Bees at the hive entrance

Winter is a nerve-wracking time for beekeepers. We do what we can throughout the summer and fall to make sure the bees store up enough food and are in good health as the weather cools. But once the temperature drops below 50 degrees, we need to keep the hive closed and there’s not much meddling we can do.

Dave Schroeder

Angelic Organics Learning Center is pleased to welcome our newest board member, architect Dave Schroeder. Dave took some time to tell us about his interest in sustainable design, backyard chickens, and why he was drawn to AOLC.

How any why did you get involved with AOLC?

Last fall, I was sent a link to an article describing European farmers who have set up vending machines for fresh foods straight from their farms.

Shiquita Shumaker (right) and Rockford youth participate in the 5th Annual Black Farmer's Market event at Navy Pier.

Angelic Organics Learning Center partners with a network of community-based organizations in the Rockford area that make up the Roots & Wings network. Roots & Wings aims to increase the leadership and life skills of local youth and adults through participatory development projects, hands-on garden-based education, and community service.

Placing plastic at the Artists' Garden

Last fall, Learning Center partners in urban food system projects in Southeast Chicago installed season extension infrastructure – plastic hoop “low tunnels” where plants can survive cold spells in fall and early spring. Our partners at the South Chicago Art Center erected their low tunnel in the Artists’ Garden over beds of lush greens in late September. By mid-October, it was the Bush Community Garden’s turn. Both are part of an emerging coalition, building their local food system with Learning Center liaison, Thea Carlson.

Kids at day care for a baby goat.

Hi, I’m Rachel. I’m one of the children lucky enough to go to the Learning Center’s 2008 spring Day Camp. One of my friends was attending the camp back in March, and I went with my mom to take her there. When I saw how much fun it would be, I asked my mom if I could go. She said yes! Enough about me: This is my goat story.

Heifer International brings visitors from all over the world to learn from the South Chicago Artists’ Garden

In 2003, the South Chicago Art Center lost their urban garden lot to development. That year, Angelic Organics Learning Center partnered with the Arts Center to develop a new and larger garden space on four city lots.

This community garden and educational space was also supported through a partnership with Heifer International, an organization that assists communities to produce healthy food for community development all over the world.

Stateline Farm Beginnings® graduates Don and Tresea Larson

Driving east from Roscoe, Illinois, toward Angelic Organics farm one sees a familiar site: hundreds of new tract homes gobbling up rich agricultural land. It is a worrisome trend when viewed alongside daily stories of tainted imported foods. If we lose the farmland and continue to lose farmers, where will our food come from?

Stateline Farm Beginnings® graduate Margaret Nelson

Margaret grew up on a conventional dairy farm in northern Illinois and always wanted to farm, but thought it was too unrealistic. She and her husband Mark, a city kid, got a few cattle as soon as they moved onto their six acres. They wanted to make sure that their daughters were brought up around livestock. So the girls both helped to raise a few beef cattle and show them through 4H and at the county fair each year.