You enjoy fresh fruit and now you want to grow your own. Starting a garden requires plants and some growing knowledge. The problem is, growing your own food is a long-term commitment that can be intimidating. University of Illinios Extension believes growing your own food should be a joy, not a burden. Join friends and neighbors at The Refuge Food Forest and let us help you grow your first harvest.
A food system heavy with fresh fruit sits in North Normal. It is called a food forest because it contains trees and shrubs, just like a forest and most selections are food producing. A harvest from our community supported food forest includes apples, pears and berries but also seemingly exotic picks like pawpaw and currants. This Eden in Central Illinois may sound like fiction but University of Illinois Extension and Town of Normal have created it.
In 2015, the University of Illinois Extension in Bloomington partnered with the Town of Normal and the Savannah Institute, an agroforestry & perennial agriculture non-profit, to create the space with the following goals:
- Develop and maintain a site focused on food access available for all community members, dawn to dusk
- Offer community education in an outdoor living classroom. Topics include mushroom cultivation strategies, growing fruit (perennial crop cultivation), and general land management.
- Offer a green space that encourages collaboration between community partners.
Let the temptation of old favorites or the adventure of new things guide you to The Refuge Food Forest, August 9 and 18. Join The Refuge Food Forest Facebook group to stay up to date on rain dates and cancellations.
For full engagement, come equipped with a harvesting vessel, outdoor seasonal attire including a hat, sunscreen, water, and sturdy shoes. We provide gloves and work tools – you are welcome to bring along your favorites!
Original source can be found here.
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