Chicago Community Gardeners Association

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop - SouthShore
2026-02-20 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Cook Co Extension is hosting a series of fruit tree pruning workshops this winter. Programs are free to attend and open to the public, We just ask that you pre-register. Bring your tools if you have them and dress for the weather.
Feb 7, 10 am – 12 noon at Farmworks in Chicago (westside) in partnership with Neighborspace
Feb 20, 10 am – 12 noon at the 71st & Crandon Organic Garden, at 2301 E 71st St, Chicago, IL 60649 in partnership with Neighborspace
Feb 22, 2-4 pm at Triangle Park Community Orchard, 1750 W Juneway Terrace, Chicago
March 4, 10 am – 12 noon at It Takes a Village Farm, Sauk Village
https://registration.extension.illinois.edu/start/winter-fruit-tree-pruning-workshops

Sarah Batka
Local Foods Small Farms Program Coordinator
U of I Extension, Serving Cook County
direct phone 217-300-8636
sbatka@illinois.edu

Urban Farm Plan Showcase - Mt. Greenwood
2026-02-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, 3857 W 111th Street, Chicago, IL, 60655, United States
We’re hosting our first ever Urban Farm Plan Showcase!
Featuring five of our past trainees in the Cook County Extension Master Urban Farmer Training Program.
Please join us
Saturday February 21, 10 am to 12 noon at
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, 3857 W 111th St, Chicago, IL
Come out to the Ag High School to support these urban farmers as they present their business plans in front of YOU, our supportive audience and a panel of judges. We will network and celebrate their accomplishments together with a buffet lunch to follow. Friends, families, students and general public are welcome to attend.
Please register by Feb 13 so we have an accurate guest count.
If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Batka at 217-300-8636 or sbatka@illinois.edu.

Seed Swap - Humboldt Park Library
2026-02-21 13:00 - 15:00 | Humboldt Park Branch, 1605 N Troy St, Chicago, IL, 60647, United States
Seed Swap
Saturday, February 21, 2026
1:00PM – 3:00PM
Humboldt Park Library
1605 N. Troy Street
Chicago IL 60647

Want to grow some plants but not sure what? Have more seeds than you need? Stop by our Seed Swap!

A variety of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds will be available. We will also have guests from the Field Museum, UIC Heritage Garden, and Openlands on hand to share resources!

LINK: https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/events/696963c794297d3600a56c48

Fruit Tree Pruning - Rogers Park
2026-02-22 14:00 - 16:00 | Triangle Park, 1750 W. Juneway Terrace, Chicago, IL, 60626, United States
Learn to cut with confidence at one of Cook County Extension’s fruit tree pruning workshops this winter. After a demonstration and introduction to the principles of pruning, our instructors will guide you through hands on implementation.
You are welcome to join us for one or all of these workshops:
Feb 7, 10 am – 12 noon at Farmworks in Chicago (westside) (in partnership with Neighborspace)
Feb 20, 10 am – 12 noon at 71st & Crandon Organic Garden, at 2301 E 71st St, Chicago, IL 60649 (in partnership with Neighborspace)
Feb 22, 2 – 4 pm, Triangle Park Community Orchard, 1750 W Juneway Terrace, Chicago
March 4, 10 am – 12 noon, It Takes a Village Farm, Sauk Village
https://registration.extension.illinois.edu/start/winter-fruit-tree-pruning-workshops
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Sarah Batka at 217-300-8636 or sbatka@illinois.edu.

Fruit Tree Pruning - Sauk Village
2026-03-04 10:00 - 12:00 | It Takes a Village Community Farm, 2500 223rd Street, Saulk Village, IL, 60411, United States

School and Community Garden Training - Virtual
2026-03-09 18:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
School and Community Garden Training
Mondays from 6 – 8 pm on Zoom
March 9 – Introduction, getting started and volunteer engagement
March 16 – Vegetable Gardening
March 23 – Ornamental and Native plants, incorporating curriculum
Free but Registration is Required
2026 School and Community Garden Training. Final Flyer

Tree/Shrub Distribution - East Side
2026-03-14 12:00 - 15:00 | George Washington High School, 3535 E 114th Street, Chicago, IL, 60617, United States
Bare Root Tree-Shrub Distribution
Sat March 14, Noon – 3pm
George Washington High School 3535 E 114th St. Chicago, west front lawn
Pecan, Chinese Chestnut, Hazelnut, American Plum, Elderberry
Reserve your trees here

School and Community Garden Training - Zoom
2026-03-16 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Zoom

March CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-03-17 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.

