5th Annual Edible Harvest Festival / Run on the Prairie

Welcome to the 5th Annual Edible Harvest Festival / Run on the Prairie 2008!
"Where Wellness comes from FOOD & FITNESS"

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2008

"RUN & WALK IN THE PRAIRIE" and Kids Runs

9-10:30AM

Prairie Crossing Charter School

Jones Point Rd., Grayslake, IL

$20 5-K entrance fee. Kids Runs: $10 for mile(14 & under), $5 for 50 & 100 meter dashes and 1/2 mile

Register for 5-K and Kids Runs at www.signmeup.com or at http://www.pccs.ws/

http://www.edibleharvest.org/

Secret Gems -Lake County Farm Tour

Hello my fellow food growers! Liberty Prairie Conservancy is putting on an incredible tour of some wonderful diverse farms in Lake County. Tony Titus, a third generation farmer from Mundelein, will entertain you with wonderful stories as you travel from farm to farm. I highly recommend you consider attending this event, as it will bring lasting memories of the days gone by AND of the future of farming the northern Illinois.

Cheryl Pytlarz, Edible Harvest Festival Coordinator

SECRET GEMS—THE FARMS OF LAKE COUNTY

We all love to see them from the road, and we bemoan the loss of each and every one, but do you ever wonder just what happens on a Lake County farm these days? Treat yourself to a summer’s evening at some of our most notable farms and meet the gracious families who run them. Tony Titus, past president of the Lake County Farm Bureau, hosts this private tour of the centennial Lodesky Farm of Gurnee, the centennial Wirtz Farm of Mundelein and the Sandhill Organics Farm of Grayslake. We’ll travel by bus and finish with a scrumptious dinner prepared from locally grown food.

$69 ($49 for Liberty Prairie Conservancy members), adults only

4 – 8 p.m.

Saturday, August 16

Depart from Liberty Prairie Conservancy office, Grayslake

Reservations required. Call 847.548.5989 x 33 or visit www.libertyprairie.org.

Thank you!
Sarah Surroz, LPC

Next GTW Meeting

The next meeting will be held at the Genesee Street Garden (or the TOWN office if the weather is bad) on August 14th @ 7pm. Come join us!

Nada and Newton
847-917-8310

Garden Update

Garden Update:

The following table lists the status of the Demonstration Garden.

Bed 1: (Waukegan bed monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Mulch applied.
Bed 2: (Children’s garden monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Round-up was put down.
• Mulch needs to be applied.
• Purchased flagstone needs to be put on this bed.
Bed 3: (Native garden monitored by Victoria)
• This bed needs to be weeded.
Bed 4: (Victorian garden monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Mulch applied.
Bed 5: (Perennial garden monitored by Waukegan Garden Club)
• Weeding was started.
Bed 6: (Herb garden monitored by Herb Society)
• Weeding is required.
Gazebo 7: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• The gazebo needs to be stained.
• A weather vane is available to put on the peak of the gazebo.
• Plants were purchased to be planted by the gazebo.
• Solar lighting and spotlights purchased and needs to be installed.
Bed 8: (Sunflower bed monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Compost and mulch needs to be applied.
Bed 9: (Sunflower bed monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Compost and mulch needs to be applied.
Bed 10: (Raised vegetable bed monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Aqua cones need to be put in.
Bed 11: (Raised vegetable bed monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Aqua cones need to be put in.
Labyrinth 12: (Monitored by Madeleine)
• Herbs need to be planted between the pavers.
Bed 13: (Four Seasons Garden Monitored by Mike and Diane)
• Mulch applied.
Bed 14: (Four Seasons Garden Monitored by Mike and Diane)
• Mulch applied.
Bed 15: (Giving Garden Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Weeding was started.
• Mulch needs to be applied.
Tool shed 16: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
Compost pile 17: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
Entry arch 18: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
Buddha 19: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Mulch applied.
Bed 20: (Raised vegetable bed monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Aqua cones need to be put in.
Entry arch 21: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
6 large pots: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Aqua cones need to be put in.
2 Park District benches: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
3 benches made by YCC: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
4 new Park District benches: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Benches need to be picked up.
Garden as a whole: (Monitored by Green Town Waukegan)
• Areas by pots need to be improved.
• Weekly weeding.

A Call for Volunteers - We need your Help!

