[Communications] 8th Annual Conference Updates • Meet the Presenters, Part 2!

[Lorraine Kells]

Rosita,

Our announcement just went out that we are postponing the conference March
21, 2020. If you have subscribed to our mailing list you should receive
this email. Otherwise you can find the full text on our Facebook page.


Best,
CCGA Communications Team

On Wed, Mar 11, 2020, 10:48 PM Rosita De La Rosa via Communications <
communications at chicagocommunitygardens.org> wrote:

> Will this conference be cancelled due to the Corona virus? I heard public
> events are being cancelled.
>
> *Rosita De La Rosa *
> Fundraising & Volunteer Coordinator
> Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA)
> 2840 N. Milwaukee Ave.
> Chicago, IL. 60618-7401
> (773) 384-4370
> www.lsna.net check us out and "Like" us on FaceBook
> rositadelarosa at yahoo.com
>
> Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) is a community-based
> organization advancing diversity, leader development, and models for
> engagement as the catalyst for social justice.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, 05:29:44 PM CDT, CCGA <
> info at chicagocommunitygardens.org> wrote:
>
>
> 8th Annual Conference Updates • Meet the Presenters, Part 2!
> View this email in your browser
> <https://mailchi.mp/7f980f7a167d/ccga-8th-annual-gardeners-conference-register-1334053?e=d7e152ef91>
>
> *News for Community Gardeners*
>
>
> *“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength
> that will endure as long as life lasts."*
>   - Rachel Carson
> Saturday, March 21 from 9:00am - 2:30pm
> Whitney Young Magnet High School
> 211 S Laflin St, Chicago, IL 60607
> Register for the conference
> <https://chicagocommunitygardens.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0&id=e1bf87bef8&e=d7e152ef91>
>
> Hello Community Gardeners!
>
> The first day of Spring is nearly here, and we are finalizing details for
> the 8th Annual Conference on March 21. Good weather will energize all of
> us, new as well as returning gardeners. Let's work together to ensure our
> community gardens are a friendly, green, safe, and fun place to unwind and
> recharge during these uncertain times.
>
> Listen this Sunday to the Mike Nowak Show to hear Mike Strode talk about
> his workshop "The Offers and Needs Market." The show has been called the
> "greenest show on the air or in the cloud," and our other Mike is pretty
> green too; he is an urban cyclist. Mike Stroud has told us his grounding
> philosophy is mycelium, collaborative agility, empathic individualization,
> and all things human glue. Let's all tune in on Sunday to hear more about
> what all of that means for creating greater human resilience.
>
> *Listen to the Mike Nowak Show on WCGO 1590 AM or 95.5 FM, Sundays from
> 9-11am. Tune in to hear Mike Strode from 10:30 to 10:45 a.m.*
> Over the winter the CCGA Resources committee was the recipient of many,
> many herb, flower, and vegetable seed packets from reputable seed companies
> known for providing fresh, non-GMO seeds. They've been generously grouping
> packets and donating these to seed libraries and community gardens and
> distributing them at workshops. We are more than community gardeners, we
> are people connected to each other through growing food for ourselves, for
> pollinators, and small wildlife that depend on a healthy insect population
> to produce young.
>
> Each and every person attending our March 21 conference will receive a
> bundled packet of seeds. Every seed sown is a little act of rebellion to
> protect our right to grow food and preserve biodiversity. We are glad that
> Resources is sharing the wealth before and beyond our conference!
>
> We'll also provide attendees with these awesome, sustainable bamboo
> utensils. They provide a lightweight, long-lasting alternative to
> disposable silverware. In addition, each carrying case is made from
> recycled plastic water bottles! Keep a set in your bag, glove compartment,
> lunch box or desk, and see how many disposable utensils you can pass by.
>
> 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 the novel coronavirus
> (COVID-19) and at this time, we plan to move forward with the 8th Annual
> Conference as planned. We 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 at chicagocommunitygardens.org.
> Distinctive Calls and High-pitched Whistles in our Trees, from the Likes
> of Birds!
>
>
>
> *“Strictly for the birds” can insinuate that something is not worth
> consideration, and this careless slang bears a hint of how poorly these
> graceful creatures of flight can be thought of. By conference time (next
> weekend!) Spring will officially be here in Chicago, and we should hear the
> birdsongs of robins and blackbirds and the chirps and cackles of
> woodpeckers as they head here to nest in our oaks, sycamores, and in the
> hackberry and hickory trees. Even year-round birds like black-capped
> chickadees get noisier in Spring. Purple martins search for human-made
> nesting boxes. Who doesn’t want to continue seeing these birds and hearing
> those rollicking songs and flute-like excited twitters?  Our 8th Annual
> Conference offers hands-on possibilities to rebuild our connections to the
> natural world. Meet more of the amazing presenters for this year's
> workshops!*
>
> *WORKSHOP:*
> *Birds as Connectors to Nearby Nature*
> *Meet Lillian Holden (left) and Jeramie Strickland.*
>
> Did you know that birds are a wonderful introduction to nature for young
> people and their families? Join *Lillian Holden* and *Jeramie Strickland*
> of Openlands for their kid-friendly workshop, *Birds as Connectors to
> Nearby Nature*. 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 how birds can be used as a catalyst for a life-long appreciation
> of nature.
>
> Lillian is the Education and Community Outreach Associate for Openlands,
> supporting Birds in my Neighborhood, Space to Grow, and the Building School
> Gardens community conservation programs. She loves being an agent in
> galvanizing succeeding generations to be advocates for nature and is
> passionate about tackling the global climate crisis through youth
> mentorship and nature exploration. Her co-presenter, Jeramie, is the
> Manager of Education and Community Outreach, also at Openlands. Prior to
> his current position, he served as a Wildlife Biologist for ten years with
> the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a National Wildlife Refuge. Jeramie
> is passionate about developing programs that engage communities from
> diverse backgrounds to help them appreciate green spaces, nature, and
> conservation.
> *WORKSHOP:*
> Tree Huggers Unite! Let's Plant and Protect Our Trees!
>
> Trees are vital to having a livable Earth. In this workshop, learn about
> the necessity of trees, where to plant them—in community gardens or
> elsewhere, how to plant them, and why it is extremely important to protect
> the trees that we have left.
>
> *Betsy Elsaesser* is the President of the North Park Village Garden Club,
> one of the oldest and largest community gardens in Chicago. She works to
> plant and maintain trees in her neighborhood of Logan Square. Betsy has
> loved gardens, trees and natural areas all her life. She has been a
> volunteer TreeKeeper with Openlands since 1993 and assists with TreeKeeper
> classes and pruning practical exams. As well, Betsy is a Certified Arborist.
> *Spring Awakenings*
> *As spring comes to Chicago the air loses its winter chill, garden soil
> grows softer and more yielding to plants. As Chicagoans, we dream and seek
> inspiration as the days grow longer, with lots of bed prep, soil building,
> seeding, and transplanting in the days ahead. These presenters bring their
> knowledge and experience to share, so that each participant can take home
> lots of new ideas and processes that can be applied in their community
> gardens.*
> *WORKSHOP:*
> *Production Planning for Community Garden Systems*
> Is figuring out how many seeds and transplants are needed for your beds a
> guessing game? Does computing how much soil, compost, and inputs are needed
> overwhelm you? Don't worry! Zach's workshop will prepare you for a
> successful growing year. He'll share various approaches and techniques from
> his toolkit, and how some simple but powerful tools can provide a clear and
> accurate plan.
>
> *Zachary Grant* is Local Foods and Small Farms Educator for the
> University of Illinois Extension. 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 the university. 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.
>
> *WORKSHOP:*
> *Using Traditions to Build Our Gardens and Our Community *
> *Meet Sharon Holmes, DeVonya Shelly, and Jacqueline Smith (clockwise, from
> left).*
>
> This workshop will focus on 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. Learn how GLP has built its
> organization and maintained their gardens over the past 12 years utilizing
> the key principles of diversity and relationships. The presenters will also
> provide information about their growing practices that utilize TEK
> including soil building and maintenance, using chickens in your garden, and
> complementary planting.
>
> *Jacqueline Smith* is an urban vegetable gardener, indigenous food
> cultivator, and the owner and lead consultant of GrowAsis Urban Garden
> Consulting Inc. on Chicago’s south side. Prior to founding GrowAsis, she
> held various leadership roles in urban agriculture with the Chicago Botanic
> Garden, Urban Habitat Chicago, and WeFarm America. Her research on food
