GROWING HOME is the leading social enterprise focused on empowering people and communities with Chicago’s first USDA-Certified Organic, high-production urban farms. With farms in the Englewood and Back of the Yards neighborhoods, as well as the 10-acre Les Brown Memorial Farm in Marseilles, Illinois, we operate, promote, and demonstrate the use of organic agriculture as a vehicle for job training, employment, and community development.
Every year, we hire committed Chicagoans and train them in all aspects of production and distribution on our farms. Production Associates help our staff run the social enterprise and, in the process, prepare themselves to reenter the workforce. Our farms are market-driven workplaces where farm staff act as supervisors, expecting Production Associates to be on time, reliable, and work with a sense of urgency. In the classroom, Production Associates set and achieve goals that will move them into permanent & sustainable jobs after Growing Home. While taking on a variety of individual goals, ranging from restoring a suspended driver’s license to sealing past criminal convictions, our graduates also learn how to become reliable employees.
We develop innovative agricultural initiatives with economic development potential, working in communities where we can make a positive difference. In 2011, our Wood Street Urban Farm grew and sold over 13,000 pounds of local, USDA Certified Organic produce, with over $45,000 in earned income. We sell our produce at the Green City Market, through a Community Supported Agriculture program, and to fine Chicago restaurants. Additionally, we hold a weekly farm stand for our neighbors in Englewood and provide programming on healthy cooking and nutrition to bring healthy options to this food desert.
We are a leader in advocating for local healthy food systems. Our staff speaks regularly on urban agriculture policy issues and sits on numerous city- and nation-wide committees focusing on urban agriculture, food security, and food access. We, along with the Chicago Community Trust, founded the Greater Englewood Urban Agriculture Task Force to plan an economic restoration in the community focusing on urban agriculture as a catalyst.
LES BROWN MEMORIAL FARM:
Our first farm was developed in 2002 on the site of a retired weather station near Marseilles, IL. Named after our founder, the Les Brown Memorial Farm is comprised of 10 acres of certified organic farm land, including a residence for the farmers, a native habitat for bees and other beneficial organisms, and two large hoophouses. We operate a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program out of this site and also raises organically fed, free-range chickens at the farm, thereby offering an “egg CSA” as well.
The Les Brown Memorial Farm is located at 2539 N. 30th Road, Marseilles, IL 61341.
SU CASA MARKET GARDEN:
Since 2003, we have had access to certified organic land at the Su Casa Market Garden in Back of the Yards, a neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. The land is owned by Su Casa Catholic Worker, which is a soup kitchen, food pantry, and safe space for displaced latino families.
In addition to growing small crops like salad mix, snap peas, and carrots, our field training specialist, Breanne Heath, designs community projects and workshops at this site. We also have a small apiary at the Su Casa Market Garden, where we keep bee hives. Production Associates in our job training program have the opportunity to grown their own food at Su Casa. Produce from the site is also donated to Su Casa’s soup kitchen. In 2012, we donated more than 1,300 pounds of produce.
The Su Casa Market Garden is located near the corner of 51st St. and S. Laflin St. in Chicago.
WOOD STREET URBAN FARM:
In 2005, Growing Home was invited into Englewood by Teamwork Englewood and other stakeholders as part of the Quality of Life Plan for the neighborhood. In 2006, the City of Chicago permitted Growing Home to use the Wood Street Urban Farm site, and by the fall part of the site was already growing food. The land was officially transferred to Growing Home in 2007, and in late 2009 we were able to complete essential development of the site–including a building used as a classroom, office space and vegetable processing area. While the site is small–only about 2/3 of an acre–we are able to grow a great deal of produce. In 2012 we grew and sold over 13,000 lbs. The certified organic produce grown at this farm, under the management of our urban farms manager, Tim Murakami, is sold from April through October at a farm stand on site and at the Green City Market in Lincoln Park.
The Wood Street Urban Farm is located at 5814 S. Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60636.
HONORE STREET URBAN FARM:
In 2010, we found a potential farm site neighboring the Wood Street Urban Farm. With the help of the City of Chicago, and NeighborSpace, who took on the land for our use, the Honore Street Farm began farm development and production in October of 2011. Thanks to an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, in association with SEED Chicago, we were able to complete a second hoop house on the Honore St. site in October 2013. To see photos of the Hoop House Groundbreaking celebration, check out our Facebook page.
The Wood Street Urban Farm is located at 5814 S. Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60636.
(773) 549-1336
2732 N. Clark St., Suite 310, Chicago, IL 60614
