2025-08-28 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)
Chicago’s First Urban Agriculture Plan Listening Session #2
Advocates of Urban Agriculture in partnership with Chicago’s Community
Gardeners Association are excited to announce our second listening session
August 28 from 6:00-7:30 PM at The Quarry
2423 E 75th St, Chicago, IL 60649

Click here to register to the event

Over the next few years, Chicago Community Gardeners Association (CCGA) and
Advocates for Urban Agriculture (AUA), in collaboration with partners
throughout Chicago, will be focusing our efforts on co-creating an urban
agriculture plan. As such, the purpose of this listening session is to
receive community feedback on what your experiences have been as a gardener
in Chicago. We are interested in hearing more about what challenges you’ve
encountered as an urban farmer and what opportunities you envision for
Chicago. We are gathering and collaborating on ideas that should be
included in the urban agriculture plan to make growing food, medicine,
habitat and ornamentals more accessible in Chicago.

We will be hosting a group and break out discussion on the following topics:
Land access, soil health, fines, fees, and punitive processes,
environmental justice, and funding for scaling operations and
infrastructure.

To learn more, and to complete a survey, visit our website.

Ag and Garden Fair - Avondale
2025-08-31 12:00 - 16:00
Avondale Gardening Alliance Ag and Garden Fair
Aug 31, noon – 4 pm
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10235162384898271

Food Safety Webinar - online
2025-09-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Online, Online, Chicago, IL, United States
Webinar: Food Safety in Fresh Produce — Wash and Pack Areas
Wed Sept 10, 4 – 5 pm
+ see accompanying Garden Food Safety Tips Fact Sheet

Harvest Soiree - Blue Island
2025-09-11 17:30 - 20:30
Hello to All Gardeners,
Please find below the agenda for the Harvest Soiree, scheduled for Thursday, September 11th, at the Upper Pavilion in Memorial Park. This event is open to all community members—please extend this invitation throughout our community.
Thursday, September 11, 2025
*Event supporting Blue Island Community Gardens (donations are optional and sincerely appreciated)
5:30 pm – Yoga session led by Michelle Bauer of Nourishing Mind, Body, and Soul
6:00 pm – Light refreshments and appetizers served, including:

Iverson’s mint/lavender lemonade
Basil and watermelon-infused water
Mint tea
A limited selection of other beverages

Activities:

Gardener’s appetizers
Guided garden visits
Photo booth in the gardens
Bouquet making station featuring arrangements from Bloom Creek Flowers and our community gardens
Sidewalk chalk and additional crafts available for children

7:00 pm – Dinner will be served, accompanied by acknowledgements and an overview of the Blue Island Community Gardens
*Culinary presentations by:

M&R Grilling, presented by Chef Ray Bauer
Chef Elizabeth Canna
Chef Joe O’Meara
Chef Tom Mantel
Chef Joe Leamanczyk
Chef Michelle from Council Oak

Additionally, potluck dishes will be provided by our community gardeners and neighbors. Elaine Lentz’s zucchini relish will be a featured this year.
8:00 pm – Dessert and raffles, with gratitude to Elizabeth Canna Pizza for generously donating and preparing 16 raffle gifts
Great appreciation to the collaborative efforts that make this event possible and looking forward to your participation on Thursday.
Garden ON and see you soon!!🌻
Val Kehoe
valkehoe62@gmail.com

Fruit Tree Workshop - Blue Island
2025-09-13 09:00 - 10:30 | Hope Center, 2552 135th St, Blue Island, IL, 60406, United States
Grow Together at The Hope Center with the Adopt a Tree event sponsored by Hispanic Access Foundation in honor of Latino Conservation Week!

Join us for a free community workshop where you’ll receive a fruit tree and learn how to plant, care for, and prune it. Together, we’re building our community’s capacity to grow our own food, strengthen local roots, and share in the joy of cultivating fresh fruit right at home.

This family-friendly event is a chance to gain hands-on skills, take home a tree, and be part of a movement that empowers Blue Island to flourish—one tree at a time!

Click the link to register: https://go.hopecenter.tv/tree1

#GrowTogether #AdoptATree #HopeCenterBlueIsland #LatinoConservationWeek #StrongerRoots #BlueIslandGrows

Worm Composting Workshop
2025-09-13 11:00 - 13:00
2025 Just Roots Workshop Series

Saint James Community Farm
2936 S Wabash Ave., Chicago IL 60616

September 13th: Food Waste and Composting with Worms 11am – 1pm (Vermicomposting)

School Garden Support Party - Pilsen
2025-09-16 16:30 - 18:30
School Garden Support Party
Tuesday, September 16, 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Irma C. Ruiz Elementary, 2410 S Leavitt St, Chicago, IL 60608
We will have dinner, music, a variety of garden activities, and cooking demos! This workshop is free and open to all, but is focused on teachers and community members who work with school gardens.

