CR Magazine – Winter 2017

Continued from page 29
The way Peterson Garden Project accomplishes their mission
is several-fold. Their Pop-Up Victory Gardens are established
throughout the city to teach people in urban settings that they
can grow their own food. These gardens are less about installing
permanent green space and long-term gardens, and more about
cultivating long-term gardeners. Their Grow2Give and Food
Security program teaches everyone to grow and cook their own
organic food, removing the mystery behind the origin, availability
and safety of their food. And, PGP’s Community Cooking School
calls upon home cooks from all cultures to lead classes and
workshops on ethnic cooking, as well as explores the role of food
in various cultures.
C.A.R. BICENTENNIAL COMMUNITY GARDEN
Today, dozens of community gardens have taken root in
neighborhoods around city, with more developing every
year. Watching greenery, fresh fruits and vegetables pop up
in our backyards is exciting, and knowing many gardens are
partnering with local food pantries and shelters to help our fellow
Chicagoans makes them even more necessary.
With all the benefits that community gardens bring, we decided
to celebrate Illinois’ 200 th birthday by partnering with the Peterson
Garden Project to revamp and improve one of their existing
community gardens. The C.AR. Bicentennial Garden will feature
seeds typical to our states founding, and the food will be donated
to community members and organizations in need. We hosted
a volunteer day in the fall; look for more opportunities to get
involved in the spring!
Photos by Maria Dickman, Chicago Association of REALTORS ®
RESOURCES
NAR’s Center for REALTOR ® Technology (CRT Labs) has
developed some resources you can take advantage of,
including maps of food deserts and area community gardens.
If you can’t find a garden to join in your
community, you can start one. Lamanda
Joy, director of the Peterson Garden
Project, published a book on the subject:
Start a Community Food Garden: The
Essential Handbook. If you or your clients
have some familiarity with gardening, but
would like to join a community garden,
Fearless Food Gardening in Chicagoland,
by the Peterson Garden Project, is an
excellent resource to guide your efforts.
The Chicago Park District also has a
wealth of resources available, including
guidelines, petitions, applications and
liability waivers, available.
Learn more about community gardens
and access all these resources and
more, at ChicagoREALTOR.com.
Get the scoop on everything you need to
find or start your own community garden.
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 31