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Download a pdf copy of the minutes – Minutes of SAGE AGM 18 Aug 2013
Marie Zuvich, Catherine Potter, Fraser Bayley, Tracey Rich, Walter Kohler, Christine Whitelaw, Penny Cook, Janet Kohler-Bond, Bill Nagle, Adrian Cram, Liz Caddaye, Jim Caddaye, Sandra Makdessi, Wendy Jones, Tim Saffery, Tobie Patrick, Stuart Whitelaw, Tina Clare, Peter Gow, Gerts Al???
Joe Hooper, Caroline Power, Lorna Anderson, Penny Ryan, Dean Shirley, Phil Myssonski, Kate Raymond, Alda Rudris and John Fisher
This is the year that was 2012-2013 milestones for SAGE.
Just when you think time is going at a blistering rate, looking back on the year you realise how long ago it was we decided to have a go at a trial farmers market. Yep, way, way back in December 2012.
Of all the things that the past year had brought this is the biggy. It is confirmed every Tuesday (even in winter) when the stallholders get mobbed at 3pm after the ceremonial ringing of the bell; when we decide to start a facebook page and within 24 hours have over 200 likes!
As Costa confirmed at Southeast Harvest (another of the year’s standouts) the farmers market is the engine that will drive change. From here we can show new growers that there is a dollar in naturally grown local food, get local produce value-added locally, and help establish new markets. We are now looking at an e-commerce component to the markets as well (all help welcomed).
South East Harvest has had nothing but rave reviews from everyone. The range of stalls, growers and stories were inspirational.
The SAGE Education program just goes from strength to strength, with our monthly workshops usually fully subscribed. A new and very exciting program for small scale commercial growers is being finalised.
We have sown the seeds of some new projects that are still in development, like a portable kitchen for use at SAGE and for food demonstrations at the farmers market, and a pavilion for Riverside Park that would provide an all weather home for the core of the farmers market. Its use would be far broader and people can see it being used for major community events like River of Art, Moruya Jazz Festival, Southeast Harvest, not to mention weddings, large family picnics, and a destination for car rallies.
Perhaps one of my favourites for the year was our ‘pop up film festival’ where short films about local food related enterprises were shown by the guys from ‘meanwhile outside’, and also featured the memorable ‘Congo Fox’.
We applied for a number of grants but have nothing to show for all our efforts in that arena. We have however just purchased our new water tanks to collect the water from ‘the roof’. Almost there with our goal of water self sufficiency.
Financial Report: Geoff
Sustainable Agriculture and Gardening Eurobodalla Inc.
ABN 78 722 198 751
Income and Expenditure Summary – 3 July – 7 Aug 2013
INCOME
Membership $0.00
Recipe books $68.00
Vegetables $39.10
Donations $35.00
Harvest Festival Dinner tickets $9,525.00
Farmers Market Stalls $1,925.00
Farmers Market Insurance $7.00
TOTAL INCOME $11,599.10
EXPENSES
Bank fees $0.00
Maintenance (battery for mower) $85.00
Harvest Festival (Catering, waste removal, plates, Ironic Circus band) $6,091.20
Farmers Market (council, manager) $1,280.00
Sugar cane mulch $34.00
Repay Caroline for media ad. $36.41
Internet – domain name for farmers market $32.54
TOTAL EXPENSES $7,559.15
IMB Bank @ 3/07/13 $3,741.42
Net profit (loss) $4,039.95
Transfer to ING Bank $5,500.00
IMB Bank @ 7/08/13 $2,281.37
ING Bank @ 3/07/13 $16,786.76
Transfer from IMB Bank $5,500.00
Interest $51.36
ING: Bank @ 7/08/13 $22,338.12
PETTY CASH $161.80
ACCRUED
Council $1,018.00
Manager $125.00
TOTAL $1,143.00
TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE @ 3/07/13 $23,638.29
Peter Gow acting President declared all positions vacant.
Nominations:
1. President- Fraser Bayley
Proposed by-Stuart
Seconded by-Wendy
2. Secretary-Catherine Potter
Proposed by-Tina
Seconded by-Marie
3. Treasurer-Geoff Scott
Proposed by-Stuart
Seconded by-Tobie
4. Committee Members:
Past President: Stuart Whitelaw
Minute taker: Marie Zuvich
Council and Media liaison: Stuart Whitelaw
Education Officer: Sandra Makdessi
Working bee coordinators: Tina Clare and Wendy Jones
Foodbank coordinator: Alda Rudzis
Commercial Bed coordinators: Fraser Bayley, Tim Saffery and Tina Clare
Allotment Representative and coordinator: Janet Kohler-Bond
SAGE block maintenance coordinator: Adrian Cram
Others: John Bourne and Penny Cook
Sub Committees
South East Harvest Festival Sub-committee: Fraser Bayley, Tobie Patrick, Tracey Rich, Tina Smith Crowley, Marie Zuvich, Kate Raymond, Geoff Scott, Sonia Bazzacco, Bronwyn Carter.
Farmers’ Market Sub-committee: Stuat Whitelaw, Kate Raymond, Penny Cook, Sandra Makdessi, Geoff Scott, Issabel ???? Jock Quirk, Hughen ?????
Coordinators
Active Living coordinator: Penny Ryan
Tool Shed coordinator: Graham Darr
Mowing coordinator: Nick Blackman
Next year fees will be $25 adult and $15 concession. Plenty of notice will be given for the fee increase.
Acting on a suggestion from Alison Walsh, I have coordinated programs with two groups from the Council’s Active Living Programs.
The Ladies Group come to SAGE every four weeks. There are 12 women, mostly aged between 85 and 96, who are very enthusiastic and have varying degrees of physical mobility. For the last two months, in the cold weather, we have taken activities to the Mackay Centre. We hollowed and carved pumpkins and turnips, and then placed candles inside. This is a Swiss custom in winter. The pumpkin flesh was used to make soup for lunch.
On our next visit to the Centre we made pomander oranges and lavender bags using SAGE lavender. This Group hopes to resume visiting SAGE as the weather warms.
The Disability Group comes to SAGE every three weeks. The number varies between two and six participants, with two Carers each time. SAGE volunteers have been able teach the Group gardening skills and generate a lot of enthusiasm for having productive beds. Each time they pick produce to take home. Last visit they took a basket of salad greens back to the Mackay Centre for lunch.
In between the scheduled Group visits, one on one carer and client teams also visit to work on the beds.
Feedback from the Council – Tina Crowley, Jane Rothwell and Lyn Strong – has been very positive.
Thank you to Alison for the encouragement.
A big thank you to Monica Kampfer, Judith Egan, Alda Rudzis and Catherine Hulse for volunteering to help.
Penny Ryan
12 August 2013
The application process is now open and will close on the 5th September. Remuneration is $125pw plus 70% of vegetable sales. The remaining vegetables will be allocated with 20% to SAGE for sale and 10% to membership. Fraser Bayley is handling the trainee process.
The monthly newsletter will now be a paid position @ $25per hr for 8 hours a month. Sandra Makdessi will be the contractor for this.
Children and the SAGE block can be problematic. The tool shed is now out of bounds for children
Meeting Closed: 12pm
Date for next AGM: August 2014
This year marks the 13th year since incorporation of SAGE and together we have made real progress on our core vision to be part or a thriving, resilient and secure food community.
