About

Unique among community gardens in Chicago, Corner Farm Logan Square is a completely collaborative venture, with everyone helping to grow everything, and sharing the harvest. We grow plants for food, as well as fiber- and dye-making, but we don’t designate plots for individuals or families. Instead we work together to cultivate not just a garden, but also a community.

Through our projects, events and close relationship with Christopher House, the Corner Farm serves as a meeting place, classroom and outdoor laboratory. This experimental approach allows us to learn by doing, and build on our successes. Our garden grows with the inspiration and ideas of everyone involved.

The Corner Farm is a community of volunteers, and our active membership is organized into a number of teams. Each team is facilitated by two Leads, who in turn form the core leadership of the garden. Leads meet monthly to review and decide upon the major issues and proposals brought by each team. This consensus process is demanding, but also rewarding, allowing input from everyone in creating an inclusive, sustainable future for the Corner Farm.

Our seven Teams for 2011 are: Tending, Watering, Compost, Outreach, Funding, Communications and Christopher House Relations (C-House). Each team has specific responsibilities and is organized around a Focus Project intended to not only maintain but also improve the garden. Let us know if you would like to be involved in a particular team!

History

Margaret Hartmann and Noah Swinney Stein have been working together planning community driven open space transformation projects in Logan Square and Humboldt Park since early 2008. They both have called these neighborhoods home for many years.  Margaret spent a few years living across the street from Altgeld and Sawyer, and Noah was born and raised around the corner.  Through developed and lasting relationships to neighbors and personal connections to the lot, they approached the owner, Al Jakich, about use of the space.  Al’s response was positive from the get go and when it came time in the Spring of 2009 to start the project, he gave the green light immediately.

Shayna Cohen, a papermaker, artist and Logan Square resident was connected with Noah and Margaret through an organizer with the Logan Square Neighborhood Association.  She had been working to develop a community garden project where fibers for the paper making process would be grown along side vegetables for the community.    After meeting with Noah, Margaret and Amy Mall, of Twine, NFP, the group agreed to move forward in partnership together.

Since the beginning the response from the neighborhood has been overwhelming positive.  Neighbors from all around have come together to work, share ideas, lend tools and helping hands while developing the site.  Devlin, Chad, Brad, Renee and Jessica have all stepped into leading roles to help organize and run the work days.  Many other enthusiastic neighbors have stepped in to lend a helping hand.

In May 2009, Shayna was granted generous funding through the Aiko Fellowship awarded from the Columbia College Book and Paper Department to begin developing the project. We are continuing to work to obtain additional funds through educational grants for programs through Christopher House as well as exciting fund raising activities (future pickling workshops etc) to take place in the garden through out the summer.

If you have any ideas, suggestions or would like to be more involved please stop by or contact us!

Goals

We are also working on programing other garden days, work shops, fund raisers, barbecues, parties and other community events.  We are open to all suggestion so please contact us with your ideas.

We invite you all to join us!

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I get involved?
   Please stop by any garden day listed on our calendar. Also email us (altgeld.sawyer.farm(a)gmail.com) to be added to our list for updates on all garden activity.
2. Will I be assigned a plot?
   No. The whole garden will be operated and tended communally. If you come on a work day you can take what you want, and you won’t have to worry about neglecting your plants if you’re away for a few days.
3. How can I help?
   - Read Our Needs
   - Sign up for email announcements
   - Participate in garden days
   - Sign up for the watering or compost teams
   - Propose and lead an educational workshop
4. Who owns the land?
   Al, the neighbor still owns the land and generously lets us use it.
5. How are the vegetables and edibles used?

- We welcome all neighbors who have come and participated in any of the work days (or even if they haven’t) to harvest the herbs and veggies at any time.

Contact

To stay informed on all upcoming garden activities email:

altgeld.sawyer.farm (at) gmail.com