Sweet Water Foundation stands in solidarity with those actively seeking justice nationwide. Amidst the uprisings in our cities and the continued COVID-19 pandemic, the SWF team + family is more focused than ever on cultivating The Commonwealth. Since 2014, we have reclaimed land on Chicago's South Side and cultivated safe and peaceful spaces for its residents. This work continues and is more essential than ever before. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that our community not only has access to healthy food, but also the resources to grow their own.
Each Friday from 12-2 pm, SWF hosts a pay-what-you-can, Social Distance Market to distribute seedlings to the community and, in the coming weeks, will begin to share produce. Check out our events page for more details.
The SWF team is more determined than ever to sustain life at The Commonwealth and beyond. There GROWS the neighborhood.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Feature Story - Essential Education | Seeding the Future with a New Common Core
Just like our economy, our educational institutions are not programmed to value and sustain life. As we work to build an Essential Economy, we must also reconstruct education and expand its purpose beyond the Common Core and other dated standards. This commitment must be the foundation for a new common core, an Essential Core, with curricula focused on that which is essential to sustaining life taught via hands-on engagement with the real world.Read more.
PEOPLE
Humans of Sweet Water
Humans of Sweet Water...
Meet Tra'Vonne Wright....Trae first started working at Sweet Water Foundation during the Fall of 2019 as a Sweet Water Academy Urban Ecology Apprentice. He has worked with SWF Mentors to rehab the [Re]Construction House attic, built trellises in the hoop houses, and become an essential member of the SWF team and family.
Have you ever looked at your potatoes or onions and realized they are sprouting? Do you cut off the sprouting part and throw it away? Especially during a time of uncertainty, it is essential to understand how to grow your own food using what you may already have!
Potatoes are a great example of a crop that regenerates easily. Through a process called "chitting," you can grow your own potatoes in a few easy steps:
Locate the "eyes" and sprouts on the potato. Cut the potatoes wherever you see an "eye" or sprout. Sometimes, there are multiple eyes or sprouts on each potato - each of these will become a potato plant! The rest of the potato can be cooked.
Dry out the eye/sprout for a few days. Place the pieces you cut inside an egg carton or cardboard box with the eye/sprout side up and allow it to dry out.
Plant dried out potatoes. After the eyes/sprouts have dried out, plant them 6-8 inches deep and 12-15 inches apart. You can plant them in the ground, garden bed, or in a deep container.
Water your plant and wait for it to grow. Make sure to water your potato plant daily and give it plenty of sun. You will start to see green leafy plants (not edible) grow above the ground.
Harvest potatoes and enjoy! Harvest your potatoes after the plant has flowered. Dig underground and you'll find dozens of potatoes.
This Week's Seedlings:Basil, lettuce, sunflowers, mint, collard greens, turnips, chard, and kale.
Social Distancing Requirements:
1.A mask is required for all pickups.
2. All guests will be asked to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet away from others.
3. Please pick up your seedlings as quickly as possible.
Donation Information:
SWF operates a "pay what you can" marketplace. While payment is not required, there is a suggested donation of $1.00 per seedling. Preferred donation methods are:
1. Via credit card online at: https://www.sweetwaterfoundation.com/donate 2. Cash will be accepted, however, for health and safety measures, change will not be available.
The SWF team continues learning about different ways to regenerate crops, start seeds, and grow crops with "scraps". SWF has an abundance of basil - a crop that regenerates quickly and easily! It can easily be propagated from a cutting of the plant and grows well during the summer. Check out this post from17 Aparton propagating basil.
After harvesting basil leaves from the plant, they double in size in 3 - 4 days and are ready to be harvested again! Basil adds a fresh and delicious flavor to any meal. This month, we invite you to enjoy the flavor of basil with this recipe forEverything Basil Pizzaby Sonja and Alex froma couple cooks.
It’s not too late to apply for Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Funding! The deadline to apply is June 30th. Please reach out to Jocelyn Velazquez at jvelazquez@iff.org if you have an interest in applying through IFF or have questions about the program.
