Saturday South Chicago Farm Tour & Volunteer Hours
Come tour UGC's South Chicago Farm community educational tours!
Location
South Chicago Farm
9000 South Mackinaw Avenue Chicago, IL 60617Refund Policy
About this event
Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and aromas of our vibrant and abundant urban farm in South Chicago! Join us for a weekly immersive public tour and community volunteering session every Saturday at 1 pm. As you come along with us on our guided tour, you will get to stroll through the farm and discover how we optimize urban spaces to grow an abundance of fresh produce for our community.
***ARRIVAL & TOUR***
All volunteers must sign our Liability, Theft, and Photo release waiver at least once per season: LINK
Please plan to arrive ten minutes early to check-in at the Welcome Table visible from the entrance before heading onto the farm to join the tour. A UGC representative will greet you at the Welcome Table.
**VOLUNTEERING***
Afterward the tour we host an optional volunteering session at 1:30 pm. Learn hands-on about planting seeds, weeding, and transplanting seedlings to nurturing plants. There are plenty of tasks suited to different skill levels and physical abilities. Not only will you be actively contributing to our farm, but you’ll be making a meaningful impact on our local community.
***DONATIONS***
- We ask for a $10 donation per adult, and $5 for children.
- Neighbors (zip codes 60617, 60620) are welcome to join us donation-free!
- We also have a free RSVP for our regular volunteers, who have come at least twice already in the season.
- Regardless, cost should not be a barrier—if financial support is needed you can RSVP using the Free Neighbor RSVP.
- Last, if you are coming with a small group (10 or less) of corporate volunteers, we ask for a donation of $40 per volunteer.
Frequently asked questions
Public parking is available on both Mackinaw and E. 90th Street. Volunteers are always welcome to park near our gated entrance facing the south side of Schafer (Clara D.) Park.
Bring a snack, water, gardening gloves, sunscreen, sunglasses, and any other weather-dependent gear. UGC will provide all the gardening tools. If you have a medical condition such as asthma or anaphylaxis, please bring your inhaler or epi-pen and inform your group leader before beginning work.
Please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and that cover the majority of your skin (ex: pants and long-sleeved shirts) and closed-toe shoes (absolutely no sandals or flip flops). We also recommend that you bring an extra layer of clothing and rain gear in the event that weather changes.
Farming is hard, but fun, work! Depending on the season, you may be preparing beds, shifting compost, planting, harvesting, or cleaning up the land. We work rain or shine, so please come prepared for the weather. Expect your hands and clothes to be dirty by the end of the day :)