Advocates for Urban Agriculture

Chicago growers, Hydrant Use Permits (HUP) expire this Thursday (October 31, 2024). Simply, this means that you can no longer use hydrants for water access. Additionally, please store your reduced pressure zone (RPZ) backflow device inside out of freezing weather. Frozen water in the system can cause both damage to the device and the inability to recertify next year. If you are practicing catchment, please fill your barrels and IBC totes. (Much like the backflow devices, please make sure to purge them of water, so they do not crack.) You will be able to reapply for an HUP on April 1, 2025. Ahead of that date, prepare all necessary documentation so you can get the most out of next year’s permit. Questions about equipment, permit requirements, important dates, and more? Contact us at [email protected]

Land access, farm subsidies, regulations, equity— join and for a virtual event on November 13th at 4:30pm to share your feedback on policy challenges and solutions that affect urban farmers.
As an urban farmer your story, your experiences, and your vision matter. For too long, decisions about food and farming have been made without you, and these decisions have rippled across the food system, affecting who has access to land, food, and resources.
In order to transition to a just and regenerative food system that truly values and reflects the people it serves, we need to hear from you.
A $25 stipend is available to support your time and contributions to this cause. Link to register in bio.

AUA is excited to announce the 2024 Capacity Building Grant! The Capacity Building Grant seeks to contribute to the construction of a stronger and more equitable local food system in Chicago and the surrounding areas by funding farms which are working to expand and scale up their operations, as well as farms working toward stability and sustainability. For more information, Visit: auachicago.org/capacity-building-grants. Link in bio.

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¡AUA se complace en anunciar la Beca para el Desarrollo de Capacidades 2024! La Beca para el Desarrollo de Capacidades busca contribuir a la construcción de un sistema alimentario local más fuerte y equitativo en Chicago y sus alrededores mediante el financiamiento de granjas que están trabajando para expandir y escalar sus operaciones, así como granjas que trabajan hacia la estabilidad y la sostenibilidad. Para más información, visite: auachicago.org/capacity-building-grants. Enlace en bio.

Chicago growers, Hydrant Use Permits (HUP) expire Thursday October 31, 2024. Simply, this means that you can no longer use hydrants for water access. Additionally, please store your reduced pressure zone (RPZ) backflow device inside out of freezing weather. (Frozen water in the system can cause both damage to the device and the inability to recertify next year.) You will be able to reapply for an HUP on April 1, 2025. Ahead of that date, prepare all necessary documentation so you can get the most out of next year’s permit. Questions about equipment, permit requirements, important dates, and more? Contact us at [email protected].

Join AUA and on Sunday, September 8th from 11am-1pm to talk more about water access concerns in Chicago and walk through the installation of a water system for your growing space!

This discussion and workshop are led by AUA’s very own Water Access Steward, Tucker Kelly, who is a longtime grower and water access technical assistance specialist. Come through to learn more, support a local farm, and get your hands in the soil.

To learn more about AUA’s water access programming, visit the link in our bio.

See you at the farm!

Join AUA and the Bush Community Children’s Garden of Hope on Saturday, September 7th from 11am-2pm to talk about soil health and lead screening for your growing site!

There will be presentations throughout the event on safety when working with contaminated soils and soil remediation, as well as soil education materials distributed to participants. Make sure to bring a soil sample from your site, as well - AUA will cover the costs for 40 event-goers to receive routine soil analysis and soil organic matter analysis through UMass extension. These soil screenings are first come, first serve.

Detailed instructions on how to take a soil sample in bio. We look forward to seeing you at the event!

AUA is thrilled to introduce two new Board Members! 🎉 We are immensely thankful to our entire board for their continued support, especially as we transition to a BIPOC, primarily grower, LGBTQIA+, and disabled-led organization with a non-hierarchical structure. 🌿💪

Megan Wells is a community literacy leader with over 20 years of experience in adult education, workforce, and family literacy in Chicago. She has extensive experience teaching, tutoring, and training adults, youth, and families from diverse cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds. Megan collaborates with community-based organizations and institutions such as City Colleges of Chicago and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). 📚🌍👩‍🏫

Our Urban Farmed Animals Resource Guide is now available online! 🐔🐐 Find everything you need to know about raising chickens and goats in the city, from veterinarians to suppliers and zoning laws.

