On September 3rd, Illinois State Representative Denyse Wang Stoneback and farmers from the Douglas County Farm Bureau toured Orchard Village’s urban agriculture program. The farmers visited to learn more about this unique program and how it benefits Orchard Village and the whole community.
The tour began in the Charles Green Memorial Garden and Farm, where the last of the summer vegetables were being harvested. This year’s farm grew more than 2,500 pounds of produce that went into more than 300 Community Support Agriculture (CSA) boxes and supplemented the diets of Orchard Village residents with fresh, healthy vegetables. Produce was also sold at the Skokie Farmers’ Market and donated to the Niles Township Food Pantry. The farmers enjoyed seeing such innovations as our vertical tomato plantings, extensive drip irrigation system, and organic farming methods. Orchard Village partners with The Talking Farm in planting and managing the farm garden.
After seeing the garden, the Representative and farmers toured the Orchard Academy and InnOVations program spaces. The tour ended with a group photo in front of the Orchard Village sign.
Please join us in thanking Representative Stoneback for all she does to support people with disabilities and for highlighting Orchard Village and all the work we do to enrich the lives of the people we serve and the communities in which they live.