Chicago Community Gardeners Association

Glorious Garlic
2016-10-22 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Chicago) | Global Garden, 2974 W. Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Join us for a demonstration on how to plant garlic! We’ll discuss how to prevent frost heaving, nutrient and drainage requirements, the biology of growing great garlic, and choosing the best garlic variety for your recipe. Attendees will each take away a bulb of organic garlic to plant in their own garden. Class fee includes 1 bulb of seed garlic from local farm, Willow Garlic.

CCGA Bulb Distribution_ Saturday, October 15, 2016
2016-10-15 09:00 - 11:00 | Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave. , Chicago, IL, United States
The 2016 CCGA BULB DISTRIBUTION!

The CCGA Resources Committee will hold its annual bulb distribution on Saturday, October 15, 2016. We hope you will come and get a nice sampling of bulbs to plant now for beautiful spring flowers.
Here are the details:
When: Saturday, October 15, 2016
Check-In begins at 9:15 a.m.
The Program will begins at 9:30 a.m.
Where: The Garfield Park Conservatory – Jensen Room
300 North Central Park Avenue
(One half block from the Central Park Green Line Stop. ) Note: Plenty of FREE Parking
WHO: The distribution is open to Chicago community gardens. One group of bulbs per garden. Supply is limited, so please register in advance. To register, please email to mamie@uic.edu: name of garden contact, name and address of your garden
HOW MUCH: The registration fee is $5.00 (CASH only, please).
THE PROGRAM: Angela O’Rourke of the Mozart Community has graciously agreed to share some of her garden group’s experiences. Then we will distribute the bulbs to registrants and Mattie Wilson of Garfield Park Conservatory will chat with us about bulbs and give a bulb planting demonstration, concluding at 11:00 a.m.
Hope to see you there!
Follow CCGA on Facebook

Stars, Stories, and S’More
2016-10-01 17:30 - 20:30 | Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse, 3501 N. Kilbourn, Chicago, IL, 60641, United States
Kilbourn Park’s Organic Greenhouse is hosting a great event on Oct. 1st from 5:30-8:30pm. Come on out and partake in celebrating the start of Autumn and loving the outdoors. This is the program for the evening.
5:30-7:30pm – Campfire Fun!
Join us around the campfire. There will be story telling, and plenty of S’Mores (bring your own chocolate and graham crackers) We will provide the marshmallows.
7:30-8:30pm – Scopes in the City
Adler astronomers and educators are bringing the museum and the Universe a little closer to you!
With ‘Scopes in the City, Adler astronomers and staff lead free telescope observing programs in Chicago neighborhoods. Depending on the dates, times and locations of the ‘Scopes in the City events, attendees may be able to observe the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and more!
For more information check out the events page on the Chicago Park District’s website.
https://apm.activecommunities.com/chicagoparkdistrict/Activity_Search/186683

Building Healthy Soil
2016-10-01 10:00 - 12:00 | IL
Every gardener knows that healthy soil is the best investment you can make, for both your garden and the natural environment. Join us for a workshop on building healthy soil in your garden, hosted by Nance Klehm. This event is free, but registration is required. Please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com to reserve your seat.

Another Perennial Distribution_Friday, September 30, 2016
2016-09-30 11:00 - 14:00 | New Horizons Community Garden, 401 S. Central Park, Chicago, IL, 60624, United States
ANOTHER PERENNIAL DISTRIBUTION

The CCGA Resources Committee will hold the final big perennial distribution of 2016

TO PRE-REGISTER, EMAIL THE FOLLOWING TO mamie@uic.edu :
1)Name of Contact, 2) Name of Garden, 3) Address/Location of Garden
Here are the details:
When: Friday, September 30, 2016
Sign-In begins at 11:00 a.m. – Distribution begins at 11:30 a.m.
Where: New Horizons Community Garden
401 South Central Park
(Corner of Central Park & Van Buren, just north of the Eisenhower Expressway.)
WHO: All Chicago Community Gardens are welcome to send a representative to pick up plants.
HOW MUCH: $5.00 Registration Fee
(CASH, please – no credit cards) per community garden.
One grouping of plants per community garden.
WHAT: The esteemed landscape firm Scott Byron & Company is collecting donations of plant material from Chicago area growers/businesses and will be trucking the material to the site. There will be a big assortment of perennials, and possibly shrubs and small trees as well. Also, an anonymous donor is contributing 100+ native perennials rarely provided through distributions.
QUESTIONS: Contact Mamie at mamie@uic.edu.
On the day of distribution: Call Mamie at 708-990-7939 to see if there are still plants available.
WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
We need volunteers to sort and distribute the plants.
First Shift: 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. – Second Shift: 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Please email Ellen Newcomer at ecnewcomer334@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer.
Thanks, everyone!
Follow CCGA on Facebook to see how well perennials are thriving in various gardens!
(And continue to follow CCGA Facebook for an additional slideshow featuring select perennials to be distributed on September 30.)

