EcoHeroes: Darius Jones of Urban Aggies

EcoHeroes: Darius Jones of Urban Aggies
EcoHeroes: Darius Jones of Urban Aggies

EcoHeroes: Darius Jones of Urban Aggies

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For our EcoHeroes segment, we’ll talk with with Darius Jones. He rarely liked eating vegetables before the age of 18. It wasn’t until he began growing vegetables that developed a passion for them. During a brief five-month stay at the Vocational Rehabilitation Impact Center, (VRIC) Jones worked with the Chicago Botanic Garden as a grower at the one-acre garden located at the facility. Once released, he worked for 6 months in the Gardens’ Windy City Harvest Transitional Jobs program as a crew member to develop a small scale composting operation. Jones is the coordinator of the McCormick Roof Top garden, a project of the Chicago Botanic Gardens’ Windy City Harvest program. He is also the founder and owner of Urban Aggies, and has been selected as one of the first three urban farmers in the Chicago area to participate in the USDA’s farmers and ranchers program. Photo: Courtesy of Darius Jones