Contact: Ramon Gonzalez FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-Saturday, January 1, 2011 Mobile: 312.970.9642 Email: ramon@oneseedchicago.com MAKE A RESOLUTION TO “GROW TOGETHER” WITH ONE SEED CHICAGO. NeighborSpace's One Seed Chicago project lets Chicago gardeners vote on their favorite vegetable seed then distributes the winning seed for free to encourage urban farming, healthy eating habits and sitting down for meals with family and friends. CHICAGO-Gardeners across Chicago will begin voting for their favorite vegetable seed for One Seed Chicago and the winning seed will be mailed to them for free. “For the fourth year One Seed Chicago is uniting Chicago gardeners,” said Ben Helphand, NeighborSpace Executive Director. “By planting a common seed, backyards, windowsills, community gardens and balconies across the City will be linked together in a season-long celebration of urban gardening and local eating.” In partnership with GreenNet, Chicago's community greening coalition, One Seed Chicago selected the three vegetable seeds Chicagoans choose among. Chicago celebrity chefs will provide recipe ideas for each of the three vegetables and voters are encouraged to share their own. "Growing your own food in the city is an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Sharing the 'fruits of your labor' with friends, family or even a stranger and seeing their happiness is one of the greatest rewards of gardening,” says Chef Art Jackson. “There's no limit to how much we can grow and how much we can share, literally and figuratively. It all starts with one tiny seed." This year One Seed Chicago is proud to partner with Nature's Crossroads Earth-Friendly Seeds from Bloomington, Indiana. Learn more about their organic and Midwest-adapted seeds at www.naturescrossroads.com. Voting Voting begins on Saturday, January 1, 2011 and continues until April 1, 2011. The winning seed will be unveiled at GreenNet’s annual Green and Growing Fair, April 30th from 10-2 at the Garfield Park Conservatory. To vote simply log onto www.OneSeedChicago.com. This year one lucky voter will win a battery-powered garden trimmer donated by Troy-Bilt. Voting is open to Chicagoland residents. Origins of One Seed Chicago One Seed Chicago is a project of NeighborSpace, Chicago’s land trust for community gardens. Entering its fourth year One Seed Chicago aims to introduce more Chicagoans to the joys and benefits of gardening. Previous winners: Sunflower 2008. Blue Lake Pole bean 2009. Beebalm 2010. Since 2008 One Seed Chicago has distributed over one million seeds to Chicago residents. 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 |