CCGA Annual Gardeners Conference

8th Annual Virtual Conference – Saturday March 20, 2021

Connections Through Gardening

Plants, People & The Environment

View Details of the 2021 conference HERE.

8th Annual Conference – March 21, 2020 – POSTPONED


This year’s theme, “Connections through Gardening: Plants, People and the Environment,” aims to explore and celebrate the interconnectedness of our shared garden work and to foster relationships and conversations that shape and support best practices for sustainable living and growing in Chicago.

Join us for an exciting and informative gathering of Chicago’s amazing community gardeners!


Conference Update

In light of the changing situation around COVID-19, we are postponing our 8th Annual Conference scheduled for March 21, 2020. We are supporting the guidance of Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health in doing all we can to minimize the impact of this virus on our community.

The CCGA Annual Conference has always been a celebration of Spring, a gathering of the beautiful community of gardeners in Chicago. Hugs are always plentiful and ideas flow freely. We are so grateful to those who registered, to the presenters who created an incredible line up of workshops, to our sponsors, exhibitors and vendors who have always been there for us. Please stay tuned as we reimagine the conference and make plans for a future event. We will contact those who prepaid their registrations. Even though we won’t be gathering to kick off the gardening season together next Saturday, know that we are all connected by our passion for planting.


Exhibitors

Community gardens are increasingly seen as a viable means of promoting restoration, transformation, and conservation of often abandoned or under used property in the city. They have become a powerful tool for promoting good nutrition, physical activity, environmental stewardship, and social connections.

You are invited to host an exhibit table and share your valuable knowledge, resources and skills with Chicago’s Community Gardeners at our annual conference where more than 250 community gardeners gather to network, attend workshops, and actively visit the tables of our exhibitors. To obtain an application contact the CCGA Communications Team at communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org. There is a $50 fee.


Venue

Whitney Young Magnet High School 211 S Laflin St, Chicago, IL 60607

Google Map of Whitney Young High School


We care deeply about the health and well‑being of our attendees, presenters, exhibitors, support team, and community. CCGA is closely monitoring the evolving situation regarding coronavirus (COVID-19). At this time, we plan to move forward with the 8th Annual Conference as planned. We are in communication with our event host, Whitney Young Magnet High School, and will continue to follow the official guidance from the Chicago Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have any questions or concerns about attending the conference, please reach out to communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org.

For the most reliable information about COVID-19, please visit​ ​www.chicago.gov/coronavirus​ or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus​. ​You can also contact the CDPH Coronavirus hotline at 312-746-4835 or email ​coronavirus@chicago.gov


Schedule

9am – Doors Open, Continental Breakfast, Exhibitors, Soil Testing, and Networking

10:00am-11:15am – Workshop Session 1

11:30am-12:45pm – Workshop Session 2

Lunch will immediately follow the 2nd session.

1:00pm-2:15pm – Networking, Exhibitors, and Soil Testing

1:30pm – 2:00pm – Keynote Speaker

2:30pm – Closing Remarks: Conference Concludes

Please note: schedule is subject to change.

Meals and Reducing Waste

In an effort to reduce waste at the conference, we ask you to please bring your own water bottle or travel mug.

Continental breakfast will include baked goods, pastries, yogurt, granola, fruit, coffee, tea, and juice.

We’re offering a ‘boxed lunch’ this year that reduces the need for plates and cutlery. The lunch will include your choice of wrap and side salads, fruit, baked chips, and a cookie. When you register, please indicate your choice of meat or vegetarian wrap. Vegan options are available. All wraps are gluten-free.


Conference Highlights

Longer Workshops We heard you! This year’s workshops are longer, giving attendees more time for Q&A with the presenters.

Featured Speaker: Robert Nevel Robert is an architect, urban farmer and pioneer in the food and eco justice movement. He is a former member of the Board of Advocates for Urban Agriculture, a current member of AUA’s Leadership Council and a past president of KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation. In 2009, he founded the award winning, nationally recognized Food Justice and Sustainability Program at KAMII. The program is focused on transforming unproductive urban spaces into micro-farms and food forests, improving access to fresh food, teaching urban agriculture and sustainability skills and advocating for healthy food systems and responsible energy, land and water use. The theme of his keynote presentation is Growing With Purpose.

Educational Table for Kids The CCGA Education Committee is pleased to again host an educational table for kids! We’ll have fun activities and kids will also receive books (some in Spanish) to learn about bugs, gardening, harvesting rain, and being green!


Soil Testing Station

Bring soil directly from your garden to be tested on the spot at the conference for heavy metal contamination! Many thanks to Dr. Andrew Margenot from the University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences in collaboration with University of Illinois Extension for providing this opportunity again this year!

Click here for directions on how to prepare your soil sample. Samples must be dry to be tested.


Workshops

Workshop 1 will be presented in Spanish.

Workshop 7 will be presented in both English & Spanish.

Workshop 11 is good for kids!

Workshops may be subject to change.

Meet our presenters!


