Growing Power has a lot going on this Saturday afternoon. Inside its greenhouses on the city’s northwest side, everything seems to flourish; tilapia, water plants, not to mention rich compost.
Forty people are scattered in clusters. They fill the small pockets of space not occupied by other living things. They’re here to soak up information, about beekeeping and vitamin rich sprouts.
Erika Allen literally grew up on Growing Power. Her father started the nonprofit to “grow food and grow community” more than 20 years ago.
She worked in the garden with her dad as far back as she can remember.
Now Allen coordinates urban gardens in Chicago. She’s worked on projects in upscale areas, creating an elegant vegetable patch in Grant Park, and community gardens in tough neighborhoods, Cabrini-Green public housing district, for instance.
Wherever she goes, Allen gets kids involved.
“They work with about 40 young people a year and we work with them after school during the school year and in the summer. They work roughly five or six days a week assisting us with all of our urban agriculture project. And so that means they’re learning hands on how to grow food, how to market it and how to distribute it. And also just learning the language of food systems,” Allen says.
Allen says she’s always looking for kids eager to be a part of something like this.
Malcolm Evans was like that.
He didn’t know anything about agriculture when the Cabrini-Green garden magically took shape in his neighborhood. He saw rich earth being piled on top of crumbling asphalt and he was hooked.
Today Malcolm’s become a lead core member. He’s hungry to learn everything he can about high-production gardens.
Erika Allen says Malcolm’s here today, and I have to meet him… so I’m off. I find him, absorbing information about composting.
When we shake hands, Malcolm’s hands are already calloused from hard work.
He tells me he was born and raised in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood. He lives with his mom and grandmother.
He says he has learned a lot in the six years he’s volunteered with Growing Power. He started with watering and planting.
When I ask what his speciality is, what was his answer?
“Everything,” he says without hesitation.
He and his two buddies, they’re here today too, are going to start a compost business next summer.
“We’ll sell it to restaurants and farmers,” Malcolm says.
I ask what he’ll need to set up his business.
“That’s what we’re learning right now,” Malcolm answers.
He heads back to his future business partners. By the way, his composting scheme is just the first step. One day he’s going to have his own farm.
After all, Malcolm knows his stuff.
Malcolm Evans will help lead a session at the conference in Milwaukee. It’s all about building youth-adult partnerships through urban agriculture.
Share / Email
Print
Download
This story is part of a group. Click for more.
Email a Friend
Facebook
Del.icio.us
Stumble Upon
Digg
Newsvine
