Dr. Z has recently released two new music videos on his YouTube channel. He wrote both songs, played all instruments and produced the videos. Click here to view- https://www.youtube.com/@johnzahina-ramos8913
Coming in 2024- “Just One Backyard”
A full-length documentary film based on Dr. Z’s award-winning book of the same name. Details to be released soon.
Dr. Z Releases new song and video
Dr. Z has released a new song and music video entitled “I Know A Place”, which he wrote in 1978 at the age of 17. Click on this link to view and please subscribe to be updated when new music…
Dr. Z completes 11th year of long-term study of the benefits of urban food gardens
With the arrival of winter weather in northern Illinois, Dr. Z completed data collection for the 2022 growing season- the 11th season of data collection for his study that measures the sustainability benefits of urban food growing. This year, he…
January 2022 Blog
Hello to you! It’s been a whirlwind of activity here. Weather-wise, this part of the country remains in a drought condition. Besides having a rainfall deficit over the spring-summer-fall seasons, we did not have our first measurable snowfall until after…
Dr. Z Joins Advisory Board for the M.A.P. New York City Project
New York City has ~1,500 farms and gardens growing food… In 2021, NYC released its Food Forward NYC plan. Central to this plan is urban agriculture. Urban Agriculture provides socio-economic benefits to communities, improving access to fresh local food while offering educational…
Dr. Z Accepts the Position of Chair of the Horticulture Dept. at the College of Lake County
Beginning the Fall 2021 semester, Dr. Z has been installed as the Chair of the Horticulture Department at the College of Lake County, Illinois. The College of Lake County is in the Chicago suburbs and serves a diverse and vibrant…
June 2021 Blog
My, my has time gone by! I taught a heavy load of classes from August to May and am now settling into a relatively gentle summer schedule. I did the best I could to get the garden planted sooner rather…
October 2020 Blog
What a growing season it has been here in Northern Illinois! We had a late hard freeze (temperatures in the 20s) in early May as well as snow on Mother’s Day (mid-May). Combined, these events killed the buds off of…
Sept. 30, 2020. Dr. Z Guest Panelist- Common Ground
On September 30, 2020, Dr. Letitia Grenier facilitated a panel conversation among artists, farmers, policy leaders, scientists, and storytellers, including Mary Berry, Alex Hurt, Terry Mock, Paul Muller, and Dr. John Zahina-Ramos. The event is the first of several planned…