Just a five minute walk from Oak Park High School lies a hidden gem, nestled in the junction of Kanan Road and Sunnycrest Drive, rife with possibility for those who have a green thumb: the Oak Park community garden.
The garden began as a simple dirt lot, but quickly became a colorful symbol of sustainability and community. Divided into several individual plots, the garden’s main goal was to “maintain an organic community garden that will provide education and beautification as well as supplying food for members of the Garden.”
Gardeners of the community are expected to act at a certain standard. They must “work in a cooperative manner” and “maintain the grounds at the garden,” the website explains.
“Most people come to the garden to have the satisfaction of getting their hands in the soil, growing beautiful flowers, fruits and vegetables,” President Bill Colangelo wrote to Talon. “Many members don’t have available yard space and use the community garden for farm-to-table fruit and vegetable growing experience.”
One such individual is longtime gardener and Oak Park resident Erin Ferioli.
“I grew up in a family of gardeners, but I didn’t have any real space,” Ferioli said. “That’s what drew me to this because I wanted to have a space where I could grow my own stuff, get the fresh air and be in the sun.”
Ferioli, who has three plots, utilizes the garden to grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs, often using them to create her own seasonings and teas. For many, the idea of growing all-organic food is incredibly enticing, as it cuts out the expensive middleman of grocery-store markups.
“A lot of people are very health conscious, but they’re also trying to save a little bit of money,” Ferioli said. “It ‘s cool because we have a lot of people who bring their kids here and so it’s kind of like raising their kids around natural and organic eating and learning to be a part of nature and sustainability.”
Despite the amazing opportunities it has fostered, the community didn’t gain much traction until COVID hit. It first started in 2003, and members were scarce, but the isolation and boredom that COVID inflicted across the globe prompted many to try new things. With a sack of dirt and some seeds in hand, new members began to fill the garden.
“People didn’t want to go to the grocery store, so they found us just by accident,” Ferioli said. “Our popularity over the past five years since COVID is just amazing. Now there’s a huge wait list, so people are waiting to come into our garden.”
Throughout the year, committed gardeners cycle their crops to increase their produce production. Garden manager Robert Kieling often has so much extra produce he’s able to give food to friends and family members.
“A lot of the food we grow we give away. It’s nice to provide them with the fresh vegetables,” Kieling said.
With the change of seasons comes a change in weather. It is crucial to know what produce to grow which months of the year so you can maximize your output. Kieling is an expert on this process.
“In January you start growing tomatoes or whatever your crop is going to be, and then in April those seeds are turned into six, seven or eight inch high seedlings. You put the seedlings in the ground on April 15th. Then you harvest all your produce in June, July, August, September,” Kieling said.
But the winter weather requires different vegetables, and different gardening techniques. “There’s a summer season and then there’s a winter season,” Keiling said.
“The 1st of October you then take out all of the summer crops and you put in the winter crops. Winter crops consist of cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, peas, and they grow all winter until January,” Keiling concluded.
Inexperienced and practiced gardeners alike maintain plots in the garden. For those new to cultivation, there is a welcoming community that is ready to help them.
“We have a really awesome community, with a lot of social groups. We have chat nights once a month, and once a month we have to volunteer, that’s part of our membership. It’s two hours per plot, so we have volunteer days once a month,” Ferioli said. “ We have some older people here, so we have a lot of younger people who will step up and help them build their plots and do what’s needed in order for everyone to be successful.”
For high school students looking to get involved, there’s countless community events in and around the garden. Open houses and parcel chat nights bring members together, and 2 hour mandatory volunteer days occur monthly, typically on the third Saturday of each month. Members gather to weed plants, spread compost and clean up the garden.
For those interested in obtaining a plot in the garden, there is a couple-months long waitlist to join and a one-time entrance fee alongside a minimal annual fee. Water is free and tools are provided for all gardeners to use. Still, the plots are bare upon receival, and it is up to the gardener to customize their space.
“A lot of the plots are kind of bare minimum and you have to put in the work to build a cage,” Ferioli said. “That’s kind of a necessity because there’s a lot of little animals that eat your stuff, and it’s a constant battle. So, you have to adjust what you grow to their palate or most people build these nice cages.”
Although it requires hard work and dedication, anyone willing to get their hands dirty and dig deep is welcome to apply for the community garden.
“We are always looking for new, interested gardeners, with or without experience, who are local residents and interested in being part of a gardening community,” said Colangelo.
