http://www.seedingchicago.com How urban agriculture is taking root and transforming lives Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:33:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/10/25/chicago-ordinance-paves-way-for-englewood-urban-farm/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/10/25/chicago-ordinance-paves-way-for-englewood-urban-farm/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:00:47 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2112 The first urban farm developed under Chicago’s new urban agriculture ordinance broke ground Oct. 14 on a one-acre gravel-covered site in Englewood. Growing Home Inc., which already operates a half-acre agricultural property nearby, will manage the farm and have it planted for the spring 2012 growing season. By next summer the vacant lot will be [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/10/25/chicago-ordinance-paves-way-for-englewood-urban-farm/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/09/18/locally-grown-locally-produced-foods-take-hold/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/09/18/locally-grown-locally-produced-foods-take-hold/#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:07:12 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2098 Take a look around and perhaps you’ve noticed a trend we’ve been following recently: the growth of locally produced specialty foods and drinks. Increasingly, local foods entrepreneurs are moving beyond selling produce fresh from the garden or farm. Many are now turning locally grown produce into condiments, teas, seasonings, herbal tinctures, bath and body care [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/09/18/locally-grown-locally-produced-foods-take-hold/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/09/17/cook-county-seeks-public-input-on-proposed-food-policy-council/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/09/17/cook-county-seeks-public-input-on-proposed-food-policy-council/#comments Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:19:58 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2086 The Cook County Department of Public Health is proposing the creation of a food policy council for Cook County. The food policy council would be an official committee that explores cross-agency and cross-jurisdictional food issues and makes recommendations to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Do you live or work in Cook County, Illinois? If [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/09/17/cook-county-seeks-public-input-on-proposed-food-policy-council/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/15/suburban-gardener-maximizes-her-space-for-growing-food/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/15/suburban-gardener-maximizes-her-space-for-growing-food/#comments Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:09:50 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2071 Debbie Kong, a master gardener and gardening educator in Chicago’s western suburbs, gave us a tour recently of her spread. Debbie decided this year to expand her “farmette,” as we fondly refer to her garden, and use more of her land to grow food. She and her daughter, who’s known as Little Green Girl, worked [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/15/suburban-gardener-maximizes-her-space-for-growing-food/feed/ 2 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/15/garfield-park-conservatory-teaches-greener-living/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/15/garfield-park-conservatory-teaches-greener-living/#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:22:58 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2060 The Garfield Park Conservatory on Chicago’s West Side is offering another series of workshops for those interested in greener living. We encourage you to check them out. Here’s what coming up next on the Conservatory’s “Growing & Green Living” schedule: How to Harvest, Use & Brew Compost Wednesday, Aug. 17, 6-7:30 pm $5 suggested donation [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/15/garfield-park-conservatory-teaches-greener-living/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/04/faqs-on-proposed-urban-ag-ordinance-in-chicago/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/04/faqs-on-proposed-urban-ag-ordinance-in-chicago/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:43:04 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2050 Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration is moving along with plans to define urban agriculture in Chicago as it tries to get an ordinance passed by the City Council. In late July, the Mayor’s Office released an FAQ on urban agriculture and a document on urban farms (commercial) and community gardens (non-commercial). One difference between an urban [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/08/04/faqs-on-proposed-urban-ag-ordinance-in-chicago/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/07/26/emanuel-plans-to-expand-urban-agriculture-in-chicago/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/07/26/emanuel-plans-to-expand-urban-agriculture-in-chicago/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:45:53 +0000 Editor http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2024 Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to expand community gardens and urban farms to promote economic development, job creation and increase access to healthier food options in Chicago’s food deserts. “It is unacceptable that thousands of Chicagoans live in communities that lack access to fresh foods,” Emanuel said Tuesday during a ribbon-cutting for the urban Iron Street [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/07/26/emanuel-plans-to-expand-urban-agriculture-in-chicago/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/07/21/root-riot-community-gardeners-work-day-in-oak-park/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/07/21/root-riot-community-gardeners-work-day-in-oak-park/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:24:19 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=2016 If you have a garden, you’ve got to work it. Every gardener knows that or will soon learn it. Root Riot, a community garden in Oak Park with approximately 50 beds, held a workday on July 16 to pull up weeds and put down wood chips. The garden even inaugurated its newly built table and [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/07/21/root-riot-community-gardeners-work-day-in-oak-park/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/06/22/fresh-moves-mobile-food-market-hits-chicago-streets/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/06/22/fresh-moves-mobile-food-market-hits-chicago-streets/#comments Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:40:01 +0000 Cassandra West http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=1994 In urban communities known as “food deserts,” fresh, healthy produce is often nowhere to be found. Processed meats, sodas and chips, well, those are available in abundance. To improve nutrition and curb digesting too many empty calories, residents in food deserts must have access to more fruits and vegetables. Now, there’s an option. Fresh Moves, [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/06/22/fresh-moves-mobile-food-market-hits-chicago-streets/feed/ 0 http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/05/30/nothing-better-than-food-from-your-own-garden/ http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/05/30/nothing-better-than-food-from-your-own-garden/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 23:37:59 +0000 Editor http://www.seedingchicago.com/?p=1979 By Nancy Traver Spring is getting on here in northern Illinois, and now is the time to get going on your garden. Your effort will pay off later when you’re enjoying the fresh lettuce, radishes and — much later — delicious tomatoes from your garden. There is nothing better than going into your yard, picking [...]

]]> http://www.seedingchicago.com/2011/05/30/nothing-better-than-food-from-your-own-garden/feed/ 1