Education

Windy City Harvest

Workshops in Sustainable Vegetable Production

Classes are open to the general public. Workshops have a maximum registration of 15 students. Please check the course descriptions for class locations. Contact Kelly Larsen with additional questions at klarsen@chicagobotanic.org.

Classes at Arturo Velasquez Institute

Classes at Chicago Botanic Garden

Crop Planning

January 26
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Arturo Velasquez Institute
Greenhouse

Cabin fever is setting in. It’s time to grab your seed catalogs and start dreaming about the growing season. Let’s plan your vegetable garden early!

Seed Starting

February 16
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Arturo Velasquez Institute
Greenhouse

Learn different techniques for starting your own vegetable transplants. Learn to blend your own seed-starting mix and use a soil-block maker, a sustainable method for starting seeds.

Season Extension

March 16
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Arturo Velasquez Institute
Greenhouse

Learn how to extend your spring and fall growing season with low tunnels and cold frames.

Edible Container Gardens

April 20
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Arturo Velasquez Institute
Greenhouse

Discover space-saving ways to grow your own vegetables and herbs.

Building Healthy Soil

May 25
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Arturo Velasquez Institute
Greenhouse

Learn about composting, early spring cover cropping, and other soil-building techniques. Healthy soil is the key to healthy plants!

Edible Crop Planning

January 26
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Chicago Botanic Garden
Annex 1

Cabin fever is setting in. It's time to grab your seed catalogs and start dreaming about the growing season. Let's plan your vegetable garden early for continuous production! This workshop will include a crop planning activity. Please bring a sketch of your growing space that includes bed dimensions.

Seed Starting for Edibles

February 16
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Chicago Botanic Garden
Annex 1

Learn different techniques for starting your own vegetable transplants. Learn to blend your own seed staring mix and use a soil-block maker, a sustainable method for starting seeds.

Spring Season Extension for Edibles

March 16
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Chicago Botanic Garden
Annex 1

Learn how to jump start your spring season crops with low tunnels and cold frames. In this workshop we will review recommended crops and varieties for early spring planting in low tunnels.

Building Healthy Soil for Vegetable Gardens

July 20
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Chicago Botanic Garden
Fruit and Vegetable classroom

Learn about composting; cover cropping and other soil-building techniques. Healthy soil is the key to growing healthy plants, free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Fall Season Extension for Edibles

August 17
Saturday
9 a.m. – noon
Chicago Botanic Garden
Fruit and Vegetable classroom

Learn how to extend your fall season crops with easy to construct low tunnels and cold frames. In this workshop we will review recommended crops and varieties for fall planting in low tunnels.

Workshop Time, Location, and Registration Information
Arturo Velasquez Institute workshops are held Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon in the greenhouse classroom at the Arturo Velasquez Institute, 2800 S. Western Avenue, Chicago, IL. (Please enter the south parking lot at 31st Street). Registration for each class ends the Thursday one week prior to each class. The costs is $39; no discounts apply. There is a $20 cancellation fee per class unless the class is cancelled due to low enrollment. Arturo Velasquez Institute workshops are taught by Windy City Harvest certificate graduates.

Chicago Botanic Garden workshops are held at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL. The cost is $74 per nonmember; members receive a 20 percent discount. Garden workshops are taught by Ben Jaffe, Windy City Harvest instructor. For Garden registration and cancellation policies, please visit www.chicagobotanic.org/school/registration_methods.

All materials and handouts are provided. Windy City Harvest is a program of the Chicago Botanic Garden. All workshops are taught by Garden staff and instructors.

Community WOrkshops
Workshops are also available "on demand" for groups of five or more within the Chicago area. These workshops can be hosted at our greenhouse or at a location of your choice. Topics include: Workshop Topics, Organic Pest & Disease Control, Small Farm Tools, Raised Bed Construction, and Post-Harvest Handling. If you or your organization is interested in hosting a workshop, and has a minimum of five attendees, please contact us at windycityharvest@chicagobotanic.org and title your email "Community Workshops".