2023 Cook County Virtual School and Community Garden Training Series

This program will be delivered online via Zoom. All audiences are welcome and encouraged to attend this free program, but technical assistance is available only to garden sites in Cook County, IL. Attend one or more of the following three sessions. Attendance at all three sessions is highly recommended for new gardens that are requesting on-site assistance from Illinois Extension in Cook County. Registration is free but required and space is limited.

Priority for scheduling on-site technical assistance will be given to garden teams who attend the full training series.  We ask that at least three representatives (may include staff, volunteers, parents, teachers, garden coordinators, administrators) from your garden attend Extension's free garden training series to jump-start planning, recruit helpers, schedule garden installations and develop programming.

2023 Series Line-Up:

· Introduction: Learn about Illinois Extension in Cook County programming and meet Extension staff that will help you make connections with local organizations/resources. Information will be shared on various garden grants along with developing relationships with garden supporters in Cook County.

· Forming and Leading a School or Community Garden: Local Foods Systems and Small Farms Educator Kathryn Pereira and Horticulture Educator Nancy Kreith will walk you through the steps of forming and leading a school or community garden. Topics will include determining your garden’s purpose, recruiting volunteers, how to select and prepare a site, how to set rules and guidelines, and best practices for critical processes for communications, meetings, and planning. Real-life case studies will be used to illustrate garden success and failure.

· Garden Volunteer Engagement: Have you ever found yourself with too few volunteers on a garden workday? Does it seem like the same people do all the work? Do parents tell you their kids love the school garden program, but they never contribute? How do we as garden leaders overcome these hurdles? Local Food Systems and Small Farms educator Kathryn Pereira, a founding member of Quann Community Garden (est. 2001) in Madison Wisconsin, will present some common problems and solutions she’s seen work followed by a roundtable discussion where you can present your problems and share your solutions to learn new tips, tricks, and tools create a thriving volunteer culture.

· Basic Vegetable Gardening: Horticulture Educator German Cutz will cover basics of vegetable gardening. Topics include soil and bed preparation, soil testing, raised bed construction, seed starting and various growing techniques. Time will be reserved for group discussion.

· Advanced Vegetable Gardening: Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator Zack Grant will deliver ideas for extending the season during the winter months along with best harvesting practices. This session will cover harvesting and storage methods, food safety and season extension. Time will be reserved for group discussion.

· Ornamentals/Native Plants: Horticulture Educator Nancy Kreith will cover an overview of how to incorporate ornamental plants into your school or community garden. Topics include site assessment, plant choices, growing in containers and raised beds, along with establishment and maintenance tips. Val Kehoe and Navraaz Basati will introduce the Conservation@Home program, which has resources for gardening using environmentally friendly practices and educational opportunities. Come with your questions, ideas, concerns, and thoughts! Time will be reserved for group discussion.

· Food Donation Gardens & Curriculum: SNAP-Ed Educator Bianca Bautista will review the benefits of food donation gardens to the community, schools, and recipients of the garden harvest. In addition, for schools, participants will be informed on what curricula is available to them, ensuring the school gardens and nutrition education are incorporated in the classroom. Time will be reserved for group discussion.

Supporting your school and/or community garden is important to us, and Cook County Extension staff will work hard to provide technical support in 2023.  We will be able to consult with you remotely and provide you with timely, non-biased fact-based resources via our website.  However, staff time for on-site visits is limited and subject to prevailing public health guidelines. 

For on-demand information, please visit Cook County Extension's School Garden Resources website.

Live captioning will be provided for this program. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Nate Sun at 217-333-6967, nssun2@illinois.edu, or mail to 8753 S Greenwood Ave Ste. 100, Chicago, IL 60619. It is strongly encouraged to submit your request at least two weeks before the program begins.