… Society, the parent organization of the Chicago Botanic Garden, had a leading role, helping to create the largest acreage of urban land under cultivation in the country. That legacy … and in Lake County. The Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden has inspired visitors for decades to grow their own vegetables. The COVID-19 health crisis has changed how we get our food, … industry know, the concept of “social distancing” in harvesting crews and packing plants is not feasible on the scale needed to feed our population. That presents challenges for those on …
Type: Blog
… the days click on, and we are led farther away from the beloved fall season. The days continue to get shorter, and the sun doesn’t seem to shine quite as bright so naturally; moods shift, and energy becomes muted. I have a number of … it all: lackluster moods, low energy, and even mild depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder is defined as depression associated with late autumn and winter, thought to be caused by a lack …
Type: Blog
… Over the river and through the woods you trekked to find the perfect, most lush Christmas tree (okay, maybe you drove to the nearest retail lot and pointed at that one ). Now that you picked your evergreen, how do … at a nursery or retail lot, never buy a bagged tree. It’s harder to know whether the tree is fresh if it’s wrapped in netting. The best way to tell which pre-cut tree will last longest is …
Type: Blog
… Plant, water, and grow! Whether you are a parent, teacher, or caregiver, teaching children to plant seeds is a simple and authentic way to help them engage with nature. It’s an activity that the littlest … our peas in the raised beds at the Fruit & Vegetable Garden. Bring all the supplies out to the site. Have each child choose where they would like to dig their hole. Pass out a trowel and plant …
Type: Blog
… for prairie plants. Take this tale of the return of the Hill’s thistle ( Cirsium hillii ) to the Dixon Prairie at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I’m the assistant ecologist for the natural … hillii ) blooming This thistle was not the Canada thistle ( Cirsium canadensis ), which is a non-native weed that is commonly seen along the roadsides and in your garden. What I … plants. A number of species of bees visit and pollinate this plant. The plant is believed to be monocarpic, which means the plant dies after flowering and producing seed. I had to know …
Type: Blog
… What better way to celebrate spring and keep kids busy than with mud? All you need is a muddy buddy, a few basic supplies, and a sprinkling of imagination to try these fun, nature-based ideas at home. Mud Cupcakes Remember making mud pies as a kid? …
Type: Blog
… Foraging for edible mushrooms is a treasure hunt that always yields a reward. You never know what you’re going to find. At the least, you’ve spent enjoyable time outdoors in nature. Examining a woodland … basket that prevents any mushrooms I’ve collected from scrunching together. I like to wrap my finds in wax paper or wax paper bags. Paper bags can work too, but mushrooms tend to …
Type: Blog
… cleanup of garden beds as the mulch and leaves in the beds will provide some protection to any early growing perennials when the weather eventually turns cold again. Raking leaves off the lawn and cutting back perennials are all fine to do now providing your garden soil is not too wet. Early flowering bulbs like snowdrops at the Chicago Botanic Garden are very …
Type: Blog
… Spring is here, and the birds are returning from their winter homes. Some birds fly through the Chicago area to their nesting habitats up north, while others return and stay in the area. Spring is the season for laying eggs, because it gives the juvenile birds all summer to mature and become strong before they need to migrate in the fall. Also, as spring turns to …
Type: Blog
… At Windy City Harvest Youth Farm, our young workers are exposed to nutrition in ways that relate directly to their work. As the season progresses, new crops are … and allyl sulfides, as well as thiosulfinates. Those are complicated words, but what they mean is that these compounds are being studied for their effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, and … http://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/48446.pdf http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tc/antioxidants-topic-overview http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1378 …
Type: Blog
