Backyard Chickens: Suburban Homesteading Adult Workshop Series

You don’t need to own multiple acres outside of town in order to dabble in the heart of homesteading.  You can explore “handmade and homegrown” right here in the suburbs.  We invite you to join Prairie Crossing Learning Farm staff as we share with you some of our favorite homesteading topics during our suburban homesteading workshop series! 

Do you like the idea of having fresh eggs available to you on a daily basis? Are you looking to add some animals to your yard that will also provide you with food, fertilizer, and pest control? Are you wondering what it takes to keep a few backyard chickens? If so, then this workshop is for you!

Backyard chickens are become increasingly popular in both urban and suburban areas! We will discuss the basics of backyard chicken keeping - including chicken breeds and behavior, where and how to obtain your hens (or chicks!), how to feed and house your backyard flock, local ordinances, and other things to consider before you get your own hens.

As part of the workshop, we will also tour the Learning Farm chicken flocks in their different locations on our farm, discuss the similarities and differences between the flocks and how they are being housed, and tie those observations back to best practices for backyard chickens.

Participants do not need to bring anything to the workshop, and will bring home a resource handout on keeping backyard chickens and a sample half-dozen of our very fresh, pastured-poultry eggs! The registration fee is $30 per person.

Instructor:  Sharon Gaughan, PCLF Education Program Director

If this workshop is filled and you'd like to be added to the wait list, please email sgaughan@prairiecrossing.com. Register early to save your spot!

These Saturday morning workshops are for adult participants. All workshops will begin in the Yellow Farmhouse at the Prairie Crossing Farm, located at 32400 N. Harris Road in Grayslake. Enter Prairie Crossing via Route 45 at Jones Point Road and follow the signs to the Farm. Free parking is available in the small parking lot just past the Yellow Farm House.

Starting in January, we will offer workshops covering additional Suburban Homesteading topics.  We welcome suggestions and requests, and will try to accommodate those in our ongoing series of homesteading workshops.  For inquiries and suggestions contact Sharon Gaughan, Prairie Crossing Learning Farm Education Program Director, at sgaughan@prairiecrossing.com or 847-548-4062 x12.

Workshop Policies 

Payment. Payment must be received in full for each workshop you have registered for within 1 week of your enrollment date, or the date of the workshop – whichever comes first. Registrations without corresponding payment within 1 week are subject to cancellation. Payment is available online via PayPal, or you may mail a check made payable to the Liberty Prairie Foundation to 32400 N. Harris Road, Grayslake IL 60030 (Attention: Sharon Gaughan).

Cancellation.  Cancellation 5 days prior to the workshop is refunded at 90%, less the PayPal transaction fees if payment was made through PayPal. Cancellations less than 4 days prior to the workshop are non-refundable. Refunds are not given for missed workshops. The Prairie Crossing Learning Farm reserves the right to cancel workshops due to low enrollment; these cancellations will be fully refunded.