Access the guide today at our website auachicago.org

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: Patchwork Farms!

Patchwork Farms is a young, worker-owned minority business. They serve their community at a sliding scale, offering SNAP benefits to their community to shop at their Farmstand as well as to access their CSA. Patchwork Farms hosts small events, workshops, skill shares, as well as regular volunteer opportunities. Their goal is to provide accessible nutritionally dense food and education to their community through work with the land and cooking. Patchwork Farms was awarded $5,000 to reinforce existing, and build new, farm infrastructure.




Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.

Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: Sunflower Soule Farm!

Sunflower Soule’s farm mission is to provide organically grown produce that is accessible to all members of the community regardless of income. They strive to bridge the gap between food apartheid-stricken areas and food oases through a dedication to advocacy for food justice in BIPOC communities. Sunflower Soule Farm strongly believes that food is a right, not a privilege. As a black, disabled, veteran-owned business, Sunflower Soule Farm is dedicated to farm accessibility for folks who normally aren't able to navigate garden and farm spaces. They dream of a space that not only grows food but is also teaching farm. Sunflower Soule Farm was awarded $20,000 to expand their team, purchase tools and equipment, build farm infrastructure.

Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.




Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

AUA is excited to welcome two new Board Members! 🎉 We are deeply grateful to our entire board for their unwavering support as we transition to a BIPOC, primarily grower, LGBTQIA+, and disabled-led organization with a non-hierarchical structure. 🌿💪

Dakarai Howard is an urban farmer, organizer, and food justice advocate. With a strong passion for food accessibility and civic engagement, Dakarai has worn many hats to merge these concepts over the years. He currently serves as the Sr. Policy Advisor with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Dakarai is dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture to drive policy reform and enhance community economic development and land stewardship across Illinois. 🌱🌾📈

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: Musau House Garden!

Beginning as a backyard kitchen garden where they grew traditional African greens, herbs and vegetables, Musau House Garden supports immigrant families with their cherished Kenyan greens, herbs, and vegetables that were hard to find in stores throughout the Chicago area. Musau house Garden was awarded $5,000 to expand their growing space and invest in infrastructure to refrigerate produce to better meet the need for culturally relevant foods from their community!

Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.



Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: Run-A-Way Buckers Club Inc.!

Run-A-Way Buckers Club Inc., which offers a youth summer day camp each summer to youth in the Kankakee County area and beyond, has been providing fresh produce and farm raised poultry to their local communities for over 10 years. This camp provides boys and girls ages 4 to 12 years with skills and knowledge about farming. The older adolescent and adult counselors and staff offer guidance, trusting relationships, and life skills to enhance youth development. Their dream is to be able to provide up to 500lbs of locally grown produce and poultry to stores, restaurants, schools, food pantry, and underserved communities. Run-A-Way Buckers Club Inc. was awarded $5,000 to help with refrigeration so they can expand distribution.

Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.


facebook.com/people/Run-A-Way-Buckers/100072467808423/

Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

🌱 Community Growers Program - Apply Today!

The Community Growers Program Application is now open through June 30th at 11:59pm! The Community Growers Program provides infrastructure and technical assistance, intended to support long term (5+ years) and larger scale growing spaces run by growers with roots and relationships in the Chicago neighborhood they are growing in.

Visit the link in our bio to apply!

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: Relish Chicago!

Relish's slogan is: "Produce to the People". They aim to inspire and motivate local communities by: changing current living conditions in food impoverished areas to create healthier
lifestyles, providing a learning platform that is beneficial to all participants, in particular, those who have less access to fresh produce, and supporting with growing practices in underserved Chicago neighborhoods so that the people they work with can share farm techniques and knowledge with youth and adults in their communities. Relish Chicago was awarded $5,000 to reinvigorate the soil on the land they steward, building on the soil testing work they did with AUA, as well as expanding their team!

Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.

Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: Wanjiru's Garden!

