September Harvest Fest

We will hold our annual September Harvest Fest at the Lyman Woods Visitor Center Wednesday September 15 starting at 7 PM. We'll share our summer gardening experiences and hear club member Lisa Burkhart talk about ideas she has for helping schools introduce gardens into their outside areas and curriculum. If you want to bring a snack made from your harvest, please keep it easy to share. You can also bring some of your harvest you'd like to show off.  

We will have access to both inside and outside areas. You will need to wear a mask while inside the building. However we plan to sit in the porch area for the actual meeting. 

NOTE: If possible consider carpooling as the lot is not large.  If you are able to, please arrive before 7 PM.

Location: William F. Sherman, Jr. Interpretive Center at Lyman Woods, 901 31st St., Downers Grove

Thanks to Katie Herold for growing the peppers in the photo!

View the Dark Skies Presentation

We welcomed Adam Kreuzer from the International Dark Skies Association to our screens this week and learned a lot about the effects of light pollution on us, on insects and mammals, and on the environment, as well as what we can do if we want to decrease these effects -- and maybe see the Milky Way once again!

Click here for the presentation.

Adam also sent the letters he wrote to his neighbors to get them to think about the effects of light pollution and what they can do to combat it.

Dark Skies Neighbor Letter

Dark Skies Neighbor Letter Follow Up

Plant Sale

The Downers Grove Organic Gardeners Plant Sale is returning to Hummer Park this year on Saturday, May 8.

To comply with pandemic restrictions, we will be limiting the number of people who can be in the pavilion at any one time. The sale is open to the public from 11 AM-1 PM. Please note that you may wait for your chance to shop and that MASKS ARE REQUIRED!

DGOG members can shop from 9-11 AM. If you are a member and have not signed up for a time and still want to, please e-mail us at the address on the right side. Thanks and we hope to see you there! Click here for a list of plants ordered.

January Meeting Features a History of the Tallgrass Prairie

The Downers Grove Organic Gardeners club will host an online meeting via Zoom on Wednesday February 17 at 7 PM.

Cindy Crosby will talk about THE TALLGRASS PRAIRIE: GROCERY STORE, APOTHECARY, AND LOVE CHARM SHOP.

This beautifully photographed presentation explains how early people in Illinois history used the prairie as their grocery store, pharmacy, art supply shop and even a place to find love potions.

Cindy has a master's degree in natural resources, with a focus on environmental interpretation. As a prairie steward, Cindy helps manage and coordinate the work of volunteers on the fourth oldest restored prairie in North America. She is a Master Gardener and teaches in the Master Naturalist program. Cindy teaches natural history for The Morton Arboretum, Wild Ones Native Landscape groups, Sierra Club, The Illinois Extension, Illinois Garden Clubs, and other organizations. Cindy regularly speaks virtually to conservation groups, natural areas conferences, book groups, and gardening clubs. She is also the author, compiler, or contributor to more than 20 books.

For more info about Cindy go to her website, www.cindycrosby.com

NOTE: YOU MUST RSVP TO Mary Ann Badke, mabstime@aol.com. This will be presented online via Zoom. As we get closer to the date, a Zoom link will be sent to access the meeting. PLEASE DO NOT PASS THE ZOOM LINK ON TO ANYONE WHO HAS NOT RSVP'd.

2021 Membership Due

It's time to renew your membership dues -- or join us for the first time~ The link to the membership form is on the right side of this page. Every member MUST fill out the form every year so we can keep track of address changes, etc. Since we will not be meeting in person for a few months, please mail your dues to PO Box 892, Downers Grove, IL 60515. Thank you!

We are re-fashioning our harvest fest this year! Join us Sunday, September 20 from 2-4 pm at Cathy and Ihor Hlohowskyj's yard, 530 Sherman St, Downers Grove.

We can chat about how our gardens grew this year, exchange ideas for next year and just enjoy each other's company. If you have some garden produce or flowers you'd like to show off, bring them in a basket for display.

If you want to bring a snack to share, we ask that it be small bites or finger food or individually packaged. Then we don't have to deal with utensils. You can make it sweet or savory. (Bringing food is totally optional.)

The club will provide beverages, napkins and plates. Please bring your own portable chair, and of course, your mask.

If you are attending, please RSVP to Cathy Hlohowskyj at ihorcathy@sbcglobal.net or 630-241-3447. And let her know if you will bring a snack. See you there!

First United Methodist Church Garden Walk is Online This Year

Visit www.dgfumc.org/gardenwalk for more information.