Dear 2021 Rose Roots Gardeners,
Despite that we've had to cancel our May 2 Opening Celebration due to anticipated weather (with the hope of rescheduling another kick-off get together), our leadership team is excited to welcome a record number of new gardeners and are excited to see all of you returning gardeners back! The water is turned on and it's time to start getting seeds in! We had a wonderful turnout at our first Work Party with over 30 people in attendance and got all the new hose hangers installed. We are finalizing registration, but it looks like here are our appx. numbers:
Garden Stats
125 gardeners registered
100 plots sold total
10 ADA plots sold
10 Half plots sold
3 food donation plots full
1 scholarship plot issued
Our first Monthly meeting will be on Monday May 3 at 6 pm at the garden behind the East shed and all are encouraged to attend.
We were having a discussion about how several of us didn't know how to access garden resources or get involved when we first started. Here is a list of ways to get involved at the Get Go, learn more, and meet your garden community! Learn more at our garden website:
Top 5 Ways to show Garden Love:
1.Service Hours: 12 hours per plot per season required. Join Thursday and weekend Work Parties to fulfill your hours. Sign up for Service Jobs on our website (under Member Resources/Service Hours Here) and log hours in the barn or online Here.
2.Composting: Trainings offered. Two hours per season per gardener please. Help chop up the compost pile and note what goes in and what doesn't! Check the Calendar for details on an upcoming compost training at a neighbor garden on May 11.
3.Monthly meetings: First Monday of each month at 6 pm: held at the garden (or online in inclement weather on Google Meet here: http://meet.google.com/kuo-eeig-icz). Get to know fellow gardeners and provide constructive input. Check calendar for changes.
4.Website Calendar: shows upcoming events. RSVP so we can plan fabulous events for you!
5.Reach Out: Share, be kind and helpful to your fellow gardeners. Join our Facebook and Instagram "Rose Roots Community Garden" pages to share and collaborate. Participate in Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) trainings. Read our monthly newsletter in your Email to stay informed. Respond to text reminders to let us know if you can make Work Parties and socials. We are all volunteers and, as they say, "many hands make light work!"
We look forward to another fabulous year of growing food and community together!
As leaders we'd like to offer ourselves up as mentors for those getting started. Below is an introduction to our 2021 Rose Roots Steering Committee.
See you out at the garden!
Warmly,
Erin Newton, President
and Rose Roots Leadership 2021
(720) 702-8806
Erin Newton, Rose Roots President, Plot 113: Erin has gardened with her husband and two sons at the garden for 8 years. She worked for 10 years as a geologist in environmental remediation, mine reclamation, nuclear waste management, and exploration projects and now works as a freelance harpist and teacher for her Alpenglow Harp Studio. She manages the Rose Roots garden website at www.roserootsgarden.org and posts events on our Google calendar, sends text reminders, and offers social media posts to keep gardeners informed about upcoming events. She loves to climb, bike, ski, travel, cook and garden with her family. Reach out if you'd like to offer a talent, workshop or special event at the garden and Erin will help you get the word out to fellow gardeners.
Contact Erin: leadership@roserootsgarden.org
Patty Sacks, Vice President, Plot 110: Patty retired from the National Park Service (NPS) in February 2020, as a senior landscape architect / Project Manager in the Denver Service Center (DSC) after working 36 years in parks across the country in transportation planning, facility design and congestion management and value analysis. She’s now enjoying a life of leisure - bicycling, hiking, kayaking, downhill and backcountry skiing and gardening in Colorado. In the distant past she designed and completed trail implementation projects with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, and currently moonlights in residential garden design. She volunteers on the leadership team at Rose Roots Community Garden and recently earned a "Gardener's Certificate" from Colorado State University's Master Gardeners Program. Patty aka "Our Lady of the Compost" will be coordinating our composting teams this year.
Contact Patty: pjsacks@gmail.com
Kendra Eliason, Membership Coordinator, Plot 87:
Kendra has been an active member of the garden since its first year yielding produce in 2012 and has been an integral part of integrating members and guiding operations. Kendra prepares the Monthly garden newsletter which comes out around the beginning of each month so let her know if you have anything you'd like to share with your fellow gardeners. Kendra loves gardening, climbing, biking, skiing, building, and painting and offering resources to new gardeners.
Contact Kendra: membership@roserootsgarden.org
Laura Bennett, Administrator and Orientation, Plot 9: Laura records our important resolutions in meetings and has oriented over 40 new gardeners this year! She enjoys cooking with garden produce and offers cooking workshops at the garden. Laura loves gardening, volunteering at Global Thrift, getaways to Tucson, and bringing people together. Contact Laura for mentorship or if you need help finding resources.
Contact Laura: lbennett2667@gmail.com
Karel Hemler, Treasurer, Plot 15: Karel tracks our budget and offers monthly reports. Her thoughtful approach to leading and offering guidance is much appreciated by the garden community. She loves gardening, giving back to her community, and being a new grandmother! Our steering committee approves expense requests at the monthly meetings and expense reimbursement requests should be submitted directly to Karel.
Contact Karel: hemlerka@gmail.com
Gary Williams, Operations, Plot 96: Gary tracks what garden improvements are needed and organizes Work Parties to manage weeds and implement garden upgrades. Gary gardens with three generations of his family and has supported the garden, along with his wife Jeneyne, Daughter and gardener Erin, and his granddaughters Addisyn and Natalie who have been known to bring their cello and violin for garden shows and will be helping lead the Youth program this year.
Jim Richards, Operations, Plot 94: Jim supports Gary in leading gardeners to make sure our plot borders are in good shape, the weeds in our community spaces are kept at bay, our hoses are working and our tools are well maintained. Jim and Gary are a Dream Team leading keeping our garden beautiful, operational and helping gardeners see what needs upkeep. Contact Jim or Gary with ideas about garden improvements.
Contact Jim: richards177@comcast.net