Workshop Session 1 – 10:00am-11:15am

WK1 - Técnicas eficaces para la jardinera ecológica en pequeños espacios

Emilia Arellano, Coordinadora de invernadero para el Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance

Este taller será una discusión guiada e interactiva, centrada en el tema de cómo economizar para rendir el mayor provecho posible de una temporada de cultivo limitada y escasos recursos de tal forma que también contribuimos al cuidado de nuestra tierra.  En equipo, diseñaremos un jardín urbano estándar que mide 4 pies por 8 pies usando un tapiz a la medida. A la vez, exploraremos cómo adaptar las siguientes técnicas para los jardines chicos: combinar plantas, plantar en sucesión, hacer nuestro propio abono y conservar el agua.  Al final de la discusión, cada participante tendrá oportunidad de hacer preguntas mientras dibuja un plan para su propio jardín estándar de 4 por 8 pies.

WK2 - What does the environment have to do with my health?

Caitlin Donato, MPH, Program Coordinator, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health

This workshop will provide an overview of the connection between the natural and built environment and human health. We will explore how the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil that grows our food affects our health. Attendees will participate in an activity that will allow them to dig a little deeper into these topics. Attendees will walk away with tips and tools they can use to advocate for their individual and community health. The overall goal of this workshop is for attendees to share the knowledge gained with their fellow gardeners and evaluate environmental health in their communities.  

WK3 - Treehuggers Unite! Let’s plant and protect our trees!

Betsy Elsaesser, TreeKeeper

Through a practical and focused presentation on trees, this workshop will get people to think about trees and create an urgent sense of the vital necessity of trees, where to plant them—either in their community gardens, or elsewhere, how to plant them—and why it is extremely important to protect the trees that we have left. This presentation will introduce people to the TreeKeepers program, through which they can learn leadership and advocacy skills for planting and protecting trees, and will explain Openlands’ tree grant program. This is an excellent way for community gardeners to mobilize and empower their communities to plant parkway trees. 

WK4 - Sharing Notes: Four Experienced Community Gardeners Talk About Creating and Perpetuating a Community Garden

May Toy, Kasey Eaves, and Ellen Newcomer, Community Gardeners

Some of the best ideas community gardeners get are through talking with other community gardeners. There simply is no substitute for real, in the trenches experience! In this workshop, panelists will share their gardening stories and ask participants to also talk about their gardening experiences. The hope is that we all share as much about our experiences as possible, covering a whole range of topics relevant to community gardening. There is always something more to learn about community gardening. We will talk about garden leadership, neighborhood advocacy, community organizing, social and environmental stewardship, volunteer recruitment and retention, gardening with youth, looking for funding, how to get resources, and more!

WK5 - Yard Sharing: Reimagining Community Gardening, Private Space, and Cultivating Deeper Roots for Climate Resilient Communities

Molly Costello, Rogers Park Yard Sharing Network Co-Founder

Yard Sharing is the practice of sharing private yard space for the purpose of collaborative food growing and relationship building. This workshop will share the Yard Sharing model that was practiced and documented in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Folks will hear the story of the Rogers Park Yard Sharing Network, how it was built, what we learned in the process, talk through different implementation models and will gain access to our Yard Sharing Tool Kit as well as our Land Use Agreement. As a Yard Sharing network we created a replicable model for other neighborhoods and cities to try themselves! We will also talk through creative possibilities of Yard Sharing including backyard CSA’s, working with local restaurants, increasing accessibility to urban agriculture, sustainable landscaping and native habitat restoration.

WK6 - Health and Wellbeing in our Community Gardens and Beyond: Insights from Surveys and Practice

Doriane C. Miller, MD, Julie Rowin MD, Molly Doane, PhD, Vincent Barceló Gómez and Howard Rosing

This workshop will be presented in discussion format and focus on health and wellness as surveyed in community gardens. As researchers, both Professors Rosing and Doane will draw from their broader studies in health, well-being, and social and behavioral issues. Dr. Miller and Dr Rowin will draw from their practices to give community gardeners information about personal and community health and vitality. Vincent Gomez completes the panel drawing on people-plant wellness concepts. Each will give a professional and personal take on the assertion that gardening does provide substantial health benefits.

Workshop Session 2 – 11:30am-12:45pm

WK7 - Creciendo Una Comunidad: Invitando Interacción Desde la Perspectiva de Permacultura / Growing Community: Inviting Interaction through a Permaculture Lens

This session will be presented in both English and Spanish. A live verbal translation and bilingual written materials will be provided.

Lori Upchurch and Anai Brizuela

For generations, connection with community has been an integral part of healthy human culture. Our modern urban society often emphasizes the individual's responsibility to survive and thrive purely on their own volition. For many, that vital connection to community has been lost, leading to an increase in stress, social anxiety, and disconnection. This workshop’s goal is to empower individuals to invite community into their lives in accordance with their own dreams, creating a stronger, more caring culture and a shift toward a healing Earth. This presentation will give an overview of permaculture principles and ethics and explore how these tools can be used for creative regenerative community design. Participants will engage in discussion to identify needs of their community gardens and explore ingredients needed to bring and keep a community together.

