2026 ongoing meeting minutes
3/15/2026
Present: Cheryl, Ben, Brian, Alex, Christy
Question for discussion: What are ideas for the best model for the farmette that are good for the people growing the food and the people eating the food?
Reviewed mission, discussed success, challenges, and brainstormed opportunities
Farmette Mission: to strengthen the health and resilience of our community and care for the Earth by cultivating 1/12 acre of land we hold in common using biologically healthy methods to grow, share, and eat food. We seek to enjoy a four-season harvest through organic practices, informed by our unique local environment and relying on the wisdom of other local and global growers. From 2023 Approved Proposal: Designate the Wacoho Farmette as a Committee
Our Core Values
Sustainability: As stewards or as strands in a web, we recognize our interdependence with the Earth and live in conscious gratitude. We work to soften our impact on the Earth through various methods of conservation. We remain mindful that our choices affect other beings and systems.
Beauty: We are committed to the synergy of aesthetic elegance and environmental harmony, both in the ways we live and in how we arrange and care for our physical environment.
Cooperation: We recognize that working, playing, and celebrating together is essential to building relationships. When appropriate, we place the interests of the community ahead of our own self-interests.
Successes
Grew 1,310 lbs high quality produce using an intensive and diverse production oriented planting and farm maintenance system
Introduced 12 new crop varieties in 2025, including Cabbages, Beets, Dill, Onions, Fennel, Carrots and Tabasco peppers!
19/26 units (73%) signed up for enjoying the harvest
Actively managed the land
minimized fire hazards
suppressed weeds
enhanced soil fertility
increased biodiversity
created beauty and food in our community
Used community resources efficiently (less that $55/household in 2025, excluding water)
Saved community money, water and fossil fuels compared to lawn care
Challenges
Labor intensive
Distributing food to community members in a timely and fair way
Limited space for cold storage of produce
Food waste when produce is not eaten or is left in the CH
Hotter and drier summers mean crops that were traditionally successful are not always
Future planning requires record keeping of harvest, resource use, and close observance of crop successes and failures
Limited participation in farmette workdays/tasks
Communication: need for more consistent means of reaching out to neighbors in accessible ways
Sometime too much/too little of types of produce people want - many factors at play
Opportunities
Farmette is a space for ongoing learning for folks in the community - growing, processing, eating
Farmette parties offer opportunities to gather as a community over shared tasks and for community merriment
Careful intensive planting methods in the community enhances produces more consistent harvest, and a richer diversity of produce options that can help offset rising prices at the grocery store
Extra fridge for storage in summer
Leveraging diverse skills within the community to help, not all tasks require field labor
Create a “Kitchen garden”row or area for herbs and crops that folks can take as they need them
Take advantage of city grants to help with financial costs of running the Farmette
Continued maintenance of Common Property in a cost-effective and sustainable way
Modeling a healthy co-housing community, especially for children. Working in the garden has an opportunity to represent a mini urban gardening internship with valuable life lessons that piques one’s curiosity
More community merriment and direct nourishment!
Revisited question for discussion: What are ideas for the best model for the farmette that are good for the people growing the food and the people eating the food?
Ideas brainstorm - by individuals via post-it note, then grouped
Communication – messaging to help manage production, expectations, use by the community, minimize waste; Weekly or monthly announcements on what’s going on at the farmette or ACM announcement?
Education – Farming education workshops; monthly learning opportunity to build skills, support, and fun!
Growing and harvesting - team harvest days, team food distribution days; weekly community harvest/workday; “events’ for the community to enjoy the farmette & learn about growing food; small part of the farmette is free to pick (ex. herbs), well marked & explained
Distribution - maximize distribution quickly & minimize storage (and waste); Cubbies for pickup with area/method for redistribution
Cooking and eating - farmette extend to having a group of people take “low value” produce to prepare meals for community? Distribute in individual servings?; Weekly/monthly cooking and recipe sharing days; dish at potluck from farmette
Next meeting: for planting 3/20 time TBD, regular farmette meeting 3/22, 1pm
3/1/2026
Present: Alex, Emily, Christy
- Measured all beds to order drip irrigation
- Looked through tool shed -- in fall might consider writing a proposal for a new tool shed, perhaps located in a cooler location, less conducive to growing
- Collected soil samples for analysis
To Do
Alex will compile drip irrigation order and determine if we can afford to upgrade to 3/4" sub-main, or just purchase need emitter tubing
Christy will compile list of potential varieties for our seed order by Wednesday
Clean trays and pots
Next meeting 3/8 after potluck
2/22/26
Present: Laura, Abby, Tobi, Alex, Emily, Christy
Notes from last growing season
- Favas were down by 80% - seed stock? bad soil? Fungal infection?
- Beans 100 lbs down to 1 lbs
- Tomatoes - too many cherry tomatoes
- Heat was hard for people and plants
- New last year were onions, beets, napa cabbage
Thoughts about this season
Laura - Loves tomatoes, shishitos, carrots, turnips, arugula, lettuce, leeks, herbs
Soesn’t love kale, hard time with beets
Cherry tomatoes are great for the little kids but maybe plant where the kids play?
Emily - Always eager to learn
What about more drought tolerant varieties? Will the Community like them? Potatoes were nice to have
Abby - Likes to eat most produce
Excited to learn more about growing
Has time in summer to work on farmette
Loved the lettuce and herbs, likes kale
Happy to try new things
Interested in growing more heat tolerant varieties
Mix of fresh v storage varieties?
Tobi- Loved the onions, carrots and beets
Suggests plant heavier on lower time intensive/sensitive crops
Should have more time this summer - yay!
Asparagus in bed near the chicken coop?
Christy - Loves all veg
Has zinnia and other flower seeds to contribute to any spaces where veg might not grow well
Shade cloth for peppers and tomatoes or whole garden?
Challenges
How to deal with water
Regular work days
Making sure Alex does not bare the burden of all of the work
Get more people involved
Potential solutions for this year
Task list for folks to work when they can
Common work day - Sundays 1-2pm @ CH
Future tasks
Seed inventory - Alex has existing seeds inventory, will make sure the team has access to seed inventory and harvest spreadsheets
Tool inventory
Tray/pot cleaning
Building soil blocks
Plant leeks soon
Replace drip lines
Tool shed rebuild or move?