Past Events › Monthly Meeting

The brain requires certain nutrients to stay healthy. The foods we eat can have a big impact on the structure and health of our brains. Eating a brain-boosting diet may support both short-term and long-term brain function. The microbiome of your soil matters to your Microbiome. “From the garden to the table, from the classroom to the community.” Our presenter, Veronica Porter, was born and raised in Naperville when it was still considered a small farm town. She caught the…

Our presenter, David Brooks, is a professional naturalist who has given presentations on Illinois natural history and green landscaping to groups of all ages throughout the Chicago area since 1990. More and more people are discovering the beauty and environmental benefits of using native plants in home landscaping. This presentation will review the benefits of using natives and introduce you to a wide range of beautiful plants suitable for home gardens as well as how to incorporate them into your…

Our guest speaker, Bill Karges, will discuss “Putting Your Garden to Bed”.  Bill will bring expertise, insights, and recommendations on gardens, lawns, and plants. He will give us advice and great tips for getting our flower and vegetable gardens ready for the coming months.  Bill has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Botany from the University of Iowa with a minor in speech. He was Manager, Chief Botanist and all-around dispenser of relevant horticultural advice at the Pioneer Garden Shop…

Our speaker will be Marcy Lautenan-Raleig. Much has been touted recently about the benefits of a good cup of herbal or green tea. This lecture discusses the difference between black tea and herb tea as well as what herbs make good tea, how to formulate your own teas and the various medicinal properties discovered throughout time of various native plants with pictures to help with identification. If hot water is available, we can create our own blends to sample at…

Mike Nowak will be our presenter. A lot of us are pretty unhappy about the direction in which our planet’s environment is headed. Unfortunately, many people also think there’s nothing we can do about it. That’s not exactly true. The decisions we make in our yards—especially if done en masse—can make a huge difference in saving plant and animal species and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Mike will walk us through the basics—native plants (especially oaks), harvesting rainwater, reducing lawn area,…