Por generaciones la conexión con las comunidades ha sido una parte significativa de la cultura del ser humano. Desafortunadamente, nuestra sociedad urbana moderna enfatiza la responsabilidad del individuo para sobrevivir y prosperar solamente por su propia voluntad. Para muchos, esa conexión vital con la comunidad se ha perdido, dirigiendo al aumento del estrés, ansiedad social, y un sentido de desconexión. La meta de este taller será empoderar a los individuos para invitar a la comunidad a sus vidas de acuerdo a sus sueños. Queremos cultivar una cultura más fuerte y cariñosa la cual nos guiará hasta un proceso de curación en La Tierra. En nuestro tiempo juntos vamos a dar una breve reseña de los principios y éticas de permacultura para explorar cómo estas herramientas se pueden usar para diseños creativos de comunidades regenerativas. Los participantes colaborarán en una discusión facilitada para identificar a las necesidades de sus jardínes comunitarios y explorarán los ingredientes que se pueden utilizar para juntar y mantener unida a una comunidad. Se irán del taller con ideas, motivación, y instrucciones para iniciar experiencias profundas con la comunidad. Al hacer esto, nosotros podremos construir una cultura resistente la cual regenerará a La Tierra.

WK8 - Mapping Soil Lead in Chicago and Understanding it’s Potential Uptake by Vegetables

Andrew Margenot, Assistant Professor of Soil Science, Crop Sciences Department, and George Watson, M.S. student in Crop Sciences, University of Illinois

A look at where lead is found in soils in Chicago is a first step to informing safe use of soils. Crop uptake of lead from soil is a concern for community gardeners, but there is scant evidence on risks as well as risk mitigation. Using soils from Chicago via greenhouse and field experiments, an evaluation of just how much lead makes it up into vegetables, with tomato and kale as model crops. Additionally, recommended and alternative methods to lessen crop uptake of lead were evaluated. We will share results and discuss how proper control of respiratory risk (e.g. mulching), safe in-ground production of these two crops may be possible.

WK9 - Using Traditions to Build Our Gardens and Our Community

Jacqueline Abena Smith and students from Chicago State University

The presenters of this workshop will discuss how The Green Lots Project facilitates connections between human communities and human-nature relations using principles of the traditional ecological knowledge of our Africa American and Mexican American elders and ancestors. Presenters will also relate how GLP has built its organization and maintained their gardens over the past 12 years utilizing key principles of diversity and relationships. They will also provide information about their growing practices that utilize TEK. Examples will include soil building and maintaining, using chickens in your garden, and complementary planting.

WK10 - Production Planning for Community Garden Systems

Zach Grant, Local Foods and Small Farms Educator, University of Illinois Extension

This presentation will take participants through the production planning process for community gardens. This will include simple scaled hand drawn planning, as well as the use of Excel and Google Sheets as powerful planning tools for ensuring an efficient smooth planting and growing season. Production planning allows gardeners to visualize and be ready for the growing season. Community Gardeners can figure out how many beds, soil, compost, seed, transplants, and inputs are needed for a successful growing year.

 

WK11 - Birds as Connectors to Nearby Nature

Jeramie Strickland and Lillian Holden, Education and Community Outreach, Openlands 

This workshop is geared toward kids!

This presentation will explain “Birds in my Neighborhood,” a volunteer driven education program and partnership between Openlands and The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which seeks to capitalize on the prevalence of birds in all areas. The program uses birds as entry point to nature for young people and their families. By sparking an interest in birds, participants are invited to see that nature is around all of us – regardless of where we live – and it is our responsibility to steward and protect it. Attendees will learn about the program model and how birds can be used as a catalyst for a life-long appreciation of nature. 

WK12 - The Offers & Needs Market

Mike Strode, Kola Nut Collaborative

This rapid-fire skill and need matching workshop introduces a new way to approach neighborhood assets - through “time banking.” Participants will quickly express what they have and are willing to offer to other participants along with what value they anticipate receiving. A round of reflection follows and participants can express the things they need which may not have been addressed by the initial round of offers. This time banking concept enables communities to map the human assets which exist in their neighborhood to increase the resilience and agility of those communities. This unique trading platform incentivizes people to participate in their community projects using time as the standard currency.


Transportation & Parking

CTA: Blue Line to Racine stop. Walk north 2 blocks to Adams St., then west two blocks to the venue.

The No. 9 Ashland bus is two blocks west of the venue.

The No. 126 Jackson bus runs from the loop to the venue.

Parking: CCGA conference attendees can park in the lot adjacent to the school, on Jackson Street. Look for the black CCGA banners on the fences of the lot. Street parking is also available adjacent to the venue.


7th CCGA Annual Gardeners Conference
Saturday March 30th 2019

Theme: Gardening and Adapting to a Changing Climate

Location: Breakthough FamilyPlex, 3219 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL 60624

Google Map of Breakthough FamilyPlex

To view photos of the 2019 Conference click here.

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6th CCGA Annual Gardeners Conference
Saturday March 3rd 2018

Theme: Garden to Garden: Bringing People Together Through Growing Together

Location: Kennedy-King College
740 West 63rd Street, Building U, Chicago, Illinois, 60621

Google Map of Kennedy-King Venue

To view photos of the 2018 Conference click here.

