AOLC Blog Home Page

Primary Image: 

After taking the Learning Center’s “Basic Backyard Chicken Care” workshop in the fall of 2009, entrepreneur John Emrich had a light bulb moment.

“When I logged on to the Chicago Chicken Enthusiasts discussions page, I noticed that 9 out of 10 posts were about how to get organic chicken feed for backyard chickens. There wasn’t a local source for organic chicken feed.”

Primary Image: 

By Katie Townsend, AOLC Urban Farm Educator

My Dear Students,

It is New Year’s Eve. Before I revel the night away my habit is to revisit the year. Sometimes I retrace my footsteps. I like to stand one last time in the places I have labored and dreamed. So I find myself at the sleeping garden we have tended together. Tiny snowflakes melt into blackened soil. We have done our part and nature is about to do her rejuvenating work. Snow, compost and hope all go together. You will see come April.

Primary Image: 

It was a busy summer at AOLC for children who particpated in the day camp programs!  The summer kicked off with Farm Adventure Day Camp where the kids worked cooperatively to build a raft to float on the creek, cooked food from scratch and sold chocolate beet cupcakes to shareholders as they arrived to pick up their boxes.  Through-out the summer, kids have experienced field-to-table cooking, caring for farm animals, adventures in nature, learning about organic farming, picking veggies from the fields, milking goats and much more. 

Primary Image: 

Our four year-old cow Maisie gave birth on Thursday, June 30th to a bull calf. Mom and baby are both doing well. We are taking suggestions for names now through July 31st.

One of the joys of working at the Learning Center is experiencing the farm for the first time through the eyes of a child.  That connection with the farm is often delightful, and surprising, coming in forms so different from the connections adults make with the farm.

This week, the Waldorf 3rd graders were helping me care for the chickens during animal chores.  We opened the door to the eggmobile, and the three girls hopped right up.

Primary Image: 

Edible Chicago recently featured the Learning Center's partner, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) in the article "Plants Sprout, Justice Served in Chicago's Little Village,"  by Terra Brockman. Located in South Lawndale (Little Village), LVEJO has developed three garden sites with assistance from the Learning Center.

Primary Image: 

Dear Friends,

I'm glad to let you know that we have yet 2 more new arrivals today on the farm!!!

At 10:45AM, I (Deb) found that Aphrodite had given birth to Zoe, an all white doeling with short ears.  I ran to tell the rest of the staff, who  joined me in welcoming Aphrodite's 2nd baby girl, Zinnia!  Zinnia is smaller than Zoe, and has a very light tan coat much like Lily.   She also has short ears (and wattles).

Primary Image: 

By Nellie Conover-Crockett, Age 11, Livestock crew

I was at home with my mom when we were called by Suzanne at about 2:30 in the afternoon.  She told us that one of the goats, Thalia, had some mucus and looked like she would have her baby soon.  We hurried out to the farm to find Thalia pacing and panting.  We decided to stay with her for a while. 

It seemed like it was taking a LONG time. 

Primary Image: 

Learning Center day-camper Myles (pictured above) turned 8 this week, and received an unusual birthday present: a newborn goat as a namesake! 

Spring is kidding season at the Learning Center, and on March 23, our first three baby goats were born during our popular Kids with Kids daycamp! The camp group present on the day of a goat birth gets the priviledge of naming the new kids.

Primary Image: 

It’s emerging! A youth-led urban agriculture hub in Southwest Rockford, IL. A hoop house, built by over 30 Rockford youth, is up and is being prepped for its first season of production.

The 2011 plans for cultivation and growth of over 6 urban agriculture sites are being developed by 3 contributing organizations. These plans even include youth owned micro-enterprises; Rockford truly has amazing youth with great ideas!

Join us at the FamilyFarmed Expo March 17-19 at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The EXPO is a three day conference, trade show and food festival for farmers, businesses, individuals and families.

Primary Image: 

Primary Image: 

Photo of AOLC beekeepers courtesy of John Lodder.

Heidi is one of five dedicated volunteers who make up the Learning Center’s beekeeping team, and tend our beehives weekly at our urban farmstead in Woodlawn at 6400 S. Kimbark. You can learn more about our bees and how to start your own hive at our upcoming Beekeeping workshop on March 26. Heidi was interviewed by AOLC Grants Coordinator Laura Wetter.

Primary Image: 

By: AOLC Grants Coordinator Laura Wetter

Each winter, the Learning Center offers Stateline Farm Beginnings, a year-long training program that helps beginning and transitioning farmers develop a vision and whole farm plan for their emerging farm business under the guidance of leading sustainable agriculture growers.

Primary Image: 

Dea Dia Organics, owned and operated by Stateline Farm Beginnings graduates and Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) member farmers Jeff and Jen Miller, was featured in Medill Reports in late 2010, in an article accompanied by a video interview.

Image: Winter bee from an AOLC hive in Chicago

See our most recent AOLC monthly e-newsletter, Click Here

Primary Image: 

AOLC Chicago Urban Initiative Program Director Martha Boyd weighs in on proposed Chicago zoning changes that would affect urban agriculture in a recent Chicago Tribune article, The city that grows: Officials, local farmers divided on new urban agricultre rules.

Primary Image: 

Where were you on November 19th, 2010? If you were not at the 2nd Annual Harvest celebration hosted by the Roots & Wings Youth Leaders, you missed a dinner that included turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, fresh salad, squash, lemon pie, sweet potato pie, and cheese cake.

Many of the food items were prepared by the Youth Leaders themselves and some of the food came out of some of our Rockford gardens. Most people enjoyed seconds and thirds.

See our most recent AOLC monthly e-newsletter, Click Here

Primary Image: 

In honor of the passing of Ms. Juanita, I am posting this photo of the beloved bird and Adam Spaulding-Astudillo, our very own 'chicken whisperer'.  For more info on Juanita, see the blog post link below. 

Thank you Juanita and Adam!

Warmly, Tom Spaulding

Primary Image: 

For a moment you could have gotten Easter and Thanksgiving confused this past weekend at the Learning Center. “I found an egg!” a third-grade Girl Scout exclaimed excitedly. Together I was with a group of 12 girls and a handful of parents as they were meeting and learning about chickens and their role on farms and in our food processes. Their excitement heightened when they found out that they could hold or pet the chickens, something many explained to me that they had never had the opportunity to do before.