dangling conversations

I spoke with Karen earlier today, and a good thing. She and I agreed that we have much to talk about, and much to do this summer before she leaves in mid-September. She will start training the new person in August, whenever they come (whoever they are).

So we agreed that we must talk about the following together, as potential projects to do over the summer: maintain and prepare garden (personal), library, seminar (talk with Steve primarily), Village Eats//PICA meals, website, Sunday Ritual Meetings, schedule, supplies, signage around the A-Quad and garden. Hopefully our meetings will become more frequent as we work to figure things out.

There is an alternate way of looking at things: if I know people's schedules, then I will know better what to accomplish before they get back from their various trips. That way, I will know when to be in people's ways and when to disappear.

Adam is coming back in late July. Steve is coming back in mid-July, and he'll be back and forth throughout the rest of summer. Mike's not leaving, but Julie's visiting sometimes (happily! She's such a sweetie :) ). Rebecca's leaving in late July, but she'll be around for her birthday. Tyler's ...I'm not sure. V's coming ...I don't know when. I just know that Friday is her first workday. Huffy, Mary, John, Tony ...all the other people who live near here but do not come on a regular basis ...I don't know. Mike says that we'll be seeing a lot more of John in early July, when his girlfriend leaves (sad). Jesse will return in August sometime. Biseat works here Mondays through Thursdays, and she is interested in working in the garden either after work or come on some Saturday workdays. This coming weekend, she'll be out of town seeing a concert with Nathan in the Sierra Nevada. Chloe comes back tomorrow, from the concert everyone went to this weekend. Karen will be in-and-out, and I need her schedule soon. She'll be out permanently come mid- to late September.

So I must learn how to work alone, but always assuming that someone could drop in. Like Dave Shaw, Steve, or Tony. If Dave comes by, I need to be on the ball with my plans and his updates for the garden. If Steve comes by, I must show that I've made sufficient progress on his projects and that everything is neat and orderly. If Tony comes by, then I must show that I am busy so that he won't ask too many questions.

I really need to set up a watering routine for those trees. Perhaps a five-gallon bucket on slow drip once every two weeks ought to do it? I just need to number the trees ;-) and find what time of day works the best. I should ask Steve tomorrow if this amount is sufficient.

Apparently, Steve wants some really drought-resistent plants to grow in the A1 strip. He mentions sages and mints would be his ideal. He already has two oaks of genetic mixes (the Dakota and the black) growing there, as well as a young Aesculus californica (Coast Buckeye). Hmmm. I think that we can do that, but it would require some advanced planning first. Like where we'd get all the plant starts, for cheap. He says that perhaps we can beg some off Cristof, who works in the Farm's hoophouse, or maybe the College Eight Garden still has some left. He's going to show me the College Eight Garden irrigation system tomorrow, how it works - then I am going to convince him to go with me to the hoophouse, introduce me to Cristof, and see about those starts. We'll see if he donates to us. I suppose that the Arboretum has those sales... But I feel like we should be propagating them ourselves! Using Santa Cruz's front yards as our genetic selections.

Karen says that of the people she can think to ask, these should be our list: Cristof (Steve's choice), Dave Shaw (perhaps some up at Chadwick), then the Arboretum. They have adoption tables at both the Farm and the Arboretum (and they're neighbors with a fence in between - how funny - how weird). So I think I'll go tomorrow and check them both out, when I'm not busy collecting boysenberries that is! Hehehe... Tomorrow, I am going to make preserves!

Speaking of which ...there is something to be said about being ignorant sometimes (and knowing how and when to market it). I told Steve that I had to do some research because I don't know how to prune tomatoes. Well, he said he'd teach me tomorrow! Wow! I wonder if this will be a way to get Steve in the garden?

I hope.

I really do hope.