Schedule

  • 8:30-10:00am – Doors Open, Continental Breakfast, Networking
  • 9:00-9:30am – Exhibitors, Soil Testing, Speed Gardening
  • 9:30am – Welcome
  • 10:00-11:00am – Workshop Session 1
  • 11:15am-12:15pm – Workshop Session 2
  • 12:15-2:15pm – Lunch, Networking, Speed Gardening, Soil Testing, and Exhibitors!
  • 1:00-1:30 – Mini-Session 1
  • 1:45-2:15pm – Mini-Session 2
  • 2:15pm – Conference Concludes

Workshops

Workshops may be subject to change.
* Spanish language translation will be offered for these workshops. We are only able to offer Spanish translation at this time. Please let us know if you would like to have another language considered for next year.

Meet our presenters here!

Workshop Session 1 – 10:00am – 11:00am

WK1 - Planning the Community Garden: Grow the People First

Eager to start a community garden but don’t know where to begin? In this workshop, we will discuss the basics for everything that happens before you plant your first seed: member recruitment, land and water access, garden needs, community engagement, neighborhood support, and getting the work started.

WK2 - Growing the Base for Every Meal: The Botanical History of Carrots, Celery, and Onions from Antiquity

This presentation will reveal how growing these three staple vegetables connects us to the history of gardening, seed saving, shared meals, and culinary flavor. Culture developed as people began to share gardening and cooking practices. These three vegetables have played a central role that acts as an example for the transformations of seeds and vegetables across cultures and generations. Each onion, celery, or carrot seed we plant binds us to people that have preserved, cultivated, and adapted these representative vegetables from their original wild incarnations.  Knowing that history also strengthens our responsibility to other gardeners in our own lives and the ones who will plant seeds for generations to come.  Attendees will benefit by learning practical skills about growing these three vegetables, as well as a botanical history that ties their individual gardening efforts to past and future gardeners. Because these staple vegetables are also the base for many recipes, the presentation will also discuss the relationship between how people selected what to grow in their gardens based on the foods they ate, and vice versa.  This information will be presented with care to limit cultural appropriated and racial bias, while highlighting the impact of culture (and often cultural appropriation and colonization) on the history of these seeds.

WK3 - * Best Practices to Identify and Manage Soil Heavy Metal Contamination

Do you know if the soil in your backyard and garden is safe to use? Due to legacy contamination, soils in suburban and urban environments may contain heavy metals such as lead. Screening your soil for these heavy metals is the first step to ensuring the safety of those who benefit from using soils- gardeners, consumers of garden products, children, and even pets). Many gardeners, yard owners, and urban farmers are aware of heavy metal contamination risks, in particular lead. However, resources for identifying, interpreting, and managing soil contamination are often scarce, unclear, or unaffordable. This workshop will review basics of heavy metal contamination in soils, communicate options for soil screening and testing, and summarize evidence-based practices for practices that can be used by gardeners to mitigate contamination and exposure risk.

WK4 - Getting Started in Microgreen and Benchtop Greens Production

Learn how to grow microgreens and more mature benchtop greens during the winter months to cure the “winter blues”. Take home some free seed samples to get your microgreen project started.

WK5 - Compost Harvesting: Building a Sifter and How to Use It

Every gardener values this “black gold”, compost. Once a composting bin system is in place and working well, you will have rich, but still bulky material that looks like dark, crumbly and rough soil. To add this compost to your potting soil mixes, or to use it to side-dress your plantings, you will generally want a nice, sifted compost without any large lumps or chunks or bits of material that haven't fully decomposed. The best way to get this fluffy, sifted compost is to use a self-standing compost screen so you don’t have to hold the screen over a wheelbarrow, shoveling compost onto the screen. Your hands are free to shake the screen or rake the compost with a hoe. After a few hours, your back and shoulders will thank you, and your garden will be richer. In this workshop, we will demonstrate how to make a sifter for refining and harvesting your compost.

WK6 - Beyond Raised Beds: Cultivating Community in a School Garden

In this interactive workshop, equipped with stories and sing-alongs, you will walk away with tools/lessons for building community around school gardens. You will learn how to cultivate a curriculum that goes beyond the raised beds and above the educational common core standards. You will learn to construct a culturally competent curriculum, steeped in reverence and respect for the earth and one another, that will produce healthy habits that are carried out both in school and at home.

 

Workshop Session 2 – 11:15am – 12:15pm

WK7 - Planning the Community Garden: Site Analysis and Planting Plan

Use online tools like the Soil Survey and Google Earth Pro for potential site analysis. In addition using both basic handwritten and Excel based computer tools to plan and organize your planting plan for the upcoming season.

WK8 - Growing the Base for Every Meal: The Botanical History of Carrots, Celery, and Onions from Antiquity

The goal of this presentation will be to reveal how growing these three staple vegetables connects us to the history of gardening, seed saving, shared meals, and culinary flavor. Culture developed as people began to share gardening and cooking practices. These three vegetables have played a central role that acts as an example for the transformations of seeds and vegetables across cultures and generations. Each onion, celery, or carrot seed we plant binds us to people that have preserved, cultivated, and adapted these representative vegetables from their original wild incarnations.  Knowing that history also strengthens our responsibility to other gardeners in our own lives and the ones who will plant seeds for generations to come.  Attendees will benefit by learning practical skills about growing these three vegetables, as well as a botanical history that ties their individual gardening efforts to past and future gardeners. Because these staple vegetables are also the base for many recipes, the presentation will also discuss the relationship between how people selected what to grow in their gardens based on the foods they ate, and vice versa.  This information will be presented with care to limit cultural appropriated and racial bias, while highlighting the impact of culture (and often cultural appropriation and colonization) on the history of these seeds.

