Just Roots Chicago

Our Growing Together Event Returns to Celebrate Chicago’s Local Food Movement and Raise $90,000 for Community Food Access!

We invite you to join us on Thursday, September 17th to enjoy a high quality dining experience while supporting the development of a more local, regenerative, and community-driven food system.

Check out how to get involved below!

PURCHASE A TABLE
Gather your friends, family, or colleagues and purchase a full table (10 seats) or a half table (5 seats). All table sponsors will be recognized in the program book at the event.

PURCHASE TICKETS
General admission tickets are $175 and include access to the full event and designated seating at a table. Don't miss your chance to purchase before we sell out!

DONATE
All donations are tax deductible and directly support our food access and education programs. You can donate now or at the event!

CLICK THE LINK TO GET INVOLVED NOW bit.ly/2026GrowingTogether

Thank you Chicago White Sox for the great night at the ballpark! While our team has been a big fan of the White Sox from the many years we’ve worked together…now everyone loves baseball, too!

We had a wonderful evening celebrating 5 years at It Takes a Village Community Farm! Thank you to Grace United Church of Christ and Senior Pastor Rev Melody Seaton for your generous partnership. We are grateful to be in community with you all, and look forward to what comes next!

If you're interested in a farm to table experience of your own, click the link to purchase tickets for our Annual Event on Thursday, September 17th! https://event.auctria.com/29cd4d96-8102-464c-aac1-9e8f37816dbc/a809178051b511ea91bae14d12592328

Our hoop houses serve a variety of purposes throughout the year. Right now, we are curing onions and garlic at our Saint James Community Farm. Curing is a drying process that helps make the crops shelf stable and last long after the outdoor growing season ends. As you may notice, we're also using shade cloth to keep the temperature more regulated for growing our fall seedlings, too!

IL Extension's Summer Urban Ag Field Day is coming up on Thursday, August 20th, 5:30 - 7:30 pm, at our Saint James Community Farm (2936 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, 60616)! The class covers Produce Safety in the City for new and seasoned farmers.

Here are more details for what to expect in the class:
- Explore practical strategies for reducing contamination risks—from harvest and washing to cooling, packing, and storage—using space‑efficient systems suited to urban farms.
- Extension educators and Northern IL Young Farmers will share best practices, demonstrate real‑world workflows, and discuss how to scale food safety plans to meet local market and regulatory needs.

All growers are welcome to join us for this free field day. Please register at go.illinois.edu/summerfielddays

We are excited to announce Ada S. McKinley Community Services as our Cultivating Community Awardee! Ada McKinley will be recognized at our Annual Growing Together Event on Thursday, September 17th.

Over the past 4 years, we have worked closely with Ada S. McKinley to develop fresh food access and community green spaces on the near south side of Chicago.

In 2023, we worked together to design and build a farm space at their site in the south loop neighborhood.

In 2024, we provided on-site management of the space and helped cultivate their first crops!

In 2025, we provided support for their new Farm Manager, including the development of outdoor growing practices, market channels and inventory, and access to resources including seedlings.

Now, in 2026, we're collaborating with Ada. S. McKinley on a second farm project!

If you haven't yet, select the link to purchase your tickets for our annual event now. The night will feature delicious dishes curated by talented chefs, a silent auction, community presentations, and more. bit.ly/2026GrowingTogether

We can't wait to celebrate local food and farming with you on September 17th!

A big shoutout to the Chicago Regions Tree Initiative with the and their work to increase Chicago’s native tree canopy! CRTI provides hundreds of saplings to community institutions and individuals at free giveaways throughout the year. If you attended either of the Just Roots Farm Kick-Off Events this year, you may have taken home a tree from them!

Recently, CRTI generously offered us a tree planting toolkit and we're now using it to care for our young orchard at It Takes a Village Community Farm! We expect fresh fruit in the coming seasons and can't wait to share the abundance with our community.

ONE MORE DAY to purchase your Early Bird Tickets! General admission tickets are offered at a discounted price until August. With general admission, you receive access to designated seating at a table.

We're excited to celebrate together at our annual Growing Together event on Thursday, September 17th! So many great chefs will be in attendance and will prepare delicious, farm-fresh dishes for you to enjoy. In addition to the amazing food, there will be live music, an open bar, a silent auction, and a special video presentation celebrating 5 years of our impact.

Purchase your tickets now at the link here or by clicking on the link in our bio.

https://event.auctria.com/29cd4d96-8102-464c-aac1-9e8f37816dbc/a809178051b511ea91bae14d12592328

Since 2022, we have partnered with La Rabida Children's Hospital for our Fresh Food Farmacy program. In an effort to use food as medicine, patients and their families receive fresh food boxes from our farms at no cost to them. We also work with Common Threads who hosts cooking demonstrations during the weekly farm stands. This is a great way for families to learn more ways to prepare fresh produce and feel more equipped to do it on their own!

Early Bird Tickets are only available for one more week! Make sure to purchase your tickets for our annual Growing Together event before July 31st. With an early bird ticket, you receive a discounted price AND a designated seat at a table. Click on the following link to secure your spot now! https://event.auctria.com/29cd4d96-8102-464c-aac1-9e8f37816dbc/aa6cd270-8751-11e9-a741-3fcfcb35cbb0

If you haven't heard, we are celebrating local food and farming at our annual fundraising event on Thursday, September 17th! The event will take place at the Chicago Illuminating Company (2110 South Wabash Avenue), only blocks away from our Chicago farm.

The celebration will feature delicious dishes prepared by talented chefs from organizations like Avec, Provecho, The Evolved Network, and more. And in addition to the amazing food, the event will include live music, an open bar, a silent auction, and a special video presentation.

There are a variety of ways that individuals and organizations can participate and support:
🌱Become A Lead Sponsor
🌱Purchase A Table
🌱Purchase Early Bird Tickets
🌱Make A Donation
🌱Volunteer At The Event

All of the proceeds will directly support our food access and education programs.

We look forward to a wonderful evening in community with you!