Dear Gardeners and Community Members,

What a beautiful summer we are having! Howard Area Community Garden has some news to share about all the exciting projects going on around here.

Katje Sabin, former garden coordinator of HACG, is back in the garden as our beekeeper and HACG is hosting her thriving honeybee colony. We are grateful both for the bees and their keeper!

Bees are not the only non-human animals thriving in our garden. This summer, the Lincoln Park Zoo Conservancy Urban Wildlife Institute is monitoring the wildlife that visits our garden. On their first visit, the wildlife monitors were astonished to find no evidence of rats in the garden. They attribute this to the amazing work of gardener Kim Chaudoir, who single-handedly trapped out a thriving rat colony. We can't wait to see the results of this project, which will tell us how many birds and other non-human animals that visit the garden. See more about this project at: Urban Wildlife Project

The Parkway boxes along Juneway are now completely renovated and repaired thanks to Paul Bick. We are growing food to share with the community. Gardeners extraordinaire, Scott Wenthe and Michael McColly have been planting gorgeous perennial pollinators along the parkway as well. Even better, our community partner Family Matters, through their teen summer program--which this year is focusing on the theme of Operation Beautification--is helping to maintain and water the vegetable boxes and the parkway plantings. 

Katje Sabin hosted a vegetable seedling sale this year to raise money for HACG. She also donated all unsold seedlings to HACG gardeners.  HACG gardener, Stephanie Bravo, also gifted us some gorgeous flowering plants and seeds donated from her workplace, the Chicago Botanical Garden. Thank you for sharing your bounty, Katje and Stephanie!

Howard Area Community Garden hosted several vegetable seedling sales this year--garden Coordinator Molly Doane and garden volunteer, Okie Handke, grew the starts from heirloom seed under lights in the basement of Jarvis Square Pottery before sending them to the greenhouse at Little Spring Farm in Wisconsin to get some real sunlight. Seedlings are provided at low cost to the community and at no cost to low-income gardeners. Unsold seedlings were planted in the HACG Parkway boxes and donated to the Hello Howard Grow-to Give Program. Proceeds from the HACG plant sales defrayed the costs of the new information station--see below!

You may have noticed that Howard Area Community Garden has a beautiful new Information Station on the Hermitage Street side of the garden. Thank you, Paul Bick and Dylan Crow for lending your skills, and to Paul Bick for donating the materials. You can check out the Information Station to find out about volunteer opportunities and events. (Mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual Community Garden Walk on Saturday, August 10. More info coming soon).

Let's face it, there is nothing better than getting our hands in the soil when we have the opportunity. We wish there were many more community garden plots in our neighborhood so that we could garden together in greater numbers. Fortunately, you do not need a garden plot to garden with us. We have many volunteer opportunities. You can join us on our volunteer days or email us at howardgarden@gmail.com for other opportunities. Here are the scheduled volunteer workdays--organized by HACG gardener Stephanie Bravo-- for this season: 

• 7/21: Sunday 2pm-4pm 

• 8/03 Saturday 10am-12pm 

• 8/18: Sunday  2pm-4pm

• 9/7: Saturday 10am-12pm

  9/15: Sunday 2pm-4pm 

 

Dear Gardeners,

 

Chicago’s very first orchard planted by the Chicago Park District is right here in Rogers Park at Triangle Park.  And we are inviting you to attend and participate in two Fruit Tree Maintenance Workshops.

 

When:                                    Saturday, March 20^th

                                                        &

                                               Saturday, March 27^th

Time:                                     10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Where:                                  Triangle Park

Address:                               1750 W. Juneway Terrace or 7710 N. Hermitage

                                              (Both addresses will get you to the same place)

Cost:                                      Free, Free, Free

 

Contact:                                Eva McCann with any questions

Contact information              evamccann1228@gmail.com

                                             Willye White Park Advisory Council 

 

 

Gardening in Strange Times

Hi Gardeners!

This is Molly reaching out to you all across the internet in these strange times.  I'm sorry we couldn't have a garden opening or a spring sale this year where we could all meet each other. I hope you will all be patient with me as I try to step into Katje's shoes or follow (pretty far behind) in her footsteps. She did such an amazing job as the garden coordinator here! I'm just getting familiar with all the systems she set up, including this beautiful blog page. I can't duplicate Katje's crackling energy but I'll try to post updates now and then.

