Fall gardening season and even winter gardening possibilities are upon us. Get ready for that and get ready for the spring 2023 season as well. Spring will be here before you know it and you will find that gardening (and farming) is a continuum...

There is still time to grow more crops by utilizing varieties that may be sown from seed and have a short period until maturity, watch this video by MIgardener to learn more. Seed companies such as Sow True Seeds (this is NOT a commercial endorsement, we receive no compensation from STS) offers a list of seeds suitable for fall gardening. The same seeds could be just what you are looking for for a quick spring start in 2023. Look for crops suitable for containers AND that have short maturity periods for spring and fall gardening applications.

I wanted to reinforce our commitment to fabric grow bag gardening. Our commitment is based upon safety concerns given potential soil contamination and quality issues in Chicago. There are pros and cons, it is not a perfect system but encourages home gardening rather than discouraging it as was often the case.

During this podcast episode, I mentioned a coalition we participate in, Chicago Grows Food (CGF). I want to shout out the successful CGF home garden installation program and special kudos to Gardeneers and Stein Learning Garden at St. Sabina for their logistic support that included delivery and installation of the home garden systems. There were a number of volunteers, interns, and partners that I am unable to list here but I want to acknowledge their efforts with a heartfelt THANK YOU!

We are in the planning stages for expanding the home garden program and if you are able to support the next iteration in any way please reach out to CGF. Of course, we are searching for funding so if you have any ideas let us know.

Contact Orrin Williams at [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Office of Community Engagement and Health Partnerships, or the Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only. While the podcast is designed to promote the development of healthy communities through food, we offer no health advice and encourage our listeners to seek guidance from their health care professionals.

The full episode with ecologist, community organizer, and wisdom/dharma teacher Toni Anderson. It is hardly a stretch to say that we love Toni Anderson the "Curator of Internal & External Ecologies". It is not a stretch to say that we think Sacred Keepers is a wonderful program and that we wish there were more opportunities like this for youth in Chicago and beyond.  We only have one Toni so how do we expand programs like this during these times when many of our youth do not have much in the way of positive activities to engage in?

So here is the link to Sacred Keepers, perhaps some of you will reach out and inquire about how you may begin a similar program.

While I have known of Toni and her work for several years now we were able to reconnect as part of the Soil and Shadow project organized by Nikki Silvestri. Out of that project came the Living Altar project as well as new and renewed friendships and collaborations. The project was also on exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art (MOCADA).

Toni is a treasure that we loved being in conversation with and hope to be in conversation with again soon so that we at Roots Watering Hole can share more of her wisdom with you!

Listen in!