WK9 - Best Practices to Identify and Manage Soil Heavy Metal Contamination

Do you know if the soil in your backyard and garden is safe to use? Due to legacy contamination, soils in suburban and urban environments may contain heavy metals such as lead. Screening your soil for these heavy metals is the first step to ensuring the safety of those who benefit from using soils- gardeners, consumers of garden products, children, and even pets). Many gardeners, yard owners, and urban farmers are aware of heavy metal contamination risks, in particular lead. However, resources for identifying, interpreting, and managing soil contamination are often scarce, unclear, or unaffordable. This workshop will review basics of heavy metal contamination in soils, communicate options for soil screening and testing, and summarize evidence-based practices for practices that can be used by gardeners to mitigate contamination and exposure risk.

WK10 - * Apples, Pears and Plums Oh My! - Fruit Trees in Community Gardens

Come learn about how you can get started growing fruit in your community garden. Members from MidFEx, the Midwest Fruit Explorers are conducting this workshop where you will learn the basics: how to select what to grow for your site and where trees are best suited, how to graft and start your own trees and continuing care and maintenance of your mini-orchard!

WK11 - Compost Harvesting: Building a Sifter and How to Use It

Every gardener values this “black gold”, compost. Once a composting bin system is in place and working well, you will have rich, but still bulky material that looks like dark, crumbly and rough soil. To add this compost to your potting soil mixes, or to use it to side-dress your plantings, you will generally want a nice, sifted compost without any large lumps or chunks or bits of material that haven't fully decomposed. The best way to get this fluffy, sifted compost is to use a self-standing compost screen so you don’t have to hold the screen over a wheelbarrow, shoveling compost onto the screen. Your hands are free to shake the screen or rake the compost with a hoe. After a few hours, your back and shoulders will thank you, and your garden will be richer. In this workshop, we will demonstrate how to make a sifter for refining and harvesting your compost.

WK12 - Beyond Raised Beds: Cultivating Community in a School Garden

In this interactive workshop, equipped with stories and sing-alongs, you will walk away with tools/lessons for building community around school gardens. You will learn how to cultivate a curriculum that goes beyond the raised beds and above the educational common core standards. You will learn to construct a culturally competent curriculum, steeped in reverence and respect for the earth and one another, that will produce healthy habits that are carried out both in school and at home.

Soil Testing Station

Bring soil directly from your garden to be tested right on the spot for heavy metal contamination! Many thanks to Dr. Andrew Margenot from the University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences in collaboration with University of Illinois Extension and Advocates for Urban Agriculture for providing this opportunity!

Click here for directions on how to prepare your soil sample. Samples must be dry to be tested.

Speed Gardening!

Learn from fellow gardeners in these quick 15-minute hands-on sessions!

Organic Weed Repellent from the KITCHEN!
Join Robert Hart for this hands-on project. Learn to use products straight from the kitchen to remove pesky little plants growing between sidewalk cracks and on garden paths.

To Seed or Not to Seed? That is the QUESTION!
Can you plant those seeds that have been in your pantry for 5 years? Join students Donnell Walker, Dejeon Jackson, and Tariah Staples and their teacher Kimberly George from Chicago Youth Centers to learn about how to test your seeds for viability.

It’s in the BOX!
The Englewood Salvation Army Red Shield Women’s Ministry “Tea Room” Garden is located on their 3rd Floor balcony of the facility. Ms. Pearl Thompson and Ms. Betty Wright will take you step by step on how their milk crate box garden is assembled. You will also learn how they seed start using a toilet paper roll and paper.

That’s for the BIRDS!
How important are bird feeding stations and bird houses to your garden? Ida Hubbard will be displaying feeding stations and birdhouses along with a hands on project for you to take home.

And it came from the SEED…
Come for a walk with Ronald Stacy as he deciphers the mystery of seed packet. Here is where you will learn from start to finish how sow your seeds using the instructions on the back of the package provided by our seed companies.

Here are a few things that SPRING to mind!
Students of Miles Davis Magnet Academy of Englewood demonstrate the use of soil blockers while sharing a recipe idea for all those radishes from your spring garden. Stop by and have a taste.

After lunch: Mini-Sessions!

Choose from these 30-minute sessions, held in two sessions after lunch:

Reading and Amending Our Soils for Nutrient Dense Food and Positive Environmental Impact
Presented by Lora Lode, Lynn Bement, Dr. Shemuel Israel from the Chicago Chapter of the Bionutrient Food Association

The Growing Classroom
Presented by 10-year old students Donnell Walker, Dejeon Jackson, and Tariah Staples with Kimberly George from Chicago Youth Centers

Out of the Garden Comes… Perspective, Engagement!
Presented by Richard Dobbins of South Side Roots

How to Avoid the Grocery Store and Support Local Farming and Direct-to-Consumer Sales
Presented by Farmer John Willis

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5th CCGA Annual Conference
March 25th 2017 – Breakthrough FamilyPlex

Theme: Gardeners Grow Communities

Location: Breakthough FamilyPlex, 3219 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL 60624

2017 CCGA Conference - Lunchtime
2017 CCGA Conference – Lunchtime

To view photos of the 2017 Conference click here.

