The Garden
From May 1st through Thanksgiving the garden is in operation with volunteers working Tuesdays thru Saturdays. The garden can be visited year round, however, to stroll and enjoy, to photograph or to paint and to view the wildlife that inhabits the area. We invite you to take a seat on the topmost tier to view the expanse of the Middlefork Savanna and the adjoining Open Lands preserve. We trust that visitors will stay on the paths and refrain from picking produce unless given permission to do so.
Father and son enjoy a stroll
Garden artist at work
Mother, daughter and niece planting pumpkin seeds
Garden Market
The former Wagon Shed has become the home of our Open-air Garden Market and opened July 25, 2008. As we have not yet fully developed the vegetable acre, we plan to sell what we grow and will supplement our pickings with other locally grown produce from gardens and the nearby Didier farm. If you have a bumper crop, give us a call!
The Market is open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10-4
OTHERWISE
Our flowers are sold at Amidei Mercatino and our heirloom tomatoes can be found at the Southgate Cafe in Lake Forest during the season.
Visiting Groups
we are visited by garden clubs, church groups, school groups, Girl and Boy Scout troops and so forth. We are happy to give a presentation of the garden's history with documentation of the restoration to date; take a tour of the garden and discuss the organic methods we use.
Please call us with preliminary plans; scheduling can be done with the City of Lake Forest, 847-234-2600.
Boy Scouts discover radishes, 2006
Lake Forest Place residents visit July, 2005
Also at Elawa Farm
Wildlife Discovery Center
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm is a public exhibit of reptiles, amphibians, and raptors. This free exhibit (donations are welcome) features the nation's largest public display of rattlesnakes as well as Illinois native species, crocodilians, snakes, lizards, turtles,, amphibians and four birds of prey. The WDC exhibits and conservation educational programs have received international attention; an Animal Planet producer has dubbed it "the finest exhibit of its type that I have seen in the country."
For more information contact Rob Carmichael, Curator, at 847-615-4388, e-mail carmichr@cityoflakeforest.com or log onto www.cityoflakeforest.com
Elawa Farm neighbors
Lake Forest Open Lands
The sixty acre Middlefork Farm Nature Preserve adjacent to Elawa Farm is owned by the Lake Forest Open Lands Association. It includes prairie, two large oak savannas and two wetlands with paths winding throughout. It is open to the public year round unless maintainance procedures (such as burning) prohibit visitation.
The Middlefork Savanna
The Middlefork Savanna, also adjacent to the Elawa Farm, is owned by the lake County Forest Preserve District. It is 576 acres of oak savanna and woodlands, wet and mesic prairies, sedge meadows and marshes. Over twenty five acres of the preserve are considered the highest quality tallgrass savanna of its kind in the nation. The beautiful 4.5 mile path winding through the preserve is enjoyed by walkers, runners, bikers, cross country skiers and bird watchers. It is open to the public year round and is a haven to wildlife that must be respected.
847-234-1966 phone fax 847-234-9212