Community Garden Workshop
2016-09-27 06:30 - 20:30 | Little Village – La Villita Church, 2300 S. Millard, Chicago, IL, 60623, United States
Little Village:
La Villita Church
2300 S. Millard
Chicago, IL 60623
Sept. 27 6:30pm to 8:30pm, Organizing your Community Garden
Join us to learn how to organize all aspects of the garden from recruiting members and gaining supporters to practical ways to self organize including using apps to keep track of projects. We will also work together to create a design map for your site. Materials and refreshments will be provided
The fee is $15 for the workshop
For more info contact us as 312-863-6255 or gardens@openlands.org
www.openlands.org/gardenkeepers

Composting 101
2016-09-17 10:00 - 11:00 | IL
To gardeners, compost is considered “black gold” because of its many benefits in the garden. Compost is a great material for garden soil. Learn all about how to start and maintain healthy compost in your garden with the Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. For more information, please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Green and Growing: A Speaker Series - Urban Composting and Healthy Soils
2016-09-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Tuesday, September 13 at 7pm – Urban Composting and Healthy Soils
Speaker: Bill Shores, founder of Urban Edible and gardener for the Rick Bayless restaurants Topolobampo, Xoco, and Frontera Grill

Windy City Harvest 14 Week Certificates!
2016-09-02 08:00 - 17:00 | IL
This fall, Windy City Harvest will be offering four 14 week programs. All courses are based out of the Arturo Velasquez Institute at 2800 S Western Ave, but may include field trips to other sites.
Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, September 10 through December 17
* Aquaponic Production
* Season Extension
* Edible Landscaping and Rooftop Farming
Monday, Wednesday, 6pm to 8pm, September 12 through December 14
* Business and Entrepreneurship for Local Foods – Successful completion if the Business Course and the Apprenticeship program are pre-requisites to applying for an Incubator Plot at Legends Farm
For full course descriptions and links to register, please visit our website: http://www.chicagobotanic.org/urbanagriculture/apprenticeship/classes
Please feel free to reach out to me directly with questions.
Thank you!
Kate Gannon, LSW
Windy City Harvest Program Support
kgannon@chicagobotanic.org
847-636-7632
http://www.chicagobotanic.org/urbanagriculture

Seed Saving Workshop
2016-09-01 18:00 - 19:00 | IL
The Ark of Taste is a living catalog of delicious and distinctive foods facing extinction. By identifying and championing these foods we keep them in production and on our plates. Join Slow Food members in learning about saving these valuable heirloom seeds and stay for a tasting! For more information, please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com.

CCGA Coordinating Meeting – Monday August 29th 2016 at 6:30pm at CCGT Offices
2016-08-29 18:30 - 20:00 | Chicago Center for Green Technology (CCGT), 445 N Sacramento, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
Please join us at 6:30pm Monday August 29th at the Chicago Center for Green Technology at 445 N. Sacramento Blvd. The meeting agenda includes: CCGA Working Team reports and preliminary work-shop planning for the 2017 CCGA Annual Conference. We’ll meet on the 2nd floor and there is parking behind the building.

Garden to Go
2016-08-27 10:00 - 11:00, 2016-07-28 18:00 - 19:30, 2016-07-14 18:00 | IL
Kids (and parents) who grow their own vegetables are more likely to eat them. Join us for a cooking demonstration using freshly harvested produce from the garden that the whole family can enjoy! For more information, please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Perennial Gardening
2016-08-25 18:00 - 19:00 | IL
Keep your perennial garden growing and blooming successfully with a few valuable lessons from the staff at the Chicago Botanic Garden. For more information, please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Native Pollinators Safari
2016-08-18 18:00 - 19:00 | IL
Honeybees aren’t the only pollinating insects. There are many varieties of native bees, wasps and flies that pollinate the plants we see around us every day. Armed with an identification sheet, go on the hunt with the Chicago Honey Co-op for native species and see how many you can find! For more information, please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Green and Growing: A Speaker Series - Raising Apples in Urban Environments
2016-08-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Monday, August 15th at 7pm – Raising Apples in Urban Environments
Speaker: Dan Bussey, orchardist at Seed Savers Exchange and author of The Illustrated History of Apples in North America.

