The Local Beet Turns One

Recently celebrating its one-year anniversary, The Local Beet (www.thelocalbeet.com) is an essential web source for information on local and sustainable eating in Chicagoland. Since February of 2009, Editor Robert Gardner has amassed a steadily growing group of followers who use the site as a resource for locating farmers' markets, finding regional Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs and discovering what ingredients are in season and where to get them.

Since its inception, the site has played host to a number of contributing writers who have provided helpful articles, videos, links, recipes and more. Folks such as Chef Pat Sheerin of the Signature Room have made cameo appearances on The Local Beet, while bloggers Melissa Graham and Vera Videnonovich regularly contribute their own unique perspectives.

Venturing beyond the bounds of the Internet, The Local Beet co-sponsored a local food systems lecture series with Eli’s Cheesecake and Wright College. Members from the site also participated in Slow Food Chicago’s Eat In event at Daley Plaza and moderated the panel at Green City Market’s annual locavore town hall meeting.

In its second year, The Local Beet has ambitious that include putting on a farm dinner with local chefs and farmers this spring, expanding the resource sections of the website and recruiting new guest columnists.