Jeanne Nolan Program Presented by Go Green Kenilworth and Go Green Wilmette

On November 12 at 7:00 pm the audience that filled the Wilmette Library Auditorium enthusiastically greeted Jeanne Nolan, author of  “From the Ground Up: A Food Grower's Education in Life, Love and the Movement That's Changing the Nation, by From the Ground Up: A Food Grower's Education in Life, Love and the Movement That's Changing the Nation”.  This is an engaging blend of how-to, manifesto and memoir. Nolan shows us that it has never been easier to grow the vegetables we eat.  Jeanne is a local treasure and very well known to individuals interested in organic gardening, local food and more.

Liz Rogatz from “The Book Stall” in Winnetka had copies of the book for sale and Jeanne read from her book, answered questioned and signed copies of the book purchased by most of the audience. This book would be a great gift for many this holiday season.  More Information can be found at: http://www.theorganicgardener.net/book.html

Many know of Jeanne Nolan because she is the founder of The Organic Gardener Ltd and creator of The Edible Gardens in Lincoln Park Zoo. From the Ground Up chronicles Nolan's journey as she returned seventeen years later, disillusioned with communal life, back to her parents' suburban home on the North Shore, as a single mother with few marketable skills. Her mother suggested she plant a vegetable garden in their yard, and it grew so abundant that she established a small business planting organic gardens in suburban yards. She was then asked to create an organic farm for children at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, and she soon began installing gardens around the city—on a restaurant's rooftop, in school yards, for non-profit organizations. Not only did she realize that practically anyone anywhere could grow vegetables on a small scale, but she learned a greater lesson as well: that rather than turning her back on mainstream society, she could make a difference in the world. The answer she was searching for was no further than her own backyard.

It was clear at this gathering that Jeanne has talents beyond gardening that extend to writing, story telling and more.  The audience was completely absorbed as Jeanne read from her book.   Jeanne’s story is inspiring for everyone who’s ever dreamed of growing the food they eat. When Jeanne Nolan left Chicago in 1987 as a teenager to join a communal farm in search of a less materialistic, more authentic existence, she had no idea that her decades-long journey would lead her to the heart of a movement that is changing our nation's relationship to food. Now a leader in the sustainable food movement, Nolan shares her story in From the Ground Up, helping us understand the benefits of organic gardening—for the environment, our health, our wallets, our families, and our communities—and offering practical tips to help us start growing our own organic food. The great news, as Nolan shows us, is that it has never been easier to grow the vegetables we eat, whether on our rooftops, in our back yards, in our school yards, or on our fire escapes.

The next Wilmette Library, Go Green Wilmette event is a TED Talk on November 20th at 1:00 pm.   For information on other Go Green Wilmette events, go to:

www.gogreenwilmette.org