Chicago’s thriving urban farming community took center stage at the inaugural “City Roots” Urban Farming Expo, a day-long event held at the iconic Chicago Cultural Center. The expo celebrated the growing trend of urban farming, which has become a viable and sustainable way to bring fresh, locally grown food into city neighborhoods. With rising food costs and concerns about sustainability, urban farming has become a key part of Chicago’s effort to combat food insecurity and build a more sustainable future.
The event featured workshops, panel discussions, and a marketplace where local farmers showcased everything from heirloom vegetables to fresh honey produced right in the heart of the city. Speakers included local urban farming advocates such as Michael Green, founder of the Chicago Urban Farming Initiative (CUFI), who has been instrumental in establishing urban farms throughout the city. “Urban farming isn’t just about growing food—it’s about growing community,” Green said during his keynote speech. “These farms are building resilience in neighborhoods, offering fresh food, and providing jobs where they’re most needed.”
One of the standout initiatives at the expo was the “Green Thumbs for All” program, which offers workshops on how to start small-scale urban farms on residential balconies, rooftops, and vacant lots. Led by local farm-to-table chef Lisa Thompson, the program aims to equip individuals with the tools and knowledge to grow their own food sustainably. “It’s incredible how much can be grown in small spaces with the right techniques,” Thompson explained. “Urban farming is not just for large plots of land; it can happen anywhere—whether it’s a small garden or a rooftop farm.”
Chicago has seen a rise in urban agriculture in recent years, with projects like “The Urban Growers Collective” turning vacant lots into productive, green spaces that produce fresh vegetables for local communities. These projects are not just about feeding the community; they’re also about providing educational opportunities, employment, and a sense of pride. Many of the farms sell their produce directly to local restaurants, creating a farm-to-table ecosystem that benefits both the farmers and the businesses.
The expo also featured discussions on the environmental benefits of urban farming, particularly its role in reducing the city’s carbon footprint by sourcing food locally. Experts like Dr. Samir Patel, a sustainable agriculture professor at the University of Chicago, spoke about the ecological benefits of growing food within city limits. “By supporting local farms, we reduce transportation emissions, improve food security, and enhance the biodiversity of our urban spaces,” Patel explained.
In addition to the more traditional farming techniques, the expo explored cutting-edge technologies like vertical farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics, which allow for efficient food production in urban settings with limited space and resources. Startups like GreenTech Farms, which specializes in vertical farming, demonstrated how these technologies could reshape urban agriculture in the future.
As the event came to a close, the message was clear: urban farming is not just a trend, but a movement that is here to stay. Chicago’s commitment to expanding urban agriculture could serve as a model for other cities across the country looking to build more sustainable, self-sufficient communities. For the residents of Chicago, the “City Roots” Expo marked the beginning of a new chapter in the city’s relationship with its food systems and the communities they nourish.