> security in Chicago has played a significant role in helping empower
> residents to grow their own produce through organic methods.
>
> *Sharon Holmes* has been a compassionate, dedicated, and resourceful
> social service worker for Catholic Charities for 20 years. She is currently
> in her last semester at Chicago State University majoring in Sociology with
> a goal to continue with the graduate program in social work. When she is
> not working, at school or studying, Sharon enjoys singing and directing a
> harmonious group of singers at her church.
>
> *DeVonya Shelly* is a student at Chicago State majoring in Sociology. She
> joined the Green Lots Project during the Fall semester of 2019. She enjoys
> learning about growing and maintaining healthy edible plants including
> fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
> *WORKSHOP:*
> Técnicas eficaces para la jardinera ecológica en pequeños espacios
> *(presentado solo en Español)*
> 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.
>
> *Emilia Arellano* es Coordinadora de invernadero para el Garfield Park
> Conservatory Alliance. Ofrece talleres de horticultura para adultos y
> dirige un grupo diverso y dedicado de más de 30 voluntarios que propagan
> plantas de adorno y comestibles. Además maneja el Jardín donativo desde la
> etapa de cultivación hasta la distribución de las cosechas. Su pasión por
> la jardinería sostenible no se limita al trabajo.  Como voluntaria en el
> programa Chicago Master Gardeners, tiene mucha experiencia trabajando junto
> a jóvenes y adultos en jardines de escuelas, hospitales y huertos
> comunitarios del norte y oeste de Chicago.
> *WORKSHOP:*
> Creciendo Una Comunidad: Invitando Interacción Desde la Perspectiva de
> Permacultura
> *Growing Community: Inviting Interaction through a Permaculture Lens*
> *Meet Anai Brizuela (left) and Lori Upchurch.*
>
> *This session will be presented in both English and Spanish. A live verbal
> translation and bilingual written materials will be provided.*
>
> 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. It will give an overview of
> permaculture principles and ethics and explore how these tools can be used
> for creative and 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.
>
> *Anai Brizuela* is an information enthusiast and enjoys her connection to
> Earth more every day. After earning her Permaculture Design Certificate in
> November 2018, she went on to co-found the Chicago Urban Permaculture Salon
> with Lori Upchurch. She is working toward cultivating a more resilient
> network of activists to grow a greener world.
>
> *Lori Upchurch* is a permaculture designer and facilitator who has been
> engaged in regenerative community design since 2000, with Northside
> Unschoolers, Great Lakes Urban Explorers, Girls Scouts of Chicago, Edge
> Youth Theater and now, Chicago Urban Permaculture Salon and Permaculture
> Chicago Teaching Institute. She is in the process of turning her rectangle
> of Midwest soil into a food and medicine forest and the wetlands prairie it
> wants to be.
> Free soil testing at the conference! It's time to collect your soil
> sample. Here's how:
>
> *Join the Conference Support Team*
> We are looking for people to help out at the conference! Support Team
> members (volunteers) receive a $5 discount from general registration which
> includes workshops, breakfast, and lunch. Support Team members who don't
> attend workshops pay $15 for lunch only. To sign up, select the Support
> Team option on the main conference registration page.
>
> *Community Garden Slide Show*
> Show off your garden! Each year we present a slideshow of Chicago's
> community gardens during lunch. Please send photos via email to
> photos at chicagocommunitygardens.org.
>
> *Calling all Vendors & Exhibitors*
> You're invited to share your *garden-related* products, valuable
> knowledge, resources and skills with Chicago’s community gardeners at our
> annual conference! Connect with our audience of around 200 community
> gardeners who will have time to visit your table and have meaningful
> conversations. Please contact communications at chicagocommunitygardens.org
> to obtain a form and more info.
> Bring One, Get One - A Garden Swap Table
>
> We, as gardeners, are experts at recycling and reusing. And collecting and
> storing! Do you have something extra or something you no longer need that
> you think another gardener might find useful? We can help! We're trying
> something new at this year's conference: please bring *ONE* gently used,
> clean, garden-related item to swap. A pair of gloves, a hand tool, a rake
> or shovel, gardening book or unused journal, a small plaque – bring one,
> get one.
>
> Anyone who brings something can get something in exchange!
>
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