"An inspirational glimpse into one vibrant area of the local food movement."

-- Kirkus Reviews

Locally Grown is the story of the modern heartland farm. It explores how sustainable practices—and close ties to high-profile chefs and restaurateurs—have propelled the "locally grown" culinary movement into a central feature of life in major cities like Chicago. Anna Blessing lays out the rich stories of 20 Midwestern farms told through beautiful photography, fascinating anecdotes from farmers and chefs, and up-close looks at what makes each farm so unique.

Each chapter profiles a different farm, outlining its locale, scale, production, and inner workings while also revealing the unique background of each farmer. Blessing shows the behind-the-scenes practices that have made locally grown food an increasingly important part of America's food culture, especially in metropolitan areas like Chicago. The book also provides insights on how esteemed chefs like Rick Bayless, Paul Kahan, and Sarah Stegner, among others, scour farmers' markets for natural ingredients and develop personal business relationships with these farmers to supply their restaurants with the best and most sustainable foods.

Locally Grown shows how both longstanding and newly founded farms, along with urban farms and metropolitan nonprofit organizations like Growing Power and City Provisions, are boosting the sustainable food movement from the ground up.