Meeting minutes for HHC Regular Meeting held May 2, 2011 at Blue River Natural Foods.

Attendance:  Barb and Earl Smith, Marvin and Jeniece Miller, Glen Reynolds, Jack Coe, Rex Zenor, Rick Cole, Robert and Darlene Engleking, Edna Yeager, Roy Ballard, Guests:  Ashley Root, Matt Yeager

The meeting was called to order at 7:07 pm by Earl Smith.

The meeting minutes from the April 4, 2011 meeting were read and approved.

No formal treasurer's report was given but Barb summarized recent items:  paid under $1100 for new directory; paid $300 for building rent for member showcase; collected $190 from vendors for showcase; paid $100 for showcase ad; need to get sponsors for Legacy ad, Randy Kimerly showed interest for May and June and he will be contacted.

It was decided that we will have a booth at the Hancock County Fair inside a building.

The Member Showcase was discussed:  had hoped for more attendance; people attending did enjoy the event; good number of vendors; may have later next year when there will be more produce available; will do surveys at farmers' market and county fair to see what people want.

Ashley Root told of her and her husband's plans to open a local fresh food grocery in Greenfield at the current Heavenly Scent Candle Store across from Carnegies which they have purchased.  They plan:  selling local foods; full hot meals to-go two days a week; healthier meals; diabetic meals; catering; she is a trained chef; he is schooled in PR; web site advertising, natural - no chemicals.

A Farm Bureau representative met with the county commissioners.  The library is now paid for and they hope to edit tax to pay 2008-2009 money to city of Greenfield for economic development.  It is hoped the money can be used for a local regional food store and processing plant in Hancock County; thought HHC should be involved; available grant for $80,000 - $100,000 for feasibility study; tried in Columbus but dropped for lack of interest; would be USDA approved; regional food hub for processing, education, kitchen, flash freezing for produce.

Available Evaluated Producer Grant; block grant; focus on specialty crop; $50,000.

There will be a meeting the afternoon of May 25, 2011 for the SARE grant for farmers-ranchers; discussing what was done with grant money; how did it turn out; want feedback; $7,500 for individual farmers; $22,500 for groups - 2 or more people to divide between/among.

Do we want to work with Roy to do a feasibility study with grant money; hire someone to do study; present to county counsel; due in June; contact other members to see who wants to sit in grant meeting.

We need to start planning now for the fund raising dinner in September, 2011: promote local foods; Dawn Lowe's idea, will she chair; silent auction; how to use proceeds; what would people support; proceeds to HHC and food pantry.

The Farm Bureau wants Rex and other members to attend meeting of Land Resource Counsel.  We are the first county in state to look at rules and regulations.

The next HHC meeting will be June 6, 2011 at Tuttle Orchard at 7:00pm. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm.

Submitted by:  Edna Yeager, Secretary