Tuesday, October 11, 2011

47th Ward Fall Clean & Green 9am - 3 pm


Don't miss this great opportunity to be part of a Ward-wide effort to clean and beautify our neighborhoods and the Chicago River! 

This is the 1st event of this kind that our new alderman's office is sponsoring. River Clean-up is on the priority list, and the MWRD barge will be on the river at Berteau at approximately 8am.  The barge captain is willing to give a presentation at that time to the children regarding what they do for the river. Bring your children or their whole class to see our beautiful river.  The barge will go as far north as Lawrence and then down through the 32nd Ward to Goose Island and clean the river of debris and trim low hanging branches on both sides of the bank.

Contact the Wards office for more info: info@chicago47.org or call 773-868-4747

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Biodynamics for the Backyard & Garden

1 DAY WORKSHOP (Limit 30 people)
Learn about the origin and fundamental principles of Biodynamic agriculture in both theory and practice. Special emphasis will be placed on practical applications on a smaller scale for the yard, garden and vegetable plot. We will make a liquid treatment to fortify the soil and plants, an application to stimulate microbial activity in compost piles, and a poultice paste to strengthen and heal a 100 year-old horse chestnut tree.

Grace Street Garden
Hosted by Lisa Hish and Elizabeth Wenscott
2112 W. Grace St.
Chicago, IL. 60618

Sunday, October 23, 2011
10:00 am - 12:00 pm - Biodynamic Tree Paste 
12:00 pm 1:00 pm - Biodynamic Compost Pile Application 
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Yard & Garden Stir and Soil Application 

Guests that participate in the Yard and Garden Stir will receive a pint size sample of Biodynamic Soil Prep to take home . PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CONTAINER!!!!

Complete do-it-yourself Biodynamic yard and garden application  and or compost applications will be available for purchase.

Class taught by Ben Wilson of Angelic Organics.

Please pre-register by email to: ewenscott@mac.com or call (773) 396-2653.


Annual Plant Swap


Annual Garden Swap

Saturday, October 8th  at 9am 
Do you have extra plants or pots and not enough room to enjoy them? Consider sharing the rewards of your own garden at our annual Garden Swap. This is a perfect opportunity to trade tips along with your flora while recycling at the same time. Please label your plants in containers or bags so that everyone can enliven their own gardens with new plants from friends and neighbors.

The Plant Swap will be hosted by Julie Hobert at her home:
2037 W. Bradley Place

Botonist H.S. Pepoon and Lake View High School

When researching the flora of Northwest Illinois there is one man’s name that repeatedly shows up: H.S. Pepoon. More well known in Chicagoland, Pepoon was a native of Northwest Illinois, was the first professional botanist to study the area’s flora and is responsible for the creation of Apple River Canyon State Park.


His father, George Pepoon, was a Lieutenant in the Civil War, a member of  the famed 96th Infantry from Galena, IL. He was the Superintendent of Schools for Jo Daviess County as well as the Warren Township Assessor. Pepoon School on Twin Bridges Road is named after him. Herman Silas Pepoon was born to George and Mary Pepoon in Warren, Illinois on January 21, 1860.


Herman grew up south of Warren, IL and attended Warren High School (1877).  He left for Champaign to attend the The University of Illinois, graduating with a degree in Natural History (1881). After graduating from Hahnemann Medical College in 1883 he became a doctor and practiced medicine from 1883 until 1892 in Nebraska and Lewistown, IL. In 1892 he left Lewistown and the medical profession to become a botany instructor at Lake View High School in Chicago. He held that position for 38 years until he retired in 1930, when he reached the limit age of 70 years old.

For the rest of the story H.S. Pepoon