Monday, September 19, 2011

2011 Annual General Meeting


Meeting Agenda

i) greetings!
ii) critical thinking exercise overview and discussion
iii) board presentation
iv) committee presentations
a) legal committee:
presentation of proposed new bylaws
-q & a
-discussion
presentation of proposed new certificate of formation (a.k.a articles of incorporation)
-q & a
-discussion

b) finance committee:
overview of 2011 actuals
equity disbursement proposal

c) maintenance committee:
2011 project overview
                        -pest control
fall/winter 2011 & 2012 projection
-house painting workday

d) garden committee:
2011 project overview
                        -tree care
                        -mulch
fall/winter 2011 & 2012 projection
-vegetable and herb garden
-perennial planting

v) board reelection
vi) closing discussion

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Looks Like Rain!

Our Garden...in April

This Summer's drought really knocked us out. We lost dozens of organic and heirloom tomatoes, beans, eggplants, peppers, and herbs to the dry heat. We focused on keeping our trees alive, ultimately investing $1700 in trimming and ball moss removal.


Planting seeds last week was definitely a leap of faith. Bobette put in okra, beets, radishes, bush beans, and other yummy babies.  Now the question is whether or not rain will come in time to see them through to adulthood...
 
Yesterday it sprinkled, and today we're hearing thunder for the first time in nearly a year! Looks like our fall garden might have a fighting chance after all :)

Thursday, September 15, 2011

What is a Sunflower Cooperative?

Sunflower, like most housing cooperatives, is an established group committed to sharing living space and associated expenses. We Sunnies own our home equally, and our "rent" covers the cost of utilities, property taxes, groceries, maintenance, appliances, and so on. By doing so we are able to drastically reduce both our personal expenses and ecological footprint.



The "House" is actually two. One is primarily private bedrooms and bathrooms, the other hosts our community spaces: kitchen, den, office, and pantry. Through mundane daily interactions, weekly meetings, and the occasional party, we learn how to communicate, tolerate, and care for each other. Our house is a home, and we live as a family.