Social Ecology focuses on the relationships between people and groups that come together at the farm. This includes interpersonal dynamics in the Cedar Moon community, the working groups of TLC Farm and the relationships between the farm and outside volunteers and organizations. We tune in to challenges and conflicts that arise and try to provide the support that is needed. We often create systems and structures to help organize our work and find that some of our ideas work wonderfully and others don't (in which case we learn lessons and come back to the drawing board). We pay attention to the relationship between economics and ethics and strive to make our economic systems meet our values. We try to create an environment where everyone involved with TLC Farm feels respected, effective and connected.

MEETINGS: Social Ecology meetings are open to any farm residents or volunteers from the larger community. We meet once a week for about an hour and a half. We often have kids running around our meetings because 3 of the 4 current core members are parents! Each meeting there is a facilitator and a note-taker- we try to keep these roles rotating. Throughout the meeting individuals take on tasks and projects that come up in the discussions. (for example writing a grievance policy or checking in with a community member) Our meeting notes help us follow through on work we've started and allow people who weren't present to see what we've discussed.

Agenda items you may find us talking about at a meeting:

Adressing power dynamics in the community
Working group check-ins (how are each of the working groups functioning, what support do they need?)
Integrating new residents
Issues about children in the community
Supporting community member's goals
Conflict Resolution Procedure

Roles:

Publicity Pipeline Coordinator (>3 hrs/wk; 6 months commitment; >25% on site)
· Receive publicity requests from working groups
· Ensure that copy is produced and edited to standards
· Coordinate with graphic designers, if necessary
· Determine appropriate outlets for publicity (ie. community calendars, advertisements, radio, journalists, flyers, etc.)
· Coordinate flyerers
· Consoldate publicity into packages
· Coordinate with working group

Monthly Updater
(5 hrs/mo; 6 mo commitment; >0% on site)
· Solicit information for monthly updates from working groups, etc.
· Compile both text and HTML versions of update based on models
· Send updates using web interface

Media Point

Web Designer
(> 10 hrs/mo; 3 mo commitment; >10% on site)
· Develop improved communication/collaboration infrastructure
· Build systems for parallel online / offline information accessibility
· Improve navigation and ease of use.
· Develop and implement new look and feel

Web Updater
(1-3 hrs/wk; 3 mo commitment; >0% on site)
· Adapt to changing web infrastructure to update content of web site
· Currently, basic experience with HTML and Linux is strongly preferred.
· Receive text and pictures from working groups, then create/update HTML pages based on templates

Database Administration
(10+ hrs/mo; 6 mo commitment; >25% on site)
· Coordinate with working groups to develop data management goals
· Communicate with CiviCRM development community and/or infotech coordinator (depending on background) to develop adequate tools
· Develop and communicate data entry, management, and export protocols
· Explore and improve data integrity
· Provide appropriate, secure public access to and website integration with data
· Maximize decentralization of data entry and management
Tech maintenance
(5 hrs/mo; 6 mo commitment; 100% on site)
· Maintain wired and wireless data networks
· Maintain and improve older Linux computer systems (Debian and SuSE)
· Maintain phone systems (VOIP?)

System administration
(5-10 hrs/mo; 1 year minimum; >0% on site)
· Remote Debian vserver
· Medium traffic mission-critical Apache webserver
· Medium-traffic Postfix mailserver (spam issues!)
· Security improvements

Newsletter Editor
(10 hrs/mo; 1 issue/quarter commitment; >25% on site)
· Solicit articles from community members
· Compile and edit text
· Coordinate with graphic designer
· Coordinate with printer
· Distribute newsletter

Tabling Coordinator
(5 hrs/mo; 6 mo commitment; >25% on site)
· Identify and register for appropriate tabling opportunities
· Train tablers
· Schedule tablers

Publicity Materials Coordinator
(5-20 hrs/mo; 3 mo commitment; >50% on site)
· Ensure that we have adequate, organized stocks/full sets of pamphlets, canvassing supplies, flipbooks, DVD’s, CD’s, etc.
· Coordinate (re)design of new materials

Planning Coordinator

Working group point person
(3 hrs/wk; 6 mo commitment; >75% on site)
· Convene meetings
· Ensure that a spoke reports to spokescouncil
· Keep track of various publicity-related activities and address any breakdowns in process

Tasks:

Flyers
(.5 – 3 hrs; put on list OR responsibility for area; >0% on site)
· Download and print (or pickup) flyers, post in identified locations in selected area
· Posting to Lists (0.5 – 1 hrs; suggest commit for 2 months; 0% on site)
· Post already created email messages to a set of lists you’ve chosen

Graphic Designer
(1-10 hrs; on list; >15% on site)
· Meet with publicity pipeline and/or other relevant folk to set design goals
· Design posters, flyers, handbills, web pages, HTML messages, etc.
· Both computer-based and hand-drawn
· Knowledge of GIMP and/or Photoshop preferred.

