Local Farmers and Culinary Talent
Chicago’s South Side is set to celebrate urban agriculture, culinary talent, and community resilience at the third annual Chicago Urban Ag Crawl and Backyard BBQ on September 8, 2024. Organized by Growing Home, Grow Greater Englewood, and Urban Growers Collective, this year’s event expands to feature 17 urban farm and garden sites across Greater Englewood, Back of the Yards, Auburn Gresham, South Chicago, and Bronzeville. With food, games, and hands-on garden activities, the event aims to showcase the vibrant contributions of local growers, gardeners, and chefs. Proceeds will support these organizations and other local urban farmers and gardeners.
Now a cornerstone event in the South Side’s urban agriculture scene, the Urban Ag Crawl began in 2022 to highlight the transformative impact of urban farming in the Greater Englewood community. Last year’s event drew over 200 participants to Growing Home’s backyard barbecue, featuring local vendors, restaurants, and a tour of 11 urban farms and gardens. This year, the inclusion of farms and gardens in Bronzeville and West Pullman, broadens the scope and impact of the event.
The Urban Ag Crawl is more than just a tour; it’s a celebration of the resilience and innovation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers reclaiming their agricultural heritage. Each stop on the crawl offers a glimpse into the work being done to build a more equitable food system in Chicago’s South Side, highlighting the potential of urban farming to address local needs for fresh, healthy food. This year we have new chefs joining the Backyard BBQ that include Chef Cliff Rome, Rome’s Joy Catering, Chef Tiffany Williams, Exquisite Catering and Chef “Shamrok” Nyah Griffin and Chef Michelle of The Pamoja Experience, to name just a few
Janelle St. John, Executive Director of Growing Home, emphasized the collaborative spirit driving the event: “The Urban Ag Crawl is the embodiment of a vision that emerged from Growing Home’s Leadership Council. It’s a powerful example of what can happen when like-minded organizations and individuals come together to fight for a more equitable food system. We’re not just showcasing farms and gardens; we’re inviting all of Chicago to be part of a movement that’s transforming our food landscape.”
Anton Seals, Lead Steward of Grow Greater Englewood, underscored the cultural and educational value of the event: “We expanded the tours of farms and gardens to shine light on the diverse agricultural efforts underway to create local food systems in our communities.”
Erika Allen, Co-Founder and CEO of Strategic Development at Urban Growers Collective, reflected on the event’s growth and impact: “After 22 years of seeding urban agriculture work on the south side it is so gratifying to have so many projects that are led by Black and Brown community leaders and multicultural gardeners, growers and farmers and to share our collective work with all of Chicago.”