Community Food Forest Tour and Workdays
Nick Frillman, Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator with Illinois Extension, will host two Community Food Forest “Tour and Workdays” at the Refuge Food Forest in Normal IL on Wednesday, July 8th, and Wednesday July 22nd, from 5:30 to 7:30PM.
This summer, members of the public can come see and learn about a real-life example of an 11-year-old, productive, edible landscape at the Refuge Food Forest in Normal. While there, help Illinois Extension staff to give the site the face-lift it needs to remain a productive fruit and nut-bearing oasis for the community into the next 11 years.
This summer, members of the public can come see and learn about a real-life example of an 11-year-old, productive, edible landscape at the Refuge Food Forest in Normal. While there, help Illinois Extension staff to give the site the face-lift it needs to remain a productive fruit and nut-bearing oasis for the community into the next 11 years.
Each event will begin with a 30–45-minute walking tour of the site where Frillman will briefly discuss the cultivation of 15 + species of fruit and nut-bearing trees, canes, vines, shrubs, and plants at the Refuge Food Forest, featuring well-known as well as lesser-species. There will be time for Q & A. After the tour, the work begins.
After each tour, community member attendees will be invited to join the Weeding, Mulching, or Watering teams, and may bring personal wheelbarrows and shovels for spreading mulch; dandelion forks, gloves, pruners or related implements for removing weeds and unwanted spreading plants; or buckets for transporting water to newly planted blackberries, fruit trees, or other plants that need a drink.
NOTE: Illinois Extension staff has some – but limited – tools and supplies for work that will be first-come, first-served, so plan to bring the relevant tools if you have them.
NOTE: Illinois Extension staff has some – but limited – tools and supplies for work that will be first-come, first-served, so plan to bring the relevant tools if you have them.
After 1 hour of Refuge Food Forest assistance, participants will be invited to look for fruit that may be in season for picking, as a rewarding treat after an hour’s work. Frillman will guide participants to any fruit or nuts on site that is ripe at that time.
Note that produce availability at the Refuge Food Forest – a public park owned by the Town of Normal with dawn to dusk access – changes rapidly, even in a single day, and is not guaranteed to be available or ripe.
Come learn about Central Illinois’ only mature food forest, take home some edible landscaping ideas that might be a good fit for your property, do a little community service, and perhaps take home a sweet fruit treat. Registration is required to attend, so staff can adequately prepare.
Workshop details:
When: July 8th AND July 22nd, 5:30-7:30PM - register for one or both!
Where: 701 E. Lincoln St., Normal IL, 61761 – Meet at the Grape Arbor on gravel road connecting Pine St. and Lincoln St.
Cost: Free, though registration is required so staff can adequately prepare.
What to Bring/Wear: relevant tools, sun protection if desired (hat, sunscreen), and clothes that can get dirty.
Parking: please park to the south of the Food Forest, just south of the pavilion (south of the food forest), and walk north, or along the gravel road if unloading wheelbarrows or tools.
What to Bring/Wear: relevant tools, sun protection if desired (hat, sunscreen), and clothes that can get dirty.
Parking: please park to the south of the Food Forest, just south of the pavilion (south of the food forest), and walk north, or along the gravel road if unloading wheelbarrows or tools.