Estelline, SD

SDSU Cooperative Extension Service and our community coordinator popped the question  –HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO CELEBRATE  — achieving intermediate Horizons goals?  After mid July sometime they’ll provide the cake and funds!! Whoooopeee!!!!

April 15th we mulled it over a bit and thought a party on Friday in conjunction with Farmers Market would be good.  What do you think?

And “thank yous” to Northwest Area Foundation, and SDSU,and CES staff, and especially the always cheerful Cheryl Jacobs, our coordinator.

Horizons Program is taking applications for the 2008 Community Garden growing season.  The Lister Donley Memorial Garden located at the southeast end of 6^th Street South in Estelline will be tilled and marked with 20 feet by 25 feet plots which will be made available to individuals, families, local organizations and truck gardening entrepreneurs.  Rent for the season is set at $15 per plot; for the inaugural year of the garden this amount will be refunded if the garden is clear of debris at the end of the growing season. 

            If you are an experienced gardener, you will find this location full sun and well drained.  The underlying sandy stratum makes it excellent for melons.  Water source will be available 

            If you would like to begin as a gardener, this is an excellent site, with plenty of opportunity for assistance and we will even hold some classes if interest is expressed. 

            Produce for home use and sharing is encouraged.  We will organize some distributions through the Food Pantry. 

            Those who would like to be involved for fun, food, and profit as well are welcome to participate in the Horizons Farmers’ Market as well.  Horizons is taking applications for vendors (contact Linda Svec with questions, forms at Reliabank).

            Should you have questions about the Garden or be interested in volunteering with developing the garden, helping with the children’s plot or the general use plots, or contributing resources to the effort, please contact Harvey Donley (cell phone # 690-9494 or local 873-4000).

            Applications can be picked up from Country Corner or Reliabank.

            The Horizons program which seeks to address poverty in rural communities is funded by Northwest Area Foundation with administration by the Cooperative Extension Service through SDSU.   

At the school cafeteria we will start an effort to get some monetary support for your interests.  Bring writing materials and, if you have some idea or proposal already, bring it along.  We will be presenting basic information from the experts, a glossary, and some suggestions for funding sources.

You do not have to be aiming your effort towards a Horizons project to participate, but we surely welcome your help and a community orientation. 

Introductory evening everybody will get the vocabulary and some “moral support” so we can move ahead with preparing a preliminary draft.  There will be some sample materials to work with, and teamwork is encouraged – a few of the ideas are for individuals though, and some are for youth age 8-18.  Then we have one week to think and work on the project.

On the second session we will have some of the experienced assess our efforts.  And remember, a full proposal is usually months in the making, so consider this community work just a beginning in the process of asking for help in reaching our dreams.  Also remember that over 80% of funding supporting non-profit agencies comes from individuals ( that is you and me buying memberships, making donations, sharing our aluminum cans, eating at fundraisers and patronizing sales, and putting our charities in our wills), so our begging from people/foundations with deep pockets is the tip of the iceberg when all is actually done.  And grant agencies expect the applicant to have a plan to continue the good work after their participation is complete.  Northwest Area Foundation expects Estelline Horizons to move forward on our own after June 2008, for example. 

Additional sessions will be arranged — Horizons will fund professional assistance as we progress in the preparation process.  We have several volunteer editors in our network wanting to help, and at least one has multiple projects he wants to see funded through his program.   

Light supper provided; child care provided in the Kindergarten room (more kids have more fun).

A burst of April get togethers — getting prepared for summer!

9th    Grant writing,  school cafeteria 6:30- 8pm

14th   Farmers’ Mkt committee  school cafeteria  6-6:20pm followed by Garden committee 6:30- 8:30pm

15th   Strategic Planning  east room Trails’ Edge  6:30-8:30pm

16th   Green Group meets to discuss spring cleanup etc.    school cafeteria  6:00-6:20pm followed by

16th   Grant writing   school cafeteria  6:30-8pm

Four instructors from SDSU taught Estelline Horizons the basic concepts of Permaculture. Karl Schmidt, Jane Hegland, Dean Isham and Jessica Miller described this agricultural and productive ecosystem.  Its major concepts are: design with energy efficient planning; perennial agriculture with multiple crops in the field; tree crops; garden agriculture; energy efficient housing; animal forage system; aquaculture; community and ethical development.  The concept of cooperation rather than competition with the emphasis on earth, people, and fair sharing fits well into plans for Estelline’s community garden.  

