PRESENTATION:
Part of the Chicago Botanic Garden, a 385-acres living museum campus, Windy City Harvest is the perfect place for anyone seeking for knowledge and vocational expertise, inspiration, or a path to their own health and wellness. Windy City Harvest models best practices and leads in problem solving related to plant species and ecosystem preservation and restoration.
The mission they proliferate is simple, they cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life, and it is based on three core beliefs: the future of life on Earth depends on how well we understand, value, and protect plants, other wildlife, and the natural ecosystems that sustain our world; beautiful gardens and natural environments are fundamentally important to the mental and physical well-being of all people; people live better, healthier lives when they create, care for, and enjoy gardens.
Considered to be a great botanic garden, it aspires to reach legendary status by bringing to the public innovative, inspiring, and deeply memorable horticultural displays; becoming a recognizable and iconic destination that inspires visitors from various locations and cultures to express their creativity; contributing knowledge and graduating alumni known for the highest level of accomplishment in plant biology and conservation, horticulture, plant breeding, urban agriculture, and horticultural therapy (on a par with leading academic institutions); having the courage to take position on important but potentially controversial subjects such as climate change, genetically modified plants, responsible use of herbicides and pesticides, locally grown and distributed food, and sustainable use of water in gardens and planned developments; ensuring that the rich 125-year tradition of the Chicago Horticultural Society in the City of Chicago is well understood by the Chicago civic community, now and in the future. Because of its science and education expertise, conservation focus, and research collaborations is uniquely equipped to address some of the most pressing needs of our time.
WINDY CITY HARVEST PROGRAMS:
Is a 14-week full time, paid, job training program designed for unemployed veterans or individuals who have a criminal background. Participants work on one of Windy City Harvest’s urban farms, learning sustainable agriculture technical skills, food safety and job skills. Windy City Harvest Corps participants will work as part of a team to grow over 80,000 pounds of produce per year for wholesalers, community markets and the Woman, Infant, and Children (WIC) farmer’s market program. Furthermore, the Windy City Harvest Corps program include 6-months of follow up with Corps graduates and their employer, certification in Roots of Success (an Environmental Literacy Program developed for people coming out of incarceration and unemployment, it engages students by making learning relevant, building on prior knowledge and experience, and connecting education to employment and further learning in green career fields), job readiness activities, including resume and cover letter development, weekly documented feedback on performance, letter of recommendation from Crew Leader when in good standing, job search assistance and the opportunity to apply for Windy City Harvest Apprenticeship.
- WINDY CITY HARVEST APPRENTICESHIP
Windy City Harvest operates related learning opportunities for the general public on a fee basis, offering 14-week industry-specific certificates. These certificates have been designed for individuals who already have a firm foundation in sustainable urban growing techniques and are looking to expand their knowledge in specific areas. The core curriculum focuses on compost and soil ecology, plant propagation, outdoor production and planning, greenhouse production, post-harvest handling and food safety, good agricultural practices (GAP) training from the University of Illinois Extension, production planning, irrigation, plant healthcare/pest and disease management, ecological weed management, urban farm reports, crop planning, and basic business plan development. The emphasis is on a field-based learning, classes taking place at Arturo Velasquez Institute greenhouse, and at work sites.
- WINDY CITY HARVEST YOUTH FARM
Work with Chicago’s most innovative urban agriculture program for teens. The Windy City Harvest Youth Farms crew members will be part of an energetic team at a sustainable farm in Washington Park, working alongside teenage peers to produce delicious, sustainable grown food for surrounding communities. Students learn the principles of sustainable farming, how to grow food responsibly, work as a team, advocate for food justice, eat in a healthy way and become accountable. The program components include actual farming, farm based workshops, field trips, nutrition education (learning how to develop healthy lifestyle choices and habits), community service (one of the Youth Farm’s greatest success has been fostering a sense of civic pride and community responsibility in participants throughout food donations, garden assistance in their neighborhoods, providing expertise and physical labor), food education and distribution (each week, Youth Farm crews perform straight forward cooking demonstrations and nutrition education for WIC programs), and social entrepreneurship (Youth farmers are exposed to facts of food and social injustice and discuss how to combat these issues with entrepreneurship).
