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Food Security Squad
Is your garden bursting with carrots, radishes, lettuce or peas? Will you soon have a few extra tomatoes, peppers, beans or cukes? Have you already met your daily, weekly or even MONTHLY supply of Vitamins A, B, C and E, niacin, iron and zinc? If you answered "yes," please consider bringing your extra, home-grown produce, to the Food Security Squad donation site, so we can donate, as a group, to local food pantries. The goals of the FSS are to connect the extra produce from SD gardeners/growers to local food pantries that support DuPage County residents in need, while building community ties and reducing food waste.
We need SD gardeners/growers and squad volunteers to help make this project a success.
For gardeners/growers, we ask that you: • plant an extra plant or row of produce of your choice • harvest your ripened produce • wipe off soil and/or dew (do not wash – may promote decomposition) • visually inspect for serious bruising, insect damage and ripeness (overripe, mushy or seriously blemished produce should not be donated) • place produce in a box or bag with your name on it and bring to the collection point at the SD Garden, located by the arbor, on Wednesdays between 5:30 and 7 p.m. For Members only - Special arrangements can be made for a pickup of produce at your home by emailing info@sustaindupage.com. Pickup location must be within 2-mile radius of People’s Resource Center or Glen House Food Pantry
For FSS volunteers, you may be asked to help a few hours a month with: • picking up of boxes or crates for holding donated produce from the following food pantries People’s Resource Center (Wheaton) (first and fourth weeks) and Glen House Food Pantry (Glen Ellyn) (second and third weeks) • placement of boxes, crates and/or coolers at the SD garden prior to 5:30 pm on Wednesdays • picking up produce from SD members’ homes by special request • provide a visual cross check of donated produce prior to pantry donation • keep produce stored in a cool safe place until donated. Produce may be stored in the SD refrigerator, or inside your home at room temperature. • delivery of donated food to designated food pantry on Thursday mornings prior to 9 a.m. to weigh produce donations at the pantry, return boxes/crates to the food pantry.
Even if you only have a few peppers or tomatoes, it’s still helpful to donate, as we will pool the produce together from all members, including the SD Community Garden.
Fresh produce is rarely available due to the short shelf life and lack of refrigeration at the pantries.SD members can be assured that their donated produce will be delivered to a local pantry where the clients can get food that is even fresher than what can be purchased at a store.
If you would like to participate as a gardener/grower, a Food Security Squad volunteer or have questions about the program, please email Diane at dianef@sustaindupage.org or Betty at bettya@sustaindupage.org.
Cemetery Prairie Walking Tour
with Pat Armstrong
Sustain DuPage continues our educational series with Pat Armstrong on Sunday, July 7, with an interpretive walk focusing on our precious cemetery prairies.
The walk will cover the Vermont Cemetery Prairie, in Naperville, an extremely biodiverse prairie dotted with pioneer tombstones that is home to some of Illinois' rarest plants, the tragic loss of its sister site, the Copenhagen Cemetery Prairie, and finish with the story of how Ray Schulenberg and his life partner Dave Kopp spent years transforming farmland into a refuge for native plants before donating it to the Forest Preserve District of Will County. Visit our Eventbrite page to learn more and to purchase tickets.
Great Tomato Taste Test returns from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, at SD garden! This celebration of tomatoes in all their colors, flavors, and forms is a great way to taste and test heirloom and open pollinated varieties for next season’s garden. In 2023 almost 50 varieties were available to taste.
This outdoor event will be in a vegetarian/intoxicant free campus. Bring your appetite and your lawn chair as seating is limited and be ready to vote for your favorites, which will earn a place in the SD garden and seed library next year. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
There will be a demonstration on how to save tomato seeds so you can take home a few seeds from your favorites.
If you would like to bring your own favorite tomato to this event to share it with others, contact info@sustaindupage.com for details NO LATER than Aug. 10. This event is a collaboration between our Gardeners, Seed Cache, and Cooking Nights mission projects in partnership with Downers Legacy Seed Library.
Tickets are limited so reserve yours soon. SD members can use their special code at checkout for a 10 percent discount.
Volunteers in our Grow Out Crew and Gardeners projects will receive free admission with the donation of their tomato varieties. Contact Seed Cache Organizer Elena Nichol (elenan@sustaindupage.com) NO LATER than Aug. 10 to reserve your space.
Cooking Nights Organizer David Bravos (davidb@sustaindupage.com) is looking for up to three volunteers to receive free entry if they help prep and serve tomatoes for the event. Contact him to reserve your spot on a first come basis.
Should there be hazardous weather, the backup date for this event is Sunday, Aug. 25, if enough tomatoes are available.
Third Annual Seed Savin' Social: Come celebrate the harvest with Sustain DuPage in our lovely garden. The drop-in event will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22. Look for details in our August newsletter.
Sustain DuPage Member Only Picnic
Our board member and Compost Crew Organizer, Stasia Richter, is inviting Sustain DuPage Members (and one guest) to a picnic on Sunday, July 21st for a social gathering that will include vegan and vegetarian picnic food, see how Stasia and her husband Larry use their land to grow food and sustainability, including the greenhouse and aeroponics garden! If you are a member and did not receive your invitation emailed on June 17th, please contact info@sustaindupage.com and we will provide the link to RSVP.
If you are not a member yet but would like to be, please join here.