Pullman State Historic Site Garden Club Clean Up
2026-03-21 09:30 - 12:00 | Pullman State Historic Site, 610 East 111th Street, Chicago, IL, 60628, United States
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is hosting a Garden Clean Up event on Saturday, March 21, 2026. We invite neighbors from near and far to enjoy a morning together weeding the gardens and grounds of the Pullman State Historic Site. Participants who register at https://tinyurl.com/pullgardencleanup26 before Monday, March 16th at 9am will receive a free t-shirt. Lunch will be provided.

Lecture: Nathan Barrett – Pullman’s Landscaper
2026-03-22 14:00 - 15:30
The Historic Pullman Garden Club and Friends of Pullman invite you (and your friends & neighbors) to the third scheduled Winter Lecture event at the Florence Lowden Miller Center, 614 E 113th St, Chicago IL. On Sunday March 22nd, 2026, at 2pm, Pullman Garden Club member Andreas Morgen will present “Nathan Barrett – Pullman’s Landscaper”, a talk about the man who designed the gardens of Pullman, the Hotel Ponce de Leon in Florida, and the Naumkeag estate in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The program is free, and everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be served.
For updates or to add to your calendar, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/898683466113147

Grafting Workshop - Glencoe
2026-03-29 13:00 - 16:00 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022, United States
Find out what grafting fruit trees is all about. Learn the whys and hows with experienced grafters. A variety of member donated scion wood will be available. The purpose of the grafting workshop is to learn how to graft. Nonmember beginners will learn how to graft selected apple varieties on apple rootstock.
If you’d like more information about grafting see the Grafting Page.
Sunday March 29, 2026 , 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. THIS SESSION IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and the less experienced or novice grafter. Please arrive on time. Lecture begins at 1:00 sharp.
Chicago Botanic Garden 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, Illinois. Go to the Linnaeus Room in the Regenstein Center building.
Rootstock is $6 each, Cash only.
No Pre-Registration Necessary

Plant and Seed Swap - Evergreen Park
2026-04-18 10:00 - 13:00
Plant and Seed Swap
Sat April 18, 10 am – 1 pm
part of Earth Day Celebration
Evergreen Park Library, 9400 S Troy, Evergreen Park

Seed Swap - Oak Lawn
2026-04-18 12:15 - 13:00
Sat April 18, 12:15 – 1 Pm
Oak Lawn Public Library
9427 S. Raymond Ave.
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Come to share seeds from your garden or start a garden with seeds that have been donated by your Oak Lawn neighbors and generous companies like Sow Right Seeds and Baker Creek Seeds. Also learn about local sources for native plants and seed.
https://www.olpl.org/event/seed-exchange-26828

April CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-04-21 18:00 - 19:00

Seed Swap - Tinley Park
2026-04-22 16:30 - 18:30
Wed April 22, 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Studio 67
Harmony Square, 6700 North St, Tinley Park, IL 60477
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10101973667172292&set=pcb.[REDACTED]

Plant Swap - 81/Damen
2026-04-24 12:00 - 14:00
Spring Plant Swap
Friday April 24th from 12-2pm
Dawes Park Field House. 8052 S Damen Ave, Chicago
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2889152284773321

Earth Day Celebration
2026-04-25 11:00 - 15:00
This is a FUN & FREE family event to wake up the earth and celebrate its many gifts! Join us for a day of recycled art projects, a SEED SWAP, resource fair, cooking demo, film screening, BIKE FIX-IT CLINIC & good eats.
For more information email: kesiahbascom@buildchicago.org

Plant Swap - Mokena
2026-04-25 13:00 - 14:30
Plant Swap
Sat April 25, 1 – 2:30 pm
Mokena Library, 11327 195th Street, Mokena
Pre-Registration Required

Grow & Sip: A Spring Garden-to-Glass Experience
2026-04-25 14:00 - 16:00 | Somerset, 1112 N State St, Chicago, IL, 60610, United States
Grow & Sip: A Spring Garden-to-Glass Experience