In spite of the increasingly demand for local, seasonal, and sustainable produced food, access to fresh food remains a challenge for many Chicago residents. Youth farmers are empowered to overcome this challenge through local farming. More than 60 % of the produce grown at the Youth Farms is sold to community members who use federal benefits.
- WINDY CITY HARVEST – SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
Windy City Harvest workshops are perfect for the small-scale sustainable farmer or gardener. Whether it is your backyard, community garden plot, porch, rooftop, or school garden, these workshops will help you get the most production out of your small space, using sustainable techniques. Classes are open to the general public, with a maximum registration of 15 students per workshop.
Available Workshops: Home Scale Aquaponics, Seed Starting for Edibles, Small Farm Season Extension, Edible Container Gardening, Building Healthy Soil, Growing Great Tomatoes, Pest and Disease Control, Spreadsheets for Small Farm Crop Planning.
RODEO FARM
Situated at 2600 S. Washtenaw Ave., in the proximity of Arturo Velasquez Institute, this nearly 2 acres site owned by Cook County is a major training, commercial crop and composting production site for Windy City Harvest. The produce grown here is exclusively sold to Midwest Foods.
Midwest Foods’ Local Team visited the Rodeo Farm last month and even though the fields are still covered in snow, we are enthusiastic to start the local season for the year of 2016.
ARTURO VELASQUEZ INSTITUTE
Windy City Harvest’s main operations site is located at Arturo Velasquez Institute, a satellite campus of Daley College. A greenhouse, hoophouse, and outdoor growing beds are complemented by a headhouse with aquaponics system, office space, and instructional classroom.
THE PRODUCE THEY GROW
| PRODUCE |
CROPS |
LOCAL AVAILABILITY |
| Flowers |
Statice |
August – October |
| Flowers |
Sunflower |
July – September |
| Flowers |
Zinnia |
August – October |
| Fruits |
Tomatoes |
July – October |
| Herbs |
Arugula |
April – October |
| Herbs |
Basil (purple Italian, green Italian) |
June – September |
| Herbs |
Basil Aquaponic Genovese (Italian green) |
January – December |
| Herbs |
Mint |
June – August |
| Vegetables |
Beets |
June – October |
| Vegetables |
Broccoli |
November |
| Vegetables |
Carrots |
June – November |
| Vegetable |
Collards |
May – October |
| Vegetables |
Chard – Swiss |
May – November |
| Vegetables |
Green garlic |
June – September |
| Vegetables |
Green onions |
June – July |
| Vegetables |
Kale |
May – November |
| Vegetables |
Lettuce |
May – October |
| Vegetables |
Peppers |
September – October |
| Vegetables |
Potatoes – yellow fingerlings |
July |
| Vegetables |
Radish |
May – June; September – October |
| Vegetables |
Scallions |
May – October |
| Vegetables |
Spinach |
May – June; September – October |
| Vegetables |
Turnips |
May – June; September – October |
FARM SITES:
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, IL 60022
Youth Farm at Lake County/Greenbelt
1215 Green Bay Rd.
North Chicago, IL 60064
Kraft Foods Garden
3 Lakes Drive
Northfield, IL 60093
West Garfield Park
215 N. Kenneth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624
Youth Farm at North Lawndale
3555 W. Ogden Ave.
Chicago, IL 60623
Rodeo Farm
26th & Washtenaw
Chicago, IL 60608
City Colleges of Chicago/Arturo Velasquez Institute
Arturo Velasquez Institute
3100 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
After School Matters Urban Garden Lab
66 E. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60601
McCormick Place Rooftop Farm
2301 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60616
Legends South Farm
4500 S. Federal Street
Chicago, IL 60609
Youth Farm at Washington Park
555 E. 51st St.
Chicago, IL 60615
PCC Austin Family Health Center Garden
328 N. Lotus Ave.
Chicago, IL 60644
Native Plant Production Project with Forest Preserves of Cook County
Salt Creek Woods Nature Preserve
500 W. Ogden
Western Springs, IL 60558
Sustainable Farming Methods – castings of red wriggler worms are used as fertilizer
Aquaponics Basil
Aquaponics Butterhead Lettuce – Using conventional farming methods, the butterhead lettuce will grow in six to eight weeks. Aquaponics Butterhead Lettuce takes only four weeks to reach maturity.
Early Carrots
Baby Kale
Kale Toscano
Swiss Rainbow Chard
Swiss Rainbow Chard
Rodeo Farm
