Meditation.  Join Chicago Ashram resident Akaram White for a peaceful meditation class in Ruby Garden. The ashram maintains a plot in the garden growing organic vegetables and supporting the urban gardening movement in Chicago. The class is free and open to the public. in the Ruby Garden. 

Check the Garden Calendar for start dates.

Workshops in Sustainable Vegetable Production
Classes are open to the general public and have a min/max registration of 5/20 students. Classes will be held at the Arturo Velasquez Institute at 2800 S. Western Avenue, in the greenhouse. Please contact windycityharvest@chicagobotanic.org with additional questions.

Building Healthy Soil
May 19, 2012
Learn about composting, early spring cover cropping, and other soil-building techniques. Healthy soil is the key to healthy plants!

Each class $39
More information is available here.

Intro to Organic Urban Farming
Become a professional or backyard farmer by joining Urban Habitat Chicago for our hands-on organic farming workshops.  Experienced ecological designer and urban farmer Michael Repkin will guide you through the most critical topics in organic agriculture and give you the tools to effectively manage your own garden, or optimize your urban farm.  For beginner and experienced farmers.

• Saturdays, May 5 to June 2, 2012   9:30 AM -12:30 PM
• Series Cost:  $94.00 for non-members ; $78.00 for UHC members
• For questions please contact  events@urbanhabitatchicago.org
• Learn more here.

Green & Growing Fair
Kick off the growing season, and celebrate Earth Day, with the 20th Annual Green & Growing Fair at the Garfield Park Conservatory. The fair, sponsored by GreenNet, Chicago’s Urban Greening Network, plunges into spring by hosting a variety of vendors, workshops, demonstrations, and family activities to get your rusty green thumb up and running.

April 28th, 2012 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N. Central Park
Chicago, IL

For more information, click here.

The Garfield Park Conservatory sustained catastrophic damage in the June 30, 2011 hailstorm, shattering approximately half of the glass panes in the roofs of the historic Fern Room, Show House, and ten propagation greenhouses. The glass panes in the Desert House also sustained significant damage. The pathways, ponds and plants in the Fern Room, Show House, Desert House and propagation houses are covered with broken glass, and shards of glass hang dangerously from the roofs. Until the roofs are repaired, rain will cause the ponds to overflow, and direct sunlight will destroy and kill the plants that have been so carefully and lovingly conserved for so many years.

Please contribute if you can to support the clean up and reparation of the beautiful Garfield Park Conservatory.