Kristi Hollenback is pictured with Jane, Dean and Jessica going over some of the Permaculture literature.  Trevor Gilkerson  provided free seeds for the community garden. Linda Svec announced plans for the community garden and the farmers market at the meeting. More can be learned about Permaculture on April 19, 1-3 pm, at the Brookings Public Library.  Contact Karl Schmidt for more information.  There will also be a two day seminar  at SDSU June 28-29.

Two performances of the show will be held in the school auditorium evenings of July 11th and 12th (air-conditioned comfort will be welcome then even if we don’t think about it now).

Children ages 8 to 18 will audition for parts after the directors arrive with their trailer of props, costumes, and scripts on July 6th.  The short rehearsal time is made possible by the directors playing the main roles and the children’s parts being”so catchy and fun it all comes together”.

Watch for tickets ($5 for adults) and volunteer opportunities before the 4th of July.

Friday evenings 4-7pm starting June 20, 2008, Estelline Horizons will sponsor vendors of produce and flowersand crafts from those things, eggs, poultry, and (if we can locate and use a community commercial kitchen) value-added produce and baked goods.  Location provided by the Estelline Coop Grain Co is the site of the aluminum recycling trailer at the south end of Main Street.  Rules and Regulations, and Vendor Applications for the market were defined by the committee and will be available in print format soon.  Persons who grow their own materials within a 100 mile distance of town are qualified to participate.   A manager for the Market is needed still. 

Four area residents will give an introductory talk on permaculture at the Legion Hall (Main Street) on Saturday, March 29^th.  The one-hour talk starts at 1 pm and is free and open to the public.  The talk is hosted by the Estelline Area Horizons project.

Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is a design science which integrates landscape and people providing their food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way.  The philosophy behind permaculture is one of working with, rather than against, nature.

“The permaculture concept originated in Tasmania, Australia, in the 1970s,” said Karl Schmidt, one of the four presenters.  “From Australia it has spread across the globe and is practiced and taught in virtually every country on the planet.”

Schmidt, and his three colleagues, Jane Hegland, Dean Isham, and Jessica Miller, were trained in permaculture design by Bill Mollison, one of the two originators of the concept, and Geoff Lawton, managing director of the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia.

Permaculture draws information from many fields, including agriculture, horticulture, soil science, animal systems, geography, agroforestry, interior design, construction, and engineering.  Its goal is to integrate this information into sustainable planning and design.

“This talk will be of interest to anyone concerned about the future of the planet, food security, and sustainability,” said Schmidt.  “But more than that, it is about sharing the proactive message of permaculture and what people can do themselves in dealing with these concerns.”

For more information, contact Karl Schmidt, 688-4913, or kjschmidt@mchsi.com.

Saturday’s meeting with Rhoda Burrows was attended by 10 community members, some new to Horizons.  We were impressed by the amount and helpfulness of the materials she shared, and much of it was left with us for reference.  Rhoda is also very interested in responding to further questions when we figure out what we need to know!

Next educational opportunity is this coming Saturday;  the venue for the Permaculture presentation has moved across the street to the American Legion Hall,  due to the Sr Citizen dinner, meeting, and games scheduled in conflict.  We hope some Seniors will come across the street for the educational session after their activity. 

And speaking of Senior opportunities,  anyone 60 years of age or better is invited for BBQ and salad supper evening of the 24th  (that would be tomorrow, Monday) sponsored by an aging grant which is wanting your input in improving wellness and health services;  show up to have your say.  

See you there?

Estelline senior citizens are invited to the American Legion for a free supper on Monday, March 24 at 5 PM.  The menu consists of barbecues, macaroni salad, potato salad, cookies, milk and coffee.  They have the chance to win four fruit baskets as door prizes. 

Hamlin County Extension Agent, Sandra Namken, will interview those present who will first list the positive aspects of the town and then what we could improve on as related to aging health concerns.  The group will be asked to prioritize the list that night. 

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