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Planting Dreams, the agricultural arm of God's Gang, is a direct food supplier through urban farming, and training, serving ethnically diverse, low-income residents primarily in Chicago's Southside communities. 
God's Gang's efforts to increase the number of internships it offers through its food pantry and urban farming program will help more young people develop the work history they need to enhance their future employment prospects. The, youth-run, worm business create jobs for neighborhood youth and give them hands-on entrepreneurial experience.
The Planting Dreams Urban Farming Program enables God's Gang to teach community residents heritage (organic) farming techniques. Satellite locations outside of the inner city provide a rural link for youth, last experienced by the baby boomer generation whose summer  trips to southern farming communities epitomized, self sufficiency, connection of past generations. These activities promote self-sufficiency and self-reliance while also developing a safety net to meet the food security needs.
We have established satellite farms in Union Pier, Michigan and Dawson, Illinois for the purpose of training, food production and expansion as additional farmers are trained. Food from these facilities will be distributed to member families participating in the program, market basket members, patrons of farmer markets and finally, organization sponsored food pantries operated by Mother's Cupboard in conjunction with area churches.
Planting Dreams continues to develop and support member grown efforts to grow food in their backyards and on vacant neighborhood lots, providing supplementary sources of food supply
| Karaal Farms, Dawson IL
Planting Dreams provides a summer cultural experience for youth in livestock training with the assistance of Heifer Project International. This initiative will serve as a catalyst for new ideas and relationships among culturally diverse urban youths and demonstrate that social change can be achieved through sustainable urban agriculture.
Hidden Haven Farm is seventy miles from Chicago. Participants will be provided with technical support, marketing and business planning assistance, farm equipment and fertilizer from its composting initiative. As participants establish their enterprises, Planting Dreams will make available more land to increase production and profits, bringing in new trainees, creating a financially sustainable urban agriculture system. The planned, 4 season, greenhouse will be at Hidden Haven.
Nankeen Heirloom Cotton
Planted at the Roseland site and the Dawson IL satellite.
Pre-1860 heirloom. Seed and history generously supplied by John House III of the Mansfield State Commemorative Area, Mansfield, LA. Nankeen is a short fiber, naturally brown cotton that has been grown since the Civil War. The lint is a non-fading attractive dark copper color that actually becomes brighter as it is washed. The seed retains the lint, making it easy to spin off the seed. Branches of the plant are longer and thinner and leaves more finely divided than other cotton. Unlike modern hybrids, its blooming cycle is longer, it grows well in poor dry soil, is hardier than modern breeds, and appears to have slightly better insect resistance. 'Nankeen' is planted as an ornamental in some parts of Louisiana. This variety also makes a fine addition to flower arrangements. The white and pink-red blooms start in mid-summer.
| Heirloom Farming An heirloom vegetable is commonly defined as an open-pollinated variety that is more than 50 years old. Heirloom varieties are grown as a way to diversify crop gene pools.
Using historical planting techniques, God's Gang Planting Dreams students share ecology information, how to grow and harvest food, man's stewardship of the earth and its animals, and basic gardening and landscaping maintenance skills. There is also be training in the area of harvesting.
Examples of heirloom farming and culturally influenced areas that we have created in the past.
All selected plants were chosen for their historical significance.
African
The Grasses, Yams and Okra. Arican slaves introduced grain and sweet sorghum, melons, okra, and peanuts
Hispanic Mandala system of permaculture.
Chile peppers, Beans, tomatilos,
Native American
Will feature the traditional Three Sisters: inter-planted beans and squash with corn, using the strength of the sturdy corn stalks to support the beans and the shade of the spreading squash vines to trap moisture for the growing crop.
Southern Comfort Zone
Kale, Peanuts, Green Grapes, Bell Peppers, Pole Beans
Weaver's Garden
Flax, Cotton, Milkweed and natural dyeing pla
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