Dear Garden friends,

The Green Town Demonstration Garden that we have worked so hard to create is coming on strong again this year. We are in DESPERATE need of some volunteer help with weeding, watering, etc. If you can give us an hour or two this coming Saturday morning, starting at about 10:00 a.m. we would be most grateful. Otherwise, please call me to arrange an alternative time to lend your assistance.

Looking forward to seeing you or hearing from you.

Nada Nikolich Finn
847-917-8310

Garden Update

Dear Friends,

The following is a garden update:

• One of the raised beds had structure added for vines to grow up. Two more beds need to have this feature added.
• Cane poles were added in three beds for scarlet runner beans.
• Bed 8 was partially weeded.

The following is a list of what needs to be accomplished:
• Weeding, weeding, weeding
• Follow-up with Forever Construction re: gazebo.
• Compost needs to be added to beds 13, 14, 4, 1, 8, 9
• Mulch needs to be added to beds 13, 14, 4, 1, 8, 9, 2, 15 and all raised beds.
• Plants need to be put in bed 1 and the two pots on the south side of the garden.
• Remove wire in tool shed.
• Remove 5 – gallon bucket of paint.
• Weed bed 15.
• Install aqua cones in vegetable beds.
• Plant calla lilies.
• Plant herbs in labyrinth.
• Stepping-stones for children’s garden.
• Fill two pots on the south side of the garden with container mix.

Ongoing tasks:
• Ongoing work is weed control, edging the beds, staking, insect and disease control, etc.

• The Park District will have annuals for us on 06/17/08.
• There is one flat of wax begonias, two flats of annuals, and several marigolds that need to be planted.
• I have a variety of plants in my driveway that need planting.
• Wadsworth Feed should have plants for the Victorian bed by the end of the week.
• One flat of dianthus for Madeleine.

Regards,

Nada
847-917-8310

Garden Update

Dear Friends,

This email is intended to update you on the status of the garden. Please provide me with the number of hours you spent working on Green Town Waukegan from June 1 to June 15.

• All raised beds have been planted with vegetables.
• All beds except for beds 8 and 15 (Giving Garden) have been weeded. Compost has to be put down on all beds except for 2, 3, 6, 5, and 8. (Madeleine will give instructions for Beds 5 and 6.) Putting down mulch should help to control the weeds.
• Forever Construction was notified on 06/02/08 that they could begin the construction of the gazebo, help to upright and secure the west arbor and repair the lattice.
• All beds have been edged.
• Flowers were planted in beds 4, 9 and around the Buddha.
• Remaining vegetable plants were planted in the six pots at the back of the garden.


The following is a list of tasks to be completed:
• Remove wire in tool shed.
• Remove 5-gallon bucket of paint.
• Add compost to beds – see above.
• Weed bed 8 and 15.
• Create structure for climbing plants with cane poles.
• Cross braces for raised vegetable beds.
• Order mulch.
• Plant annuals
• Plant perennials - ongoing.
• Mulch beds with composted bark.
• Install aqua cones in vegetable beds
• Plant calla lilies
• Evaluate existing benches
• Plant herbs in labyrinth.
• Stepping-stones for children’s garden.
• Fill two pots on the south of the garden.

Ongoing tasks:
• Ongoing work is weed control, edging the beds, staking, insect and disease control, etc.

I still have plants at home that need to be planted. Plants that were brought to the site Saturday were left at the site with pots buried under mulch. Shade plants will be available for sale on Saturday.
• Wadsworth Feed – Victorian bed
• Waukegan Park District – annuals
• Pasquesi – gomphrena – pink and white, cockscomb.
• Dianthus for perennial bed.


Please ask your friends and neighbors if they could help us with our garden opportunities. The plants that are at the garden and the many in my driveway have to be planted.

Many thanks for all your help and support. I was at the garden today and it really looked wonderful. The sunflowers that started from dropped seed are rising to the sky. Because of all the rain we have had everything seems to be doing well.

I hope to see all of you this Saturday.

With warm regards,

Nada
847-917-8310

Garden Update

Dear Friends,

This posting is intended to update you on the status of the garden.

So much done, yet, so much to do. Much was done this past Saturday but I have many plants in my driveway. The cool weather has helped me keep them alive but we do need to get them in the ground.
I have asked YCC to help with weeding. YCC has offered to edge the beds.
I would hope that one of us could be available to direct them in the weeding and/or edging.

