Category Archives: Chicago
New audio interview with squatter
Frustration over the angst of interviewing people who I can’t just “call up” sank in temporarily. Mike, one of the squatters, never showed up at the cafe we had planned to meet at days before. I brought some reading material … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago
No signs of squatters
Since my first post on squatters in relationship with the foreclosures of the Lincoln Park/Bucktown area, I’ve had 4 oppotunities to follow Mike and Antonio as they jump from one vacant building to another. Here is the video I’ve made … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago, Journalism
A look inside where DePaul’s campus dining stocks up on fresh produce
Peter Testa startied loading produce on his father’s delivery trucks at the age of 12. Although, he never ended up going college, he knows how to get good grades-in eggs, tomatoes, lettuce and 1200 other kinds of fresh produce, that is. Continuing … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago, Urban Agriculture
Report back from 2009 Chicago Green Festival
Alice Waters, founder of Edible Educations, was a no show at the Saturday session. Although disappointed, it was near the end of a long eight hour day of taking photos and sitting in sessions ranging from Amy Goodman to one … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago, Urban Agriculture
First footage of squatting
I am interviewing a couple of squatters for my next video project. I met one of the squatters, Antonio, 42, last September in the St. Vincent DePaul soup kitchen where I serve and he eats his meal almost every morning. … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago
Ode to open, public spaces in the City
Spending an enjoyable weekend outdoors, from gardening, biking, guitar playing to good ol’ conversing with friends is reminder of how important safe, clean and abundant public spaces are in the city. I visited my garden and saw Dominque, my plot neighbor … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago, Urban Agriculture
It’s a ‘Happy Friday’…especially on a bike
The best way to check out Chicago neighborhoods is in on a bike–along with hundreds of other riders who have taken over the once car filled streets. Critical Mass is a monthly bike ride that occurs on the last Friday … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago
An old gardening friend
Since activity at Frankie Machine garden has been slow, I decided to check out City Farm. If you haven’t already heard of this farm which sits at the corner of the busy intersection of Division and Clyborn, strattling the Cabrini-Green … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago, Urban Agriculture
An edible education
Today I received an email with the schedule of the upcoming Green Festival at Navy Pier, May 16 and 17. I became very excited as my eyes fixed upon Alice Water’s name, scheduled to speak on Edible Educations. Waters, now a national leader in … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago, Urban Agriculture
West Town and its public gardens
The Frankie Machie garden, which I currently have a plot at, was formed by concerned community members wanting to preserve open land for shared public use in 1988. Ten years later the NeighborSpace, a nonprofit dedicated to helping communities protect … Continue reading
Filed under Chicago, Urban Agriculture
