New docuseries shines light on urban and rural farmers in Illinois

Highlights similarities between rural and urban farmers and brings awareness to the similarities all farmers have

By Phyllis Coulter
FarmWeek
Mar 18, 2024

Excerpt:

A new docuseries takes viewers on visits with rural and urban farmers where they live and work and reveals stories of their challenges and opportunities, not often told.

The three-part series, produced by Illinois Farm Bureau, highlights what rural and urban farmers have in common as well as showcasing diversity across the state, with the help of university staff and other experts.

The new series, “Fields Apart: Rooted Together,” features a group of farmers telling their stories from their fields, farms and greenhouses. It focuses on topics including farming in urban areas such as Chicago, agritourism opportunities, how farmers can provide for their communities and fight food insecurity and how Illinois universities are providing diverse agriculture education. It also provides insight into how family farmers tackle the many challenges of crop and livestock production despite weather and uncertain prices.

In the first of the series, viewers meet Sadie Asher, a young Christmas tree grower in Henry County, who never imagined she would be farming considering the costs and challenges of getting into conventional row-crop agriculture. Viewers also see the grit and time it takes to start an urban farm through the eyes of Natasha Nicholes, the founder of We Sow We Grow urban farm in Chicago.

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