Writing Stories for Newsletter
(1-20 hrs; per story basis; >0% on site)
· Discuss story ideas with editor for particular issue
· Write and submit story on agreed timeline to allow for revisions
· Story lengths range from 250 word vignettes to 1500 word features

Writing Articles for media

Tabling

Photography/Video

Writing/participate in website usefulness

Materials Coordinator
(3 hrs/wk; 3 month commitment; >50% onsite)
· Keep track of existing materials: location, stock, etc.
· Identify new sources of reused materials.
· Ensure that Craigslist, Freecycle, and other online redistribution mechanisms are regularly reviewed and used
· Receive requests for materials
· Coordinate “schlepping” volunteers to acquire and transport materials efficiently
On Land Research Coordinator
(>5 hr/wk; 6 mo commitment; >25% onsite)
· Solicit and coordinate development of proposals for research programs on the land
· Establish and maintain partnerships with academic institutions and independent researchers
· Ensure that research protocols are followed
· Liaise with other working groups (education, social ecology) as needed.
Annuals Coordinator
Food Forest/Edible Landscape Coordinator
Building Coordinator
Animal Coordinator
· Goats
· Chickens
· Bees
OSALT/easements liaison.
(>5 hrs/mo; >1 yr commitment; >10% on site)
· Attend OSALT meetings
· Establish relationships with appropriate administrators in State Parks, Metro Parks, and City BES
· Ensure that commitments and responsibilities under terms of ground lease and easements are met
Planning Coordinator
Native Habitat Coordinator
(>3 hrs/wk; 6 mo commitment; >75% on site)
· Coordinate with Park, Metro, and other habitat professionals
· Improve and expand native habitat restoration plan
· Train and oversee volunteers in implementing restoration plan.
Work Party Host
(3-8 hours per event; 4 events in 12 month period; 100% on site)
· Welcome and orient participants during Thursday or Saturday work party
· Address questions and concerns, ensure that everyone feels as comfortable and engaged as possible
· If possible, conduct land tours (training available)
Restoration Research
(>5 hrs/mo; 1 year commitment; >25% on site)
· Research and/or develop innovative ways to assess native habitat functionality, including partial functionality in hybrid plantings with nonnative human-functional plants
· Establish protocols to assess changes in habitat function
· Coordinate with other groups and research coordinator to ensure data is gathered, analyzed, and results integrated into planning
Freecycle/Craigslist monitor
(>1 hr/wk; 1 mo commitment; >0% onsite)
· Review online exchange forums for potentially or actually useful materials, services, etc.
· Coordinate with materials coordinator and/or volunteer coordinator
· Can be entirely online and offsite.
Write research reports
Energy Coordinator
Water System Coordinator
(>5 hrs/wk; >6 mo commitment; >25% onsite)
· Develop plan for water management on land, including:
o stormwater bioremediation and use;
o rainwater collection;
o greywater;
o dams and swales for infiltration and irrigation;
o cisterns;
o nanohydropower and/or pump-batteries;
o wetland/headwaters restoration;
· Link plan to Park, Watershed Council, neighborhood, City, etc. efforts to monitor and improve watershed health;
· Coordinate with other groups in our social ecology to implement plan.
Tasks:
Stuff Schlepper
(0.5 to 3 hrs per occasion; added to list w/ availability)
· Be willing to move stuff from somewhere to TLC Farm
· Access to vehicle preferable, including bike trailer! (Not required.)
Observations
(0.25 to 1 hr; 10 occasion commitment; 100% on site)
· Read data gathering protocol
· Receive short training
· Gather various kinds of data, both general and specific, qualitative and quantitative
Garden Tasks
· planting
· mulching
· harvesting
· weeding
· sorting
· watering
Animal Tasks
· feeding
· egging
· milking
· vet stuff
· moving fence
Building Projects
· finish suana - phase I: flatten floor, create foundation wall, & finish plaster (feb/march/april08), phase II: changing area, shower, cold plunge
· toilet handwash station
· barn remodel - finished by july 15 2008
· outdoor kitchen remodel (phase I: redesign (in progress); Phase II: VBC8, including adding a 2-burner rocket stove, finishing the plaster on the rocket bench, and more; phase III: ?)
· maintaining cob projects: benches by sauna, benches by outdoor kitchen, altar in grove, etc etc.
·
Paths
(>0.5 hrs; no commitment)
· Lay down woodchips on existing paths where muddy using wheelbarrows and pitchforks;
· Lay down cardboard for new paths (under guidance of coordinator).
Literature research
(> 1 hr; variable commitment; >0% on site)
· In coordination with research coordinator, research both on-line and library sources for data, protocols, analyses, practices, etc.
· Report results of research, in a form depending on situation.