NRCS Field Day - Skokie
2025-09-16 17:00 - 19:00 | The Talking Farm, 3669 Howard St, Skokie, IL, 60076, United States
September 16, 2025, 5 – 7 pm
The Talking Farm
3669 Howard St, Skokie, IL 60076
As part of Illinois Extension’s Summer Technical Assistance Field Day Series, in partnership with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), we are hosting a field day focused on Navigating FSA & NRCS Programs for Urban Farmers.
Extension educators, along with Production Manager, Jack Phillips, will discuss conservation practices at The Talking Farm. We’re thrilled to welcome Joseph Bridges and Alicia Lozano, the USDA NRCS Soil Conservationists for Cook County who will be on site to meet farmers and answer your questions about applying for reimbursement programs. Reimbursable conservation practices that are available to small scale urban growers will also be discussed.

University of Illinois • U.S. Department of Agriculture • Local Extension Councils Cooperating. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
Please join us for the other field days in this series:
July 23: Contemporary Farmer 4:30-6:30 PM (Bilingual Soil Health)
July 30: LaVillita 5 – 7 PM (Billingual Soil Health) Little Village Chicago
August 20: Growing Home 5-7 PM (Organic Certification Cost Share)
October 14: We Sow We Grow 4:30-6:30 PM (Navigating FSA & NRCS Programs) West Pullman, Chicago

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact
Jesse Schaffer

September CCGA Coordinating Meeting - Hybrid
2025-09-16 18:00 - 19:00
Please join us for our monthly coordinating meeting. Representatives from all the working groups come together to coordinate our actions. All community gardeners and supporters are invited to attend.
CCGA coordinating meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, except for July & August.
This is the virtual Zoom meeting link for our monthly meetings:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82680460687?pwd=[REDACTED]

Meeting ID: 826 8046 0687
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial in number: 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 826 8046 0687
Passcode: [REDACTED]
NOTE: All CCGA coordinating meeting minutes are available for you to review on the website. Look under the menu tree at ‘Who We Are’ and then ‘CCGA Organization’ and you will see links here for the coordinating committee documents by year.

Cover Crop Workshop - Gary Comer
2025-09-19 17:00 - 19:00
AUA’s Urban Cover Crop Workshop
Friday, September 19 | 5–7PM
Gary Comer Farm – 7200 S. Ingleside, Chicago
Food, farm tour, and workshop included.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/urbansmall-scale-cover-cropping-tickets-1603603574459

Fall Equinox Yoga - Maxwell St. Garden
2025-09-20 11:00 - 12:00
Maxwell’s Fall Equinox Yoga Finale Session on September 20th @ 11 am !
1150 W 13th Street, Chicago
https://www.maxwellstreetgarden.org/
maxwellstreetgarden@gmail.com | Tel: +1(630) 210-1589

Growing Home Backyard BBQ - Englewood
2025-09-21 14:00 - 17:00 | Growing home, 5814 S Wood, Chicago, IL, 60636, United States
Growing Home Backyard BBQ Fundraiser
Sunday, September 21 · 2 – 5pm
5814 South Wood Street Chicago, IL 60636
$25 – $100

Join Growing Home for our annual Backyard Barbecue on Sunday, September 21, 2025—a festive farm-to-table friendraiser celebration of food, farming, and community! This event showcases the vibrant spirit of Greater Englewood through:

Incredible bites and beverages from talented local chefs and caterers
Live music and entertainment throughout the day
Tour of Growing Home’s urban farm, gardens, and block spaces
Interactive raffles and games
Plus, hear from a Growing Home program alumni speaker, sharing their journey and impact

This event will uplift and support Chicago’s local food system—and proceeds directly benefit Growing Home’s workforce development programs, food access initiatives, and community healing work.

