Annual Plant/Seed Exchange Scheduled

Annual Bryan Park Neighborhood Plants/Seeds Exchange
The annual Bryan Park Neighborhood Plant/Seed Exchange will take place on Sunday, April 25th from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the home of Ria Collee. The address is 932 S. Henderson St. (on the North corner of Allen and Henderson). Please bring any garden plants that you want to share, or seedlings (flowers, vegetables, etc.) that need a home. Tables will be set up on the Allen Street side to place the plants on.
Ria has a Backyard Wildlife Habitat garden and is a Habitat Stewart. If anyone is interested in making their yard/garden more wildlife friendly and starting a Backyard Wildlife garden, she will offer to help you. She will have native wildflower plants to give away, such as echinaceas, penstemons, lance-leaved coreopsis, false blue sienna, blue vervain, sundrops, goosenecks and black-eyed susans as well as vegetable seedling.
If you don’t have anything to give away, come anyway and give some plants a home or take away some seeds to start a garden. This event is a great way to meet the other gardeners in your neighborhood and it has always been a great deal of fun. For more information about this event contact Ria, at 336-2512 or mcollee@indiana.edu

BPNA November 2009 Meeting Minutes

Bryan Park Neighborhood Association

November 17, 2009

Minutes

The Bryan Park Neighborhood Association met at the Free Methodist Church in Bloomington, Indiana, on November 17, 2009. Jan Sorby, BPNA vice president, presided over the meeting.

Old Business

1. Variances. Jan Sorby reported that Scott Ackerson dropped his requested variance and will build his garage according to city code.

2. Templeton Playground Project. Angela Lexmond reported that the grant application for the Templeton playground project was submitted to the city earlier this month. She announced that the Templeton walk-a-thon raised $2500 and thanked neighborhood donors. Angela also explained that the grant funds will allow the school to double the existing amount of playground equipment.

3. Welcome Bags. Jan Sorby reported that Corrine still has “welcome bags” available for new neighbors. She asked for members to e-mail Corrine when there are new neighbors so the bags can be delivered.

4. Incident Report. Dick Mitchell reported that several cars on Allen Street were broken into recently. Isabel Piedmont-Smith stated that she will contact BPD Officer Scott Oldham to see if he is still the neighborhood contact for BPNA.

New Business

1. Conservation District information. Nancy Heistad, Historic Preservation Program Manager for the City of Bloomington made a power point presentation with information on Conservation District protections and other protective instruments available to the neighborhood. Nancy made the presentation at the request of BPNA. Nancy explained that a conservation district is what is in place in the McDoel neighborhood. She said that at the time, the conservation district was a radical idea, but it did a lot of good things for the neighborhood. According to Nancy, a conservation district : 1) does not need buildings of high architectural value (which keeps houses from being lost to development pressure), 2) does not require full review (reviews required for moves, demolitions and new builds), 3) has a 2 step approval process for new construction and 4) does not regulate additions to existing houses. Nancy also explained the timeline for a conservation district: 1) survey of neighborhood resources, 2) establishment of boundaries, 3) meetings with neighborhood steering committee & appointment of subcommittee, 4) neighborhood notification and public meetings, 5) application, 6) Historic Preservation Commission public hearings, 7) prepare design guidelines, 8) Bloomington City Council meetings, 9) referendum in 3^rd year—all home owners in district vote to keep designation or not. Nancy also described the city’s demolition delay ordinance, noting that it only applies to properties listed on the neighborhood survey. Since 2005, close to 100 properties have been reviewed under the ordinance and 11 demolitions have been granted. She said that BPNA would need to determine whether to rely on demolition delay through the ordinance or go through the conservation district process. On a final note, Nancy noted that the city has money in its budget for another survey of the Bryan Park neighborhood.

2. Next meeting. The next BPNA meeting is scheduled for January 26, 2010.

Bloomington Winter Farmers' Market begins this Saturday, Jan. 23

Bloomington Winter Farmers Market kicks off its exciting 6th year, this Saturday morning, 9-12 at Harmony School, 902 Second Street.

Parking available at the school, on surrounding streets, and at the nearby IU garage.

Local farmers will again offer as much fresh produce as the season allows, including butternut squash, root crops, and early greens.
Also available will be fresh farm eggs, meats from local farms, and alpaca yarns and fibers, and a full line of garden seeds! Exciting new products include locally made tofu, goat cheese, and breads.

Come on down and enjoy eclectic world music all morning by Dan Willens and Mano Joven.
Here is a wonderful recipe that you could make with beets, greens, bread and goat cheese from the market:

ROASTED BEET SALAD

Serves 4

* 1 bunch (about 1 1/2 pounds) small to medium beets
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 8 cups baby spinach or arugula
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
* 3 ounces goat cheese, sliced

Preheat oven to 400̊F. Trim beets and scrub them, leaving about 1/2 inch of stems attached (reserve greens for another use). Place beets in a casserole dish and drizzle with a little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour.

When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off skins and stems.
Quarter beets and place in a bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and toss. (Beets may be roasted 1 day ahead and chilled, covered).

In a bowl whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss greens with the dressing and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve salad greens topped with beets. Arrange cheese slices on the side, or shave on top, and serve with a crusty baguette.

(Thanks to Susie Quick from Honest Farm in Midway, KY, for sharing this recipe!)

My Sister's Closet Fundraiser

From Liz Brown:

Our fabulous neighbor, Natalie Cabanaw, again is donating her tips to
raise money for a not-for-profit group this Thurs. Jan 21 from 5-9 pm at
Nick's in the back room. The group Natalie has adopted is My Sister's
Closet. The Closet is a wonderful organization that not only provides
free clothing to women appyling for jobs and cannot afford to purchase
interview and work clothing, but is open to anyone to purchase nearly
new and new work attire. Come out Thursday to Nick's! Have a great
meal, tip generously, and support My Sister's Closet!

PS My Sister's Closet is located t 1010 S. Walnut and is open Wed-Fr
10-3 and Sat 10-5.

Dance Series Announcement From Rob Fischman

Cure cabin fever this winter by attending a new dance series for families and friends ages 4-94! The 2010 Winter Family Dance series begins Sunday, January 10th, 3:00-5:00 pm at the Harmony School gymnasium (909 E 2nd). Bring your entire family for live music and fun social dancing with simple instruction.

This participatory program is comprised of dances in the traditional American mold. Simple, repetitive movements are easily learned, and families will quickly be dancing together in company with others. No experience is necessary, all dances will be taught. Also featuring talented local musicians on fiddle, accordion, piano, bass and banjo. Cost is $4/person or $15/family or household of 4 or more. For more information call Abby Ladin at 330-8731 or visit us on Facebook @ 2010 Winter Family Dance Series.

Family dance master caller DeLaura Padovan from Virginia will lead the first event. Her gentle joyful style engages children and adults at community dances, camps and gatherings nationwide. The band of local talent will include veteran dance musicians Sam Bartlett , Claudio Buchwald with Eric Schedler and special guest Steve Hickman.

Coordinator Abby Ladin introduces this monthly dance series as an activity which families can truly explore together. Ladin, who herself began dancing with her family as a young child, is a seasoned performer, dance teacher and musician, and can see Bloomington becoming the perfect place for the family dance experience.

The Winter Family Dance Series is made possible in part by the City of Bloomington, the Bloomington Community Arts Commission, the New Leaders, Good Leaders Fund of the Country Song & Dance Society, with additional support from the Bloomington Old Time Music & Dance Group.