April 25

Location: Somerset
Hours: 2:00 PM
Cost: $60
Spring is in the air, and there’s no better time to refresh your senses, your garden, and your cocktail game!
We’re thrilled to announce that this spring’s event is presented in partnership with Sprout Home Chicago, bringing together their horticultural expertise with our seasonal mixology for an inspiring afternoon of growth and creativity.
Join us for a hands-on experience where gardening and mixology come together in a celebration of the season. You’ll learn how to start your own garden and incorporate fresh, homegrown ingredients into your everyday beverages.
The class will begin with a spring-inspired cocktail tasting featuring two refreshing, non-alcoholic Seedlip creations crafted by our Beverage Director, Sayo (Chi) Anise, each infused with bright, seasonal flavors to set the tone for the afternoon.
Working alongside the garden specialists from Sprout Home Chicago, you’ll explore the essentials of spring planting and get hands-on experience as each participant plants two herbs in terra cotta pots to take home. All tools and materials are provided, and the class is designed for gardeners of any experience level, from complete beginners to seasoned plant enthusiasts.
To keep the fun going, you’ll also take part in a lively cocktail shaking competition, putting your new skills to the test. One standout shaker will take home a special spring-themed prize!
Every participant will receive a curated seed booklet featuring spring-friendly varieties and simple, delicious recipes to help you extend the garden-to-table experience at home.
After class, enjoy 10% off beverages in Somerset, the perfect way to toast to your newfound gardening inspiration.

Symposium: Solidarity Gardening - UIC Campus
2026-05-01 08:30 - 16:30 | Jane Addams Hull House Museum, 800 S Halsted, Chicago, IL, 60607, United States
Solidarity Gardening Forever: Reflecting on Working-Class Connections to the Land.
May 1, 2026
A one-day conference presented in collaboration with Perennial City: Experiments in Urban Gardening, an exhibition at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum that reveals how working people—past and present—have used gardening as a tool for creativity, care, and community action.

The day long gathering of artists, growers, scholars, organizers, and University of Illinois Chicago partners from UNAM-Mexico City will explore the transformation of land from industrial use to food production; the preservation of local seeds and the conservation of animal species; the documentation and transmission of agricultural and culinary knowledge; the creation of alternative food networks for distributing and sustaining local crops; and the collective organizing required to defend these systems that nourish us all.
This event is free and open to the public. Sign up at:
https://www.hullhousemuseum.org/programs-and-events-at-hullhouse/2026/5/1/symposium-solidarity-gardening

Garden Meet & Greet - Austin
2026-05-02 12:00 - 14:00
GOOD & PLENTY GARDEN INVITES
ALL NEIGHBORS TO COME TO OUR:
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
MEET &
GREET
EVENT
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
SATURDAY, MAY 2
12PM TO 2PM
5421 West Monroe
Chicago, IL. 60644
Good & Plenty Garden warmly invites all neighbors to
a special meet & greet designed to bring our
community closer together. Whether you’re new to the
block or have called this neighborhood home for
decades, this gathering is a chance to connect, share
stories, and put friendly faces to familiar homes.
By getting to know one another, we begin to build trust,
strengthen communication, and create a sense of
belonging that makes everyone feel seen and valued.
These simple connections help foster a safer
environment, where neighbors look out for one another
and take pride in the well-being of the community.
Together, we can cultivate more than just a garden—we
can grow a welcoming, united neighborhood rooted in
care, respect, and shared experiences. Come join us,
meet your neighbors, and be part of something that
truly makes our community stronger.
There will be refreshments
All ages are welcome. A
treasure hunt is planned in the
garden for kids.
Come and see what events
Good & Plenty Garden has for
the summer into fall.

Plant Swap - Evanston
2026-05-16 13:00 - 15:00
Plant Swap
Sat May 16, 1 – 3 pm
Evanston Unitarian Church, 1330 Ridge Ave, Evanston
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10127644772366450

May CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-05-19 08:00 - 17:00

Plant Sale - Austin
2026-05-30 12:00 - 14:00
May • 30th •
• TIME • 12pm to 2pm
• Good & Plenty Garden •
5421 West Monroe
Fresh, organic vegetable plants for sale at $2 each! Grow
your own food, save money, and enjoy healthier meals.
Knowing where your food comes from employs better
choices and stronger, more sustainable living.

June CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-06-16 08:00 - 17:00

Edgewater Glen Association Garden Walk
2026-07-12 12:00 - 17:00 | Edgewater Glen Neighborhood, Chicago, 60660, United States
Enjoy the creativity of our local gardeners in this compact, easily walkable far north side city neighborhood which has been holding this event since 1973. Plenty of free street parking available. Held rain or shine.
Starting point and maps at 1354 W. Norwood (6000N).

September CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-09-15 18:00 - 19:00

October CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-10-20 18:00 - 19:00
