Minutes from Mon Jan 23

[Occupy Gardens - Jacob]

Occupy Gardens Minutes -- January 23, 2012

Logistics:
Desire for accessibility to information within the group
• Google group/Google Doc -- one exists but rarely used
• Mailing list manager – 2 volunteers for Google group management – no
decision
• Networking within existing organizations/Group members with
affiliations within existing organizations – Google group could be
useful for recording information and limiting overlap
• Wiki/Other centralized webpage creation –useful for organizing
information, events, accumulating knowledge – search begins to find
master wiki man/woman
• Accessibility of information via telephones – a phone tree system,
or pre-recorded call in system (ie “welcome to movie phone”) – search
begins for free service provider

Question: What is the focus/specifics around The World Peas Expo
• Celebration of Peace, Food, Music, Art, Dance, Education of Food
Systems/Production (organic and inorganic)
• Springboard for Mass Action in Spring (seed bombing), a feeding
ground for creative energy, spearhead ideas
• Training/workshops for Mass Action in Spring
Suggested areas of focus for Mass Action in Spring
• How to outreach?
• Where are we planting?
• Donations of plant material and compost (!!!)
• Label making
• Highlights the futility of planting food which will not grow/will be
pulled out
• Political allies? Councilors, MPPs etc who will back the movement
• The desire for a radical AND sustainable movement (deserving of
respect)

Question: Guerilla vs Sanctioned planting?
• No planting on private property, ie homes
• What is public land and how public is it? (zoning, bylaws,
regulations etc)
• Desire for a plant legend (to limit plant destruction)
• Suggestion: If it blooms leave it as it is an active pollinator (vs
ornamental flowers)
• Suggestion for trickle down training groups, organized by quadrants,
possible lead of each group, shared responsibility and knowledge to
sustain Mass Action gardens


Return to Feb 11

Focus on Education of Mass Action team
• forming groups, areas of coordinated care (quadrants—same as above
mentioned)
• workshops/activities
Workshop ideas: compost/soil processes, creation of seed balls/bombs
(including fridge storage) and the donation of compost/clay
(suggestion: Starbuks coffee grinds, kitchen compost)

Artists Workshop
• Collect/donated bins (recycled) of ranging sizes
• Paint, decorate etc bins in Occupy Gardens motif with the intent to
bomb them on lawns/in neighbourhoods on day of Mass Action (include a
note asking to be respected and not destroyed with an option for pick
up if offensive/unwanted)—can be used as creative lawn addition,
conversation starter within communities, represent occupy gardens
supporter
• Pictures of placed bins can be collected/uploaded
• Local artists can paint bins for a fundraiser
• Adding homeopathic herbs/plants with information on their use =
education and goodwill
Suggestion: 5-7 specific plants, ideal for size/weather etc (Plug
Packs available at Richters)
Suggestion: Replicate Occupy Rome’s large mobile garden
Suggestion: Occupy community centers/schools for the creation of
greenhouses
Suggestion: Bait shop for worm castings
Suggestion: Each member/attendee bring art supplies—paints, markers,
posters, banners etc

March to the Food Hanger by Lakeshore

Large map (possible donation from Community Gardens Network)
• Image map of community spaces to bomb
• Community Gardens Networks existing gardens and water sources
• Locate your favourite food spot, local grocer, farmer, restaurant
etc

Food
• Potluck!
• Occupy food committee
• Visit local grocers/markets/restaurants for donations of food

Promo
• Restaurant promo/Winterlicious
• World Peas Expo flyer one side, farming/food system fact sheet other
side, engaging and informative (also applies to Mass Action flyer)
• Initiative of member to head the “foot team”
• Initiative of member to contact local media
• Entire team encouraged to print/promo independently, blog, tweet,
post, share, mass email etc friends, families, networks with info and
invites (Full event info and confirmations expected within the week)
• Connect with groups/individuals w/ initiatives of peace, food, art,
music etc ask them to attend/participate

Final Suggestions:
Logistics team formation
Feedback booth—useful for comments, suggestions, areas of
concentration & assistance
School programs to encourage and educate concerning food health—
existing campaigns we can get behind

NEXT MEETING:
Monday February 6th, 2012
Location: TBA
..

[Add name]

Also want to add the idea about having a "Feedback/Information Booth"
at the World Peas event where we get people's compliments and
constructive feedback. Also their ideas, "2-cents", add-on points,
liasion (organizations, friends, events ... so on who'll be interested
in connecting with us), and so on. Since we should be engaging the
community as much as possible.

Another idea was the one where we should have Multiple Marches for the
different gardening periods (to deal with the different growing
periods of the plant), examples are soil-bed prep, cold-hardy seeding/
transplanting, summer-season seeding/transplanting, mulching, etcetra

On Jan 25, 7:56 pm, Occupy Gardens - Jacob