GARDEN OF DISCOVERY

WHEN LAURA CALVERT stepped into the executive director role at Elawa Farm three years ago, her charge was clear—strengthen its connection to its neighbors.

But just as Calvert’s plans were beginning to unfold, the global pandemic brought all of Elawa Farms’ initiatives to a halt. That was, until Elawa Farm was deemed an essential entity.

“The need for access to healthy food was in such high demand and we were in a position where we could help in a significant way,” Calvert says. “And here we are in 2023, still delivering on our promise to broaden access to nutritious food and our local food system.”

Elawa Farm is back to its robust levels of programming with the intention of exposing the wider community to its value and purpose. Elawa Farm is a public-private partnership dedicated to the preservation and stewardship of a unique combination of natural setting, designed landscapes, and buildings of architectural and historic significance.

“Once we were on the farm again and could see it in use day in and day out, we saw first-hand the population we were missing,” Calvert explains. “Although our grounds are open to everybody, we saw the difficulty that some of our visitors had in exploring our property.”

So last fall, Elawa Farm broke ground on what is known as the Discovery Garden. Lots of inspiration for the Discovery Garden was drawn from the Chicago Botanic Garden that is home to the Enabling Garden.

“We knew that we needed something similar to the Enabling Garden at Elawa if we were going to be a true community organization,” Calvert says. As a first step, a central pathway constructed from ADA-compliant crushed granite was made down the farm’s alley.

“Folks in limited mobility devices can now access the farm,” Calvert says, “as can parents with strollers. This pathway really invites you out and leads you to the Discovery Garden.”

The Discovery Garden, itself, has been thoughtfully designed with paths wide-enough for limited mobility devices to pass, and raised garden beds built at a level that can be accessed from a seated position. Additionally, a pergola has been constructed to create a shaded space for what will soon be used as an outdoor classroom.

“For the first time at Elawa Farm, by introducing the Discovery Garden, we have a dedicated outdoor classroom,” Calvert explains. “We have wanted to have an educational space for workshops, camps, volunteer days, and engagement days. From the get-go, we wanted to ensure that it was accessible to all people of all ages. To our knowledge, we are the only accessible garden in Lake County that’s free to enjoy.”

Jesus Cuezzi, Elawa Farm’s programs manager, is leading all of its educational opportunities on- and off-site. Recently, Cuezzi— leveraging years of experience in building community programming— created a partnership with the Center of Enriched Living (CEL) in Riverwoods.

“We hear too often that we are a hidden gem,” Cuezzi says. “This is what we’re trying to change. It’s very meaningful to be able to talk about the adaptive programming we provide and get immediate feedback from a partner like CEL. This is just the beginning of engaging our community in the idea that this is a place for everybody.”

Lake Forest’s Michelle Hirschfield is one of the Discovery Garden’s biggest advocates. “I met Laura when I was asked to serve on a marketing committee for the City of Lake Forest,” Hirschfield explains. “As we were getting to know each other, I shared that I have a son with autism, and I told her how much he loves playing in the dirt. Very true to our experience of living in Lake Forest with our son Will, where our friends, Will’s schools, and local businesses have been so inclusive of him—Laura immediately began suggesting ways he could become involved at Elawa.”

Calvert adds that in addition to the Discovery Garden, this is an interesting time for Elawa Farm, with the bittersweet closing of the Wildlife Discovery Center when its director, Rob Carmichael, retired earlier this year. Elawa is currently working with the City of Lake Forest to determine the best use for this space, including the possibility of hosting additional farm animals in a way that honors what Carmichael had built. Accessibility will be a core tenant regardless of what form this takes.

“I’m often quoted saying that one of the best ways to recognize the humanity in someone is to share a meal, share a green space, share the outdoors,” Cuezzi says. “This is what drives me to come to work every day at Elawa and try to accomplish something profound with our programs.”

To learn more, visit elawafarm.org.