Contact: Ramon Gonzalez FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-Friday, January 1, 2010 Mobile: 312.970.9642 Email: ramon@oneseedchicago.com COMMUNITY GARDENERS RESTORE THE PRARIE, ONE SEED AT A TIME. NeighborSpace's One Seed Chicago project lets Chicago gardeners vote on their favorite seed then distributes the winning seed for free in an effort to help Chicago "Grow Together" in 2010. CHICAGO-This month gardeners across Chicago will begin voting for their favorite prairie seed for One Seed Chicago and the winning seed will be sent to them through the mail. “For the third year One Seed Chicago is uniting Chicagoans,” said Ben Helphand, NeighborSpace Executive Director. “By planting a common seed, backyards, windowsills, community gardens and balconies across thie City will be linked together in a season-long celebration of urban greening.” In partnership with GreenNet, Chicago's community greening coalition, One Seed Chicago selected the three candidates Chicagoans will choose from. This year the winning seed will be from a plant that was once commonly found in the prairies around Chicago, but that is now rare in the wild outside of prairie restoration projects and cultivated gardens. Once established this native plant will require little water, is less prone to diseases and attracts beneficial insects and birds to a garden. "Native plants attract native birds and insects and help to increase biodiversity in your garden," said Colleen Lockovitch, Director and Horticulturalist at the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park. "Our native plant friends are more adapted to their local surroundings and can handle the Chicago area's fluctuations in climate and weather." Vote from Jan 1 until April 1st. The winning seed will be announced at the annual Green and Growing Fair, April 24, 2010 at the Garfield Park Conservatory. For more information or to vote visit www.oneseedchicago.com Origins of One Seed Chicago One Seed Chicago is a project of NeighborSpace, Chicago’s land trust for community gardens. Entering its third year One Seed Chicago aims to build upon the success of the previous years and get even more gardeners involved. In 2009 One Seed Chicago distributed 100,000 Blue Lake Pole green bean seeds thanks to a generous donation from the Ball Horticultural Company. “The Year of the Bean,” as 2009 was called, was popular because it dovetailed with Chicagoans who rediscovered growing their own food in a recession. About NeighborSpace NeighborSpace is a nonprofit urban land trust dedicated to preserving and sustaining community managed open spaces in Chicago. Their growing network of gardens provide thousands of people the opportunity to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers; to restore habitats; and create unique gathering places in their own neighborhoods.NeighborSpace’s partners in the community can rest assured that the land will remain dedicated to conservation and their efforts will never be displaced. For more information, please visit www.neighbor-space.org . ### If you would like more information about One Seed Chicago or to schedule an interview with Ben Helphand, please call Ramon Gonzalez at 312.970.9642 or Email Ramon at ramon@oneseedchicago.com. You can find more graphics for web use at: http://info.oneseedchicago.com/ |