EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORT AUGUST 2011

DIAMOND HEAD COMMUNITY GARDEN

EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORT AUGUST 2011

Wishing to build stronger community and better organization, the 2011 Executive Board has been working on improving COMMUNICATION, FAIRNESS, and TRANSPARENCY.  In spite of a rocky start and a number of stumbles along the way, we did achieve the following:

COMMUNICATION

o   Updated member & co-gardener contact information (Out of 114 plots, 22 do not have or use email and must rely on information posted in the kiosk)

o   Set up garden email diamondheadgarden@gmail.com, monitored daily

o   Monthly updates include Next Meeting Agenda, Citations Issued, Minutes of Previous Meeting, Quarterly Reports, and a Newsletter.  Emailed and posted in the kiosk one week before each meeting.

o   Set up Garden Blog with Calendar of Meetings, Bylaws, and profiles of members and some co-gardeners: (http://diamondheadcommunitygarden.blogspot.com)

o   Posted list of Board members & Committee spokespersons to report problems and suggest improvements to

o   Clear guidelines for wait-listed applicants

o   Information packet for new garden members

o   Social gatherings

o   Gardener of the Month (suggested by members Judi Bowman and Eliza Repalda)

FAIRNESS by enforcing DHCG Bylaws

o   Payment of annual dues

o   Recording meeting attendance

o   Recording workday attendance

o   Plot Monitoring

o   Listing ongoing workday projects and project leaders

o   Moving cat feeding out of the garden

o   Quick response to complaints and conflicts

o   Propose including Dues Deadline and Leave of Absence to DHCG Bylaws

TRANSPARENCY

o   Timely updates and notification of items up for vote

o   Notification of citations

o   Notification of plots at risk for revocation

o   Quarterly Reports, including End of Year Report

o   Reports on issues under discussion at Gardens Council meetings

STILL TO BE ADDRESSED OR FINISHED

o   Compiling a comprehensive handbook of DHCG policies and procedures

o   Improving bulletin board in kiosk

o   System for recruiting new Board members

o   System for smooth transfer of responsibilities to new Board members

o   YOUR SUGGESTIONS?

IN PRAISE OF WORMS!

After the July 9, 2011 meeting, I came upon this jolly group 

of gardeners happily separating worms from their castings. 

Hail to the worms!

 Anyone interested to learn about vermicasting, 

check with Malia Cross (left front), plot #85

After my interruption they all went right back to their work.

Good job, fellow gardeners!

MEET JOAN NACINO & KEN POLLET

 

 Joan V. Nacino & Ken J. Pollet (Plot #40)

Joan and Ken were the first people I met when I came into the garden.  They were so charming, generous, and welcoming, they immediately set the tone for the whole garden.  They were such great ambassadors that you can blame them for my presence in the garden :-)  Thank you, Joan & Ken!

~ Elsha

Joan, would you be so kind to give us a brief introduction of yourself?

I'm Joan V. Nacino. I am originally from Kauai and moved here in 1981 to attend college. After graduating, I found employment and remained here on Oahu. Ken J. Pollet is originally from New Orleans, LA. He moved here in 1977. We met in December 1982. I moved to Pualei Circle in 1989 and got my garden plot in 1989 or 1990 at the first meeting I attended and have had it ever since. A few years prior to that, the DHCG used to be on Paki Avenue, running along the zoo fence. The zoo fence used to be 40 to 50 feet makai of what it is now. When they expanded the zoo, DHCG had to move to its present spot. The garden meetings used to be at the pavilion behind the Fire Station and basketball courts. Ken and I married in February 2000.

How did you get into gardening?  Did someone teach you? 

For me, Joan, it was part of our upbringing, growing up in a plantation camp on Kauai and growing the fruits and vegetables versus buying most of it from the stores. For Ken, it was pretty much the same thing, growing fruits and vegetables at the family home in New Orleans.

Why do you garden?  What do you get from it? 

We love to garden to see what we can grow and eat. The result is self-satisfaction from the 'fruits of our labor' and sharing some of the 'spoils' with friends.

How often do you come to the garden? 

We come to the garden several times a week, maybe twice a day.

What is your favorite garden store? 

We used to love Star Market's garden shop in Mo'ili'ili. We like Home Depot in Iwilei and Lowe's. However, Home Depot has a larger selection.