Right now, we are in COVID times. This means we should take precautions in the garden. It is pretty easy to practice social distancing at HACG. Remember to give each other lots of space and to  wear masks when interacting with other gardeners so that we protect each other as best we can. If you would like to read more about gardening and COVID precautions, please see the link on the right sidebar of this blog.

Meanwhile, the water is on at HACG and it is time to plant cold season crops. This is a good time to plant peas, lettuce, chard, kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, bush beans, beets, radishes, and turnips. I've noticed that the garden is already bursting with perennial plants like mint, sorrel, and onions. I see some beautiful strawberry plants developing and lots of raspberry canes. I'm amazed by how many expert gardeners there are here and at the variety of the expertise they bring from their places of origin.  I will write a blog about that later!

PAYMENT: Please see the links to pay the annual plot fee on the right sidebar of this blog. I know many people are facing hardship this summer. If that is you and you would like a scholarship to cover the annual fee, please email me at howardgarden@gmail.com so we can get you connected with one. If you are a gardener with extra financial love to give, please use the donate link on this page to contribute to a scholarship fund. In any case, please let me know one way or another that you are returning to the garden this year. If your lot is not worked by June 15 and I have had no news of you I will figure you've moved on.

If you are interested in gardening at HACG for the first time, please email me, Molly, at howardgarden@gmail.com to check availability and select a plot before you register or pay. 

Projects: This year I would love to replace the raised beds on the pedway and plant flowers between the boxes to beautify. If you are interested in helping with the pedway project, please do let me know. You can donate your labor and time and/or your hard-earned money at the link in the sidebar if you wish!

Leadership Team: Please let me know if you would like to help with garden plans, visions, and volunteer marshalling and management! It would be lovely to work with you. And the garden needs you.

Greetings!

We aren't really using this blog page, except as a general community information site (and plot payment/donation link). So we will answer a few FAQs here instead:

Can I have a plot? 
To get on our waiting list, please send an email to howardgarden@gmail.com with your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.

You're on Howard Street, right?
No, you're thinking of the wonderful Peterson Garden Project HELLO!HOWARD garden. If you want to garden there, please visit this page: https://petersongarden.org/garden-with-us/

Oh, you're that cute little garden by the tracks?
No, you're thinking of the charming Dubkin Garden, which is one of the Chicago city park gardens. You can find out more about them by visiting their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/DubkinParkCommunityGarden/

Can I volunteer with your garden?
Oh, YES PLEASE! We love our community volunteers! Please send an email to howardgarden@gmail.com for more info

Can I pay my garden fees online? How much are they?
It's a minimum of $15 per year to garden at HACG, but we ask that those who are able pay a bit more, up to $75 if possible. And if you can't do the $15, please contact the garden coordinator by email at howardgarden@gmail.com or call (470) 228-1725; nobody will be kicked out due to lack of ability to pay. If you want to pay online, please click on the PayPal link to the right of this post.

What's up with the boxes on the parkway?
A few years ago, when the Howard Theater community garden was closed, they donated many raised beds to our garden. We have been growing herbs, flowers, and vegetables in them for anyone to enjoy. Please feel free to pick from these outside boxes, but try not to destroy the whole plant. We try to plant things that will grow back and continue producing for the entire season. Everything is raised organically, but of course please exercise caution and wash your produce first before enjoying it.

Notes and Closing Day

Greetings to the gardeners and friends of HACG!

The biggest news I want to share is that we were chosen as one of eight recipients of a 2016 Chiditarod grant! We were gifted $3000 to help improve and expand our public parkway program and meeting space. This will cover additional improvements that should benefit the whole neighborhood. (Check out http://www.chiditarod.org/ for more info on this fantastic organization!)

We have also been selected as a beneficiary of a University of Illinois volunteer program, so we will have some extra helping hands on Closing Day. (More info on the GIVE Program: https://orgsync.com/92551/opportunities/1489487/occurrences/3474733)

Closing Day (our last 2016 workday) will be on Saturday, October 29, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

ALL GARDENERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THIS WORKDAY! Even if you can only stay for a few minutes, come check in with the coordinator to review your plot, share your concerns, and ensure your space for the 2017 season.

It's hard to believe the season is almost over! It's time to put our beautiful garden to bed for the winter. Tasks include weeding (in plots and public areas), mulching, trimming trees, fence repair, tool cleaning, collecting garbage, and clearing/grading the area for the new deck.

I'm trying to arrange a delivery of wood chips to cover paths and the areas around the public beds. 

