Featured

Summer Organic Gardening at WEI

The Women’s Environmental Institute (WEI) is an environmental research, renewal and retreat center designed to create and share knowledge about environmental issues and policies relevant to women, children and identified communities affected by environmental injustice; to promote agricultural justice, organic and sustainable agriculture and ecological awareness; and to support activism that influences public policy and promotes social change. Located one hour north of Minneapolis, I traveled to learn more about this group, how to implement methodologies, and help the farm by adding our resources, opportunities, and more!

Here are just a few of the important lessons I brought back to the Chicago Ave. Garden:

1.) Start planning for the entire year’s crop cycle.

2.) Feed the soil.

3.) Use the Integrated Pest Management for weeds, bugs, and others.

4.) Due to the CLIMATE CRISIS (Not just Climate Change) Hoop House Gardening is most likely our future.

I will have a more robust update as we grow together this summer. Thank you.

Farmer Training @WEI

The 12th Annual Will Allen Farmer Training conference was Sat., Sep. 24-Sun., Sep. 25th 2022 at the Women’s Environmental Institute. The conference was packed with dozens of others from the Twin Cities area, Illinois, Wisconsin, and many others from colleges, private businesses, and non-profits all working together to learn how to make farming more accessible and equitable. This group event gathered people together to learn and teach from each other about tools, methods, and medicines for our gardens. The main theme of all classes was cooperation and sharing as well as relationship building in this field. Each workshop was filled with tips, rules, and suggestions for using the food as medicine and how to do “In The Field” research when foraging, planting, and more. The common response for most questions was to ‘Ask Someone’ for their help and build a relationship with suppliers, businesses, and helpers in your area. Our classes and workshops focused on the need for thousands of new gardens in thousands of homes for families and their communities in the U.S. The gaps and disparities are growing more and more every day and that is why the need is greater for more food resources for healthy families and neighborhoods. The weekend was filled with new ideas, connections, and friends as well as reconnecting with current friends. More posts about the discussions will be coming soon….

Our Partners Need Help: WEI – Farm Work Volunteer Sign Up

Hello! Join WEI at Amador Hill Farm for a day of farm work. Volunteers can assist with a variety of farm tasks such as planting, harvesting, weeding, and cleaning and packing. Volunteer shifts are typically 9am to 4pm.

More info can be found here: https://w-e-i.org/volunteer-faq/

Volunteers are needed to help us with winter farming. We are growing and delivering winter greens every week and need help seeding, transplanting, watering, protecting the plants, harvesting, washing and packing. Heavy farm days are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, packing occurs Sunday mornings in time for Monday deliveries. Most of our work at the winter farm is inside hoop houses or inside Amador Hill Farm House.

Sign up to volunteer at the farm.

Amador Hill Farm and Orchard is located at 15715 River Road,

North Branch, MN 55056

Herbalism Workshop

“Herbs as Medicine”

While “Herbs As Medicine” is not new theory for people it is a closely guarded wisdom of Indigenous peoples everywhere. At this hands-on workshop, we learned from a certified herbalist, Riley Johnson, who is part Cree born and raised in Minneapolis and a graduate of the Herbal Studies Program at MCTC. Riley led us in making and learning about a few household staple herbal medicines, including elderberry syrup, fire cider, and a yarrow tincture….

Coming Back Together

This past sixteen months has been an opportunity to listen, learn, and grow in new ways. As we heal and come back together in new ways we are offering new days to volunteer, add your voice and visions, and seek new relationships with others. This past week we welcomed back our neighbors at 2219 Chicago Ave. (Our Saviour’s Housing) and some came to help work by pulling weeds, tending to grapevines, and even transporting donated food from one food shelf to another at Waite House, another neighbor connection. The Chicago Ave. Garden is a place for restorative justice, learning, and dream sharing as we work to grow food and pollinator plants and eradicate the weeds. This work has been a blessing to many as we are looking for more connections and activities to bring our community back together in a safe and mindful way. We are also asking for more ideas and day/s time/s to offer more opportunities by filling out this poll. We are working on being accessible to any and all abilities and identities and we would like to express our gratitude for your continued support. Thank you all very much!

Mondays In May (2021)

We are back in our garden full-time now and are open to any and all suggestions, volunteers, connections, etc… Thank you all for your help. We are planning on adding more work/volunteer days and times so please expect a mass email survey this week. We have started building a storage shed and tending to the plots this past week and we are eagerly growing more and more. We have met neighbors, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (Mpls) staff and members, Pillsbury United Communities, City of Minneapolis, and so many more. The Blog/Website is working and we will continue to ask for feedback, help, and more input. Once again, thank you all for organizing and showing up to help.

New Beginnings: Spring 2021

We support all people on their journey and look forward to growing more relationships with our neighbors and volunteers in Spring of 2021.

There are several open garden plots and projects on a daily, weekly, or as needed basis including building beds, weed removal, watering, etc….

  • What would you like to ask us?
  • What is your capacity for work/volunteering?
  • What do you appreciate most from gardening?
  • What ideas do you have?

Partners In Community

Located on the land of the First People and Indigenous People of Minnesota, we are occupying this space as friends, neighbors, and collaborators learning and growing together for a better way forward. We are also welcoming our neighbors back in to safe and sustainable living through the organization next door to the Chicago Ave. Garden at Our Saviour’s Housing: “A COMMUNITY OF HOPE FOR THOSE WHO NEED A HOME. OUR MISSION IS ELIMINATING HOMELESSNESS BY PROVIDING SHELTER, SUPPORT, AND A CHANCE TO START OVER.”

Food distribution: More Neighborhood Partners…

Our food shelves and produce days at Waite House are offering pre-packed pantry bags and fresh fruits and vegetables, while take-out meals are available at our community cafés at Waite House and Oak Park Center. Locations and hours remain the same.

Our food programs are open to all, with no income or ZIP code restrictions. First-time food shelf visitors will be asked to complete a short registration.

Click here for food shelf hours, click here for produce distribution hours, and click here for community café hours. This information is also available in Spanish, Somali, and Oromo on our Facebook page.