Growing Home's 4th Annual Backyard Barbecue
2025-09-21 14:00 - 18:00 | Growing Home Urban Farm, 5814 South Wood Street Chicago, IL 60636, Chicago, IL, 60636, United States
Join us for a festive evening at Growing Home’s annual Backyard Barbecue, a celebration of food, music, and community! Enjoy delicious bites from local chefs, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities—all set against the backdrop of our USDA-certified organic urban farm in Englewood. Guests will also have the opportunity to take guided tours of our beautiful farm and learn about our mission to build a more equitable Chicago through food, jobs, and community.
📅 Date: Sunday, September 21, 2025🕒 Time: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM📍 Location: Growing Home Urban Farm, 5814 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60636
Come connect with neighbors, support local good food, and celebrate the harvest season with us. All are welcome!
Learn more & RSVP: growinghomeinc.org/events

Pollinator Steward certification Day 1
2025-09-25 09:00 - 16:00 | The Plant, 1400 W. 46th Street, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States
Pollinator Steward Certification
September 25th, 9 am – 4 pm, and September 26th, 9 am – 4 pm
The Plant 1400 W. 46th St., Chicago IL 60609
The Pollinator Steward Certification (PSC) program, offered by Pollinator Partnership, empowers people with the scientific know-how to make a real difference for pollinators, people, and the planet. This course is ideal for agricultural managers, farmers and growers, home gardeners, and anyone that wants to do more to support pollinators.

Topics include an introduction to the world of pollinators, how they live and thrive, and how we can help. Details will be provided on habitat creation for pollinators for both urban and agricultural landscapes. Additional information on pollinator identification and how to monitor your plants for Budburst, a community-focused, data driven approach to conservation (a program of the Chicago Botanic Garden) will be provided.

Join us for this FREE workshop at The Plant (1400 W. 46th St., Chicago IL 60609) on September 25th (9:00 am to 4:00 pm) and September 26th (9:00 am to 4:00 pm) to learn from Chicago based scientists and practitioners. Space is limited to 45 attendees.

Pollinator Steward Certification - Day 2
2025-09-26 09:00 - 16:00 | The Plant, 1400 W. 46th Street, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States

Cookbook Club and Potluck - Pilsen
2025-09-26 18:00 - 20:00 | El Paseo Community Garden, 966 W. 21st St, Chicago, IL, United States
El Paseo Monthly Potluck Dinners
Sept 26, 6 – 8 pm
944 W 21st street, Chicago

Native Fruit Trees - Saulk Village
2025-09-27 11:00 | It Takes a Village Community Farm, 2500 223rd Street, Saulk Village, IL, 60411, United States
Native Fruit Trees Workshop
It Takes a Village Community Farm
2500 223rd St., Sauk Village IL 60411
Saturday, September 27th, 11am – 1pm
With the Morton Arboretum
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPMinaZp4ns1etOS_IXKihy0LdhlVFo2kMom1Kg8xeL1PT3Q/viewform

Farm to Fork Feast - Naperville
2025-09-27 16:00 - 20:00 | McDonald Farm, 10 S404 Knoch Knolls Rd, Naperville, IL, United States
IL Stewardship Alliance Farm to Fork Feast
Sat Sept 27, 4 pm at McDonald Farm in Naperville
$150
Join us for an evening of local food, fellowship and celebration as we honor our local food and those who produce it. The Farm to Fork Feast supports our mission to bring farmers and eaters together to build a more just, local and regenerative food and farm system.
Together, we will enjoy a Latin-American inspired menu artfully prepared by Northern Fork, a local food silent auction and fellowship on McDonald Farm in Naperville.
Tickets include access to the event, open wine and beer bar, and your chance to bid in the silent auction.

Food Waste and Composting - Saulk Village
2025-10-04 11:00 - 13:00 | It Takes a Village Community Farm, 2500 223rd Street, Saulk Village, IL, 60411, United States
It Takes a Village Community Farm
2500 223rd St., Sauk Village IL 60411
October 4th: Food Waste and Composting 11am – 1pm
with The Contemporary Farmer Inc.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPMinaZp4ns1etOS_IXKihy0LdhlVFo2kMom1Kg8xeL1PT3Q/viewform

Boone Co. Farm Stroll
2025-10-05 10:00 - 17:00
Boone County Farm Stroll
Sun October 5, 10 am – 5 pm
Free self Guided tour of nine diversified family farms

Strawbale Pick Up - CCGA gardens only
2025-10-12 | New Horizons Community Garden, 401 S Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Neighborspace is offering straw bales for gardeners to pick up available on a first come, first served basis. Please come early in the day to ensure you get what you need for your garden.
New Horizon Community Garden
401 South Central Park
Chicago, IL 60624

