90% Community

The statistic in the title is a quote: “Community gardens are 10% garden and 90% community” (Pat Munts, Northwest Gardeners’ Handbook). We have some quotes of our own: “I lived and gardened in Rogers Park for 25 years and barely knew my neighbors, let alone another gardener. Now I walk into...

We Can’t Say T...

April was Volunteer Month, and our volunteers came out in droves. Our first workday coincided with Gardens Open! on April 25. Volunteers braved a wet and chilly day to clear brush and weeds, fill beds, repair the Communication Stations and other tasks to bring the gardens back from their...

Bring Your Own Bag

Um, box. Well, tray. You’re all about sustainability and helping to save the planet. That’s why you garden! We’ve got 6,000 heirloom plants about to walk out our door at the annual Plant (and Bake) Sale. That’s a lot of trays to stack. (Spoiler—we aren’t stacking any.) Don’t forget to bring...

Digging in the Dirt

By Alexandra Nelson, U IL Extension Master Gardener You’re not supposed to call it dirt. As explained in Master Gardener training, “dirt” is what’s under your fingernails or on the knees of your jeans. That stuff in the garden is soil. Soil is just a mixture of organic remains, clay, rock...

What’s Cooking...

Like victory gardens, bake sales have a pretty grand history when it comes to bringing communities together, raising money for projects from school programs to, let’s say, city vegetable gardens. But beyond the history, it’s just awesome to buy a really tasty treat made by a neighbor to...