I will also try to get a few loads of leaf mulch to dig into beds and boxes, so it can rot over the winter into beautiful compost for the spring. We did some research and consulted with a soil scientist who told us that this is BY FAR the best possible way to build up our deplete soil. It will take a few years, but it will be worth it (not to mention a LOT cheaper and more eco-friendly than packaged compost!). 

There will be fencing supplies on hand, if your fence or gate have become damaged or need to be replaced.

We will supply tools, gloves, snacks, water, coffee... and maybe the preliminary plans for our new deck. We will also distribute jars of our beehive's first honey harvest, thanks to beekeeper Mark Brouwer, as well as some potatoes from our community box... and perhaps a few other surprises.

Feel free to bring friends and family members along (kids, too... we'll have some special jobs and treats just for them!).

Some other notes:

• NeighborSpace will be turning off the water on or around October 23 (to avoid frost damage). 

• Remember, you MUST have your plot cleared of all weeds, wood, decorations, and other objects before November 15. This includes any walkways or sidewalks that are next to your plot! Failure to clear your space before this date means that the plot will be reassigned. You may continue to grow winter crops (herbs, kale, etc.), but everything else needs to be cleared.

Come join us for our last community garden workday, visit with your neighbors, and celebrate our 2016 season on a beautiful fall morning!

Happy autumn,

Katje

Deck Demolition

As you might have noticed, our plant sale landed on the coldest May 14-15 in recorded Chicago weather history. We still had a lot of fun, and we sold over half of our 1300 plants (the rest were distributed among our gardeners and planted in our public parkway boxes, so no plants were discarded). We made a little over $1000, which means we will have enough money to build a replacement meeting area!

8 a.m. Saturday, May 14, 40 degrees F… brr!

Why do we need to replace our deck? Because the wood has rotted, broken, and become a haven for rats. We will create a new meeting space, but first we need to demolish and remove the old deck. The demolition date will be 9am-1pm Saturday, June 11, 2016.

We have volunteers from GreenCorps Chicago coming to help out (many thanks to Neighborspace!), and removal support from Ald. Joe Moore's office.

We need as many helping hands as possible to get this project done in one day, so if you can spare an hour or two, please come pitch in!

Bring work gloves if you have them (we have some loaner pairs, too). Please wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. We could also use crowbars, hammers, and other implements of destruction. This is probably NOT a good day to bring small children to the garden, but teens and other family/friends are welcome.

Many thanks for your continued support, and see you in the garden!

Seedling list for the Spring Plant Sale

WOW! We have hundreds and hundreds of seedlings that will be available for sale on May 14 and 15 at our garden (the corner of Hermitage and Juneway, only two blocks north of the Howard Red Line stop). I thought I'd take a minute to type up a list of the seedlings we have already, so you can start imagining what they will look like in YOUR garden this year!

TOMATOES:
Stupice, donated by Territorial Seed Co. (early)
Brandywine, donated by Craig Lehoullier
Dwarf Sweet Sue, donated by Craig Lehoullier
Dwarf Emerald Giant, donated by Craig Lehoullier
Speckled Roman, donated by Craig Lehoullier (paste)
Constuluto Genovese, donated by the Chicago Botanic Garden
Abe Lincoln
White Tomesol, from Baker Creek
Yellow Pear (cherry)
Black Cherry, donated by Craig Lehoullier (cherry)
San Marzano, donated by Chicago Botanic Garden (plum)

PEPPERS:
Sweet Red California Wonder, Burpee (sweet bell)
Jalapeño, Seeds of Change (hot)
Fish Pepper, collected by Katje Sabin (hot, variegated)
Golden Star Bell (sweet bell)
Anaheim College, Territorial Seed Co. (medium hot)
Ascent Hybrid Hot Thai (hot… we mean it!)

SQUASH:
Black Beauty Zucchini, Garden Harvest Supply
Gagat Patisson, Baker Creek
Zephyr Zucchini, collected by Katje Sabin

KALE:
Russian Red/Ragged Jack, seed donated by Baker Creek
Starbor F1 Hybrid, Johnny's Select Seeds donated by the Chicago Botanic Garden
Scarlet, Seed Savers Exchange
Vates Blue Scotch Curled, Seed Needs

SWISS CHARD:
Bright Lights, from Territorial Seed Co.

EGGPLANT:
Bride, from Territorial Seed Co.

HERBS:
Cilantro, from Burpee
Summerlong Basil, from Burpee

FLOWERS:
California Giant Zinnia, Ferry Morse
Thumbelina Zinnia, Ferry Morse
French Marigold, donated by Chicago Botanic Garden
Nasturtiums