Meeting minutes for Hancock Harvest Council Regular Meeting held October 3, 2011 at Piney Acres.

 

Attendance: Earl and Barb Smith, Rex Zenor, Rick Cole, Glen Reynolds, Edna Yeager, Roy Ballard.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:05pm by Earl Smith.

 

We discussed the date of our next meeting which is usually the first Monday of each month but the Extension Board's Annual Meeting will be November 7. The Ag Association will meet November 14. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, November 8 with location to be determined. (Will be at the Purdue Extension Office.)

 

The approval of the meeting minutes for September was delayed until the November meeting when we will also receive a formal treasurer's report from Treasurer, Steve Hatch.

 

The Extension Office will be holding a Spaghetti Dinner October 9 at the Fairgrounds with the proceeds donated to breast cancer research. The Ag Association Fish Fry will be at the Fairgrounds October 15. We will set up a booth. We plan to have a booth at St. Michaels Festival. We need to get brochures of producers to pass out.

 

We need to establish a slate of officers for next year's election in January.

 

We will have a pitch-in dinner at our December 5 meeting.

 

In January we will set up a booth at the Horticultural Congress meeting.

 

We need to talk with members selling products to businesses and restaurants about these businesses becoming members of Buy Fresh Buy Local.

 

The next Food Hub meeting will be at 6:30pm on October 4 at the Extension Office.

 

The agritourism county ordinance is still in progress. We need to read the ordinance before we go to the meeting to be united in our position.

 

We discussed how to get more people to the meetings and what we have to offer. Suggestions: newspaper ad every three to four months about joining HHC; donating booth space at the Farmers' Market to young people; younger growers need to be encouraged; we are not meeting the growing demand for quality products as eggs, produce, poultry, etc.

 

The next HHC meeting will be Tuesday, November 8 with the location to be determined.

 

Thank you to Rex Zenor of Piney Acres for hosting our meeting.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35pm.

 

Submitted by:

Edna Yeager

Secretary 

Meeting minutes for Hancock Harvest Council Regular Meeting held September 6, 2011 at the Extension Office.

 

Attendance: Barb Smith, Glen Reynolds, Rex Zenor, Edna Yeager, Roy Ballard, Gary Mithoefer, Rick Cole, Earl Smith.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:26pm by Rex Zenor.

 

The fair booths were discussed. The Hancock County Fair booth was a success. Many people attending the fair did not know there is a Farmers' Market in Greenfield. We talked with many people and passed out many directories. We had about 250 surveys turned in and they were very positive about local foods. That same interest is also shown by the National Farmers' Market Association statistics. The registered markets have increased from 1700 in 1994 to 7175 in 2011. Also more are accepting SNAP (food stamps).

 

The State Fair booth was also a success. While unmanned, about 1500 directories were distributed along with brochures from some of our member producers. We would like to display a larger number of producers' brochures in the future.

 

We will be participating with a booth at the festival at St. Michaels Church in October or November. Any member wishing to display their brochures is encouraged to do so. It was discussed that a rack to hold these brochures would be a good way to present them.

 

The next meeting of the Food Hub project will be held Monday, September 12, 2011 at 6:30pm at the Extension Office. The USDA is really interested in furthering the concept of Food Hubs to distribute local foods to the rural areas as well as the small towns and larger cities. There is a Rural Development grant at Muncie that we will explore as a source of funding for our project.

 

The Agritourism Ordinance is in its 6th version. This looks like it will pass. The next step is a full public hearing with a larger percent of rural people who aren't farmers attending. Mike Dale is doing a good job putting the information together. Standards need to be set up. This will help to dispel peoples' fears of going from a few to too many agritourism venues.

 

The state agritourism meeting, My Local Indiana, includes Farmers' Markets, Agritourism and CSAs. They have been working on by-laws and the website. The next meeting is November 17, 2011 from 10:00am to 12:00pm when they will be voting on the by-laws and possibly officers.

 

The agritourism liability law is in effect. It requires a simple sign with a word for word statement, specific size one inch lettering in black, post at entrance to property and doesn't need a sign permit. The need for an inclement weather plan was also discussed. Farm Bureau lowered their rates 25% because of the new law which should reduce liability thus should reduce rates.

 

A meeting of the Natural Resource Enterprise Organization will be held September 8, 2011 at Piney Acres. Topics discussed will include zoning and health regulations.

 

A copy of "edible INDY", the first issue of a new magazine, was passed around at the meeting. This is a part of the Edible Publications with several cities represented in their own magazine. Get more information at www.ediblecommunities.com.

 

The next HHC meeting will be held October 3, 2011 at Piney Acres at 7:00pm. Bring your brochures to the meeting if you would like them included at the St. Michaels Church booth.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:18pm.

 

Submitted by:

Edna Yeager

Secretary 

Instead of a regular meeting, we combined our meeting with the Central Indiana Food Hub meeting on July 6, 2011.  No minutes were taken for a HHC meeting. 

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 7:07pm 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 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 8:25pm.

 

Submitted by: Edna Yeager, Secretary

We hope that you find membership with Hancock Harvest Council to be a benefit for you. We have several different memberships available that will be included on your invoice and/or letter inviting you to join. It includes a beginner level for those who are not ready to begin promoting their product. Partial list of membership benefits are listed below:

1. A listing in our Annual Directory - level of membership determines type of listing.
2. Have the opportunity to use the BFBL graphics in their advertising, brochures and web sites. Must be pre-approved, graphics provided upon request.  Cannot be used on products.
3. Promotion in our newsletter - member profiles, etc.
4. Web page on the HHC website - more info at December meeting.
5. Access to BFBL merchandise.
6. We are currently working on updating our application to make it easier for Restaurants and Farmers markets.  Each classification will have a separate application. 

Consumer or Associate members are entitled to BFBL merchandise to be determined (we currently have bags and t-shirts). Their membership helps us to continue the mission of providing education and promotion of local foods.  Associate memberships are currently $10 per year.

 

Membership dues are payable in January.  Invoices below:

  

Producer Membership Letter/Invoice

 

Farmers Market and Restaurant Membership Letter/Invoice 

 

New members also need to complete application found on-line or can be e-mailed to you.  Current members should send an e-mail with any changes to your information for the directory and web page.  If you want featured in a newsletter, please let us know as well.

For any questions, please contact Barb Smith thru this e-mail or 765-763-0246.

In Closing:

Thank you again for your time and support in making our organization successful.  I hope you can plan to attend these meetings and take part in the furture of Hancock Harvest Council If you have any questions, please contact us.

 
Barbara Smith, Secretary
Hancock Harvest Council

Vision Statement:

We will continue to foster a more sustainable and educated community for current and future generations

 

Values Statement:

The Members of the Hancock Harvest Council are Dedicated to the Following Core Values:

 · Quality

· Food Safety

· Consistency

· Personal Integrity

· Identity Preservation

· Support of the Local Community