Ben Helphand

Get down and dirty with the Archeworks Elemental Mud Soil Workshop – discounts for NeighborSpacers!

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Starting April 3rd, Archeworks will be reprising its popular Elemental Mud workshop. Sign up using the form from their website, tell them that you’re from NeighborSpace, and receive a 33% discount. The Elemental Mud Workshop series explores the state of our urban soil and water, and focuses on ecological systems design to restore our depleted urban… Read more Get down and dirty with the Archeworks Elemental Mud Soil Workshop – discounts for NeighborSpacers!

UPDATE: EVENT CANCELLED — Slow Food and preSERVE are joining forces, and you can help them.

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UPDATE: EVENT CANCELLED. It’s just too darn cold, and the ground is still very much frozen. We’ll post a new date if we get one.      Slow Food Chicago and preSERVE Garden have an exciting partnership. Here’s how you can join them on their first workday of the year. Volunteers needed! Spring is here,… Read more UPDATE: EVENT CANCELLED — Slow Food and preSERVE are joining forces, and you can help them.

Sharing the Harvest: Donating Produce Engages the Community

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Erin Fuller, a gardener at the Merchant Park Community Garden in the Irving Park neighborhood, initiated the connection with a local WIC office after realizing they often had extra produce. Gardeners glean weekly during the growing season, and Erin delivers the produce to WIC’s nutritionist who is then able to make sure the clients that need the produce… Read more Sharing the Harvest: Donating Produce Engages the Community

Attention South Shore: Join Up with 7000 S Merrill Community Garden this Season!

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Looking for a garden plot to call home this spring? Join the 7000 S. Merrill Community Garden (formerly known as O’Keeffe School Victory Garden)! The Community Garden at 7000 S. Merrill is recruiting community leaders and interested gardeners to grow together this season and we would like you to be a part of it! NeighborSpace… Read more Attention South Shore: Join Up with 7000 S Merrill Community Garden this Season!

Celebrate #VictoryToday with the Peterson Garden Project

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Our friends over at the Peterson Garden Project are part of a fun project to celebrate the Victory Gardens, the most famous manifestation of community gardens in Chicago during World War II. #VictoryToday!   Peterson Garden Project is poised to celebrate “Victory Today!” at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show, held at Navy Pier from March… Read more Celebrate #VictoryToday with the Peterson Garden Project

Today’s Good Read: “Hanging on to the Land”

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A great article from our friends at Shelterforce on the crucial importance of land trusts like NeighborSpace to keeping community gardens sustainable: The fortunes of many community gardens follow a boom and bust cycle, sprouting up from debris-filled abandoned lots in times of economic distress only to eventually wither away under the pressure of rising land… Read more Today’s Good Read: “Hanging on to the Land”

February 23rd – Connecting Chicago Community Gardeners – Join us!

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Chicago community gardeners are taking organizing to a new level, and we want YOU to join us. CONNECTING CHICAGO COMMUNITY GARDENERS  Planting the Seeds of Community  Saturday, February 23, 2013 Chicago Center for Green Technology 445 N Sacramento Blvd 9:00 am – 4:00 pm   This gathering is for all Chicago-based community gardeners to connect, network, share ideas… Read more February 23rd – Connecting Chicago Community Gardeners – Join us!

On Thin Ice: Make Sure Your Garden is Weed-Free, Even in Winter

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Last spring, Chicago announced an increase in “nuisance fines.” Specifically, fines for properties with weed growth taller than 10 inches was raised to $600 – $1,200. Unfortunately, NeighborSpace has already received citations for excessive weed at some gardens. We need your help to prevent any further citations and to keep our gardens welcoming, even in winter. Here’s what you can… Read more On Thin Ice: Make Sure Your Garden is Weed-Free, Even in Winter