ANOTHER CCGA Perennial Plant Distribution Friday, August 12, 2016
2016-08-12 10:00 - 13:00 | New Horizons Community Garden, 401 S. Central Park, Chicago, IL, 60624, United States
CCGA SECOND PERENNIAL PLANT DISTRIBUTION

Elite Growers does it again!
Elite is donating another group of perennials to CCGA!
FRIDAY, August 12, 2016
New Horizons Community Garden
401 S. Central Park
(southeast corner of Van Buren and Central Park)
Note: Parking is available on both Central Park and Van Buren
TO PRE-REGISTER –
Please email the following information to Mamie Gray (mamie@uic.edu):
NAME of community garden
ADDRESS of community garden
EMAIL of contact person for community garden
(Pre-registration is not complete without this information)
10:00 a.m CHECK-IN:
$5.00 Registration Fee, payable when you check on at the event.
No credit cards please. One group of perennials per community garden.
11:00 a.m DISTRIBUTION:
Until all plants are gone.
Want to volunteer to help sort and distribute the perennials?
Email Ellen Newcomer at ecnewcomer334@gmail.com. We need volunteers for two hour shifts at 8:30 a.m. Let Ellen know your availability. THANKS!
See You There!

Jacklyn and the Beanstalk
2016-08-11 08:00 - 2016-08-12 17:00 | Winthrop Harmony Arts Garden, 4919 North Winthrop, Chicago, IL, 60640, United States
When 13-year-old Jacklyn, who has a fear of heights, climbs a giant beanstalk, she encounters Giant Baby Ju Ju, whose fear of eating anything fresh causes her to gobble only sugary Smarties and Dum Dum lollipops as a steady diet! “Fee-fi-fo-fum. Will I get a Smartie or will I get a Dum Dum?” With the help of the audience, these two conquer their phobias in this interactive play for children. The show is staged in an outdoor community garden and the scenery is grown from pole beans. Audience members will get to pick and sample fresh beans as they learn about protein and good nutrition. If you think Millennium Park has the only BEAN – you need to check out this show!

Director, Martie Sanders, is a Chicago actress and teaching artist, best known for her work in performing comedic autobiographical stories with Sweat Girls (www.sweatgirls.org). Sanders now takes her love of theater and storytelling, mixes it with her green thumb, and mentors teenagers in growing food and crafting free summer theater for Uptown audiences in the garden. Sanders was awarded grants to pay six young people (ages 14-18) a minimum wage to learn gardening while devising the play. The teen writer/performer/gardeners began growing the scenery in May.
This project is partially supported by funding from Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events with an Individual Artist’s Grant, Whole Kids Foundation and The Puffin Foundation.

JACKLYN AND THE BEANSTALK
Conceived and Directed by: Martie Sanders
Adapted and performed by Green Scene Chicago’s Summer Stock Teen Ensemble:
Abubakar Ayuba, Chisom Chima, Catherine Kannah, Devene Parker, Liliane Tran and Aida Zeleke.

WHERE
Winthrop Harmony Arts Garden
4919 North Winthrop, Chicago, Illinois 60640
Audience will sit picnic style in outdoor garden.

SHOW TIMES
August 11 at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm
August 12 at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 6 pm

TICKETS
Free performances
Groups of 6 or more please make a reservation at martie@greenscenechicago.org

WINTHROP HARMONY ARTS GARDEN – PROJECT HISTORY
In 2012, Sanders met with 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman asking for public space to create a theater garden. Osterman arranged to give her an abandoned lot to transform into the community garden and performing arts venue that she envisioned. Sanders rallied the neighborhood, teenagers, and all her theater pals to create the The Winthrop Harmony Arts Garden from the ground up. Seven neighborhood families tend the garden and share food collectively. Additionally, four community-based organizations, (Uptown Ministries, Chinese Mutual Aid, Vietnamese Association and Green Scene Chicago), have their own garden beds to tend while mentoring teams of children in grades K-12. NeighborSpace, an urban land trust in Chicago that preserves and sustains gardens on behalf of dedicated community groups, protects the garden. It has summer veggies, perennial flowers, and fruits: Asian pear trees, raspberry, elderberry, strawberry and Concord grape. Going into its fourth summer, Green Scene Chicago has hosted more than 12 public free performances including theater, dance, wind ensembles, spoken word, and an Asian tradition of a “Welcoming the Moon” harvest festival.

