Sunday, January 17, 2010

Green Acres Real Estate Update - 1.17.10

Check out the latest listing of homes for sale in Green Acres. Find a new home and come join our lovely neighborhood!

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

January Potluck and Meeting

Date: Tuesday, January 12
Time: Potluck begins at 6:30pm with meeting to follow
Location: Kindly hosted by Al & Kathy, 2605 E 5th

Topics: Bypass, GANG, neighbor news

Neighbors Present: Jelene Campbell, John and Jessica Gaus, Ann Kreilkamp, Kevin Polk, Al & Kathy Ruesink, Kimberly Wagner

Bypass: Neighbors discussed the recent H-T article stating that the bypass project is the most important project of 2010. John brought up the idea that since there are lots of houses on the west side of the by-pass and very close to it, perhaps a wall could at least built there? He wants to look at the idea of trying to fight for just this stretch of the road: don't widen this final stretch; slow the speed limit down. Ann will attend the B-Top meeting January 11 (tomorrow evening) and report back to the group anything of interest to us.

GANG: Neighbors discussed what we want the garden to be in its second year. How will the garden continue its educational and community-building mission as well as grow food? An IU Sustainability class will be working with the garden during spring semester to design and build a state-of-the-art compost system using bins. Ann is meeting with Vickie Provine (City's HAND Department) tomorrow for lunch to discuss the garden. Neighbors agreed to leave the ferrocement fence as is and to finish the painting so it is uniform. Also want to make a sign this year. Colin has volunteered to do all the little building projects that remain during the growing season this year: finish the picnic area, build the tool shed, and make permanent cold frames for the front area of the garden. More neighbor support, as well as ideas for what the garden should look like this year, are needed. Ann presented a slide show (created by Jane) on the GANG's first year to the McDoel Gardens Neighborhood Association which got them very excited to do something similar in their neighborhood. We would love to share this presentation with other neighborhoods, so get the word out. We will talk with Nicole from the Service Learning Center at IU to see if there might be a graduate student who could intern at the garden in some way. John brought up the idea of saving seeds from the garden and giving to people in the neighborhood to establish their own gardens. Neighbors talked about the community gardens in the city and thought about the idea of HAND setting up a tour of different types of community gardens that already exist in Bloomington.

Fond Farewell: Kevin and Kimberly announced that they are leaving Bloomington and moving to Athens, Ohio, where they will simplify their lives and start a permaculture garden on 4.5 acres with an existing trailer. They hope to build a straw bale house there eventually. Neighbors were excited to see them take that next step on their journey and sad to know their wonderful friendship and participation would be missing from future GANA life. Best Wishes to Kevin and Kimberly - you will be missed tremendously!

Next meeting Tuesday, February 9 at 6:30pm; kindly hosted by Ann, 134 N Overhill

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