A symphony of rustling leaves greets you. Welcome to the Eggleston Park Food Forest. This isn’t your typical park. It’s a vibrant edible landscape. A testament to community effort and permaculture principles. Imagine a forest but instead of just trees you find fruit trees nut trees and berry bushes. There are also vegetables herbs and other edible plants.
The Eggleston Park Food Forest started its journey as the Eggleston Anniversary Orchard. This orchard was a collaboration. The Northwestern University Brady Scholars and the New Leaf Urban Garden worked together. They received support from Edible Evanston and the City of Evanston Parks Department. In 2013 nearly 50 fruit and nut trees were planted. Around 30 raspberry bushes were also added. This was Evanston’s first city park orchard.
The transformation to a food forest began in Fall 2016. Edible Evanston led the conversion. They received a grant from the Evanston Community Foundation. This funding helped turn the orchard into a permaculture food forest. The goal was to create a community resource with educational opportunities. The community was even involved in the design process.
Today the Eggleston Park Food Forest thrives. It’s a place where permaculture principles are in action. These principles mimic a natural forest’s balance. They promote biodiversity and sustainability. The forest isn’t just a pretty place. It’s a working farm. It provides food for the community. It also offers learning opportunities for everyone.
Edible Evanston regularly holds work and learn days. These days run from April to October. You can volunteer and learn about permaculture. There are educational presentations. Often there is shared food stories and even songs. The food forest regularly hosts a seed swap. This is a chance to share seeds and learn from fellow gardeners. The community comes together. They build this vibrant food forest. They learn together and share the bounty of the land.
The Eggleston Park Food Forest isn’t just a park. It’s a living classroom. A place of community connection and sustainable food production. It’s a place where the community comes together to grow. This little corner of Evanston shows the power of collaboration. It’s a testament to the beauty of a shared vision. Come experience the magic of the Eggleston Park Food Forest.