HomeGrown Chicago

The HomeGrown Chicago community food garden network, sponsored by Openlands, is a training program that focuses on fostering neighborhood groups to assess, plan for, and build long-term stewardship for community-managed green spaces.

The objectives of the program are to promote increased growing and consumption of healthy and affordable local food, establish productive uses for vacant lots, build personal connections among neighbors, and reinforce a citywide network of local gardeners for the exchange of ideas and experiences.

HomeGrown Chicago provides participants a series of four workshops (see schedule below) annually that focus on:

• Finding and securing land,
• Establishing a sustainable organizational structure,
• Designing a garden and growing food organically, and
• Building garden structures.

The program also provides customized workshops for garden groups; offers a program manual; donates lumber, soil, seeds, and other materials; and encourages participants to share advice and seeds at the beginning of each growing season.

• Workshop 1-  March 24, 2012 – 9:30  a.m.-12:30 p.m.   Meet successful allotment gardeners and learn the history of this movement.  Learn how to find, test and secure land for your garden. 
• Workshop 2- March 31, 2012 – 9:30  a.m.-12:30 p.m.   Learn how to establish a healthy organization as the first step to ensure that the garden is run effectively, cooperatively and sustainably. 
• Workshop 3-  April  7, 2012 – 9:30  a.m.-12:30 p.m.   Designing the garden, and growing vegetables organically.
• Workshop 4- April 14, 2012 – 9:30  a.m.-12:30 p.m.  Hands-on demonstrations of building & installing garden structures such as raised beds & trellises in a garden.

Workshop participants will receive a manual, garden materials,  technical assistance and membership in the HomeGrown Chicago Food Garden Network.

Registration: HomeGrown is for groups, not individuals. A minimum of 4 people from each garden is suggested. Tuition for the program is $150.00 for four members and four classes. Registration is limited and starts January 13, 2012 , ends March 10, 2012. For an application contact Julie Samuels (312.863.6256)