What is the best or most interesting plant you’ve ever grown? 

Ken's favorite is chili peppers, in particular a Thai chili from a friend who visits Thailand. For me, there's been several interesting plants; a white eggplant from Rick and an edible hibiscus plant someone gave us. The leaves were edible. When cooked, it was a little slimy like okra, but not unpleasant. But my favorite plants are orchids an airplants.

Do you actually cook and eat what you harvest? 

Yes, we eat most of what we grow, but not everything is cooked.

Do you know of any interesting, funny, inspiring or curious things that have happened in Diamond Head Community Garden? 

When I got my plot back in '89 or '90, we had more senior citizens back then. And, the executive committee or board was made up of mostly senior citizens. The vibe was more welcoming and there was more of a sense of community back then and not as many contentious issues then as there are now.  It seems like the members were more respectful of each other’s opinions and it was okay to agree to disagree. It's funny how things have evolved.  My favorite DHCG president was Horace. One year, it was decided that many garden plots needed the boards replaced. The committee then was headed by a woman who was also the treasurer. I don't recall her name. Her committee did a great job. They had the boards delivered, painted, holes drilled for the bolts. And, they also issued the bolts for each corner connection, re-bars to be placed in the middle of the plot to keep the longer lengths of boards from bowing inward or outward. They also included instructions and drawing for installing the boards. After that, each plot 'owner' was responsible for removing the old boards and installing the new boards.

GARY HOLMQUIST LIKES TO GET DOWN !

Gary Holmquist (plot #75) really likes digging into the soil

How did you get into gardening?  

I've been gardening since I was a little kid, for as long as I can remember I've been planting things and watching them grow.  While growing up in Southern California our neighbor, Mr Dyar, always had a huge garden in his backyard.  I loved to go there and explore what was happening during the growing season.

Did someone teach you? 

I don't know if there was any one person who taught me, I think I learned by experimentation and passion to try new things in the garden.

Why do you garden?  What do you get from it?

There is a sense of accomplishment that come to me when I am at the garden getting my hands dirty.  My number one favorite thing is to get down and really dig into the soil.  I also like it when I spend some good honest time making my garden look good.  I have a bit of an obsession with pulling weeds.  I've caught myself pulling weeds in parking lots and shopping malls.  I can’t help noticing them and pulling them.

How often do you come to the garden? 

I would like to spend more time but I have a full time job which takes up most of my time.  Right now I average about two times a week.

What is your favorite garden store? 

I tried going to the new Lowe's and wasn't too impressed.  I am a big Home Depot fan.  I feel comfortable there and know where everything is.  I used to go to Wally's before they closed, as well as, the old Star Market.

What is the best or most interesting plant you’ve ever grown?  

I think my favorite things to grow are my houseplants.  I've got some really big specimen plants that I've been growing for many years.  I also have a couple of bonsai trees that I am caring for.

Do you actually cook and eat what you harvest?

I try to eat what I grow as much as I can.  Mostly, I love to grow.  I give a lot of what I harvest to my friends, neighbors and co-workers.  They are always surprised and gratified with what I give them.

If you could have it your way, how would you improve Diamond Head Community Garden? 

I've been a gardener at the Diamond Head Community Garden for nine years now.  When I first started it seemed to be much more casual and friendly.  Many time people would stop by and talk story about their gardens and what was growing.  Now it seems conversations tend to get a bit too political for me.  Cats or no Cats, arguments with neighbors and a lot of negative things that comes along when a group of people get together.  I think this is a sign of the times as people feel empowered to express their opinions more openly.  Many times I just want to go to my garden and not be sucked into some debate that has nothing to do with my passion.

Do you have any interesting, funny, inspiring or curious garden/gardening stories?

One of the highlights of my gardening occurred a few years ago.  While pruning a hibiscus tree I had, I noticed a huge praying mantis living on one of the branches.  I noticed that she was there everyday for a week then she disappeared.  She did leave a huge egg sack and over the next few weeks I kept an eye on it.  One day I was looking closely at the egg sack when I noticed lots of little ant like creatures coming out.  They were tiny little Manta, exact duplicates, hundreds of them.  I felt a great sense of accomplishment that I saved them from being pruned away and that I was able to share the experience with my gardening neighbors.