AUA’s Connections Working Group has been very busy recently with outreach efforts across the city; our Coordinator and dedicated volunteers have been working hard to broaden AUA’s network by tabling at farmers markets, farm stands and other events, giving presentations to community groups, and organizing some great end-of-summer events, especially our upcoming “Monster” Food Truck Rally & Urban Agriculture Showcase Showdown (see below)!

We’d like to thank the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, City Farm, Truck Farm Chicago, Growing Home, Green Youth Farm in Washington Park, Logan Square Farmers Market, Pilsen Community Market, the African Festival of the Arts, and Glenwood Sunday Market for kindly providing us with table space.

Keep an eye out for us at markets and events across the city, and please get in touch if you’d like to lend a hand; we can always use more help!  Contact Billy Burdett at co*********@au********.org.  And be sure to check out these fun and educational upcoming events!

Saturday, September 15: CRAFT and AUA present an Urban Farm Field Day

Free for CRAFT members and first time Field Day participants!

Potluck lunch at 1PM at Growing Home’s Wood St. Farm, followed by tours of Wood St. and The Plant.  Field Day will conclude at 5PM.

RSVP for CRAFT Urban Farm Field Day by contacting Rebecca Haldeman – re*****@le**************.org – 815-389-8455

Saturday, September 22: AUA & The Plant present an End-of-Summer Monster Food Truck Rally & Urban Agriculture Showcase Showdown!

Rain or shine! (Event will be held inside The Plant if the weather decides not to cooperate)

This day-long extravaganza will showcase some of Chicago’s most exciting garden and farm projects (a few will even be bringing some produce to sell!) and include live music, screenings of “Food Deserts in a Land of Plenty”, tours of The Plant, Lagunitas beer tastings, the StoryBus mobile children’s museum, and of course tasty treats from some of Chicago’s best food trucks.  It’s going to be a ton of fun and is not to be missed!  (At $7 admission, it’s also quite a bargain; tours of The Plant alone normally cost $10!)

We also will be showing a continuous slideshow of urban agriculture projects from across the city inside The Plant throughout the day, so please be sure to submit a photo or two of your garden or farm along with a brief description (75 words max) to Billy Burdett at co*********@au********.org by 10am on Friday, September 21.