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February 1, 2020 Member Meeting Notes

We had a phenomenal turnout at today’s member meeting.

There was so much we discussed and shared that I wanted to ensure that all of our members, whether in attendance or not, are able to have all of the details. There are a number of opportunities coming up and we don’t want anyone to miss out.

This is likely to be a long email. Please bear with me.

Attendance

We had 22(!!!) attendees which included both members and guests. Remember meetings are always open to guests and we encourage you to invite anyone who you think might be interested in taking part in this incredible community.

Education Committee

Led by Annie Lopez (of Seeds to Savor Farm and Rolling Homestays), the Education Committee is ramping up for 2020.

We have been given the opportunity to work with Elizabeth Park and Recreation (EPR) to teach classes to the public. They will provide space at the Casey Jones Pavilion and help to market your class for a portion of the class fees. If you’re new to teaching, Annie is able to help mentor you through the process.

For more information or to find out how you can get your class booked, contact Annie at SeedstoSavorFarm@gmail.com. Additionally, if you’re interested in serving on the Education Committee or if there are topics that you would like to learn about, send her an email.

Volunteer Opportunities

Your Board of Directors has worked very hard this last year to get some infrastructure in place so that we can continue to grow and evolve together. But it takes a village. We encourage you to take an active role in a committee or project that helps support the things that you’re most passionate about or where you can add value.  Current committees include: Education, Homestead Education Center Planning, Membership, Fundraising, Events, and Outreach. There is also an ad hoc Homestead Fair Planning Committee (with a number of subcommittees).

If you are interested in participating in one of more of these, please send an email to info@ElbertCountyAgAlliance.org.

Agritourism

There is a lot of interest in building agritourism for our community and our members. The ECAA applied for and was granted an Agritourism workshop hosted by the Colorado Rural Academy for Tourism (CRAFT). This workshop is for members and key community stakeholders to learn about how to create or further develop an  agritourism business. Space is limited, but if you are interested in learning more, taking part in the workshop, and future planning, please contact Diane Cribley (diane.cribley@elbertcountyagalliance.org). The workshop will take place at the Elizabeth Pines & Plains Library on April 18th (time TBD). Non-members are welcome to join the ECAA so that they can take advantage of this opportunity.

2020 Homestead Fair

We have announced the date for our Third Annual Homestead Fair. Mark your calendars for 10.10.2020 (October 10th, 10am-4pm). We have lots of exciting things planned including hayrides and a petting zoo. We’ll also have a number of educational opportunities throughout the day. More information and vendor applications are available on the website at www.ElbertCountyAgAlliance.org/fair/ Get the latest news and updates by following the event on Facebook.

If you would like to be on the planning committee, please contact committee chair, Kim Babcock and she’ll provide you with additional information.

Vendor Early Registration Discount! Members can sign up through February 29th and receive your vendor booth for only $20.20! If you’re not a member or have not renewed your membership, you can do so when you sign up.

Homestead Education Center (HEC)

The HEC continues to move forward. We are working with EPR to acquire land where we can build the center. We have two potential properties available and hope to have exciting news in the near future. Meanwhile, there is a great deal of planning to do. If you would like to be part of the HEC Planning Committee, please Contact Diane Cribley (diane.cribley@elbertcountyagalliance.org).

 Board of Director Elections

2020 Elections will take place in March. The roles that are up for election are as follows: Vice Chair / Chair Elect, Member at Large, and Secretary. Board members serve for two years in their role with the exception of the Chair Elect who transitions into the role of Chairperson for the second year. Board members meet monthly to help steer and organize ECAA goals and objectives. If you are interested in running for a position or would like to nominate someone, please contact Tonya Roche (tonya.roche@ElbertCountyAgAlliance.org).

Let’s Network!

We’re working on some exciting ways for our members to engage with each other. Stayed tuned for more news in the next couple of months. Until then, we invite you to follow the ECAA page on Facebook. We post events and share the latest ECAA news here. We’d also like to invite you to join the ECAA Community Group. This is a great place to share your events, interesting topics, tips and tricks, ask for recommendations, and much more. We encourage you to engage with each other to help us grow as a community.

March Social Event

There’s some interest in a doing a seed/seedling swap for our March Social Event. We’re working on details, but stay tuned for more information.

Member Events

If you have an upcoming event that you would like us to share for you, please send a link to the event on your website, facebook, or some other event listing site to Tamara.Cribley@ElbertCountyAgAlliance.org. We’ll also share it in the ECAA newsletter. Please note that you must provide a link to the event information.If you’ve stuck with me this far, thank you! We’re really excited about what 2020 brings and can’t wait to grow and evolve with you.

Join us for the March Member Meeting:
Sunday, March 1, 2pm-4pm
American Legion Post 82 – Elizabeth, CO

Tamara Cribley | Member at Large
Elbert County Agricultural Alliance