The following gives you an update of what has been done and what needs to be done:

• Large pots have all been moved. YCC will fill the remaining pots on 05/29/08.
• The damaged west trellis needs to be repaired.
• The city will mow the garden lawn as it fits in their schedule.
• All raised beds are ready for planting.
• The center bed that will be the Waukegan bed has been weeded. Bed #2 has been weeded, compost added and plants that we have were planted. All other beds including the Giving Garden bed have major weeding issues.
• Madeleine is working on laying the flagstone for the path through the herb garden.
• Forever Construction was notified that they could begin the construction of the gazebo.
• The signs for the labyrinth and the Buddha have been installed.


The following is a list of tasks to be completed:
• Remove wire in tool shed.
• Remove 5-gallon bucket of paint.
• Cross braces for raised vegetable beds.
• Add compost to beds – except for native, and 2.
• Plant annuals
• Plant perennials.
• Sow seed for ornamentals, vegetables.
• Plant vegetables.
• Weeding
• Mulch beds with composted bark, order mulch.
• Edge beds
• Install aqua cones in veg beds
• Plant calla lilies
• Bulb removal if necessary
• Evaluate existing benches
• Remove leaf mulch on perennial bed where it is thick
• Ongoing work is weed control, edging the beds, staking, insect and disease control, etc.

I will bring all plants that are appropriate for planting this Saturday. Perhaps we will be able to work on beds 4, 13 and 14. I am still promised plants from the following:

• Jamaican Gardens – vegetables
• Wadsworth Feed – Victorian bed
• Waukegan Park District - annuals


With best regards,

Nada
847-917-8310

EARTH DAY EVERY DAY

2008 GREEN TOWN WAUKEGAN

Needs You!

EARTH DAY EVERY DAY

Saturday, May 24, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Demonstration Garden (25 S. Genesee St.)

THINK GREEN! This is the second year of our Demonstration Garden and with the beginning of the spring season it needs your help. We are hosting ‘Earth Day Every Day’ intended to foster awareness of and appreciaton for our environment and all its wonders. We need your helping hands to complete the many tasks remaining to make this garden come alive again. Join us in a journey of discovery and friendship as we work together.

Our To Do List
Creating a 3rd raised vegetable bed
Applying compost and soil
Planting
Weeding

What To Bring
Gloves
Helping hands
Donations of bottled water for volunteers
Community spirit
Plants for our Giving Garden

Monies made from our plant sale will benefit the Demonstration Garden.

Contact Nada Finn (847) 917-8310 or the TOWN Office (847) 599-1531, if you have any questions.

The tulips are beginning to bloom! Check out the bulbs at the back of the garden in the sunflower beds.

Most of the dead material has been cleaned out of the beds, and some early perennials are taking advantage of the sunny days. But so are the weeds! We'll be focusing on getting ahead of the weeds this weekend work day (Saturday, May 3).

Everyone's welcome to join us. We'll work from about 10am to noon.

 The recent warm weather means the bulbs are showing off in the garden today. Daffodils are in bloom, and some of the tulips have large buds. Early perennials like allium, Virginia waterleaf, daylilies, and lamb's ear are going strong, and a few annual pansies have reseeded themselves in the herb bed. Our next tasks will be to clean out the remnants of last year's growth and to start attacking the weeds.

Happy Earth Day!

This Earth Day, it’s time to change the forecast for global warming. Climate change must rise to the top of the national agenda this election year. On April 22th, Americans will be hearing our global warming message and we will be mobilizing support with our Call for Climate.

Call for Climate: http://ww2.earthday.net/callforclimate

First Work Day

The garden is just beginning to wake up. No bulbs are blooming yet; I suspect the site is still too cool because it is very exposed. However, there is some greenery, so I suspect we'll see something soon. Last Saturday we had a planning and preparation work day. We removed trash, cleaned out the large pots, measured the beds, took an inventory of the shed, and inspected everything. We also began clearing the annuals and dead tops of perennials. The garden is now ready for Spring!

Come join us this Saturday April 5th from 10am-2pm. We will be out in the garden this weekend to pick up trash and do many evaluations of the garden. We hope to see you there.

For my first post, I just wanted to announce that I have started some seeds in my basement: tomatoes (4 kinds), eggplant, cubanelle peppers, gaillardia and gloriosa daisy. Even though there's still snow outside, it's time to get started!

Stay tuned for more gardening activites coming this spring...