FCGH Annual Report

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FULL CIRCLE GREENHOUSE

ANNUAL REPORT Fiscal Year 2014

The Full Circle Greenhouse is committed to engaging students and the surrounding community of CSB/SJU in the continuous process of healthy

food production, from seed to table to compost.

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Table of Contents

About our Greenhouse……………….3

Our Story…………………………………...4

Financial Report………….……………...5

Our Products……………………………...6

Friends of the Greenhouse….........7

Student and Staff Volunteers……...8

Full Circle Greenhouse

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About our Greenhouse The Full Circle Greenhouse is a winter greenhouse that uses passive solar technology. This allows us to

grow fresh produce during the cold winter months. The greenhouse structure is composed of a 16 by 22 foot

planting room and a 10 by 16 foot vestibule that serves as an entry way, prep space and provides separa-

tion from the wind and cold when one enters the planting room. 24 polycarbonate panels capture heat from

the sun and allow the greenhouse to maintain a temperature above 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Along the back

wall of the greenhouse, four barrels filled with water serve as a thermal mass, assisting in keeping the tem-

perature warm and stable. The greenhouse also utilizes a blower system to cycle the warm air below ground

to warm the plants from the bottom up. The blower system allows cool air to enter when necessary.

6 raised garden beds

and 20 hanging plant-

er boxes provide pro-

duce with safety and

protection from diseas-

es, while providing us

with a combined 186

square feet of planting

space.

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Our Story

What started as a dream...

Became a reality. Full Circle Grand Opening Ceremony, December

2013. Photo by Reed O’Sell 14’

Full Circle Ground breaking,

April 26, 2013

Construction began in the

fall of 2013. Thank you to

CSB Facilities, Maintenance,

Sustainability, and Grounds.

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Financial Report

Total Expenses

Material Soil Seeds Supplies & Materials Electricity Total

Cost $545.00 $83.75 $881.64 $591.00 $2,101.39

Revenue by Month

February $30.45

March $112.95

April $107.55

May $6.00

TOTAL $256.95

Following construction, we were granted our operations fund of $5,000 from the College of Saint Benedict’s President’s office.

This funding was used to purchase various materials and supplies used for daily operations in addition to capital materials such

as lumber to build the raised garden beds. Most of the materials will be used for multiple growing seasons.

Operational Funds

Beginning Balance (11-01-13) $5,000

Total Annual Expenses ($2,101.39)

Total Annual Revenue $256.95

Remaining Balance (7-01-14) $3,155.56

Questions regarding the financial section should be directed to the Financial Officer,

Tyler Thompson: [email protected]

Profits made from sales are put directly back into the greenhouse account. Our

intentions are NOT to get rich, but to provide the school and community with

fresh produce in an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable way.

2013-14 Student Director Stephanie Pinkalla harvests a radish in the

Greenhouse.

*Many of these expenses include start up supplies that will not be needed in the near future

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Our Products While not USDA certified organic, the Full Circle Greenhouse grows all of our products organically and in

the most sustainable way. We are committed to engaging students and the surrounding community of CSB/

SJU in the continuous process of healthy food production, from seed to table to compost.

Products Wholesale Price Retail Price

mixed greens Lg bag (4 ounces) $1.95 $3.00

mixed greens sm bag (2.5-3.5 ounces) $0.97 $1.50

Bulk- mixed greens $0.25/ounce --

Bulk- Kale $0.25/ounce --

All products are available for purchase at McGlynn’s Sports Café located in the Haehn

Campus Center at the College of Saint Benedict.

Mixed greens are composed of varieties of lettuce and spinach. A small bag of mixed

greens includes carrots and radishes when available. Kale is sold when available and

used in the making of the Full Circle Green Dream, a kale smoothie available at

O'Connell's.

Annual Product Sales

Products Number of Bags sold Weight (ounces) Weight (pounds)

mixed greens Lg bag 43 172 10.75

mixed greens sm bag 112 336 20.9

Bulk- mixed greens - 69 4.3

Bulk- Kale - 85 5.3

Total 155 662 41.25

FY15: We expect an increase in products available this year by extending our growing

season to include the months of November and December, and by planting a greater

amount of seeds to take advantage of any left over space in the raised beds. Additional-

ly, by limiting our products to only those that we will sell to McGlynn’s (Spinach, let-

tuce, kale, radishes, carrots) we will eliminate any unused or wasted produce.

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Friends of the Greenhouse The Full Circle Greenhouse was started by a group of dedicated and passionate students led by Stephanie

Pinkalla and Connor Klausing whose goal was to provide CSB with a permanent, student run, sustainable

greenhouse project. Six student volunteers now oversee the greenhouse and its operations.

Full Circle Volunteer Leaders Emeritus 2013-2014

Stephanie Pinkalla

Student Director

Connor Klausing

Volunteer Coordinator

Full Circle Volunteer Leaders 2014– 2015

Tyler Thompson

Financial Officer, Student

Director Spring 2015

Megan Lundquist

Student Director Fall 2014

Claire Buysse

Horticulture Coordinator

Sarah McLarnan

Education Coordinator

Maggie Ellis

Volunteer Coordinator

Tanner Rayman

Marketing Coordinator

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Student and Staff Volunteers

Brad Sinn, Facilities

Judy Purman, Sustainability

Alex Chocholousek, Sustainability

George Hemmesch, Maintenance

Jeff Curtis, Maintenance

Chris Brake, Grounds

Sue Palmer, Finance

Brianna Wentland, Finance/Accounting

Kim Poganski, Culinary Services

CSB President’s Office

Megan Lundquist (right) and volunteers wash

and package produce to be sold.

Tyler Thompson (left) answers questions

during a tour at the Grand Opening Ceremony.

The Full Circle Greenhouse and student volunteers would to thank

the College of Saint Benedict and the following staff members for

their time, hard work, and cooperation in the Greenhouse construc-

tion and operations.

Student Volunteers

Ben Carlson

Nick Bradley

Steven Kats

Olivia Musser

Diana Symons

Maddy Longley

Nicole Argudin

Jamie Swanson

Tanner Rayman

Katie Spoden

Thomas Friebe

Leah Ellman

Malia Carson

Terri Rodriguez

Laura Meyer

Eleanor Mullen

Beth Pettitt

Mai Choua (Yao) Yang

Claire Buysse

Abigail Gonzalez

Tom Hirschboeck

Ka Zoua Xiong

Katie Beumer

Anne Burnes

Sophie May

Jane Maus

Jean Didier

Julie Davis

Isabelle Gaetz

Gina Santella

James Burke

Megan Daly

Abby Amundson

Katie Nelson

Maggie Gleason

Hannah Brenner

Brianna Thomas

Andrea Driscoll

Grace Werner

Erin Beacom

Rebecka Palmquist

Rebecca Caspers

Anna Webster

Bridget McEvoy

Emily Krulc

Taylor Scheele

Per Lundmark

Betsy Watson

Tanner Rayman (Left) and Alex Chocholousek

(right) warm up by the fire at the Grand

Opening Ceremony.

Judy Purman (Left) and Chris Brake (Right)

converse at the Grand Opening Ceremony.

Students, staff and faculty brave the cold for

the Grand Opening Ceremony on December

12, 2013.

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“The garden suggests there might be a

place where we can meet nature halfway.”

- Michael Pollan

To get involved, schedule a tour or educational op-

portunity and for questions, comments, or product

inquiries please contact us at [email protected]

Full Circle Greenhouse Annual Report prepared by Financial Officer Tyler Thompson