Mid-April Newsletter

Check out our Mid-April Newsletter here for the full lineup of events and programs.

Greetings from our Board...


For Slow Food Chicago and the farmers and producers we work with, spring means planting seeds: in the ground, for new ideas, and of community. 

This weekend, we held our first preSERVE Garden Volunteer Day, and more than 20 people came out to get their hands dirty and work alongside friends and neighbors. Join us at the garden next month on May 9th to lend a hand, enjoy the garden, and cook out on the grill afterwards.

The Slow Food Chicago board also had a mini Crop Mob this weekend at Montalbano Farms to transplant 1,116 kale, basil, chard, pepper and eggplant seedlings that will end up in kitchens all around Chicago later this summer. If you are interested in volunteering for Crop Mobs this summer and experiencing a day in the life on the farm, or if you're a farmer who would like to host a group of volunteers, email us at info@slowfoodchicago.org.

Are you planting your own garden this year? #GrowSlow by planting an heirloom tomato seedling from Slow Food! We're hosting our annual Heirloom Tomato Seedling Sale at Bang Bang Pie Shop on May 16-17. We'll have 28 varieites of heirloom tomatoes, generously grown and carefully selected by expert gardeners. (For those of you who grew these tomatoes last year, you know how delicious and prolific these plants are.) Hope you can come by to eat pie and get some lovely plants for your gardens!

Thank you for being part of our growing community, and for your commitment to supporting good, clean, fair food. 

Slowly,

Cortney

Slow Food Chicago
Board of Directors - President

April Volunteer Newsletter

Check out the latest edition of our Volunteer Newsletter!

We need you! Our top volunteer needs this month & season:

  • Strawberry Planting at The Pie Patch U Pick Fruit Farm, Back of the Yards
  • Planting at the preServe Garden, North Lawndale
  • Event Support at Heirloom Tomato Seedling Sale, Bang Bang Pie Shop, Logan Square

We are a totally volunteer organization with lots of fun opportunities to get involved. Scroll down for full details on upcoming volunteer activities this month. Welcome to Spring!


Event: The Pie Patch, U Pick Fruit Farm Strawberry Planting
DateApril 26, 10am-4pm
Location5401 South Laflin Street, Back of the Yards (map)
Contactbreanne.heath@gmail.com
DetailsThe Pie Patch, a p
ick-your-own organic farm in the Back of the Yards district is having a volunteer day to get their strawberry patch started. Breanne Heath, former Terra Madre delegate, is setting up a half-acre urban garden in partnership with Su Casa Catholic Worker, which operates a family shelter and soup kitchen.
More about this project:  http://www.thepiepatchfarm.com/


EventpreSERVE Garden Volunteer Day
DateSaturday, May 9, 10am-noon
Location12th Place and Central Park Ave, North Lawndale (map)

Contactvolunteer@slowfoodchicago.org
Details
Join us to get your hands dirty, meet new neighbors, and eat some good food! We will be spreading compost, cleaning out beds and planting some of the first crops of the season. Bring gloves, a hat and something to throw on the grill if you'd like for our cookout afterwards! 
More about this project: 
http://neighbor-space.org/2012/06/23/preserve-garden/


Event:  Heirloom Tomato Seedling Sale at Bang Bang Pie Shop
Date
Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17
Location:  2051 North California, Logan Square (map)
Contactvolunteer@slowfoodchicago.org
Details
This annual sale raises funds and awareness for Slow Food Chicago projects and partnerships, along with providing organic, home-started heirloom seedlings for gardeners in Chicago. The event will take place in the Bang Bang Pie Shop side yard, and we could use volunteers to help water plants, answer questions and work the cash register between 10 - 4 both days. This is a great way to meet others and learn about Slow Food Chicago!
More about this event - see our website