GREEN SCENE CHICAGO
Sanders founded Green Scene Chicago in 2012 with the mission to link community members across generations and cultures by using organic gardening lessons to inspire story performances and by using garden sites as theater venues. Sanders teaches her Green Scene Chicago curriculums in Chicago Public Schools during the school year, while The Winthrop Harmony Arts Garden is Green Scene Chicago’s summertime artistic home. Other projects and past teen ensembles from 2013-2016 are documented in photos on www.greenscenechicago.org

PRESS CONTACT
Martie Sanders, martie@greenscenechicag.org. (773) 769-6488

Pine Cone Bird Feeders Workshop
2016-08-04 18:00 - 19:00 | Community Roots Demonstration Garden at Skinner Park, 1331 W Adams St, Chicago, IL, 60607, United States
Feeding the birds is a fun activity for the whole family. Join Illinois Extension Master Gardeners to make and take home your own pine cone bird feeders. For more information, please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com.

4th Annual McKinley Park Garden Walk
2016-08-03 13:00 - 16:00 | IL
McKinley Park is home to a 69-acre public park and countless enthusiastic home gardeners! Come see what we have growing! During the walk, garden hosts will have activities which include seed saving as well as share items from their gardens. The McKinley Park Farmer’s Market will be happening at the same time. Finally, special events such as yoga and art classes will be happening throughout the day. Pick up your map at the McKinley Park Community Garden located at 1900 W. Pershing or the McKinley Park Farmer’s Market located that intersection of Archer Ave and Western Ave.

preSERVE Garden Volunteer Day - Weeknight Edition
2016-07-28 17:00 - 19:00 | preSERVE Garden, 1231 S. Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Our second month of weeknight volunteer days in the garden is almost here. Can’t make it on the weekend? Join us on the evening of Thursday, July 28th to get your hands dirty in the garden. After the hard work is done, join us for a quick bite with your fellow gardeners!
What to bring : gardening glove and a hat (if you have them). Email slowfoodpreserve@gmail.com with questions and to RSVP. Hope to see you in the garden!

Green and Growing: A Speaker Series - Five Keys to Organic Success
2016-07-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Tuesday, July 26 at 7pm – From the Ground Up: Five keys to Organic Garden Success
Speaker: Jean Nolan, founder of The Organic Gardener Ltd and author of From the Group Up: A Food Grower’s Education in life, Love and the Movement That’s Changing a Nation.

CCGA Summer 2016 Perennial Distribution - Friday, July 22, 2016
2016-07-22 10:00 - 13:00 | New Horizons Community Garden, 401 S. Central Park, Chicago, IL, 60624, United States
CCGA PERENNIAL PLANT DISTRIBUTION
COMING UP!
Our friends at Elite Growers will be providing the CCGA Resources Committee with perennials for distribution to community gardeners later this month.
FRIDAY, July 22, 2016
New Horizons Community Garden
401 S. Central Park
(southeast corner of Van Buren and Central Park)
Note: Parking is available on both Central Park and Van Buren
TO PRE-REGISTER –
Please email the following information to Mamie Gray (mamie@uic.edu):
NAME of community garden
ADDRESS of community garden
EMAIL of contact person for community garden
(Pre-registration is not complete without this information)
10:00 a.m CHECK-IN:
$5.00 Registration Fee, payable when you check on at the event.
No credit cards please. One group of perennials per community garden.
11:00 a.m DISTRIBUTION:
Until 1:00 p.m. or when all plants are gone.
Want to volunteer to help sort and distribute the perennials?
Email Ellen Newcomer at ecnewcomer334@gmail.com. We need volunteers for two hour shifts at 8:30 a.m. Let Ellen know your availability. THANKS!
See You There!

Container Herb Gardening Workshop
2016-07-21 18:00 - 19:00 | IL
Herbs are extremely useful and attractive when used in containers. A single herb can be grown in a container as a specimen plant or several herbs can be planted together to give the balcony or patio gardener a functional culinary herb garden. Join the Illinois Extension Master Gardeners and create your own container herb garden! This workshop is free, but registration is limited. Please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com to sign up!

