The Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count

Friends of the Earth are taking part in The Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count.

As you know Bumble Bees are declining in numbers world wide according to the literature.

Volunteers are asked to upload sightings to:

www.Bumblebeewatch.org where your sightings will go into a data base.

Mike, our Chair thinks is a good idea to send an e-mail to all the gardeners on the e-mail list in case some gardeners want to participate in the count. I’ve already uploaded a sighting.

One of the required items is the Latitude and Longitude of the sighting. These readings can be obtained before filling out the form from Google Maps.

There is lots more information in the web site.

Take Care

Ian R.

Mowing the Grass at NAGA by Ken Medd

I retired in 2015 and quickly found that I wasn’t really ready to retire. I had too much time on my hands and I started taking contracts and odd jobs. Earlier this spring, I jumped at the chance to mow the grass at NAGA. Shortly after that, I landed a short-term job that kept me very busy for May and June. In fact, my garden plot was badly neglected during that period. That job is over, however, and I’m paying more attention to my plot again.

When I started cutting our grass, I wasn’t familiar with the brand of lawn tractor we use (a Columbia) but it seems powerful and well suited to the size of our garden. We’re into the second half of the 2016 gardening season now and I’ve cut our grass quite a few times. I’m getting comfortable with the garden’s layout and I’ve learned some useful things like where the tractor can’t turn around and where it just doesn’t fit. I think I’ve found a good height for the mower deck. It doesn’t leave the grass too long and the blades are high enough that they don’t dig into the ground or hit many rocks.

Sometimes, things are left beside the plots that can present challenges for mowing. I’ve come across rocks, piles of rocks, sticks, stakes, netting, fence wire, plastic bottles, pails, bags, papers, ropes, hoses and other things that we all use in our gardens. Earlier in July, I broke both of the mower’s blades in one evening when I hit rocks that had been thrown into the grass on the headlands. I’m learning where to expect those obstacles though and I’m sure I’ll get better at avoiding them.

I’ve met many of you already and I look forward to meeting the rest of you as opportunities arise. If you have suggestions or constructive criticisms about the mowing please flag me down and let me know. That’s all for now, except to say thanks for letting me mow the grass. I’m really enjoying it.

Ken

Renewals for 2016 and Annual General Meeting

The following is current as of 26 March 2016:

Renewals:

The renewal applications are now being sent out electronically and by regular mail (for those who don't use email).

2016 NAGA Annual General Meeting (AGM):

The AGM will be held on Saturday 23 April at 1PM at the Tanglewood Community Centre, 30 Woodfield Dr, Nepean. Free onsite and street parking. Wheelchair accessible.

Status of waiting list for non-members:

The current waiting is over 120 people, and the average waiting time is 2-3 years. To get on the waiting list send an email to the registrar with your full name, mailing/street address, phone number. The waiting list is addressed in the order that names were added. As your name is reached on the list you will be offered a garden plot. Once two offers are refused your name is removed from the waiting list. Attempts to subvert this process will result in your name being removed from the waiting list.

Actions taken with respect to gardeners not respecting the Terms and Conditions as agreed to by their signature, in 2015:

• The gardeners of 28 plots will receive extra scrutiny during 2016.
• The gardeners of 6 plots are on Final Notice for 2016 ("last chance").
• The gardeners of 10 plots have lost plots (and possibly membership) due to serious and/or persistent violations.