Ogle Co. Farm Stroll
2025-10-12 11:00 - 16:00
Ogle County Farm Stroll
Sun October 12, 11 am – 4 pm
Free Self Guided tour of ten diversified family farms

NRCS Field Day - West Pullman
2025-10-14 16:30 - 18:30
We Sow We Grow
October 14, 2025, 4:30 – 6:30 pm
11958 S Union Ave, Chicago, IL 60628

As part of Illinois Extension’s Summer Technical Assistance Field Day Series, in partnership with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), we are hosting a field day focused on Navigating FSA & NRCS Programs for Urban Farmers. Extension educators, along with Farmer Natasha Nicholes, will discuss conservation practices at We Sow We Grow. We’re thrilled to welcome Joseph Bridges and Alicia Lozano, the USDA NRCS Soil Conservationists for Cook County who will be on site to meet farmers and answer your questions about applying for reimbursement programs. Reimbursable conservation practices that are available to small scale urban growers will also be discussed.
Free to attend but pre-registration is required: https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2025-10-14-nrcs-field-day-we-sow-we-grow

University of Illinois • U.S. Department of Agriculture • Local Extension Councils Cooperating. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Jesse Schaffer at jschaff@illinois.edu or 312-585-9128

Green Soapbox Panel Discussion: Scaling Sustainable Foodways in the Midwest
2025-10-16 18:00 - 21:00 | Edelman, 111 N Canal St, Chicago, 60606, United States
For nearly 15 years, Delta Institute has hosted “Green Soapbox” events as opportunities to connect the community with expert panelists on a wide array of critical climate conversations. This fall, we will be exploring the topic of Scaling Sustainable Foodways in the Midwest.
About this year’s topic
Food plays a vital role in our lives—and it is also one of the most consequential factors in the fight against climate change. In the United States, the agriculture sector contributes about 11% of the country’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, about 30-40% of all food that’s produced in the US ultimately ends up as food waste!
On October 16, expert speakers will join us to discuss how to scale regenerative agriculture to overcome climate challenges and embrace innovations to the food system, including aspects that address soil health, food waste, and more. Join us for food and drinks as we discuss sustainable food technologies, impacts on agriculture, and everything else you might want to know about how local food systems are adapting to today’s climate challenges.

Yoga - South Shore
2025-10-18 09:00 - 10:00
Yoga in the garden
Sat 10/18 at 9 am
2301 E. 71st Street, Chicago
crandongarden@neighbor-space.org

Thanksgiving Celebration - Oak Lawn
2025-10-18 10:00 - 13:00
Share the Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Mt. Zion Lutheran Church/New Generation COGIC, 10400 S. Kostner Ave., Oak Lawn
Program – 10 a.m.-Noon
Thanksgiving Feast Noon-1 p.m.
Register by October 13

Harvest Festival - Glencoe
2025-10-18 10:00 - 16:30, 2025-10-19 10:00 - 16:30 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022, United States
Saturday and Sunday, October 18/19, 10am – 4:30pm
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL
A display of nearly 100 different apple varieties that are grown by our members in their own back yard. Many other types of fruit grown by members are also exhibited including European and Asian Pears, Quince, Hardy Kiwis, Pawpaw, Figs, Plums, and Persimmons
We feature tasting and sales of 10-15 different varieties of fantastically flavorful apples that you can’t find in your grocery store. We offer award-winning apple cider for sale from local orchards and a live demonstration of operating an old-fashioned cider press.
2025 Harvest Festival – October 18-19 –

October CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2025-10-21 18:00 - 19:00
Please join us for our monthly coordinating meeting. Representatives from all the working groups come together to coordinate our actions. All community gardeners and supporters are invited to attend.
CCGA coordinating meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, except for July & August. Click on the link next to the bullet to download the document(s) listed below.
NOTE: Most CCGA Coordinating meetings are being held via Zoom. In-person meeting locations may switch between The Hatchery Chicago & the Chicago Center for Green Technology.
If you want to attend the coordinating meeting and are not already a member of one of the CCGA working groups, please send an email to: communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org and request to join the monthly meetings.
NOTE: All CCGA coordinating meeting minutes are available for you to review on the website. Look under the menu tree at ‘Who We Are’ and then ‘CCGA Organization’ and you will see links here for the coordinating committee documents by year.

Soil Lead Screening - UIC
2025-10-25 11:00 - 13:00
Community Soil Health and Lead Screening Event
October 25th from 11:00am to 1:00pm
UIC Plant Research Laboratory (Greenhouse)
1020 S Union Ave, Chicago IL 60607