Wanjiru's Garden is dedicated to providing their community members with fresh grown produce that is produced safely and nutrient dense. Growing a variety of foods including cucumbers, cabbage, string beans, pumpkins, summer squash, kale, collard greens, peppers, tomatoes and various herbs, Wanjiru's Gardens is a space to share knowledge with the community about where food comes from and how it grows. Wanjiru's Garden was awarded $5,000 to expand the size of the land they are growing on, garden tools and supplies, and to increase the amount of culturally relevant foods they grow in support of fellow immigrants in their community.

Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.


Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

Building Soil is Building Community: Soil Health Series

With the guidance of our community members, Advocates for Urban Agriculture, AUA, is partnering with the North Lawndale Greening Committee, to collectively learn how to improve our soil. We believe collective learning and skill-sharing about Soil health supports local community food access and strengthens our resilient practices.

There’s a myriad of resources and different starting points, for this series, we are looking at Thermal composting to learn how to locally source materials and address challenges specifically to Chicago.

Join AUA and Dr. Israel from the North Lawndale Greening Committee to learn why thermal composting is important and how to incorporate this method in your growing practices.
Part one of the series, will take place at the Triangle Garden in North Lawndale on Sunday, August 4, 2024 from 10am - 12pm central time.

During this workshop, we will go over what materials are needed, how to make your own compost pile, and do a live demonstration where we build our own thermal compost that we will monitor in the coming weeks!

Additionally English to Spanish Interpretation will be available.

Please register on Eventbrite. Use the link below or scan the QR code. Sign up today and save your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!

https://auasoil2024.eventbrite.com

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Construir Suelo es Construir Comunidad: Série de Salud del Suelo

Con la guía de los miembros de nuestra comunidad, Advocates for Urban Agriculture (AUA) se asocia con North Lawndale Greening Committee para aprender colectivamente cómo mejorar nuestro suelo. Creemos que el aprendizaje colectivo y el intercambio de habilidades sobre la salud del suelo apoyan el acceso local a alimentos y fortalecen nuestras prácticas resilientes.

Hay una multitud de recursos y diferentes puntos de partida; para esta serie, nos enfocaremos en el compostaje térmico para aprender a obtener materiales localmente y abordar desafíos específicos de Chicago.

Acompáñe AUA y al Dr. Israel del Comité de Embellecimiento de North Lawndale para aprender por qué el compostaje térmico es importante y cómo incorporar este método en tus prácticas de cultivo.

La primera parte de la serie se llevará a cabo en el Triangle Garden en North Lawndale el domingo 4 de agosto de 2024, de 10 a.m. a 12 p.m. hora central.

Durante este taller, revisaremos los materiales necesarios, cómo hacer tu propia pila de compost y realizaremos una demostración en vivo donde construiremos nuestro propio compost térmico que monitorearemos en las próximas semanas.

Además, se ofrecerá interpretación de Inglés a Español.

Por favor, regístrate en Eventbrite. Use el enlace mas abajo o escaneando el código QR. Inscríbete hoy y asegura tu lugar. ¡Esperamos verte allí!

https://auasoil2024.eventbrite.com

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: First Nations Garden!

The First Nations Garden is a Native garden focused on the health of the land and the people. They offer raised bed boxes to community members in the Albany Park and Native community. First Nations Garden has over 75 raised beds and produces thousands of pounds of produce a year! Their main focus over the past 4 years has been phytoremediation to restore the health of the soil.
The First Nations Garden was awarded $5,000 to expand production of foods like their three sisters garden as well as get new tools and build larger beds.

Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.




Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

The more moisture in soil, the more nutrients are available in the plant life cycle. This is why AUA is expanding our soil program and database by placing moisture probes at farm sites throughout the city!

These moisture sensors will collect data to determine moisture levels throughout a crop cycle and monitor moisture throughout the soil profile. This summer, we have placed soil moisture probes at La Villita Farm and The Land, with hopes to collect more water conservation data to understand the direct impacts of climate change, build soil health, soil fertility, understand more about the microbial activity and how it relates to water holding capacity in urban crops!