Slow Food Chicago/Growing Power Urban Orchard Crop Mob
2016-07-16 13:00 - 16:00 | Growing Power’s South Chicago Farm, Corner of 89th Street and Mackinaw Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States
Come help Slow Food Chicago plant Growing Power’s urban orchard on Saturday, July 16th from 1-4pm.
We’ll be planting apple, pear and paw paw trees, as well as raspberry and rose bushes at Growing Power’s South Chicago Farm located at the corner of 89th Street and Mackinaw Avenue in Clara Schaffer Park.
Please bring a water bottle and wear closed-toe shoes to the farm for volunteering.

Iced Tea Social Saturday July 16th Noon to 5pm at Fulton Street Flower & Vegetable Garden
2016-07-16 12:00 - 17:00 | Fulton Street Flower and Vegetable Garden, 4427 W. Fulton, Chicago, IL, United States
Hello CCGA’ers, here is another event that’s just too good to miss and is happening right in the City on Chicago’s West Side.
Stop by to support our fellow community gardeners and grab something to drink and eat fresh food right from our gardens on the West Side!
See the rest of post below for details…

preSERVE Garden Volunteer Day
2016-07-16 10:00 - 12:00 | preSERVE Garden, 1231 S. Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Join us for a weekend volunteer day this July at the preSERVE garden in North Lawndale (a partnership between Slow Food Chicago, the Chicago Honey Co-Op, the North Lawndale Greening Committee, and Neighborspace).
Gather with us in the garden to get your hands a little dirty and then reap the benefits of that sweat equity via a community meal with your fellow volunteers afterwards.
Please bring gardening gloves and a hat if you have them. Email slowfoodpreserve@gmail.com with questions and to RSVP. Hope to see you in the garden!

First Annual Uptown Garden Walk
2016-07-16 | IL
The beauty of Uptown’s gardens is reflective of its diverse and vibrant community members. The First Annual Uptown Garden Walk provides residents an opportunity to explore the various unique identities of the neighborhood. Garden Walk participants will explore gardens that both residents and organizations have come together to create and maintain throughout the years.
There will be three different themes to help give a full picture of some of the different types of gardens that exist. Join one of the Guided Tours at the times listed below, or Guide Yourself using the map, sunrise to sunset.
Sidewalk Gardens: Starts at 10am from Chase Park, (4701 N Ashland), and tours the Sheridan Park and Buena Park neighborhoods, showcasing reimagined public spaces like the Sunnyside Mall and Triangle Gardens – and other spaces you might not traditionally think of as ‘gardens’
Coastal Gardens: Starts at 1pm from Margate Park, (4921 N Marine), and tours Uptown’s original coastline, highlighting beautiful park and community gardens as well as restored native habitat along the lakefront.
Heritage Gardens: Starts at 7pm at Winthrop Family Historical Garden, (4630 N Winthrop), and tours Uptown’s central corridor and Sheridan Road, showing where Uptown’s powerful history meets our present through beautiful deep-roots community gardens.
All are welcome! RSVP is encouraged but not required for the guided tours.
Community members are also welcome to explore the gardens on self-guided tours. Maps listing the gardens and recommended routes will be available for pick up at each of the starting locations (listed above) throughout the day.

First Annual Uptown Garden Walk - Saturday, July 16, 2016
2016-07-16 | The Institute of Cultural Affairs in the U.S.A, 4750 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL, 60640, United States
The walk features 24 gardens across 3 themes. There will be 3 formal tours during the day, and residents can also pick up a map at any start location for a self-guided tour. The Sidewalk Tour starting at 10AM at Chase Park, 4701 N. Ashland, will showcase reimagined neighborhood spaces, such as Sunnyside Mall, as nontraditional gardens. The Coastal Tour starting at 1PM at Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine, will tour Uptown’s original coastline gardens and native habitats, such as the Marovitz Savanna. The Heritage Tour starting at 7PM at Winthrop Family Historical Garden, 4630 N. Winthrop, will tour gardens associated with Uptown history.
The garden walk is part of an effort to bring awareness to Uptown’s natural assets and original coastal zone. There is currently a lot of energy around revitalizing Uptown, and the natural resources are critical as a representation of the diverse community and organizations in Uptown.
The walking component also aims to highlight Uptown as a walkable neighborhood with many community resources within its borders, including local businesses, historic architecture, and nature along the routes.
The featured gardens are primarily publicly accessible gardens, such as parks, community, and school gardens. We hope that the garden walk will continue to expand and showcase the uniqueness of Uptown’s gardens and residents for years to come. All are welcome to attend the Garden Walk and are encouraged to RSVP.
The map & all the garden details are accessible on the ICA website. We also have a facebook page for easy social media sharing.