Conference Program

Download this year’s conference program here.

Schedule:

  • 9:00am-10:00am – Doors Open, Continental Breakfast
  • 10:00am-11:00am – Workshop Session 1
  • 11:15am-12:15pm – Workshop Session 2
  • 12:15pm-1:15pm – Lunch, Exhibitors, Seed Distribution, Door Prizes
  • 1:15pm-2:00pm – Panel Discussion

Workshops

Session 1, 10:00am-11:00am

WK1 – DIY Season Extension for the Community Garden
Zach Grant, a local foods and small farms educator with University of Illinois Extension will explore the concepts and techniques of using season extension cultural methods and structures to prolong your growing season.

WK2 – Get Your Green On! Tips for Growing Natural, Vibrant Gardens
Ryan Anderson and Ruth Kerzee, of Midwest Pesticide Action Center will equip gardeners with action-oriented resources for maintaining resilient and vibrant vegetation without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. In an hour, they will immerse participants in three informal, interactive games that cover critical aspects of a systemic and effective garden.

WK3 – Community Gardens as Multi-Issue Community Organizing Hubs
Viviana Moreno and Fermin Meza, of Semillas de Justicia Community Garden will encourage community garden coordinators, master gardeners, and volunteers to expand the use of their gardens so that community members can organize around several issues at the local neighborhood level.

WK4 – Basic Vegetable Gardening
Nancy Kreith, a Cook County Extension Horticulture Educator will focus on learning the basics for soil preparation, direct seeding, transplanting and harvesting vegetables at the proper time, along with after planting care

WK5 – The Growing Classroom
Kimberly George, of Chicago Youth Centers will join with her youth garden members to share with us the benefits and multiple purposes of youth gardens from a kid’s point of view.

WK6 – Compost Magic
Breanne Heath, of Peterson Garden Project will show you how to transform your compost pile (or worm bin) from a sad pile of dead plants to one of the most valuable amendments for your garden.

Session 2 11:15am-12:15pm

WK7 – DIY Season Extension for the Community Garden
Zach Grant, a local foods and small farms educator with University of Illinois Extension will explore the concepts and techniques of using season extension cultural methods and structures to prolong your growing season.

WK8 – Get Your Green On! Tips for Growing Natural, Vibrant Gardens
Ryan Anderson and Ruth Kerzee, of Midwest Pesticide Action Center will equip gardeners with action-oriented resources for maintaining resilient and vibrant vegetation without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. In an hour, they will immerse participants in three informal, interactive games that cover critical aspects of a systemic and effective garden.

WK9 – Community Gardens as Multi-Issue Community Organizing Hubs
Viviana Moreno and Fermin Meza, of Semillas de Justicia Community Garden will encourage community garden coordinators, master gardeners, and volunteers to expand the use of their gardens so that community members can organize around several issues at the local neighborhood level.

WK10 – The Growing Classroom
Kimberly George, of Chicago Youth Centers will join with her youth garden members to share with us the benefits and multiple purposes of youth gardens from a kid’s point of view.

WK11 – How to Plan Your Raised Vegetable Bed
Mattie Wilson, with the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance will focus on plant spacing in a limited area using early season space, utilizing vertical space to avoid overcrowding, and succession planting of quick maturing plants.

WK12 – Compost Magic
Breanne Heath, of Peterson Garden Project will show you how to transform your compost pile (or worm bin) from a sad pile of dead plants to one of the most valuable amendments for your garden.

Workshop presenter profiles

Breanne Heath is an ASHS certified horticulturist and has been teaching people to grow their own food for ten years. She designed and installed one of Chicago’s first edible semi-intensive green roof gardens, and is the owner-operator of a certified organic pick-your-own farm in the city, The Pie Patch. When not at The PiePatch, Breanne works at Peterson Garden Project where she manages adult garden education classes, seed saving and demonstration gardens, the Grow2Give pantry donation program, Edible Treasures garden at The Field Museum, and contributes timely growing information for the blog, We Can Grow It.

Kimberly George is Out of School Time (OST) Manager with Chicago Youth Centers (CYC). During her 25+ year career with CYC and YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Kimberly has focused her energy working with youth in North Lawndale. Her approach is mission driven and based on the needs of the community she serves.

Ryan Anderson, Program and Communications Manager, Midwest Pesticide Action Center Randerson@pesticideaction.org, 773-878-8245, @ryancanders
Ryan Anderson manages MPAC’s Midwest Grows Green initiative that educates homeowners, park/school districts, and businesses about best landscaping practices to reduce synthetic lawn pesticide and fertilizer use. A past National Academies of Sciences Fellow and Masters of Sustainable Solutions graduate from ASU, Ryan has a passion for communicating complex scientific issues to the public.