Want to stay up to date with our soil health work? Visit us at
https://www.auachicago.org/grower-resources/soil-testing-program/.

AUA, in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity, is excited to Introduce one of the 2024 Capacity Building Grant awardees: Hermitage Community Garden!

The Hermitage Community Garden is dedicated to providing low-income families with vulnerable youth who have been traumatized by gun violence with garden space access, education and recreation opportunities. The garden has been established to help build the community with healthy green living space in an urban setting in the heart of our city, giving old and young alike the opportunity to get their hands in the soil and enjoy nature in a community setting. Hermitage Community Garden was awarded $5,000 to expand their healthy growing workshops to reach you! Their community.

Funded through the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Food:Land:Opportunity is a collaboration between Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.



Stay tuned for the announcement of our other grantees in the coming weeks!

AUA’s Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program Applications
NOW OPEN!👏

Apply by April 22 11:59pm Central Time

Calling on the rich knowledge in our growing community, the program provides a space for:

-Self-directed learning on agricultural topics
-Share in mentor’s wealth of knowledge
-Mutually beneficial relationships

We’re accepting applications for beginning and experienced growers to participate in the apprenticeship program from May through December of 2024!

Once matched, mentees and mentors, each pair completes 10 hours of both on site and virtual learning opportunities a month, as well attend workshop and farm work day opportunities facilitated by AUA staff providing technical support on topics including, but not limited to: soil safety/wellness/health, water access, and farm infrastructure.

Save the date: The first F2F cohort meeting is May 15th at 5pm Central time.🎉

Every month until November, we’ll have one cohort gathering where we engage in skill-learning and knowledge sharing. Join us!

Visit our website for more information:
https://www.auachicago.org/farmertofarmer/

You can apply also submit an application orally or via mail, contact [email protected] for more information.

Spread the news like you're spreading seeds onto a freshly made garden bed! 🌱

Save the Date! applications open April 1, 2024.

A new application round to purchase City-owned vacant lots opens at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 1, 2024. Through an online portal and universal application, ChiBlockBuilder streamlines the sale of City-owned vacant land to residents, community groups, non-profit organizations and developers.

Visit Chicago.gov/BlockBuilder for more information. Need assistance? Email [email protected] or call 312.935.1030.

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¡Reserve esta fecha! El plazo de solicitud de se abre el 1 de abril de 2024.

El lunes 1 de abril de 2024 a las 10 a. m. se abre nueva ronda de solicitudes para comprar lotes municipales vacantes. Por medio de un portal en línea y una solicitud universal, ChiBlockBuilder agiliza la venta de terrenos municipales vacantes a residentes, grupos de la comunidad, organizaciones sin fines de lucro e inmobiliarias.

Visite Chicago.gov/BlockBuilder para obtener más información. ¿Necesita ayuda? Envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected] o llame al 312.935.1030.

URGENT: MARCH 31 DEADLINE

Farmer Renee is facing imminent foreclosure on March 31st if she cannot raise a little under $20,000. She was a fixture for decades, a founding farmer of the Green City and Logan Square farmers markets. Born and raised in Chicago - she did the impossible, left the city for Wisconsin and set up an organic farm. Ultimately she brought produce to market at Whole Foods and several coop stores also. She just served as a guest speaker for the Permaculture Institute of Chicago Spring equinox stream and has great wisdom to share with our urban ag community.

Please donate and help save her organic farm! Also, share widely and let’s show up for a fellow farmer!

This pilot soil testing program is designed for farms and market gardens on the South and West side of Chicago (or Cook County). We are doing our last round of testing: the first one was completed in the spring and now the second cycle is open again for the fall. Please complete the form to be considered for testing. We will be selecting 30 participants for the second cycle. Soil samples will be taken in the month of October and early November with the intention to receive your results in late December and/or January (depending on when your samples were submitted).

Through the program you will receive free soil testing with A&L Great Lakes, Logan Labs, and Stat Analysis. Funding for this program is being provided by the NCRS Racial Equity Outreach Grant.

Any questions, reach out to [email protected]! Find the form at bit.ly/soiltestingform