Seedling Share at Wheaton Public Library
Seedling Share 2024 was a blast! We filled the space at Wheaton Public Library with possibly more than a thousand plants! Some came from the abundant main Sustain DuPage garden, or our members’ homes. Many attendees also contributed. Once again, our team of volunteers brought enthusiasm and advice to the 103 people who came. Around 100 plants leftover were delivered to People’s Resource Center by our new Food Security Squad Core Volunteer, Diane F. Many thanks to Lisa S, Seed Cache Core Volunteer, who coordinated many of us to supply seedlings, pots, and their garden wisdom to this event!
One Seed, One Community 2024
Amish Snap Peas: Your pea plants should be tall, starting to turn yellow and no longer making flowers. Pick what peas you can to eat, and leave some pods on the vine to plump up, dry and harvest as seed. Here is a picture of pods in various states of drying submitted by our friend, Ted. Keep some seeds for yourself, and pack up 20 or so to return to Sustain DuPage at our Seed Savin' Social on Sept. 22. If you have any questions, contact Betty Amore.
Cherokee Trail of Tears Pole Bean: The “GROWING” instructional email went out on June 12. If you planted mid-May, your plants should be vining their way up the trellis and starting to produce beautiful dark pink blossoms by mid-July (when the next instructional email will go out). Be sure to mark your calendar for our annual Seed Savin' Social to be held in the Sustain DuPage Garden on Sept. 22. If you have any questions, contact Betty Amore.
FSS Food Drive
Manning the SD food drive are Greg Kowalczyk, Pauline Briggs, Pam Kowalczyk, Betty Amore, and Kathy and Paul Davidson. Contributions to Glen House at the drive, supported by Perennial Friends Garden Club, were 229 pounds of food and personal care items and $450! Check your pantries for food drives at Tomato Fest (Aug. 19) and Seed Savin' Social (Sept. 22).
Summer Solstice
Our celebration was joined by 46 people to mark the longest day of the year!
Energy Efficiency Program Opportunity
Elena N. recently had a visit from the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program, and highly recommends it. Technician Raul walked through her home, checking light bulbs and faucets, the water heater and thermostat. He noticed the lamps had incandescent bulbs in and replaced them with warm LEDs. A flow reducer was put on her shower head. Two advanced power strips were installed in the tv and computer areas, using load sensing technology and have spots that are always on, and others that turn off if the main plug is not active. A smart thermostat, the Ecobee brand, was installed. The audit took about two hours and was free. Elena also qualified for other programs and will have old and settled insulation checked by an insulation contractor. To sign up, visit https://www.comed.com/ways-to-save/for-your-home/home-energy-savings/single-family
Cicada Netting
Netting used to protect trees from cicadas can be dropped off at the SD garden, 1926 N. Main, Wheaton, or Kane DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District, 2315 Dean St., Suite 100, St. Charles. Maybe tell others and make a group drop off. They will find another use for it to keep it out of the landfill. 630-584-7960, Ext. 3.
Back to School Supply Drive
People's Resource Center is looking for backpacks, both character backpacks (Spiderman, Peppa Pig, Bluey) and sturdier ones by Eastport, Nike and Under Armor for the older kids. Visit http://bit.ly/PRC-BTSdrive to find wish lists for Walmart, Target and Amazon for delivery to PRC and donation hours for drop off.
In Our Community
Saving Monarchs Garden Party: 2-7 p.m. Saturday, July 27, 704 S. Charlotte St., Lombard (one block east of Main Street, one block south of Madison Street). Learn about wildlife and Monarch butterflies, native plants, controlling flooding issues, ideas for your yard or just enjoy a day out. The Conservation Foundation, River Prairie Group of Sierra Club, DuPage Monarch Project, DuPage Organic Garden Club, Wild Ones Greater DuPage, DuPage County Stormwater Management and Sustain DuPage will be there to answer gardening and native plant questions. Refreshments served. Lots of street parking.
Fall Native Tree/Shrub Sale:Order on line beginning Aug. 1. Pick up at St. James Farm Sept. 20 and 21. Fulfill your fall planting plans with native tres and shrubbs adapted to DuPage conditions. Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Information: dupageforest.org.
Date
Sustain DuPage Event Details
7/03
Gardeners Workday - Wednesday, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. AND Food Security Squad (aka FSS) Produce Drop Off 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., 1926 N. Main St., Wheaton. Also Wednesdays 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31.
7/06
Gardeners Workday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to Noon, 1926 N. Main St., Wheaton. Also Saturdays 7/13, 7/20, 7/27
7/07
Cemetery Prairie Walking Tour with Pat Armstrong - Sunday, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. starting at Vermont Cemetery Preserve in Naperville.
Leadership meeting - 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Active members are allowed to attend and observe via Zoom. For the link and details, email info@sustaindupage.com.
07/21
Sustain DuPage Members Only Cookout - Sunday, 2 to 7 p.m. If you are a member and you didn't get the invitation sent via email on 6/17/24, please contact info@sustaindupage.com
Third Annual Seed Savin' Social - Sunday, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., 1926 N. Main St., Wheaton. Look for details in our August newsletter.
If your organization's event falls within the mission of Sustain DuPage and you'd like to advertise it in our newsletter, please contact us at info@sustaindupage.com.
Sustain DuPage is a 501c3 nonprofit organization run completely on volunteer time and effort. One hundred percent of donations go back into our projects. Because we are a volunteer organization, we ask for your patience if it takes longer than 3 business days to return your email or correspondence.
