Christmas dinner. 

Compton and Kate will organize a gingerbread house

Eric Keen wants to organize some GH events. 

A Sewanee alumna would like us to come visit her chicken coop!  She is also a vet and can take care of the chickens if they need it. 

Emily Ezell is working on a project to create a farmhouse on Breakfield.  She is giving a presentation here on the 11th to get our feedback.  Everyone needs to try to be here. 

We need to try to organize a meeting with Rocco every couple of weeks to coordinate the GH and the ERs.  Carson will work on this. 


Compton wants more recipes!


Dishes are a huge problem. Reed will come up with a fantastical way to assign plates to each person so that we know who is leaving dishes in the sink.  Extra dishes will be put away somewhere for when guests come over. 


Chores have changed. 
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