Chicago Lights Urban Farm Indoor Culinary Garden Project

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: demonstration, mentoring, participatory research, youth education
• Production Systems: hydroponics

Our paid teen farm internship is adding a culinary component that consists of both piloting the University of Illinois Extension's 4-H "Food Action Academy" curriculum and learning actual cooking and nutrition skills by working with Chicago Lights Social Service Center (CLSSC) and Fourth Presbyterian Church's (FPC) hot and bagged food program which prepares more than 3,000 meals a month for those experiencing a lack of access to food.

To further secure the sustainability of this program in relation to food costs, the students will create an indoor culinary garden by designing and installing portable grow-racks in our meeting room.

1. Students will design and build portable grow racks that encompass a variety of growing styles including container, hydroponic, aquaponic, vertical, soil-based, etc.
2. Students will use the produce they grow at the Urban Farm to augment the ingredients of the meals that they help to design, prepare, and distribute through the partner organizations’ meals program.
3. Students will consistently document and share their process, progress, and results with the wider community through social media campaigns, and in-person educational workshops with our partners, and pursue entry into 4-H events/conferences relevant to this project.