About

This is the official blog of Hamline University SPROUT!

We are a group of community-minded students promoting environmental justice by growing local food and practicing sustainable land stewardship.

We have two gardens growing in the Hamline Midway neighborhood, the produce from which is distributed among the Hamline Midway Elders. Gardens are planted in spring semester, and we continue to harvest from them in the fall semester, until it’s too cold in Minnesota to grow any more.

During the off-season, we discuss issues of environmental and food justice, participate in Hamline community education programs, read up on gardening and plan the future of our gardens, and generally have a good time together talking about food issues!

If any of this tickles your fancy, you should follow this blog for important updates. We’ll post about super sweet events, keep you up-to-date on what SPROUT is doing, and continue the conversation about food, the environment, and issues of justice.

Let’s get growin’!

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More details now! Copied from our Organizational Charter.

Charter of Students Proposing Real Options for Underutilized Territory (SPROUT)

Article I – Purpose

1. Create a sustained collaboration between community members and university students by planting community gardens and growing projects maintained by students that supply community members with fresh produce; and by organizing community events (such as workshops, potlucks, trainings, film viewings, discussions…) that are accessible (economically, geographically) to community members, and university students, faculty and staff.
2. Provide low-cost, organic produce for people who would otherwise be unable to access it by establishing community gardens on otherwise underutilized land and distributing the produce through a network of neighborhood associations.
3. Educate people on how to grow their own food, as well as to engage in a process of self-education by hosting volunteers in the garden; holding and attending trainings and workshops; creating educational signage for the various SPROUT projects; and organizing other interactive food-growing activities.
4. Create meaningful learning experiences around the issues of food and environmental justice by hosting and attending related events, trainings and workshops.
5. Promote environmentally, socially and economically sustainable land use policy by hosting and attending educational opportunities; establishing experiential projects; seeking related student-worker, internship or other experiential learning positions for members;
6. Recognize, unite assets of the neighborhood and university by seeking thoughtful collaboration with community stakeholders (neighborhood environmental groups, Hamline Midway Library, business owners, homeowners and renters, churches, Hamline Midway Coalition, Hamline University student organizations, HU staff and faculty, HU Departments, HU Facility Services)
7. Respect and recuperate traditional knowledge about food production and the environment by facilitating interchange of ideas and actions with a wide range of ages, income levels, races, creeds, or other distinguishing and or historically marginalized backgrounds.

Article III –Core Leadership Positions

1. SPROUT shall recognize four main leadership positions that will ensure the organization and coordination of all SPROUT operations. No one position will have authority over another, but rather exist to create accountability and efficiency within the organization. They are defined as such:
   1. Fundraiser and Bookkeeper is accountable for the group that
      1. Submits annual budget and tracks budgeting process through HUSC
      2. Applies for additional grants or monies through HU or outside sources when deemed appropriate or necessary by fellow SPROUT members
      3. Determines budgetary priorities and allocation of funds within organization for projects and other operational expenses
      4. Seeks, collects and records donations
   2. Event and Promotions Coordinator is accountable for the group that:
      1. Organizes and promotes all aspects of SPROUT-sponsored events outside of regular meetings and harvests
      2. Ensures a SPROUT presence at fall and spring student org fairs on campus
      3. Does outreach with the wider Hamline community (campus and neighborhood) for events
   3. Member and Nonmember Outreach Coordinator is accountable for the group that
      1. Compiles master lists for SPROUT members, as well as nonmembers
      2. Notifies members and nonmembers of volunteer opportunities and events
      3. Makes use of various communication technologies including, but not limited to;
         1. SPROUT Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=52060391899)
         2. SPROUT blog, http://hamlinesprout.wordpress.com)
         3. Gmail account, hamlinesprout@gmail.com
      4. Does outreach to recruit new members, volunteers, and nonmember neighborhood allies
      5. Responds to inquiries about volunteer and membership opportunities
      6. Creates a schedule for labor needs for maintaining the gardens over the summer and distributing the produce in collaboration with the Gardens and Growing Projects Team.
   4. Gardens and Growing Projects Coordinator is accountable for the group that:
      1. Decides on the growing projects for the upcoming year including the feasibility and logistics of taking on new projects
      2. Determines needs in order to follow through on growing projects (seeds, soil, tools, people power, water, other materials)
      3. Coordinates with other SPROUT teams, campus contacts (Facility Services, various academic departments, etc…), and community contacts to get what is needed in order realize such projects
      4. In general terms, the GGPM coordinates the planning, spring preparation, planting, maintaining, harvesting, and over-wintering of all SPROUT growing projects. This leadership position will automatically be assigned to any student(s) doing a corresponding internship or independent study with an HU department, office, or for HU academic credit.
2. Any SPROUT member is qualified to hold office. There may be no less than one and up to two members who fill each leadership role. In the case that multiple candidates present themselves for one position, assuming multi-person leadership of the position must be agreed upon mutually by the various candidates, including the specific aspects of the position that each candidate will fulfill. In the case that there are no negotiable ways to divide the responsibilities among the candidates, a vote may be taken at a public SPROUT meeting. The candidate(s) who receive the most votes will assume the leadership position. A SPROUT member may hold more than one office only if doing so does not prevent another willing candidate to hold an otherwise vacant position.
3. A person may be removed from her or his leadership role if she or he is not fulfilling the core responsibilities of this role, or if her or his leadership is interfering with the operation of SPROUT as a whole. The revocation of a person from a leadership position may only take place at a public SPROUT meeting to which all SPROUT members (active or inactive) have been invited in advance, at which time a majority vote will be needed. Revocation from a leadership role does not mean revocation of membership.
4. Leadership positions will be filled until the person occupying the position either resigns or graduates, at which time candidates may presents themselves and reappointment should occur.