Ruth Kerzee, Executive Director, Midwest Pesticide Action Center rkerzee@pesticideaction.org , 773-878-7378, @rkerzee
Ruth Kerzee has been on MPAC’s staff since 2005. Ms. Kerzee has been responsible for Midwest Pesticide Action Center’s promotion of Integrated Pest Management in schools, childcare facilities, and housing. Ms. Kerzee, also, manages all executive duties such as generating evaluative programs and strategizing on the growth and development of the organization. She has a Master’s of Science degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago, more than 15 years experience working on occupational and environmental health issues, and is a licensed pest control technician.

Zachary Grant, Local Foods and Small Farms Educator, University of Illinois Extension.  Zack holds a B.S. in Agribusiness/Horticulture from Illinois State University and a M.S in Horticulture from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. From 2008-2015 he was the manager and director of the Sustainable Student Farm at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a working small farm laboratory located on the fruit research farm at UIUC. Its mission is to grow year-round, high-quality produce for the dining halls and university community. In addition, the SSF conducts research in intensive small scale farming techniques, season extension techniques, and outreach to the larger growing community. In 2015 he became the Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator for Cook County, focusing on urban food production systems programming for a diverse group of stakeholders.

Mattie Wilson, Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance is the Sustainability and Adult Programs Manager at the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance. Mattie has taken the organizations mission to heart about connecting people to nature through education. Her experience includes teaching adult classes on building worm bins and composting, creating and leading volunteer trainings, in addition to presenting for groups and at events. Presentations include composting for the Chicago Conservation Corps and large-scale events including the Good Food Festival, American Community Garden Association Conference, and the Midwest Museum Association Annual Conference.

Panel

1:15pm-2:00pm

Panel Moderator

Juan Pablo Herrera is Assistant City Director at DOOR Network, in East Garfield Park where he guides, leads, and directs young volunteers and provides service opportunities for them in Chicago and in our very own CCGA community gardens throughout the spring and summer. He is a former Media Coordinator at La Casa Del Carpintero / The Carpenter’s House, and he has worked at Humboldt Park Social Services. He loves music, especially live music concerts.

Panelists

Kimberly George, a Teen Worker/College Readiness Specialist with CYC ABC Polk Brothers Youth Center has over 25 years of experience, ranging from program development and implementation, to administrative management and financial development. She is project coordinator of CYCs’ Sunshine Garden Club at CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center in North Lawndale.

Nancy Keith, aims to serve youth and adults of Cook County by bringing expertise and encouragement to those interested in using plants to benefit their lives.  She expands her horticulture knowledge by educating and providing leadership for volunteers in the Master Gardener (MG) certification program and oversees their volunteer projects in the county’s south and southwest suburbs. Together with the help of MG volunteers thousands of county residents benefit from Extension programming. Nancy is a long-time resident of Chicago. As a student at the south side’s Chicago High School of Agricultural Sciences her appreciation of plants blossomed when she served as an intern with U of I Extension. Nancy went on to University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign to receive her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and her Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Science. During her graduate program, Nancy completed her individual research project on elements of sustainable schools gardens and their potential as teaching tools.

Viviana Moreno is the Community Resiliency Organizer at the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO). She was born and raised in Venezuela and has been living in Chicago for the last six years organizing with several youth and community based organizations. Viviana serves as the Brownfield Redevelopment Campaign Organizer for LVEJO as well as the coordinator for the Semillas de Justicia Community Garden. Ever since she started working at the Semillas de Justicia Community Garden, Viviana has become increasingly passionate about different food growth processes, food systems, herbalism, and botany. She’s an alumni of the Black and Latino Farmer’s Immersion Program at Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, NY and holds a Season Extension Certificate from Windy City Harvest Apprenticeship Program.

Fermin Meza has been with the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) since early 2008. Fermin started as a volunteer in the Campaign helping to build and organize around home and community gardens and a graduate of the PUDDJ Leadership Program. He is a Master Gardener. As one of the founding members of “Comite Primavera” Fermin helped create a community board to plan, carry out and fundraise for the Urban Agriculture Campaign. Voted in as President in 2009, Fermin oversaw the negotiation with Amor de Dios Church to use their property for a community garden, and worked with campaign leaders and volunteers to plan out, build, and maintain the Amor de Dios Garden. His experience with farming and livestock in rural Mexico has helped him in both outreaching to former farmers in the community and in maintaining the gardens.

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4th CCGA Annual Conference
March 5th 2016 – South Shore Cultural Center

Eliza Fournier delivers the keynote address at CCGA 2016 Conference
Eliza Fournier delivers the keynote address at CCGA 2016 Conference

To view photos of the 2016 Conference click here.

View 2016 Conference Attendee Program

Featured Speaker

Eliza Fournier
Chicago Botanic Garden – Urban Youth Programs Director

Workshops

Session One (10:00am-11:00am)

1. Chicago’s New Composting Ordinance: An Overview
The speakers will walk us through Chicago’s brand new Composting Ordinance, explain how it integrates into Chicago’s pre-existing composting ordinance, and share information about the new registration and inspection process that will roll out this spring.

Jen Walling, Illinois Environmental Council
Billy Burdett, Advocates for Urban Agriculture

2. Building a Compost Bin System That Complies With the New Ordinance: A Hands-on Workshop!
Two Chicago community gardeners who are members of the CCGA Resource Committee will demonstrate how to build a compost bin that uses readily available materials, needs little construction know-how, complies with the new ordinance, and makes great compost.

