Resources
Welcome to our Resources Page where you will find information to support your transition to a suburban permaculture lifestyle, landscape and community.
Local Food
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA):
a system in which a farm operation is supported by shareholders within the community who share both the benefits and risks of food production. CSA's usually consist of vegetables, eggs, meat, and/or fruit.
CSA's we have personally used:
- Broad Branch Farm - Vegetables, Eggs, Beef, Pork, Chicken
- Earth First Farms - Apples
- Green Earth Institute - Vegetables
- Joe's Blues - Blueberries
Grocery Co-ops
- Sugar Beet Co-op, Oak Park
- Prairie Food Co-op, Lombard (in process)
- South Suburban Food Co-op, Park Forest
Eat Local DuPage Facebook page is a great place to join others in bulk purchases of local foods like maple syrup, beans, and popcorn.
Websites
Alliance for Community Trees
Advocates for public trees
Illinois Solar Energy Association
Education & Advocacy for solar & wind energy
Illinois Stewardship Alliance
Advocates for Local Food
Missouri Botanical Gardens
Database of plants & resources
Permaculture Lessons by Professor William Hooker, NC State University
Permaculture Principles
David Holmgren's site
Plants for a Future (UK)
Database of plants & resources
Resilience.org
News, research, and analysis on energy, economy, environment, food & water, and society
Savana Institute
Research & education for transitioning farms to silvo-pasture
Temperate Climate Permaculture
Blog, Plant Index, resources
Transition US or Transition Network
WeTheTrees
Crowdfunding for a Permaculture Design Course
Nurseries
We are in USDA Hardiness Zone 5a. Ideally you order plants that have been grown in your hardiness zone or a zone colder, but sourcing from responsible growers was more of a priority for us. This is a list of nurseries that we have personal experience with and recommend. Many of our trees & shrubs came from St. Lawrence Nursery in NY, but 2015 was their last year of business.
Fruit Trees & Fruiting Shrubs
- Empire Chestnut
Carrollton, OH - Zone 6a - Fedco Seeds
Waterville, ME - Zone 4b - Forest Agriculture Enterprises
Viola, WI - Zone 4b - Hidden Springs Nursery
Cookeville, TN - Zone 6 - Nolin River Nut Tree Nursery
Upton, KY - Zone 6b - Possibility Place
Monee, IL - Zone 5a
Mushrooms
Seeds
- Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
- Horizon Herbs now Strictly Medicinal Seeds
- Liberty Gardens Seed-Lending Library
- Lisle Library District Seed Library
- St. Charles Public Library Seed Library
- Seed Savers Exchange
Books
Creating a Forest Garden by Martin Crawford
Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway
Edible Forest Gardens Vol 1 & 2 by David Jacke and Erin Toensmeier
The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillps
Intro to Permaculture by Bill Mollison
Nature's Garden by Samuel Thayer
Permaculture: Principles & Pathways beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren
The Permaculture Handbook by Peter Bane
The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillps
The Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins
