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Everything's Beautiful on This Urban Farm, and the Flowers are Dillies

  • Writer: Bob Benenson
    Bob Benenson
  • Jul 7
  • 2 min read

Summer in Bloom During CSA Pickup at Just Roots Farm


White dill flowers and a bee on a Chicago urban farm.
These white dill flowers are pretty, and the bee thinks they're pretty sweet. Photo by Bob Benenson

I decided this year to get a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription with Chicago's Just Roots non-profit for two primary reasons.


I'd previously witnessed the beautiful vegetables on the tiny urban farm, so I relished the idea of getting delicious produce grown about nine miles from our apartment. I also respect their mission of helping increase access to that healthy and super-fresh produce for those facing food insecurity in the surrounding Bronzeville community on Chicago's South Side.


There is a third reason, though. When I make my every-other-Saturday pickups — the latest on July 5 — I get to spend some Zen moments wandering around and taking photos of the lovely, thriving plants.


This farm grows a lot of dill. Some of it grows those eye-grabbing white flowers in the top photo. Others grow delicate yellow crowns.


Dill with yellow flowers at a Chicago urban farm.
Photo by Bob Benenson
Delicate crowns of dill flowers from a Chicago urban farm.
Photo by Bob Benenson

The farm has been turning out a big volume of big-leafed greens, including this chard.


Big leaves of chard growing on a Chicago urban farm.
Photo by Bob Benenson

But the later summer crops are starting to mature, including tomatoes...


Growing tomato plants on a trellised plot on a Chicago urban farm
Photo by Bob Benenson
A small but robust planting of corn on a Chicago urban farm.
Photo by Bob Benenson

... and a small but healthy planting of corn.


Something you don't see everywhere — amaranth with its own bright splash of color.


Beautiful purple amaranth growing on a Chicago urban farm.
Photo by Bob Benenson

As always, my green CSA tote bag came home overflowing.


A haul of beautiful fresh vegetables from a Chicago urban farm.
Photo by Bob Benenson

From lower left, their first of season baby carrots, collard greens, bright red beets, a can of Sputnik coffee (roasted on the South Side), scallions, basil, dill and rainbow chard.


What will be in the bag two Saturdays from now? You'll see.



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