Spring brings synergy, new Teams and potluck planning – Update from Board
Throughout the cool and rainy Spring season, the farmland project board has been doing behind the scenes work on our organization, to improve our effectiveness and to synergize our efforts with other PI organizations.
One of our members, Catherine Sherlock, has been guiding this effort by generously offering her expertise in organizational development, providing tools and feedback. We have honed our vision and mission statements, incorporating the input from the community visioning event held February 13th. Our new mission statement reads as follows:
To acquire and steward Pender Island community farmland, to be held in perpetuity for sustainable food production; to encourage community involvement in local, sustainable food production and consumption; to provide community members with access to the land while increasing knowledge and practices of sustainable farming; to create more farmers and increase food security on the Pender Islands.
Board responsibilities have been redistributed so that each member has a clear focus of responsibility. Our goal is to avoid burn-out and to ensure that we all continue to enjoy the work. We have reformed our teams (not committees) and are actively recruiting new members. Care to plug in with your ideas and good energy? Contact us. Teams are as follows:
- Land Acquisition: Colin Watson – 250-629-6153
- Land Management: Renee Watson – bumbleflower.renee@gmail.com
- Fundraising: Elizabeth Montague – 250-629-6636
- Communication: Matilda te Hennepe – matildath@hotmail.com
- Activities and Outreach: Anna Lundeen – 252-629-3523
For more info on these teams, check out the new teams page.
Acquiring community farmland is only a part of what we aim to accomplish. Researching and organizing for the long term, planning a farm landscape, establishing governance and sound funding structure, optimizing the community farmland vision so that it best serves the needs and wishes of Penderites – these are all part of the planning work we can do before the acquisition as well as after.
We value your time and our own. For that reason, we have decided to forego monthly member meetings and to come together for regular potluck gatherings instead. Board meetings will continue on a monthly basis, and all members are welcome to attend. Team meetings will happen more frequently, as needed. However, the potluck gatherings will provide the whole membership and community with opportunities to meet, mix and socialize as well as share ideas and dialog with the teams. Our next potluck is planned to coincide with garlic harvesting – likely mid-July. It’s not too early to start thinking about your favorite fresh garlic recipe . . .
The Farmland Project sales of that fabulous duck and goose compost are continuing at the Saturday Farmers’ Market. Notice of when it’s available is often last-minute for us, so watch for it and be ready to pounce. This rich addition to your garden will reap rewards!
Elizabeth Montague