Robert Hart, GET Gardening; Paradise, Sherwood Peace and Veterans’ Garden
Erik Hernandez, CCGA Resources Committee and Communications Committee

3. Organic Tips to Kickstart Your Community Garden This Spring
Getting fidgety? Want to start working in your garden but don’t know where to start? Our speaker will answer these and many other questions related to gearing up this spring: when to put in cool weather seeds; what should be cut back now; what you can do this spring to make your garden easier to maintain for the rest of the growing season, and what you should think about doing to improve your soil and protect your plant material from the unpredictability of Chicago’s summers.

Windy City Harvest

4. Building Healthy Soil & Compost

Breanne Heath, Peterson Garden Project Garden Manager

Session Two (11:15am – 12:15pm)

5. Chicago’s New Composting Ordinance: Challenges & Opportunities for Community Gardens
Chicago’s new composting ordinance adds another possibility to the pre-existing compost ordinance. For the first time, it is now legal for gardeners to compost food scraps brought in from offsite. This means if gardeners wanted to, they could accept their neighbor’s food scraps in the garden compost bin. Already been doing this? We will discuss both the new and pre-existing ordinance and what this means for community managed composting sites.

Robin Cline, Assistant Director NeighborSpace
Carolyn Johnson, Brickyard Community Gardens
Jacob Blecher, Social Ecologies

6. Building a Compost Bin System That Complies With the New Ordinance: A Hands-on Workshop!
Two Chicago community gardeners who are members of the CCGA Resource Committee will demonstrate how to build a compost bin that uses readily available materials, needs little construction know-how, complies with the new ordinance, and makes great compost.

Robert Hart, GET Gardening; Paradise, Sherwood Peace and Veterans’ Garden
Erik Hernandez, CCGA Resources Committee and Communications Committee

7. Vegetable Gardening: Let’s Get Going!
Our speaker is one of the “wise elders” of the Chicago community gardening scene, and he will walk you through the basics of planning and planting your vegetable garden. Get ready to ask lots of questions; he knows the answers!

Ron Wolford, University of Illinois Extension

8. What Now? Ten Great Ideas for Refreshing Your Community Garden
After several years, a community gardener can get “stuck” doing the same chores in the garden, and not thinking creatively. Our speaker will encourage you to look at your community garden with fresh eyes and ideas and try some new strategies. She wants you to take your garden to a new level!

Beth Botts, Chicago Garden Writer and Lecturer

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3rd CCGA Conference
March 7th 2015 – West Town Career Academy

Theme:  This is CCGA

View 2015 Conference Attendee Program

Workshops

Creative Community Building in Community Gardens
Kashanna Eiland

Edible Landscaping with a Permaculture Twist
Annamaria Leon

Gardening and Technology
Patrick Porter

Digging In – Transforming Garden Conflict into Constructive Growth
Kristen Bodiford

Community Gardens as Message Sites for Soil and Water Security
Dr. Shemuel Israel

Spring Preparation and Planting Tips
Breanne Heath

Container Gardening
Ellen Newcomer & Austin Green Team Greenhouse Committee

Building Garden Structures
Robert Hart

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2nd CCGA Conference
March 22nd 2014 – Navy Pier (held in conjunction with Chicago Flower and Garden Show)

View 2014 Conference Attendee Program

Featured Speaker

Daniel Tucker – Author of ‘Farm Together Now: A Portrait of People, Places and Ideas for a New Food Movement’

Read his keynote address here.

Workshops

From Lake to Lunch: Urban Gardening’s Place in the Regional Water Cycle
Dr. Zaber & Qae-Dah Muhammad

White Rock Gleaning Program: How Community Gardens Can Make the Most of Their Harvest
Robert Nevel, Sarah Finkel, Patricia Bon, Caitlin Donato

Compost Chicago!
Carolyn Johnson

Edible Perennials
Karen Roothaan

Gardening Through the Polar Vortex: Season Extension Techniques for Community Gardening
Ben Jaffe from Windy City Harvest

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1st CCGA Conference
February 23rd, 2013 – Center for Green Technology

View 2013 Conference Attendee Program

Panel Discussion

Panelists: Mike Nowak (moderator), Edde Jones, Robert Nevel, Jane Schenck, Angela Taylor, Elvia R. Ochoa, Ron Wolford

Workshops

Drops, Drips and Soil Bits: Water Conservation Tricks and Tips for Community Gardeners

At This workshop you will learn successful water conservation techniques from three local community gardens. Increase your understanding of planting, watering and soil building techniques that contribute to conservation and fertility and take home hands-on advice that can be used in your garden this year.

Negotiating Space: The First Step in Growing a Garden

Negotiating space is the first step in creating and growing a community garden. This session looks to share individual experiences in negotiating the land we use for new gardens in the Chicagoland area. We will share personal case studies for negotiating with government entities and personal landowners: what was required, what mistakes were made, and what successes were realized.

We Don’t Just Grow Flowers and Vegetables, We Grow Money

At this workshop you will obtain fundraising ideas for your community garden, identify stakeholders in your community and discover existing resources available for your garden.

Let’s Get Organized

You can’t have a community garden without a community. How do you grow a community around your garden? In this session we help you come up with a plan for making it happen together!