We Sow We Grow Project
Donation protected
IN 2014, the Nicholes family moved into a home that they built and realized that while they were now living the life of homeowners, their new neighborhood was sorely lacking in quite a few things. One of them being neighbors who actually spoke to each other. In a walking/biking/scooter friendly neighborhood, they noticed that no one spoke to each other, even though all could probably set their watches by the routines of others. Add to that, the fact that the neighborhood was FULL of empty lots begging for beautification, a seed was planted, and the sowing into their neighborhood began.
After speaking with our local Alderman, we got to work, and cleaned the quarter acre of land. We started with four 4x4 raised beds, and soon the community was talking!
We caught the attention of Harry Connick Jr. and he came to surprise us with a donation of chicken coops and other necessities. While this allowed us to have a great gardening season, they weren't enough to last into the next season, or sustain the weather of Chicago. Fun times, right?!
To this date, we've had more than 100 community members come through the garden, and we're planning to have educational resources come once per month, as well as establishing a scholarship program for the students in the community.
WHAT WE NEED
We need the help of our community members, and the members of the We Sow We Grow community both far and wide. Our mission is to help people within our actually community AND in communities around the world.
When you read community garden initiative, it's not in the sense that people rent out raised beds and grow for a season for a price. It's literally, a gardening community initiative that teaches everyone that they can grow food right in their own backyards, and spread the love of building THEIR communities one seed at a time.
We're asking that you sow a seed into our initiative, by helping us purchase city lots on the same street as our current garden so that we can keep the momentum going.
On these lots we will continue with raised bed growing, but look forward to adding a hoop house, chicken coop, a fence to protect the crop from theft as well as add to the aesthetic, and a learning area for classes throughout the year.
We're looking to partner with local schools and assisted living facilities to showcase how gardens work, and have spaces that we can donate the abundance of crops that we harvest.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
We need the legs of the project to grow so that we can have a sustainable urban farm that becomes a permanent part of the community, and becomes a beacon of hope and growth for the Pullman Area.
We're looking to secure two separate lots to grow our vision, and allow the garden to work in the best interests for everyone involved. We need ample space for growing AND continued education, and garden workshops.
These are the two lots we are looking to acquire, and they need a LOT of work. Evening out of the land, and transferring and rebuilding raised beds from our current garden.
We have a year at most to get the garden up and running so we don't have a lag in growing time.
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS
Shomari and Natasha Nicholes are Chicago natives that have a passion for gardening. Shomari usually starts with the ideas and Natasha goes full gusto with implementation and dreaming. While Shomari would have been content with a garden in his own back yard, and eating off the land in that way, Natasha saw potential where there usually isn't, and her passion for agriculture set the wheels in motion.
They are raising four children to understand where their food comes from, and that they are also responsible for taking care of their neighbors when they need essentials like fresh vegetables and eggs.
They appreciate each and every penny that people choose to give, and will work hard to make sure that your donations aren't in vain.
After speaking with our local Alderman, we got to work, and cleaned the quarter acre of land. We started with four 4x4 raised beds, and soon the community was talking!
We caught the attention of Harry Connick Jr. and he came to surprise us with a donation of chicken coops and other necessities. While this allowed us to have a great gardening season, they weren't enough to last into the next season, or sustain the weather of Chicago. Fun times, right?!
To this date, we've had more than 100 community members come through the garden, and we're planning to have educational resources come once per month, as well as establishing a scholarship program for the students in the community.
WHAT WE NEED
We need the help of our community members, and the members of the We Sow We Grow community both far and wide. Our mission is to help people within our actually community AND in communities around the world.
When you read community garden initiative, it's not in the sense that people rent out raised beds and grow for a season for a price. It's literally, a gardening community initiative that teaches everyone that they can grow food right in their own backyards, and spread the love of building THEIR communities one seed at a time.
We're asking that you sow a seed into our initiative, by helping us purchase city lots on the same street as our current garden so that we can keep the momentum going.
On these lots we will continue with raised bed growing, but look forward to adding a hoop house, chicken coop, a fence to protect the crop from theft as well as add to the aesthetic, and a learning area for classes throughout the year.
We're looking to partner with local schools and assisted living facilities to showcase how gardens work, and have spaces that we can donate the abundance of crops that we harvest.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
We need the legs of the project to grow so that we can have a sustainable urban farm that becomes a permanent part of the community, and becomes a beacon of hope and growth for the Pullman Area.
We're looking to secure two separate lots to grow our vision, and allow the garden to work in the best interests for everyone involved. We need ample space for growing AND continued education, and garden workshops.
These are the two lots we are looking to acquire, and they need a LOT of work. Evening out of the land, and transferring and rebuilding raised beds from our current garden.
We have a year at most to get the garden up and running so we don't have a lag in growing time.
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS
Shomari and Natasha Nicholes are Chicago natives that have a passion for gardening. Shomari usually starts with the ideas and Natasha goes full gusto with implementation and dreaming. While Shomari would have been content with a garden in his own back yard, and eating off the land in that way, Natasha saw potential where there usually isn't, and her passion for agriculture set the wheels in motion.
They are raising four children to understand where their food comes from, and that they are also responsible for taking care of their neighbors when they need essentials like fresh vegetables and eggs.
They appreciate each and every penny that people choose to give, and will work hard to make sure that your donations aren't in vain.
Organizer
Natasha C. Nicholes
Organizer
Chicago, IL
